Nonsuch Boot and Port Windows

[Jason Mace]

Greetings

I'm repairing my boat that was on the hard for a number of years (we were separated due to JOB)  : (

Unfortunately the gentleman that rigged my boat did not notify me that boot had to go and did not replace the boot with one from Mike (temp solution (image)... he suggested making a custom boot with boot tape (not done at the moment)) .... Is anyone using a split boot or something besides the OEM boot?  Should I restart the process with the proper boot and shims .... thoughts?   I noticed some water (moisture) down below not related to the boot (cabin area) is this most likely related to port windows (not sailing) - I'm sure the window seals are gone .... can someone recommend parts for NS 30C?  Apologize for the random questions - novice onboard!

Be Well and Thanks

Jason Mace

Qvid Non NS 30C

Salem, VA

[Brian M. Godfrey]

Hi Jason,
   This is a timely question.  A few months ago I did a bunch of work on the lower part of my mast and the last remaining bit of it is the boot.  (Bob asked me to write it up, but I am waiting until I get the boot back on.)
   The old boot that I took off at the start of the project was hideous.  Very rough, oxidized, mottled gray with rust stains where the poor quality band clamps had been around it.
Here's a photo:


   I bought a new one to replace it, but it is too small in diameter.  My mast is 11-1/4" diameter and the replacement seems to be made for an 11" mast.  Here is how it fits on my mast:


   You'll notice that both the old and the new ones are split.  My mast has a big Spartite bulge, so even if the mast was removed I would not be able to slide a stock boot into place.  So now I've ruined the new one, can't return it, and they aren't cheap.  What to do?
   What I did is this.  I took out some Bestine solvent (https://www.amazon.com/Bestine-Solvent-Thinner-Rubber-Cement/dp/B006SOK9YY - naphtha would work, too, but be careful with others), and some emery cloth and wet sanded the entire surface of the vinyl down to solid, non-oxidized material.  Then I propped it up very carefully so it would sit level and allow dripping all the way around the bottom edge and I sprayed it with Rustoleum vinyl paint.  (This stuff in white: https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/specialty/vinyl-spray - available at Home Depot, Lowe's, etc.)
   I sprayed it on heavy and let it run down the sides and drip off the bottom.  Usually you spray light coats of spray paint and build slowly, but in this case I didn't want the solvents to evaporate off, I wanted them to remain long enough to penetrate into the old vinyl and essentially "weld" the new layer onto the old.  I did this two or three times, letting it almost "dry" each time to get a very heavy build.  Then I trimmed the bottom with a sharp knife.  (Make sure and give it a few days for the solvents to completely out-gas before messing with it.)  And it worked.  My old one now looks as white and smooth and shiny as the new one.  My paint job is not as perfect as the new molded one, but you can't tell them apart from a few feet away.  I cannot scrape off the new surface with my thumbnail, though time will tell how well it really holds up.
   Of course I took it down to the boat last week to put it back on but I couldn't find the new band clamps that I bought for it three months ago.  Story of my life.
   It is my intention to drill a small hole in those two tabs where I'm holding it in the photo.  I'll put some white Sikaflex in the joint and between those tabs, put on the band clamps, and then put a small nut/bolt in the hole to hold the tabs together.  I think a bit of waxed paper backing beneath the joint will keep the Sikaflex off of the stainless deck ring and if I'm careful it will look better than the original one did.

   Now, what is the diameter of your mast?  I don't know if the mast on a 30C is the same as on a 33.  If you think it will fit, I have the new one available that was too small for mine...

--Brian M. Godfrey
  Vela, NS33 #77, San Diego
  br...@wildbirdshop.com

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[Mark Powers La Reina 26C Vancouver, B.C.]

Good save Brian. I made a Sunbrella cover to go over the boot to protect it from future damaged caused by UV and air pollution.

Mark Powers

[Peter Grabow]

Hi Jason,

Many years back I had to replace the mast-boot on my 30U, but the mast was in.  I purchased the proper boot from Mike Quill, and then split the boot vertically, carefully worked it around the mast, taped the vertical split, and then taped the top and bottom (over the giant hose clamp) edges with boot-tape.   Hasn't leaked since.

As far as the portholes are concerned, I recently removed all of the caulking from the exterior of each porthole, cleaned of all debris, and then laid in a new bead of Life-Caulk on both the outer and innner seams of the portholes.  I have done this a few times over the last 20 years and it works well to keep the water out for several years.  I may have used 3M 4200 (the UV resistant, non-permanent caulk) once or twice with the same result. DO NOT use 5200!  5200 is only for permanent bonding, and more than difficult to remove.

Peter Grabow

S/V CAKE WALK III

1987 30U 430

Jersey City, NJ

[Thor (26C Brentwood Bay BC)]

Heat the mast boot with a hair dryer and you can stretch it enough to slip it over...

[Brian M. Godfrey]

   Mike Quill suggested heating, but then retracted when I explained that there was a rather thick Spartite band around the mast and that I wouldn't spend the thousands of dollars to remove and replace the mast just to put on a boot, anyway.  It apparently works well for those who remove their masts every winter and use wedges.  In fact, when you consider the cost of a new boot, it almost seems like a good maintenance practice to remove the boot every ten years and do the restoration like I did.  It only costs a few dollars and an hour or two of time, depending on how bad the oxidation is.  That vinyl paint really is made of actual vinyl and the boot seems to come out almost like new.  A new boot costs over $260.

   Also, in case Jason missed it the first time around, I do have that new boot which didn't fit my mast diameter.  It's hard to measure a floppy circle, but it looks to be about 11-1/16 to 11-1/8 inches. 

--Brian M. Godfrey
  br...@wildbirdshop.com

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[Mike BIANKA]

 When my boats mast boot gave up after decades of use I tried this self-fusing Silicone Mast Boot Wrap

https://amzn.to/3wh4AD4

It has held up for two seasons so far and cost less than 10% of a new $260 boot

Mike

BIANKA

1986 30U

Long Island

[Ernie Abugov P/O NS22 o/b #56 "Moustaches"]

To me. this product that Mike suggests is the absolute best answer, for many good reasons. Start at the bottom and tape up and the overlap will shed the water.

Ernie A. in Toronto

[Roger A Laine]

I have a 30U acquired June ‘23, please tell me what is the boot, and a picture please, thanks Roger

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[Don Crossley]

Roger, the mast boot is a rubber or plastic collar around the mast at deck level to keep water out. On my boat I put a canvas skirt over it to keep the sun UV from destroying it. Sorry no pictures.

Don

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[Ernie Abugov P/O NS22 o/b #56 "Moustaches"]

The mast boot is a white plastic round "donut" that covers the cracks between the mast and where it goes throu the mast collar, to keep moisure out.

Here's a shot from Mike Quill's website.

Attached also find a copy of the boot installed.

Ernie A. in Toronto

[Chrisinwilson]

Re: moisture. My 30c which I bought last year, had the cushions getting wet. I traced it up to the upper grab rail, or whatever you would call that rail just below the windows. I read about the seal around the window. It wasn’t that. It turned out to be leaking from the grab rails on the deck.the teak bases were acting as a scupper and the rain would go through the screw holes, inside the headliner and through the interior grab rail, then down the wall to the cushions  I ended up removing the screws from inside the headliner and taking the deckhouse grab rails off. I chamfered the holes and put a ring of butyl tape  around the hole. The idea is to flatten the butyl into the hole, but only during the last couple turns. If it gets in the hole to soon, it’s a pain to turn the screw. You’ll also need a second person to push down. This has cured the problem. But, the grab rail is thin after all these years. I’ll replace next year with a raised g-10 base so rain water can’t get in. 

On Monday, April 22, 2024 at 2:01:57 PM UTC-4 Jason Mace wrote:

[Ed S]

I may be able to assist.

Where do you keep your N30C?

Ed Strazzini

PELICAN, N33#36

Deltaville, VA

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 8, 2024, at 02:42, Chrisinwilson <dangna...@gmail.com> wrote:

Re: moisture. My 30c which I bought last year, had the cushions getting wet. I traced it up to the upper grab rail, or whatever you would call that rail just below the windows. I read about the seal around the window. It wasn’t that. It turned out to be leaking from the grab rails on the deck.the teak bases were acting as a scupper and the rain would go through the screw holes, inside the headliner and through the interior grab rail, then down the wall to the cushions  I ended up removing the screws from inside the headliner and taking the deckhouse grab rails off. I chamfered the holes and put a ring of butyl tape  around the hole. The idea is to flatten the butyl into the hole, but only during the last couple turns. If it gets in the hole to soon, it’s a pain to turn the screw. You’ll also need a second person to push down. This has cured the problem. But, the grab rail is thin after all these years. I’ll replace next year with a raised g-10 base so rain water can’t get in. 

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[Rob Cohen "Soave" NS33 Westport, CT]

Ernie,

Thanks for the photos.  It looks like your boot is clamped with a stainless clamp and also taped.  I see stains in some of the photos other boots in this thread that indicate they were also clamped.  

It's our first season with Soave.  My boot isn't clamped or taped. ( Photo Here ) and ( HERE ) .  I'm thinking a clamp might be redundant if I used the right tape to seal it and protect it from UV.  

It already fits snugly enough that I didn't realize the clamp was missing till I saw photos of other boats.  Thoughts ?

Thanks,

Rob Cohen

s/v SOAVE

NS33 #009

Westport, CT

[Joe Valinoti]

I’ve always used clamps and they are impervious to sun damage

 

Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA

~~~~~(\_ ~(\_ ~(\_~~~~~~~~~~

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[Ernie Abugov P/O NS22 o/b #56 "Moustaches"]

Rob -

I use 2 clamps (to keep the water out - they are essential and part of the original design and spec). The tape is mostly for appearance and to keep the extra length of the steel band on each clamp "under control" and not sticking out and tripping me up.

Ernie A. in Toronto

[Rob Cohen "Soave" NS33 Westport, CT]

Thanks Ernie and everyone for sharing photos and insight.  Very helpful for new a Nonsuch owner like myself.

I see the logic of clamp and tape.  I'm lucky to have a nearly new boot on Soave... would have been nice if it was clamped but that is easy to remedy.  Looks like riterig.com is a good source.  

My mast circumference about 35" so I'll get a couple  28-38" clamps.   

I'll have about 3" excess clamp band.  Would you suggest I shorten the clamp so that there is less excess once it's tightened or is better to leave the excess so there is more surface area for the tape to hold it down?

Thanks,

Rob Cohen

s/v SOAVE

NS33 #009

Westport, CT

[Ernie Abugov P/O NS22 o/b #56 "Moustaches"]

Rob -

The boot covers the mast (which has a smaller circumference than the hole in the casting for the mast to fit into. So .... the boot SHOULD be shaped "bigger on the bottom than on the top" meaning .... that the clamp on the TOP should be somewhat shorter than the clamp on the bottom of the boot. Do check this out. I would not cut or "modify" the clamp - yikes !!!  As you point out, the longer the "tabs", the easier to tape down. I would budget a third of a roll of of 3/4" WHITE vinyl 3M plain old electrician's tape to wrap around and around the whole she-bang to simply keep it all together and neat looking. I have a feeling that you store the boat on the hard and, maybe, the mast comes down yearly. I dunno. In any case, this tape lasts and lasts and does the job nicely and is WAY cheaper than "boat tape". A regular roll of this 3M tape will run you a few bucks. Available in Home Depot, etc. or, of course, an  electrical supply store.

I've attached a close-up shot of my mast boot. Note the 2 different length clamps poking out of the tape.

Ernie A. in Toronto

[Rob Cohen "Soave" NS33 Westport, CT]

Hi Ernie,

Thanks for your patience in helping me gasp the mast boot here on Soave.  I took your advice to physically measure the mast boot circumference.  At the top I measured 36"  which isn't a surprise because the thickness of the boot adds to the circumference.  The bottom measures 44.5" which is larger than the largest clamp available from riterig.com.

The really curious thing is that it looks like someone trimmed the bottom of the boot.  When I measure from the bottom of the boot to the taper I get +- 1/8" all the way around and the bottom edge isn't clean like it come out of a mold.  Why ?  

When I slide the boot down my mast wedges which are 1.25" higher than the top lip of the cast mast collar hit the tapered part of the boot and stop it from sliding down when there is a about 1/8"- 1/4" of overlap of boot and collar.  

Photo 1 shows the boot up and the bottom of the mast wedges sitting on the mast collar.  In the picture there is a horizontal stain at about 2.25" and the top of the collar is at 2.75 ". 

The second photo shows the mast collar down and still not even with the horizontal stain.  The boot is a little shy of a quarter of an inch overlapping the mast collar.

I doubt this would be enough to get a clamp to secure without slipping off the top of the collar..

For now I think I'll have to settle for one clamp on the top.... Unless someone sees something that I'm missing which wouldn't be the first time.

Thanks,

Rob Cohen

s/v SOAVE

NS33 #009

Westport, CT

[BRIAN CAYER]



Rob,

Can you take a piece of soft wood and a hammer and try to tap the boot down around the circumference before you add the top clamp. I can see the reason for the top clamp to keep water out. If the boot is stiff enough I don’t see a reason for a clamp at the bottom.

Brian Cayer

Spirit~Wind

N30U 419

Westbrook, Ct

On Jun 10, 2024, at 4:38 PM, Rob Cohen "Soave" NS33 Westport, CT <rob....@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Ernie,

Thanks for your patience in helping me gasp the mast boot here on Soave.  I took your advice to physically measure the mast boot circumference.  At the top I measured 36"  which isn't a surprise because the thickness of the boot adds to the circumference.  The bottom measures 44.5" which is larger than the largest clamp available from riterig.com.

The really curious thing is that it looks like someone trimmed the bottom of the boot.  When I measure from the bottom of the boot to the taper I get +- 1/8" all the way around and the bottom edge isn't clean like it come out of a mold.  Why ?  

When I slide the boot down my mast wedges which are 1.25" higher than the top lip of the cast mast collar hit the tapered part of the boot and stop it from sliding down when there is a about 1/8"- 1/4" of overlap of boot and collar.  

Photo 1 shows the boot up and the bottom of the mast wedges sitting on the mast collar.  In the picture there is a horizontal stain at about 2.25" and the top of the collar is at 2.75 ". 

<Mast Boot Up.jpg>

The second photo shows the mast collar down and still not even with the horizontal stain.  The boot is a little shy of a quarter of an inch overlapping the mast collar.

I doubt this would be enough to get a clamp to secure without slipping off the top of the collar..

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<Mast Boot Down.jpg>

<Mast Boot Up.jpg>

[Ernie Abugov P/O NS22 o/b #56 "Moustaches"]

Rob -

I am just wondering if the wood shims are too high ?? That sounds really dumb except I ask because I forget how LOW mine were (on an NS 22). I agree fully with Brian - a clamp on the top part should do it. And, try a bit of soapy water on the casting to act as a lubricant before you pound the boot down. It does needs to cover the gap. In fact, Rob, my mast boot barely covered the gap but I did run a clamp on it - it kinda fit but it sure sealed things up.

What I've done is to join 2 clamps together in order to make ONE long one - like join 2 x 24" ones to make a 44" or 46" single clamp. It works.

Ernie A. in Toronto

[Brian M. Godfrey]

"The really curious thing is that it looks like someone trimmed the bottom of the boot.  When I measure from the bottom of the boot to the taper I get +- 1/8" all the way around and the bottom edge isn't clean like it come out of a mold.  Why ?"

   According to what Mike Quill told me a few months ago, they form the vinyl sheet over a form or mandrel and then trim it to specs by hand.  It's just vinyl and when warm is easily sliced with a knife.  But hand work on something that will never be seen in its entirety once installed is apparently not done with a lot of precision.

--Brian M. Godfrey
  br...@wildbirdshop.com

[BRIAN CAYER]



Ernie/Rob

Good point Ernie about the compound clamps, I will remember that.  My first thought was also that 1- 1/4 “ above the casting was a lot, maybe tap them down gently on a circular pattern before you tap the very top edge of the boot where it meets the mast, not the radius of the increase to the casting.

Brian C in Westbrook 

On Jun 10, 2024, at 5:13 PM, Ernie Abugov P/O NS22 o/b #56 "Moustaches" <ernest...@gmail.com> wrote:

Rob -

I am just wondering if the wood shims are too high ?? That sounds really dumb except I ask because I forget how LOW mine were (on an NS 22). I agree fully with Brian - a clamp on the top part should do it. And, try a bit of soapy water on the casting to act as a lubricant before you pound the boot down. It does needs to cover the gap. In fact, Rob, my mast boot barely covered the gap but I did run a clamp on it - it kinda fit but it sure sealed things up.

What I've done is to join 2 clamps together in order to make ONE long one - like join 2 x 24" ones to make a 44" or 46" single clamp. It works.

Ernie A. in Toronto

On Monday, June 10, 2024 at 4:56:34 PM UTC-4 BRIAN CAYER wrote:



Rob,

Can you take a piece of soft wood and a hammer and try to tap the boot down around the circumference before you add the top clamp. I can see the reason for the top clamp to keep water out. If the boot is stiff enough I don’t see a reason for a clamp at the bottom.

Brian Cayer

Spirit~Wind

N30U 419

Westbrook, Ct

On Jun 10, 2024, at 4:38 PM, Rob Cohen "Soave" NS33 Westport, CT <rob....@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Ernie,

Thanks for your patience in helping me gasp the mast boot here on Soave.  I took your advice to physically measure the mast boot circumference.  At the top I measured 36"  which isn't a surprise because the thickness of the boot adds to the circumference.  The bottom measures 44.5" which is larger than the largest clamp available from riterig.com.

The really curious thing is that it looks like someone trimmed the bottom of the boot.  When I measure from the bottom of the boot to the taper I get +- 1/8" all the way around and the bottom edge isn't clean like it come out of a mold.  Why ?  

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[Joe Valinoti]

If you take any waves over the bow, or in a heavy rainstorm going to weather, you need a seal at the bottom.

 

Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA

~~~~~(\_ ~(\_ ~(\_~~~~~~~~~~

 

From: BRIAN CAYER

Sent: Monday, June 10, 2024 4:56 PM

To: INA-Nonsuch-Di...@googlegroups.com

Subject: Re: Nonsuch Boot and Port Windows

 

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[Joe Valinoti]

That’s a good point about the wedges, Ernie.  The lip on the inside of the wedges should be touching the lip on the partners.

 

Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA

~~~~~(\_ ~(\_ ~(\_~~~~~~~~~~

From: Ernie Abugov P/O NS22 o/b #56 "Moustaches"

Sent: Monday, June 10, 2024 5:13 PM

To: INA Nonsuch Discussion Group

Subject: Re: Nonsuch Boot and Port Windows

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/INA-Nonsuch-Discussion-Group/f1c0115a-ce66-4fbf-b278-c15ac30d5951n%40googlegroups.com.

[BRIAN CAYER]

That’s a good point about the wedges, Ernie.  The lip on the inside of the wedges should be touching the lip on the partners.

Joe V

What does that mean to the layman?

Brian C

On Jun 10, 2024, at 9:59 PM, Joe Valinoti <joes...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Rob Cohen "Soave" NS33 Westport, CT]

Hi Joe,  

Not sure what you mean by "The lip on the inside of the wedges should be touching the lip on the partners"?  Am I looking above or below deck to check this ?

The wedges on my boat are look like nylon and are probably less than a few years old.  The boot looks to be about the same age.  Soave's PO paid for a ton of restoration and maintenance that was done by a well respected boatyard, but it is unclear if they understood the specifics of the NonSuch design.  The input from this group has been valuable as I try to learn enough to provide proper maintenance.  

For me, the "boot doubts"  started when I noticed photos with clamps on mast boots .... Soave doesn't have clamps on her mast boot.  Now I see the wedges are preventing the boot from sliding down to achieve more than .25" overlap with the deck collar.  

On Soave none of the wedges can be driven any further to allow the boot to slide further down. The head of the wedges are all in contact with the mast collar.  ( shown in photo of may earlier post) 

The 1.24" measurement I mentioned is from the top of the wedge to the bottom of what I'm calling the wedge head.   

The bottom edge of the boot looks like it was cut.  I believe the motive may have been to allow the wedges to be inserted without removing the mast collar which prevents the boot from sliding up.  ( see bottom photo in this post )   If this is the case, I wonder if the wedges are indeed placed in "appropriate slots around the mast collar" as explained in the instructions.  Are the wedges keyed so that they stay in the same radial position or do they depend on friction from being tapped in?

Thanks for any thoughts on how deep I need to go to understand if I have more to worry about than sealing the bottom of the mast boot.

Rob Cohen

s/v SOAVE

NS33 #009

Westport, CT

 

[Rob Cohen "Soave" NS33 Westport, CT]

Sad that I'm now replying to my own posts.... but I woke up this morning ( after dreaming about mast wedges ) and think I know what Joe means by "partner". 

With an even number of wedges spaced equally around the collar, each wedge has a "partner" across the collar that creates force opposite.  In the diagram I posted last night the wedge at  12:30 ( think clock ) opposes the wedge at 6:30.

In the drawing the bolt and collar reinforcement gussets are different from my photo.  The diagram has 12 bolts and 12 reinforcement gussets.  My collar has 12 bolts and 6 reinforcement gussets.  My wedges are placed equally spaced and aligned with six gussets and also equal distant between gussets.

I think I'll add the clamps now and schedule a mast inspection/service for this winter.  I'll also contact Mike Quill to see if he knows any riggers with NonSuch experience in my neck of the woods.  

Rob Cohen

s/v SOAVE

NS33 #009

Westport, CT

[Bruce Clark]

I am a clamp, top and bottom guy, although I am also a belt and suspenders kind of guy too.

On Jun 10, 2024, at 11:42 PM, Rob Cohen Soave NS33 Westport, CT <rob....@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Joe,  

Not sure what you mean by "The lip on the inside of the wedges should be touching the lip on the partners"?  Am I looking above or below deck to check this ?

The wedges on my boat are look like nylon and are probably less than a few years old.  The boot looks to be about the same age.  Soave's PO paid for a ton of restoration and maintenance that was done by a well respected boatyard, but it is unclear if they understood the specifics of the NonSuch design.  The input from this group has been valuable as I try to learn enough to provide proper maintenance.  

For me, the "boot doubts"  started when I noticed photos with clamps on mast boots .... Soave doesn't have clamps on her mast boot.  Now I see the wedges are preventing the boot from sliding down to achieve more than .25" overlap with the deck collar.  

On Soave none of the wedges can be driven any further to allow the boot to slide further down. The head of the wedges are all in contact with the mast collar.  ( shown in photo of may earlier post) 

The 1.24" measurement I mentioned is from the top of the wedge to the bottom of what I'm calling the wedge head.   

The bottom edge of the boot looks like it was cut.  I believe the motive may have been to allow the wedges to be inserted without removing the mast collar which prevents the boot from sliding up.  ( see bottom photo in this post )   If this is the case, I wonder if the wedges are indeed placed in "appropriate slots around the mast collar" as explained in the instructions.  Are the wedges keyed so that they stay in the same radial position or do they depend on friction from being tapped in?

Thanks for any thoughts on how deep I need to go to understand if I have more to worry about than sealing the bottom of the mast boot.

Rob Cohen

s/v SOAVE

NS33 #009

Westport, CT

 

<Screenshot 2024-06-10 at 10.04.00 PM.png>

<Boot relation to mast collar.jpg>

On Monday, June 10, 2024 at 9:59:54 PM UTC-4 Joe Valinoti wrote:

That’s a good point about the wedges, Ernie.  The lip on the inside of the wedges should be touching the lip on the partners.

 

Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA

~~~~~(\_ ~(\_ ~(\_~~~~~~~~~~

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<Boot relation to mast collar.jpg><Screenshot 2024-06-10 at 10.04.00 PM.png>

[Joe Valinoti]

Rob:  The owner’s manual has diagrams of the shims, mast collar and, I believe, the boot.

 

Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA

~~~~~(\_ ~(\_ ~(\_~~~~~~~~~~

 

From: Rob Cohen "Soave" NS33 Westport, CT

Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2024 7:20 AM

To: INA Nonsuch Discussion Group

Subject: Re: Nonsuch Boot and Port Windows

 

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[alst...@aol.com]

When the original mast boot disintegrated on MagnifiCat, I had our local marine canvas company make me one using a double thickness of Sunbrella. I had him put a short zipper in it so it’s easy to take off when we pop the mast out in the fall. I use a stainless clamp top and bottom, it’s worked well for me over the last three years and looks good for quite a while yet.

Alan Steward

30C # 144, MagnifiCat

Loyalist Cove Marina,

Bath, Ontario

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[Ernie Abugov P/O NS22 o/b #56 "Moustaches"]

Rob -

To the best of my knowledge, "the partners" is really another name for the entire mast collar area i.e. the place where the mast goes through the deck. But ... I could be wrong.

The mast collar is the aluminum casting and it is never removed (unless a repair has to be done). When it's time to unstep the mast, you slide the mast boot UP the mast to free up the area to remove the shims. You go below and pound a few shims "up" to loosen them then pull out all of the shims. Then you can lift the mast out. Yes, that's an oversimplification but that's basically how it works. For now (until you do remove the mast), maybe get some wider tape and make certain that you use enough of it at the bottom of the mast boot to keep ANY stray water out. The problem is that the boot likely needs to be replaced as it is just simply too short on its bottom part. Check the integrity of the tape now and then.

Ernie A. in Toronto

[Paul Miller]

Partners is a wooden boat term that refers to the blocking fitted between the deck beams in way of the mast. I don’t think it applies to anything in a fibreglass boat.

Paul M

NS30U #211, Sandpiper 

Cowichan Bay, B.C.

[Ernie Abugov P/O NS22 o/b #56 "Moustaches"]

Leave it to wooden boat builder to know something like that .....

Thanks, Paul.

Ernie A. in Toronto

[Peter Moodie]

When we had our mast pulled for servicing a few years ago, just before reinstallation I discovered that our collar was allowing water from across the deck to get between the aluminium 
and the fibreglass.  I removed the screws, the collar and spent some quality time cleaning variations of silicone and who knows what from the two mating surfaces.  When I reinstalled it I used generous amounts of 3M 4200 and fresh hardware.  I cannot remember if any 4200 was used between the mast and the boot, but we have not had water leak in since.

Peter Moodie

Nonsuch 30U Catalyst #366

Sidney, BC/Winnipeg, MB

[Ernie Abugov P/O NS22 o/b #56 "Moustaches"]

This is getting interesting. In my little NS 22, I took LOTS of water over the bow but never had a leak as I had TWO band clamps on it - one UP and one DOWN. They were drum tight. i have never heard of using any product to seal the mast boot to anything. 

Ernie A. in Toronto

[Rob Cohen "Soave" NS33 Westport, CT]

Hi All,

I touched base with Mike Quill.  Great guy.  I'll add his input to this thread for the benefit of folks in the future with mast boot questions.

1. 33's are notorious for lack of room between the fairlead collar and the boot.
   
2. You can trim the top of the wedges down as per attached picture to allow the boot to come down a bit more.
   
3. A lower clamp can be replaced with suitable tape.
   

Mike wasn't able to provide a name of any competent Nonsuch riggers in our area (Long Island Sound).  I feel I'll need to find one to properly maintain Soave.

Questions: 

1. Any riggers that you know ( and trust ) on LIS to work on your NonSuch ?
2. Do you find that some tasks are best performed by owner?  Soave's PO had a generous maintenance budget ( much better than mine ) and funded many upgrades... but I'm finding lots of miscellaneous stuff that was neglected.  I'm finding that doing some of the easy stuff gives me a better understanding of what needs doing.  Any thoughts on drawing the line between work to hire vs work to do to be aware and able to anticipate problems?

Thanks,

Rob Cohen

s/v SOAVE

NS33 #009

Westport, CT