My AMFlite 14 came with this 2" round cork insert in the mast step. The cork is 5/8" thick. From other threads on this forum I understand that it is a good piece to have, as rotation of the mast during sailing will - over time - grind and potentially damage the step.
As you can see - however - my cork insert is crumbling away and I am thinking I should replace...?
Do others use something similar and can they recommend? Or - is a mast with properly installed base cap fine and there is no need for such a piece?
danpal is correct. These cork discs were to jammed inside the base of the base to keep them watertight. Over time, most of them shrunk
and became non-functiomal.
A plastic base cap is essential. If the cap is missing, the mast becomes a giant "cookie cutter" and will severely damage the bottom of the mast hole as the mast rotates from tack to tack. If I am reinstalling a mast cap, I use silicon goop to make the cap watertight and then secure it with two pop rivets (taking care to cover the hollow core of the rivets with more silicon goop.)
I had to take off the base cap to find out what was making "that slow sliding sound" inside my mast. It was a tapered cork that had shrunk over the years, in perfect condition.
I've also used silicone sealer, but Shoe-Goo stays in good condition in storage; whereas, silicone doesn't age well in the cartridge.
To keep the mast dry inside--and to retain a positive flotation--I've added Pond & Stone (a foaming agent) before sealing the mast for good. Water is needed to cure Pond & Stone, so I stand on a dock over five feet of fresh water and spray one end first, then the other. There's plenty of foam remaining in the can, but only a couple of days should lapse before using it elsewhere.
I can't recommend this procedure for saltwater masts, for which, I'd treat the inside with an antioxidant, and use fresh water to rinse e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g!