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Compression Post Base Repair

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OutofOffice
Deckhand

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USA
2 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/18/2021 : 08:30:30

Good Morning Yall. Appreciate everything that has been posted on this forum, it has been very helpful. I purchased a 1984 swing keel tall rig a few years back that has been an absolute blast. We took the mast down for the first time a few weeks back to replace some running rigging, rewire lights and investigate some potential cabin top / compression post issues.

Since I've owned the boat there has been a very small pool of water in the cabin at the base of the mast after heavy rains. I always suspected this was coming through some of the wiring running through the deck or the mast bolts. I'm planning to seal off the existing holes with epoxy and re-drill where applicable.

I think this water was running down the compression post as the bottom corner where the bulkhead meets the compression post and compression post "fiberglass support" is slightly rotting. Planning to inject some epoxy into the bulkhead here, we are talking an area about the size of a baseball. Good news is chain plate areas show no signs of rot.

Unfortunately, I fear this water has caused some damage to the base of the compression post, the part that is under the false floor liner. I fear if untreated this is 1) a safety issue and 2) will lead to the the cabin top at the mast base becoming compressed. It is showing very, very trivial signs of this now with some crazing on the gel coat around the mast base on the exterior and interior.

This all gets me to my question for the experts. How on earth can I access the compression post support down in the hull to check for rot and repair/replace it without completely destroying the floor liner (and if I have to do that how easy is that to fix)? A few ideas I'm toying with below with a few pictures included to help.

1) cut an approximately 8x12 section outlined in red below out using a grinder. This should allow me to get eyes and hands on the post support to check for rot. TBD if I would be able to extract the current piece through this hole if a replacement is necessary. This new access panel has a wood cover that keeps the table in place so I'm not super worried about repairing the fiberglass here.

<img src="https://photos.app.goo.gl/wiRGwJUYURcU3yLw9" border=0>
[https://photos.app.goo.gl/wiRGwJUYURcU3yLw9][/https://photos.app.goo.gl/wiRGwJUYURcU3yLw9]

2) Cut purely around the approximately 4x4 fiberglassed compression support post to remove just it. If I execute this correctly, it would effectively create a hole straight down through the floor liner to where the base of the support would be. I would then redo the base of the compression support post with epoxy, and likely replace the existing fiberglass support with a wooden piece - think entirely wood compression post all the way through floor liner. I could use the epoxy to build a small "hump" this sits on so rot wouldn't be an issue unless there was a lot of water in the bilge. If desired I could use some fairing compound around the base of the new support and the floor liner but may not even need to do that depending on how clean of a cut I could make. This is the path I'm leaning toward as it would require no fiberglass work on the floor liner and be much more serviceable in the future (although hopefully never necessary).

[https://photos.app.goo.gl/GbpZt844UdauEtx99][/https://photos.app.goo.gl/GbpZt844UdauEtx99]

3) Full Nuclear. Take out several feet of the floor liner all around the mast base. This would provide easy access to everything but probably be a nightmare to replace. I'm very hesitant to go down this path as this seems like a project that will expand for several months and really eat at some sailing time.

Other observations. The floor liner is not connected to the keel and has been this way since I purchased it. I can't imagine that floor liner is structural but better minds may correct me in which option 3 becomes the only path.

Additional context. I'm in Atlanta and sail on Lanier, this isn't an offshore vessel but safety is a priority and I do like to sail in gustier conditions at times. A few additional pics below just in case they are helpful. Sorry for such a long post but figure the more detail the better.

[https://photos.app.goo.gl/v5ESPseUgdU3BEns7][/https://photos.app.goo.gl/v5ESPseUgdU3BEns7]
[https://photos.app.goo.gl/a3cn15aeqET26bUG9][/https://photos.app.goo.gl/a3cn15aeqET26bUG9]
[https://photos.app.goo.gl/KRnTD7GAgRzwh5568][/https://photos.app.goo.gl/KRnTD7GAgRzwh5568]

waterbaby
Navigator

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USA
168 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2021 : 06:11:47

I don't have an answer for you but I sure hope none of these options are necessary!

We are planning on replacing the bulkhead on that side because of water damage from leaking chain plates. We've seen some videos of people removing the starboard bulkhead and this one where the person removed the bulkhead and compression post. https://youtu.be/5E8BDnNqUcQ

The configuration is not the same as our swing keel or traditional interior and he doesn't really show how he did it, but it my impression was that it was fairly basic.

We've removed our table and this exposed the fasteners for the bulkhead. There is trim along the compression post and we are hopefull that removing the trim would expose fasteners for the compression post.

Since it looks like you have the same configuration, I'm really interested in how this works out for you. Please share and good luck!

1986 TR/SK #5250 Sunshine

OutofOffice
Deckhand

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USA
2 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2021 : 08:19:45

Thanks waterbaby. I had actually seen that video and it is indeed helpful. Makes me wish I had the dinette layout as the compression post base is very accessible.

I can attest that removing the trim and compression post is very easy and straightforward. The compression post might be under a bit of load so giving it a few taps with a rubber mallet or something similar may be necessary once the fasteners are removed. Getting the bulkhead out from there should be fairly straightforward.

After taking another look at my boat last weekend I am planning to implement option #2 above sometime over the next week. Will try to post some pics and how-to info for others if I succeed.

After some additional consideration I'm going to try and actually just use one solid piece (likely teak) from hull to cabin top. If I can make a clean enough cut to remove the current fiberglass compression post base, this new post should be able to slide right into the gap and still look good. May use some epoxy filler between the floor and new post just to close off what may be a small gap. That will be cosmetic though and something I can do once a mast is back up.

Chichester
Deckhand

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USA
23 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2023 : 10:44:05

Hi Ouofoffice. How did your project turn out. I was very happy to find your post as I too have a similar issue now.
Would like to know and am currently looking for more post, about this subject. cheers and good luck.

If life is a river then mine is a lake: dammed at each end by the chores of modern-day living.

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