Water and the cabin sole

[vanilladuck]

Like most of us, I have water which regularly enters the boat through the mast on my E32-3. There is no gutter around the mast step so the water runs across the cabin sole to the starboard side of the boat and seeps into the edge of the flooring where it meets the fiberglass gelcoat at the base of the starboard settee/berth. After watching this minor phenomenon through several rain storms noticed this:

Okay, fine - there's some water trapped under the floor. But, I've also noticed some of the flooring is a bit soft. The section is directly under the small 3/4" shelf of fiberglass that runs over to make the front edge of the shower bilge. I think water from the mast might be running under the floor along this tiny shelf and causing the wood to rot from underneath.

I'd like to examine the underside of the flooring, but I can't find any screws, wood plugs, or anything other fastener holding the sections of teak down. And when I pull up on the flooring at the bilge openings.. no budge.

I'm trying to think of this problem in two pieces:

1. How to funnel water from the mast into the shower bilge
2. How to repair the flooring without destroying it

Thoughts?

 

[Pete the Cat]

Are you sure that is coming in through the mast? Could it be a freshwater tank? My first inclination would be to stop the leak. On my 32-200 the mast leak--which appears to be through the sheaves and largely unpreventable-- goes to the bilge. Unfortunately the floors appear to be put down with an awful mastic (hopefully not 5200) of some kind. An option would be to get things incredibly dry (heaters might be required) and then treat the whole floor with penetrating epoxy (protect yourself from the vapor from this as it is deadly) and then varnish the floor with layers of much thinned (I have started with 60% thinner with Epiphanes in some cases). Idea is to penetrate and waterproof the fibers- obviously. I am not sure how discolored things are, but you need to clean that up with some teak cleaner if you can, but sometimes the mold is deep and you will have to settle for some darker color when you start sealing. A way to get moisture out would be to use some 90% alcohol over several days as it might help unlock buried moisture. Some of the guys in the yard don't like acetone because they say it leaves a residue that inhibits bonding of epoxy and varnishes but I do not have experience with this. FWIW.

 

[Nick J]

has anyone installed a dam inside their mast?

https://support.seldenmast.com/files/1380900777/595-814-E.pdf (for Selden, but should work for any mast manufacturer)

You would need to install a wiring gooseneck to allow the cables and wires to pass through the deck. It seems like a fiddly process, but if done correctly could solve all the mast leaking problems.

 

[Kenneth K]

Here's a recent, related post about this common problem on early 32-3s: https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/threads/water-around-mast.20226/
Later E-32s had a molded-in drain channel around the mast base.

As to removing the cabin sole without destroying it--very difficult, but it can be done. It was glued into place and it's very difficult to get the glue to separate without cracking/puncturing/tearing the wood.


My tools of choice were a chisel and a small section of aluminum yardstick that could be pounded between the sole and the TAFG. You can watch the sole flex quite a bit as you pry it up from below--too much flexing and it cracks. The patient way might be to work a small section loose, spray Marine Formula Debond underneath, let it sit a few days, then stat prying again.

I was able to remove the two rear sections of sole with only minor damage, but was aided greatly by a PO who apparently spilled diesel (or some other solvent) that softened the glue under large parts of these sections.



Up closer to the bow, where my sole seems firmly adhered to the TAFG, I've figured it's safer to sand & refinish the sole in place rather than to take the time and risk required to remove it.

 

[Christian Williams]

I can't find any screws, wood plugs, or anything

Glued down. Usually destroyed in replacement (new sole to be screwed down, which is better).

 

[Kasbud]

Like most of us, I have water which regularly enters the boat through the mast on my E32-3. There is no gutter around the mast step so the water runs across the cabin sole to the starboard side of the boat and seeps into the edge of the flooring where it meets the fiberglass gelcoat at the base of the starboard settee/berth. After watching this minor phenomenon through several rain storms noticed this:

Okay, fine - there's some water trapped under the floor. But, I've also noticed some of the flooring is a bit soft. The section is directly under the small 3/4" shelf of fiberglass that runs over to make the front edge of the shower bilge. I think water from the mast might be running under the floor along this tiny shelf and causing the wood to rot from underneath.

I'd like to examine the underside of the flooring, but I can't find any screws, wood plugs, or anything other fastener holding the sections of teak down. And when I pull up on the flooring at the bilge openings.. no budge.

I'm trying to think of this problem in two pieces:

1. How to funnel water from the mast into the shower bilge
2. How to repair the flooring without destroying it

Thoughts?

I have a 1987 34-2. I assume similar techniques were used in construction. I found little round tabs identical to the flooring on the solo near the galley. A beautiful job to hide the attachment points

 

[Filkee]

has anyone installed a dam inside their mast?

https://support.seldenmast.com/files/1380900777/595-814-E.pdf (for Selden, but should work for any mast manufacturer)

You would need to install a wiring gooseneck to allow the cables and wires to pass through the deck. It seems like a fiddly process, but if done correctly could solve all the mast leaking problems.

This photo shows the dam around the base of my mast that in theory directs the water to a limber hole forward. It was pretty much rotted and leaking and my cabin sole was soggy crumbs when I bought it, but I have since replaced the pieces and everything seems to be working. Not inside the mast but a method worth considering If properly maintained.

 

[Loren Beach]

This photo shows the dam around the base of my mast that in theory directs the water to a limber hole forward.

Unfortunate to have to deal with this. I found that the rain water could run either way across a "hat stringer" as the interior was fitted out. I used some thickened epoxy to build a little 'dam' on each side of the mast step to direct the water into the bilge.
Picture of the starboard side in this blog entry. Unfortunately not a BK Ericson, tho.....

O34 - New Bilge Hose, April 2016

This year I replaced the cockpit manual bilge pump. I thought I could rebuild the old one, but the inside check valves were secured by ss screws into the alum. housing and would not budge. The hose had also been in there since the boat was built...

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