    
Scott Corder (Commodore)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 | | Posted on Monday, March 06, 2006 - 01:49 pm: | |
Here's what I have found to be successful (having pulled my mast five of the past six winters):
1. Obviously, the chrome plates must be removed in order to pull the mast. These plates compress the red rubber gasket in order to achieve a waterproof seal. Remember to number and diagram the bolts as you pull them because they are likely to be of differing lengths. You will save yourself alot of headaches when it is time to re-step the mast.
2. My experience is that the red rubber gasket usually comes out of the deck opening with the mast as it is pulled upward.
3. With the rubber gasket removed, the mast is very easy to lower back through the hole. The red gasket is then re-installed around the mast prior to re-installing the plates.
4. Also, it is advisable to re-seal the red gasket into place each time you remove the mast. This would include a thorough cleaning of the mast, the deck opening and the gasket before applying new silicon caulk and re-installing the mast.
5. Be careful not to use a sealant like 3M 5200. This is an ADHESIVE that makes it VERY difficult to separate items adhered together. Silicon is merely a sealant, equally effective, can be separated easily and cleans up nicely.
6. Here's the order of events when I re-install my mast: 1) clean all areas to be sealed. 2) Drop the mast into position (read my note regarding wiring below). 3) place a little silicon in the deck opening where the gasket will be placed. 4) install the rubber gasket. 5) place silicon around the top surface of the gasket where it will contact the plate and at each bolt hole for the deck plate. 6) re-install the deck plate. 7) Once the plate bolts are tightened, run a bead of silicon around the top of the red gasket that is exposed around the mast above the plate. 8) wrap some rigging tape around the top of the gasket/mast line of contact.
7. NOTE: one of the plate bolts does not have a nut on the underside. It threads directly into the lavatory bulkhead. Be careful not to strip the threads on this permanently embedded nut!
8. Another note: I usually tape a strip of carpeting, foam pad or moving blanket on the lavatory bulkhead prior to lowering the mast into place. This helps prevent any potential damage to the bulkhead if the mast butt gets a little out of control as you lower it down into the cabin.
9. Yet another note: When pulling the mast, all the wiring to/from the mast needs to be stuffed back into its exit hole in the mast BEFORE it is lifted through the deck opening because the wiring can interfere with the butt of the mast fitting through the deck opening. This process should be also reversed when re-installing the mast. Stuff the wiring inside the mast BEFORE the mast is lowered through the hole. Then, once the mast butt is through the deck opening, pull the wiring back out through its exit hole BEFORE the mast bottom is settled onto the mast step plate.
10. All this should take place before tightening any of the shrouds. |
