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PSC 34 compression post

7K views 13 replies 8 participants last post by  nateinmaine 
#1 ·
It appears that I've developed a leak in or around the mast (probably for some time) and the compression post has started to split down the center lamination, about 3/8 inch at its widest. I do plan to have the local boatyard take a look at it asap. I know the mast will have to be dropped and and mast step checked for leaks. If anyone had experience replacing/repairing their compression post would you please share your advice.
 
#2 · (Edited)
In 2004 when we bought Irish Eyes we knew that water was entering the boat from the bottom of the mast and wetting the compression post. I opened the inspection plate on the bottom of the mast, placed a light inisde the mast, and poured fluid silicone caulk into the hole in the bottom of the mast where the cables enter the boat to stop the leak. That was successful. The leak was stopped. The leak had apparently started when radar was installed on the boat and the original cable seal was breached and not repaired.

A couple of years later while varnishing the cabin sole, I saw a small dry black spot at the base of the compression post. Probing first with my pocket knife and later with a screwdriver, I found a rotten void enclosing 3/4 of the base of the post. It looked like a cartoon rat hole. A baseball would fit inside. Also gone was the flooring between the compression post and the mush filled base on which the assembly rests. Bad news.

I live in East Tennessee and had a local hardwood lumber yard mill me five pieces of 3/4" white oak; four of which I built up into a replacement post and a fifth which made a new covering board for the cable way. I took the varnished new post and the boat to Oriental, NC where Sailcraft Services removed the old post, installed the new, and built up the base to the level of the cabin sole. After telephone discussions with LaFiel, Sailcraft welded a 6" tall 1" diameter aluminum pipe to the base plate of the mast to form a standpipe to keep water from again running from inside the mast, through the cable way, and into the compression post. So far, so good.

While the mast was off the boat we also replaced the standing rigging and put a new LED anchor light atop the mast.

Bill Murdoch
1988 PSC 34
Irish Eyes
 
#3 ·
Standing Rigging for a 34

Hi Bill,

I have a 1987 34.

Am thinking about replacing the standing rigging in a few months.

My boat is located in Nicevile, FL near Destin, FL.

Who did you have replace the rigging? Types of fittings used (Swaged, Stay-Lock)? Approximate cost? Did you have the mast and boom repainted while it was off?

Thanks, Hank

s/v Lou Ann
Crealock 34, #68
 
#4 ·
I have 9/32" standing rigging with swages at the masthead and Norseman fittings at the spreaders, the backstay insulators, and at deck level. When we unstepped the mast, one of the deck level Norseman fittings was found to be split open. That precipitated the replacement of all the wire and that one fitting. All the other Norseman fittings appeared sound and were reused. We did not replace the forestay or the running backstays. The forestay was newer and the running backstays did not seem worth the effort.

We are aboard right now in North Carolina preparing to leave for the Bahamas. I have not found the receipt, suspect that it is at home, and can't remember the cost. Mark at Sailcraft Services in Oriental, NC did the work. We did not repaint the mast and boom while they were off the boat. We should have. We did replace the ground wire from the mast base to the grounding plate as it was badly corroded under its insulation.

Bill Murdoch
1988 PSC 34
Irish Eyes
 
#5 ·
Does anyone know what type of wood the compression post was originally made from? Teak? I'm looking at buying a PSC34, and there is some evidence of moisture in the post (moisture meter shows "wet" readings) and water staining of the post, as well as some minor water damage to the port side cabin sole. Thanks, Nate
 
#6 ·
I too had some water seepage. Turns out the mast was filling up with rain water. We drilled a couple of small weep holes in the base and the problem was solved. Before, when the water would rise up enough, it would spill into the PVC tube where the wires run through the mast base.
 
#7 ·
My original compression post had the appearance of white oak. The wiring groove in the port side was covered with a piece of perhaps 1/2" teak held in place with screws. Had I or the surveyor taken it off, the water damage would have been quite apparent as the post had rotted from the inside out.

Bill Murdoch
1988 PSC 34
Irish Eyes
 
#12 ·
At survey it would have been no trouble to remove the covering board over the wiring channel in the compression post. Ten screws held it in place. Had we removed it, the damage from the water ingress through the mast base would have been clearly apparent as would have been the rotten area at the lower end of the compression post and the rotting floor below the compression post.

That said, we had no reason to remove the covering board during the survey. Irish Eyes has the fixed two leaf table and that kept us from seeing the small black spot at the aft base of the compression post that was the only external indication of the internal rot.

The repair that I described earlier in this thread was straight forward and simple once we located the hidden screws in the head door frame that hold the post in place.

Bill Murdoch
1988 PSC 34
Irish Eyes
 
#13 ·
Re: Standing Rigging for a 34

We recently had our PSC 34 through a small refit which included all standing rigging and chainplates. We spent about $3500 in parts purchased through PSC in NC. Might have paid a couple hundred more than if I shopped around but having Thumper at the factory to answer questions and knowing that the rigging was going to fit right the first time, I felt it was worth it. We did swaged fitting at the mast and mechanical fittings at the chainplates. I like the water tightness of the mechanical fitting.
 
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