[jkimberly]

One of the previous threads got me thinking (looking?) about a "new" boat

Remember the one about "Is it cheating to look . . . "? Now don't get me wrong, I love my 26' Seafarer but I wonder about having a few more feet both in length and width. Anyway, I digress . . .

Going through the ads on Yachtworld and seeing (dreaming?) about the various vessels portrayed there when something seemed to pop out at me, namely many of the interior shots show a keel stepped mast. I've owned two totally different sailboats, both of which had deck stepped masts. Not having any experience with the keel stepped variety, I wonder, what are the Pos and Cons of either, in your opinions?

I've seen posts here where the owner had some issues with water leaking down the mast, mostly down the interior of it? So I wonder if this is a major problem and how it might be eliminated.

Cheers!

Jk

 

[NoShoes]

Keel or deck stepped, is a personal choice, neither is better than the other.

 

[eherlihy]

Most keel stepped masts provide a path for water ingress when it rains. The mast requires another hole in your cabin.

Before anyone accuses me of being biased against keel stepped masts, realize that I have one.

 

[capta]

I believe anyone contemplating extended offshore sailing might want a keel stepped main mast, unless they have a boat designed with a tabernacle. Either way, if there are any wires from the mast, you are going to have a hole through the deck anyway.
It really doesn't take much to have a waterproof mast boot that keeps the water out, so that is not a very valid reason for a deck stepped mast.
We have one of each, so I don't know what to tell you about that. Some people really like the "stripper pole" in our bedroom, and others pointedly ignore it.

 

[Barquito]

Most say a keel stepped mast is better for off shore work. Some deck stepped masts end up with a compression post that takes up space inside, anyway.

 

[mr_f]

The first response on this thread is from Bob Perry:

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/boat-review-purchase-forum/167586-masts-deck-keel-stepped.html

I get the impression he may know something about boats.

 

[SHNOOL]

Generally speaking, as boats get bigger than 26 feet, they tend towards keel stepped over deck stepped. Obviously there are boats that aren't. But you'll find more keel stepped than deck stepped masts after about 28 feet.

Off the top of my head... deck stepped masts over 26 feet..
Catalaina 27.
Beneteau 285
Lancer 28
Hunter 27
US Yacht 27...
Hobie 33.

I am limited to deck stepped masts because there is very little yard equipment on our lake to raise a keel stepped mast (which means I'd have to find a way to raise the mast myself)... We also don't have a travel lift, so requirements are to launch from trailer any boat I use. There ARE a few boats with keel stepped masts (J24 comes to mind).. but they are rare, and those people either use a home-built crane, or some bring a cherry picker to do it themselves. A pretty crazy option.

 

[zz4gta]

Off the top of my head... deck stepped masts over 26 feet..
Catalaina 27.
Beneteau 285
Lancer 28
Hunter 27
US Yacht 27...
Hobie 33.

Comanche, 100' racing maxi. As bob said before, as long as they're designed right, either setup is fine. The actual section on that boat is scary thin.

 

[MikeOReilly]

My 37-footer cutter is deck-stepped. No matter how you define it, our boat is considered "blue water". There is a big compression post -- a solid piece of teak (probably worth more than my whole boat ). As with most things, I think it comes down to build quality and good design. Each choice has its pluses and minuses.

One consideration which I've not seen mentioned is that keel-stepped masts are more challenging to remove and re-install. I come from the land where boats come out every year, and most masts are removed. I've helped with many dozens (maybe 100s) of mast stepping/unstepping. Keel stepped masts are definitely harder to manage.

On the other side, deck stepped masts tend to be more of a PITA when it comes to wiring issues. A keel stepped mast provides an obvious path through the deck. Not so with deck-stepped.

The arguments regarding offshore work either emphasis the idea that a keel-stepped mast may leave you with a useable stump in the case of a dismasting. The possible downside of this is that it may also leave you with a big hole in the deck. A deck-stepped mast will more likely be torn freely away, leaving the boat with no mast, but no hole. I'm sure which is "better" will be highly event-specific. Either sounds bad to me.

 

[Minnewaska]

As pointed out by most, especially the pros, it doesn't really matter. What matters is that whichever you find in the boat you like, it was engineered well for the purpose you will use the boat for.

If you have a furling mainsail, there is virtually no way to keep water out of your bilge with a keel stepped mast There is a slot that runs the length of the mast, after all. I've heard of extreme methods to seal the interior of the mast, above the deck, to drain. With all the wires and cables inside, it just seems like it isn't worth the effort. Just be sure you can get the water efficiently to your bilge pump.

 

[aeventyr60]

If there is a travel lift with with a boom crane then taking out my keel steped mast is possible. I figure I need about a 3 meter tide to make it work at most docking facilities. Usually coinciding with the full moon around these parts.

 

[JonEisberg]

One possible issue with keel-stepped not yet mentioned... I've experienced this with 2 boats I've run in recent years, I'll politely refrain from naming The Brand, lest anyone accuses me of "bashing" it... (OK, here's a hint, the name starts with a letter very near the end of the alphabet, WAY beyond "H", so that should provide some relief to some around here ;-))

Underway, or even when rolling slightly at anchor, the mast below the partners could produce the most ungodly 'squeaking' noise... Unbelievably irritating, if you were trying to sleep in the main cabin, guaranteed to drive you INSANE... ;-)

One of the boats had a wooden 'box' surrounding the base of the mast to make it more visually appealing, and much of the trip was spent trying to disassemble the thing to eliminate the noise, but to no avail... We simply could not determine the source of that squeak... A major annoyance, as it basically rendered the best sea berths on the boat unusable...

I've never had such an issue with the compression post on a deck stepped mast...

 

[aeventyr60]

A little neoprene rubber surrounding the mast partner quiets things down. Also the cabin sole can not be a tight fit around the mast base. A few sleepless nights pondering the source of that awful creaking came up with the solutions.

 

[Mongo]

I recently looked at a boat that had a new keel step for it's keel stepped mast. It did not appear that the mast was pinned to the base plate in any way, and the rod that is supposed to hold the deck down in relation to the keel was removed, and instead the deck was being held down with brackets attached to the mast. Bad idea?

 

[overbored]

I recently looked at a boat that had a new keel step for it's keel stepped mast. It did not appear that the mast was pinned to the base plate in any way, and the rod that is supposed to hold the deck down in relation to the keel was removed, and instead the deck was being held down with brackets attached to the mast. Bad idea?

Many are done that way. I think it is a better way because the bracket holds the deck down when the halyards are tight and the deck up when they are loose

 

[VallelyJ]

Keel stepped=6.
Deck stepped=a half-dozen.
Or maybe it's the other way around.
Anyway, there are several well-known advantages and disadvantages to each. One that is important to me personally is that a keel-stepped mast can be lighter, as a third point of support--the deck partners--adds considerable rigidity. The leaking doesn't have to be a big issue. Raising a deck-stepped mast is obviously easier, though. OTOH, I raised the 47-foot keel stepped mast on my 33-footer by myself once using a boat club crane and it wasn't that hard. The mast takes up some space in the cabin, but it's easy to work around. And the structural support that's necessary for a deck-step takes up room, also. On that subject, the structural pressures inherent in deck-stepping are vulnerabilities. Rot anywhere in the supporting structures, or design or manufacturing faults, can cause big problems. A keel-step gets around all that.
I have a feeling most of us probably end up choosing whichever comes on the boat we end up buying. I'd probably have been happy with a Southern Cross 31 with a deck-stepped mast if I hadn't bought an Alajuela 33.
JV