Screw up!

Stillraining · #1 (**permalink**) 03-25-2008

OK ..I have a problum...I want to use spartite to secure and seal my mast...Never having a keel stepped mast befor I didnt pay much attention to the partners penetration...instead of a nice smooth glassed collar there is just cutouts through the corred deck and coach top..basically two 3/4" sheets of sealed plywood with a 1 1/2" gap between them...I have no idea how far back this gap between them goes...Had I noticed it I would have had it glassed all in when the mast was out.

..

I emailed spartite and they told me not to fill that void with their product or I would never get the mast out again...I asked if I could cut spartite with a sawzall but did not get an answer...

My thought was to squirt foam in between the two decks a couple inches back from the edges of the cut out and then just fill in the whole area with spartite...If I ever need to pull the stick again ( I doubt it was ever done before so that was 25 years without the need ) I could use a sawzall and cut through it basicly cutting a donut that would pull out with the mast...One benefit of wanting to do it this was now is to get a good seal off of thoes exposed plywood cores and spartite would surly do that..

Personally I dont see a big deal with this approach but the Co. has not responded...

Has anyone had to cut Spartite? can it be done?

My boat has no metal flanged collar that rises from the deck around the mast..In a perfect sinaro the penetration should be tapered and finished very smooth to enable the mast to be pulled free with the cured spartite donut staying attached to the mast...then it just self aligns the mast going back in place..

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 03-25-2008

You should definitely open up the deck there and fiberglass around the opening, since you really don't want water getting in-between the two layers. It would probably be worth building a collar to fit the gap around the mast partners, then to fill the excess space with thickened epoxy and then fiberglass over the edge.

Stillraining · #3 (**permalink**) 03-25-2008

Dog...I agree and this i would have done while the mast was out...but now I dont think I would get a good job of glassing there is only maybe a 1" gap around the mast all the way around...

It was a bone head move on my part not checking this area out before the re stepping...There is absolutely no sign of rot in this area so it hasn't suffered being wedged with wood blocking and a boot for all thease years..but I want a better seal now just to make sure it stays that way....If I ever do have to pull it again I would cut it back and do what you suggest...but I think my idea will work just fine if cutting the spartite is not that big of a deal...was hopeing someone had cut a donut of it off a mast and could chime in..

PS: I would/will form a little collar above deck so the spartite would not be flush and allow water to drain away...then cover with a boot as normal..

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailingdog

You should definitely open up the deck there and fiberglass around the opening, since you really don't want water getting in-between the two layers. It would probably be worth building a collar to fit the gap around the mast partners, then to fill the excess space with thickened epoxy and then fiberglass over the edge.

camaraderie · #4 (**permalink**) 03-25-2008

Well...if you insist on using spartite, here's what I would suggest if you are not gonna pull your mast again and do it right.

Get some tubes of 3m 4200 or similar and using a putty knife, fill the gaps in your deck so that water cant get in between. My guess is that you DO have rot in there as the coring came all the way to the edge on my Irwin so someone dug somethng out somewhere along the way..but you can always tend to that later if need be. Let the 4200 harden up well before using the spartite.

sailingfool · #5 (**permalink**) 03-25-2008

Spartite sets up like a hard plastic, I trimmed and shaped my Spartite collar with a razor, you could cut larger sections with a fine saw. I would not attempt to cut it after you have poured it and it has set up, you are likely to make a mess that will not be water tight when you reinstall the mast, defeating one of the benefits of using Spartite, not to mention there is a wider ridge at the top.

If you just create a smooth collar using epoxy before pouring the Spartite, you should be all set. As SD suggests, fill the area between the two ply layers with a West epoxy/Silica paste, then seal with a coat or two of straight epoxy. Sand/file between coats to produce a smooth wall all around the partner opening. While it would be nice if the collar tapers, as long as it is vertical and smooth, the spartite will remove and re-insert OK. The 5-inch metal mast collar on my CS is not tapered... a little vaseline and the spartite plug goes in and out just fine.

Good luck. and

Stillraining · #6 (**permalink**) 03-25-2008

All good advice...

I guess Im not making some points clear....

1) I would not cut the spartite unless I needed to pull the mast again..and if I did that I would remove it all and do the redesign of the area correctly ....then use new spartite..

2) with only 1" to work in all the way around the mast ..making anything stand up and be flush and smooth in that 1 1/2 gap will be next to impossible..and I will end up with it all over my mast most likely..

Cam ...You sound less then positive about spartite?...Bad experience?...thease are things I want to know...And you could be right about rot...Its just not flaky or punky or wet as far as I can tell..but it did seem odd to me that Irwin would just leave a gap there...It dosent fit with the rest of the quality of the boat..

rennisaint · #7 (**permalink**) 03-26-2008

Get a roll of that shrinkwrap you use on windows in the winter to make them better insulated. wrap your mast VERY NEATLY so that it protects two feet above and below the partners. Now hit it with a hair dryer to make it shrink as per the manufacturers instructions. You now have a very tough protection around your mast. Next, get a tube of 5200 for your caulk gun and then find a small diameter surgical tube that will fit between the partners and attach it to the end of your tube of 5200 (this may take some ingenuity). Shove the tube as far in between the decks as you can and fill the area out most of the way, leaving about a quarter to half inch of space. Work out any air voids as best you can with a coat hanger or similar. With a clean bit of tubing overfill the last little bit of void space between the decks, use more shrink wrap to create a smooth edge. Clean up as best you can. After the 5200 hardens, if you are really anal, take a belt sander belt of very fine grit and snip it to make a long sheet of paper, get your best friend in the whole world, or whoever is willing to work for a few beers to sit up top while you are below and wet sand the edge like a pair of lumberjacks (it might help to sing a song to get the rhythm right). Finally cut away the protective shrinkwrap around the mast and spartite it up.

camaraderie · #8 (**permalink**) 03-26-2008

Still....I see nothing wrong with Spartite other than the price. Yep...next time you pull your mast, have a look in the partners and shoot some epoxy in there for a permanent solution to the gap.

chucklesR · #9 (**permalink**) 03-26-2008

Isn't the mast, when keel stepped, supposed to be able to flex?

Would not this prevent that and possibly cause damage - it would certainly put all the force there at the deck (or a significant portion of it) instead of passing it to the keel.

Just a thought, feel free to throw rotten veggies.

sailingdog · #10 (**permalink**) 03-26-2008

It is definitely worth inspecting the mast partners very closely next time you pull the mast. And then, if there's nothing to fix... seal it off as I described previously.