Should I strengthen the mast step?

S

Skeglesswonder

New Member
After finding all the articles on this site about mast step repair and replacement, it got me a little scared.

I have a 1974 hull that until now, has been stored uncovered on its deck for about 10-15 years?

She is pristine with the exception of a few minor scratches and spider cracks on the hull and slight wavieness in the deck.

The cubitainers all seem to be dry and intact with a view into the drain hole.

The mast step is solid with the exception of one small chip in the deck on the lip of the hole, but she doesnt eat up any water.

I let the hull soak in water for about an hour, but didnt sail it, just checking her out before the maiden voyage. She took on zero water.


I bought two inspection ports preparing for any of the worst.

Should I go ahead and drop in an inspection port by the mast step and strengthen it up?

She wont be a racer, I just wanna be able to cruise around in light to medium-heavy winds.

The rails look pretty bad so I might fork out the 80 bucks I saw for rub-rail. If anyone has a better idea, shoot them to me.
 
Skeglesswonder said:
Should I go ahead and drop in an inspection port by the mast step and strengthen it up?

She wont be a racer, I just wanna be able to cruise around in light to medium-heavy winds.

The rails look pretty bad so I might fork out the 80 bucks I saw for rub-rail. If anyone has a better idea, shoot them to me.
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I'd drop in an inspection port and check out the base of the step. See if the piece of wood they put in there is in good shape. If everything looks cool, you may not have to do anything more, but peace of mind is great. It's also way less time and money than replacing an entire blown mast step. Don't put the port right next to the step. Offset it to the side and back.

By "the rails" do you mean the gunwales? Lasers also have grabrails on the inside of the cockpit. I used to have rubrail on my boat, but I did it because it was a new boat and I was an inexperienced sailor. I eventually took it off because it was falling off. So much for permanent glue!
 
I'd put the port in, especially if there is none. Reach in and take good pics, and post them for opinions.

Also, a mast step ss disk is worth it. And check the rail joint for cracks, as it was stored bottom up (we assume in the weather). I'd skip rubrail stuff. You can cosmetically patch rail chips easily. Post pics if you want opinions on that.

74's had wood boards, rails but I don't believe they had cubitainers. Maybe it's a '75?

Al Russell
182797
 
Why bother, if there is no problem? Personally, I wouldn't do a thing, although that might be considered risky. But isn't that what Laser sailing is all about :) ?

How did you find the cubitainers? Is there an inspection port somewhere else?

 
I looked through the drain plug to see what was going on inside. I saw what looked like moldy, transparent bags. They might be filled with foam for all I know.

She only came with the original upper mast, so I never got to see the wood blades, although I knew at that old, it was wood.

The grabrails in the cockpit are well worn and I replaced those with newer black rails.

The gunwale is alright, it just has some chips here and there.

I might cut a hole in her this weekend if I get a hold of the roto-zip.

I'll post some pics for sure.

The boat was old enough to be registered with really old rubber lettering, a lot like what you find for the sail numbers. Peeled it all clean. Needed a green scuff pad to cut through the hell that was on the hull.
 
Wavedancer said:
Why bother, if there is no problem? Personally, I wouldn't do a thing, although that might be considered risky. But isn't that what Laser sailing is all about :) ?
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The reason for checking the inside of the step on the old boats is a preventative issue. Since you can't see it, you really don't know if the base has rotted or if the filler between the base and the tube has cracked and pieces have fallen out (both fairly common on 70's series boats)

A bit like the old oil commerical - you can pay a little now, or a lot later.
 
Here she is in all her glory. Cut the hole in her today. Probably took about 10 minuntes with a dremel. Had the jig saw ready but she cut really easy.

Pictures pretty much speak for themselves. The chunk of deck/foam/fiberglass was bone dry. Real stiff.

The cubitainers are still intact. 33 years old? No inspection ports until the one today.
 

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Those sure look like cubetainers but if the boat had no inspection ports prior to today how did they get in there? I didn't think they had them in '74.

I have an even older boat (#581) that I was getting ready to hit the water with until a failed pour test yesterday afternoon. See my related post for my photos and questions.

Thanks.
 
Those sure look like cubetainers but if the boat had no inspection ports prior to today how did they get in there? I didn't think they had them in '74.

I have an even older boat (#581) that I was getting ready to hit the water with until a failed pour test yesterday afternoon. See my related post for my photos and questions.

Thanks.
 
I thought cubitainers were after 74. I saw the post about foam vs cubitainer but I cant find it. The serial on the boat is PFS 20970 1074
 
From what I've seen reading this forum, folks believe that inspection ports are a big source of leaks.

It would be a shame to take a bone dry boat and turn it into a wet one by virtue of having put the port in to see inside.

So, make sure you seal the port mount to the hull real thoroughly with a good sealant (4200/5200)

Then consider actually sealing the screw port itself closed with a flexible removable sealant (silicon or some other)
 
I would not recommend 5200 for the simple fact if you ever want to replace the port, it's a real PIA to get it out. IMHO, a better choice is either a good grade marine silicone or marine caulk such as Lifecaulk.

As far as leaky ports, the issues I've come across are usually:
1. poor bedding job between the port and the deck
2. damaged or missing o-ring between the port cover and the port.
3. Trying to fit a flat port on a curved deck. Don't curve the port- add more bedding compound if you have too.

There is an issue with broken ports when you put them in the sloping area of the deck next to the daggerboard - it's easy to put you knee thru it.
 
Skeglesswonder said:
Here she is in all her glory. Cut the hole in her today. Probably took about 10 minuntes with a dremel. Had the jig saw ready but she cut really easy.

Pictures pretty much speak for themselves. The chunk of deck/foam/fiberglass was bone dry. Real stiff.

The cubitainers are still intact. 33 years old? No inspection ports until the one today.
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The plywood base looks pretty good - The foam doughnut looks a little suspect, if for nothing else then the fact that it's not even and most likely fairly brittle after all this time. It's a fairly small job to dig out the old donut and pour in a new resin/filler mix to make a new donut which will be much stronger.
 
When I came across Gouv's site and others. Some people bulletproof the base with just fiberglass mat and others redo the doughnut.

Any idea why some redo the doughnut? Is it any easier? I picked up some fiberglass matting and I'll chip away the old doughnut. I didnt like how one side was nicely inflated and the back hardly had any filler from when it was made.
 
Re-doing the doughnut and replacing with decent resin/filler (as opposed to the crap they used on the 70's) before you have had any damage or major wear and tear to the tube itself it usually all that is needed.

However if you have a leaky tube, as was the case in the job Gouv was working on in his pics, the best way to make the tube watertight again is to wrap the tube with mat. And the best way to get the mat tight against the tube is to remove the majority of the doughnut above the plywood base.
 
I certaintly don't have the patience for this fiberglass. It is hard doing something you cannot see with gloves that provide no feel. I feel like the inspection port may have been too far away, but I have long arms.

I have been reading about this marine-tex putty. I think I saw a mast step beefed with it on the site. Is it good all by itself, or do I still reinforce it with fiberglass over it?

The doughnut was not chipping very easy, any good ideas on it? I havent seen anyone give a good idea about chipping it. You only get one hand to do anything hehe.
 
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