Mast Step Kit Repair Trouble

M

Mark C

New Member
Like many on this forum, i too blew my mast step.

I chose to chop out the deck and get a kit from Vanguard and right now I'm in the middle of repair but I've encountered a problem.

The doughnut on the hull was rotten, so I replaced it with new from the kit, and I have it fibreglassed to death in place...BUT... the mast step in the new kit seems longer than the original.

When I place the new deck/step into place it sits about 1/4" higher than the boat deck. I could bend it down on the starboard and port edges and bond it in place using the West system epoxy with lots of filler (peanut butter consistency) and cinder block weights but this doesn't seem right to me. The bow and aft edges will have a gap and the new deck will be under tension. I am contemplating adding a spacer all round before bonding. Oh and yes..I did completely ground out the old doughnut right down to the hull to remove any reminants and I have not yet added any height by fiberglassing though the center of the doughnut, I've kept it clear of epoxy to gain all the height I can for the new step.

Any suggestions out there? Should I use a spacer to raise the new deck or just bond it down with lots of filler? This is a cottage boat so I don't care so much about looks.

Mark
 
Hi Mark,

Sorry that i don't have any insight for you, but I too am lokking at the same repair for my boat. My question is this: Does the mast step repair kit have the two reinforced screw holes just aft of the mast tube where we can attach either the bullseye fairlead or the forkhead blocks?

Thanks,

- Leon
 
No, the kit is simply a replacement deck/mast step insert, a cut-out template plus a new wooden hull doughnut for the hull and deck reinforcement edge.

The new deck/mast step insert has no reinforcing beneath. What I have done is coated a piece of 3/4" plywood (3"x4") with epoxy resin (I used marine plywood because I had it handy but I don't think necessary) then bonded it with epoxy to the underside of the deck insert just aft of the mast step. After I install the mast step I will have to drill through the deck to accept the screws.

If you get the kit, I suggest considering one change to the instructions (assuming you will run into the same problem as me with mast step height), and that is to think about installing the reinforcing edge inverted to what the instructions suggest. The reinforcing edge is stepped DOWN so that the new deck can be bonded flush with the boat deck. If I installed the reinforcing edge with the step UP then I could have bonded to this surface.

Does anyone know how to get epoxy resin out of your hair...the job needs a lot of poking your head in gooy spaces!

Mark
 
Hello,

Would not use a shower cap as those can snag and will get pulled off your head. Your hair will then get covered in epoxy and you'll have a shower cap glassed into your boat. I know this sounds dumb, but I used to wear a bathing cap - the rubber kind. It is tight, it won't fall off - however you will look like a dope in it! (Suppose you could use a condom as well ;-)

Once it is in your hair - only way to get it out is with a sharp set of scissors or clippers.
 
You might try hanging the boat from the gunnels somehow. The weight of the boat on the bottom may be forcing it up that 1/4 inch. Piling weight on the patch, thus also on the bottom, is defeating the purpose.

I'd check that the new tube has a inside depth of 14" or so. If yes, then forcing it in is the right thing to do. I'd flex the bottom, before I shimmed between.

I agree that the flanges should be offset side up, or even flat would do. But I haven't used one of those kits in years.

Keep in mind those gooey drips may seem ok now, but after 1+ years all WEST drips will be an ugly dark brown. Work clean, and/or acetone off the drips immediately.

Al
 
No luck by hanging by the gunwhales, I gained no height at all. The only way I could see to flex the hull was to add some 2x4 vertical supports but
I ended up bonding in a shim all around instead. My goal is to make it leak proof and strong. Although I believe I'm making progress on this front, I am failing miserably in making it look good. My problem to solve next weekend is to find an appropriate caulking/fillet to blend the two decks edges. Any ideas on this...it is about 1/8" to 1/4" all around the new deck section.

Mark
 
Hi Mark C.

The pictures of past Mast step 'repair works' on other web sites, at best look workman like...in other words it does the job and allows the Laser to be sailed again...but as you say your concerned about making yours look half decent (as I would be too)

I'm sure someone can give you a technique to fill the gap effectively, but I have a little nugget of Deck texture reapplication that a friend (and a local laser restoration business) uses to add the texture back to the decks over repairs. They both swear by this technique, although I would like to add I haven't personally tried it myself yet, but it involve using a putty like substance that we have in the UK called Blutack (a kneadable putty used to stick things/ posters to walls etc) This comes in flat sheets and is simply pressed (whilst still in sheet form) onto the deck texture to take an impression...use as many sheets as required to go all around the repair (you may need to buy quite a few packs but if you have kids they will recycle this after use all over their walls anyway!!) and make sure texture impression covers all the surface when peeled off.

After you have filled the gap (with advice from others on best technique) make sure this is slightly beneath the level of deck. When this is hardened/ solid you mix up your gelcoat to recommended mix, fill the trough just slightly proud and then press the Blutack over all the joins to add texture in to the gelcoat. I have seen this done and it does work...might be worth a practice first to hone your technique.

I hope this is of interest to you...you may think its too much faff for the final results but it a good fix tip for deck scrapes and gauges anyway for others.

Perhaps others can help re. caulking filleting the gap first.
 
markmod1 said:
but it involve using a putty like substance that we have in the UK called Blutack (a kneadable putty used to stick things/ posters to walls etc) This comes in flat sheets and is simply pressed (whilst still in sheet form) onto the deck texture to take an impression...use as many sheets as required to go all around the repair (you may need to buy quite a few packs but if you have kids they will recycle this after use all over their walls anyway!!) and make sure texture impression covers all the surface when peeled off.

After you have filled the gap (with advice from others on best technique) make sure this is slightly beneath the level of deck. When this is hardened/ solid you mix up your gelcoat to recommended mix, fill the trough just slightly proud and then press the Blutack over all the joins to add texture in to the gelcoat. I have seen this done and it does work...might be worth a practice first to hone your technique.
Click to expand...

Hey, my son bits of this blue stuff on the ceiling from his posters. Thanks for the hot tip! I'm going to have to practice this, just to see.
 
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