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water down the mast

2219 Views 2 Replies 3 Participants Last post by jrd22, Apr 13, 2001

TSOJOURNER

Discussion Starter · Apr 12, 2001

water wicks down the wires of my deck-stepped mast. There is barely room for the wires to come through the deck so caulking from underneath is not possible. I have a couple ideas for TRYING to caulk or fill the bottom few inches with foam. But both necessitate drilling a hole in the mast. and then I can''t be sure of causing the water to run out the bottom of the mast or making a big mess. This is the only thing that is keeping my cabin bilge dry! Anyone got any suggestions.

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Jeff_H

· #2 · Apr 13, 2001

I would drill a small hole in your mast so that the wires can emerge 6" to a foot above the deck. Then I would pass them through the deck through a wire thimble through the deck to a connection block below the deck. Then seal the hole below the deck. Option 2 is to install a wire thimble in your mast step. Wire thimbles are metal fittings with a rubber gland that seals against the wire.I usually use a little silicone around the wire at the thimble gland.

Jeff

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jrd22

· #3 · Apr 13, 2001

Sounds like it''s time to unstep the mast and reseal/caulk the wire tube, and make sure the weep hole at the base is clear(assume you have checked this already). Caulking from inside the cabin would be entirely too easy(read pay for it later). It would keep it out of the cabin, but would rot the deck core.

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