Mast Boot

[sailortonyb Allied Mis]

My mast boot is starting to crack from dry rot. I have never had one before so this is new to me. It appears to not have any seams so my best guess is that it was put on when the mast was pulled. Its a pretty big mast and I dont expect it to be a cheap job when the boat is hauled.Are there any alternatives, such as another boot to go over this one? Thanks in advanceTony B

[Joseph Shirley]

The mast boot can be made as a truncated cone from waterproofcloth such as Sumbrella with a double seam, or rubber such as from an old inner tube, or both; and slipped on before the mast is stepped. Failing that, since you have already stepped your mast you will have to use a wrap around boot with a folded seam in the back. The hardest thing to seal is the track extrusion that sometimes goes all the way down the mast. An extra sail slide with the bale removed that is caulked in place can help. A sealer between the boot and the mast with a large hose clamp around the boot at the mast is common. Tape over it after, to cover the screw part from catching anything.If you have a wood frame at the deck hole you can tack the bottom in place or use another clamp there.As for the mast partners wood or rubber wedges will work if they are not to severe. A more gradual wedge will drive tighter and stay in place longer. Since you have a ketch you probably don't play the backstay much, so you can block forward and aft also. If you play the backstay, the absence of fore and aft blocking allows the mast to bend more uniformly from the base. but can contribute to mast pumping (and possible failure), and loosening of the side blocking.Remember if you want to keep all the water out you have to seal inside the mast too, because water gets in at the many openings.. Generally that means that you have to drill a hole above the boot, and shoot some expandable urethane foam below the hole to completely seal the inside. Theoretically the water will flow down as far as the foam and drain out the hole.

[Nice N Easy]

Just replaced the one on the 37. The PO had made his own from an old inner tube, and hose clamped it in place. It did work, but looked like hell. I bought a new boot from Waste Marine. Made by SSI. It's white, comes in a couple of sizes, and while it does look better, it is overpriced, and certainly far from the ideal solution. While I don't think I want to pull the mast just for the boot, I am looking for something that works better than this one. Thinking of trying to make one from some of the very heavy plastic underlayment that is used on laminate wood flooring. It is gray and would look better than a piece of inner tube, and should work better than the 30 something dollar POS from Waste.

[Taylor]

I made my replacement out of neoprene. Head to a diving shop and buy a hunk of nylon backed neoprene in a color of your choice (blue and black are common) and some neoprene glue, which is a contact cement. Use two coats of the glue per the instructions. You can glue neoprene edge to edge and it will be both waterproof and strong. Its really pretty easy, and you this technique allows you to do it in the field with no more tools than a pair of scissors, glue and brush, screwdriver for the hose clamp and a tube of caulk. And newspaper to protect your deck. Takes about an hour. Joseph is correct about a truncated cone, it needs to be large enough go around the mast at the top, and around the mast collar flange at the bottom. The shape before gluing is a trapezoid with slightly curved top and bottom edges. Just cut and fit, cut and fit, and when you have it, coat with glue twice and pinch the ends together. The boot does not have to be a stretch fit, make it big enough so it goes around the mast with no tension and it will be easy to pinch the seam together. To make it look neater, have to top clamp put in place with the boot going up and then turn the boot down over the clamp. Then caulk with some clear silicone in the crack between the neoprene and the mast, filling any groves in the extrusion. If there is a little extra height in the boot, that's fine, it will roll up over the caulk and hide that too. I have a canvas cover with Velcro closure and ties top and bottom over my mast boot - it hides to neoprene (not that I think that matters) and protects the neoprene from UV.Variations include a patch of neoprene an inch wide over the seam for extra strength. It sticks better on the rubber side, so attach that with the boot inside out so it is inside when you are done, and the nylon side of the neoprene is out. You can also substitute wrapping 1/4" shock cord instead of using a hose clamp. Rather than tie shock cord, lie the two ends next to each other, hold them with a pair of pliers and stretch then and have a helper whip around them with seizing line. I prefer the hose clamp; easier to remove and replace.When I started kayaking, we made our own spay skirts using these techniques, and if they can stand whitewater rivers, they can seal a mast boot.

[Allan R]

I don't have any first hand knowledge, but they do offer an alternative for installation without pulling the mast.If you go with it, let us know how it works for you.

[FrankR3878]

Loosen all the stays and shrouds, climb to the top of the mast with the mast boot. Then the hardest part is streching it over the spreaders on the way down.  HA HA - early April Fool Joke

[John]

Joseph Shirly wrote: "Remember if you want to keep all the water out you have to seal inside the mast too, because water gets in at the many openings.. Generally that means that you have to drill a hole above the boot, and shoot some expandable urethane foam below the hole to completely seal the inside. Theoretically the water will flow down as far as the foam and drain out the hole."Have others done this? Do they agree? I ask because, with an in-mast furling main, I get a lot of water in the bilge whenever it rains.

[Tim R.]

http://www.ssicustomplastics.com/mastboot.htmEasy to install, watertight. I am not sure Neoprene is a good choice because it breaks down from UV.

SUPER!

[RAD]

White silicone self fusing rigging tape is what I used 4 years ago and it looks and works great and this season I cleaned it up by adding more tape and to seal around the voids in the mast like the track and the little curves I used white boat life caulking.A couple of seasons ago in the middle of a heavy rain it statred to leak and I ran up there with my trusty ol roll of duct tape and like magic it worked then added more silicone tape when I got to port.some day I'm going to have pull the mast and cutting the tape and digging out cauking is going to be a job

[RAD]

Yesterday I used the same stuff and wrapped the GPS wiring coming out of the pedistal guard it looks great and also sealed it up from water getting in.