Mast Boot Thing, Repair Ideas Please

[mattnj]

The boot between mast and deck (does it have a fancy name?) now has a hole in it and when raining leaks onto the saloon table, obviously the mast needs stepping to replace it completely, but does anyone have any good ideas or products to replace it or repair it in situ?

 

[fireball]

Can you use a bicycle repair kit ??

 

[Salty John]

I repaired mine with duct tape. It lasted two years. Then I had to replace the duct tape.

 

[sarabande]

howz about using a repair kit from an inflatable dinghy ? You might even be able to build a whole new mast coat.

 

[mattnj]

Can you use a bicycle repair kit ??

mmm, good idea, or the tender one i have already!

 

[earlybird]

Some years ago, I bought a roll of self-amalgamating tape intended for mast-boot repair. Chandleries might still stock them. Cost then was about a tenner IIRC. More now!
ps; I found sticking leak- proof patches on the old one easier said than done

 

[charles_reed]

Yes, its referred to as the mast-boot.

Try and get some wide, self-amalgamating tape - Z Spars UK used to sell it - that might allow you to botch-up the job.

From bitter experience, trying to mend the boot doesn't work - the movement and UV degradation are just too much for most rubber adhesives. A new boot did though.

 

[mattnj]

Yes, its referred to as the mast-boot.

Try and get some wide, self-amalgamating tape - Z Spars UK used to sell it - that might allow you to botch-up the job.

From bitter experience, trying to mend the boot doesn't work - the movement and UV degradation are just too much for most rubber adhesives. A new boot did though.

i did try some of that, lasted about 10mins, was too thin, must have got the wrong stuff.

Thinking more about it, i could perhaps, take the existing boot off, push it down into the cabin and make up a new (exact same shape) piece of rubber and make it in 2 bits and glue together, then push back up thorough deck hole when done.....so....what material and glue do i need...

 

[earlybird]

My eventual replacement, made to measure from Sailspar, was made from wet suit neoprene. My reaction was that I could have made it myself, but, despite my initial doubts, it lasted well.

 

[mattnj]

My eventual replacement, made to measure from Sailspar, was made from wet suit neoprene.

is that even waterproof?

 

[doug748]

I blagged some clear silicone stuff on mine, still going fine after 2 seasons.

 

[earlybird]

is that even waterproof?

Yes, it has an outer "skin", and, AFAIK, the cells are non-interconnecting. It's easy to glue, but the joints should be reinforced with rubber tape.
Could also try PVC or hypalon dinghy material from Polymarine.

 

[ShaunG]

try my old thread

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215811

I used flexane in the above thread as an alternative to sailspar.

This replaces the mast wedge and the mast boot. There is a very thin smear of sikaflex around the mast and the deck ring. I have been leak free ever since this was done. Can reccomend it

 

[ianat182]

Would a car inner tube do the job using a rubber contact adhesive and 35mm outer strip to seal the join. I'd also use silicone sealant to fill the luff groove above the boot, this often a leakage point.


ianat182

 

[Mandarin331]

Would a car inner tube do the job using a rubber contact adhesive and 35mm outer strip to seal the join. I'd also use silicone sealant to fill the luff groove above the boot, this often a leakage point.


ianat182

Did exactly this with a wooden mast, Used a truck inner tube rubber wound 1.5 time round the mast, sealed on the join and round the top, with several turns of light cord round the mast and deck collar pulled very tight. It was completely watertight, very strong and cheap, also looks the job if done neatly.

 

[RMTB]

I was faced with the same problem and, unless you want to buy a new one, inner tubes don't exist anymore.
So got exactly what I needed at a local garden centre - pond liner sold by the metre. They also have adhesives and sticky tapes.

 

[savageseadog]

is that even waterproof?

Very.

I know from my caving days that wet suit neoprene is very easy to cut and glue well (with the correct glue). It would be a very suitable material. Be aware that there are high and low density wetsuit neoprenes. The cut edge of the former type looks like solid material, the cheaper type looks like sponge. It may matter only because the high density type is far more difficult to tear so would probably be better

 

[10oxometer]

mast boot

I had one made up from a made up from wet suit neoprene, unfortunatley it didn`t last a season it developed a hole.
50mm wide self amalgamating tape has worked fine for two seasons
with no leaks!

 

[dutyhog]

butyl pond liner

I bought thick butyl liner material for my pond, and some of the scrap made a mast boot (plus a spare). I made a template of newspaper before cutting with scissors, and joining with self amalgamating tape. It's lasted so many years now that I can't remember when I did it.

The supplier will sell a small quantity with a reasonable delivery charge.
Gordon

 

[mylo]

I bought 50mm self amalgamating tape on a particular auction site for a lot less than a chandlers.