Keel step question

[Garth]

Hi All,

Any help would be appreciated. I have included a photo of my keel step. There are two holes in the keel step. One connects this section of the bilge to the section of the bilge in front of the mast - this is the larger white hole at the base of the keel step. What is the second hole - it is a bit higher up to port? It was plugged with some sealant, which came out recently and fresh water drained out. Is this a drain for the keel step? And, if so,  where did the water come from? Is there a hole under the mast that drains into the keel step? Or did it fill when the bilges filled up above the hole with rain water that seeped out of the mast? I am assuming the latter.

What is the keel step made of under the fibreglass stringer? Poking at it, if feels like a type of cement or mortar. 

My concerns are related to water and rot, so I am trying to understand where the water is coming from and what the keel step is constructed of. Per some earlier notes on the message board, it sounds like it used to be wood but that Catalina stopped using wood before my boat year. My 34 is a 1989, #964.

Thanks all,

Garth

[Paulus]

I have hull 944, 1989.  I do not have a hole in the mast support.  I do get some water in the bilge due to rain water coming from openings in the mast.
Paul

[Indian Falls]

Mine is just like yours.  When on the hard, all the water in my bilge comes down the mast.
From what I've learned there is no wood in my keel step.  The holes presumably let water get from the front bilge compartment to the one with the pump in it, including the void under the keel step if there is much of one. 
My bilge had froze solid several times, and who knows how many before I got her.  It doesn't seem to be falling apart or anything from repeated freezing.  I could not keep antifreeze in the bilge as it ran out through the keel bolts and out the smile on the front.  I fixed that last year.

This winter with the mast down, cover on, and all the rain and snow we've had, the bilge is dry.

Good luck!

[Dave Spencer]

Garth,
I have a heavy ground cable running from the mast step to one of the keel bolts.  Perhaps the hole is where a cable clamp was located to hold the ground cable as it ran down the stringer from the mast step to the keel bolt?  Although I have about a zillion pictures of almost every detail on my boat, I don't have a pic of that area to refresh my memory.  Your bilge looks very nice and clean.  Maybe the PO took the cable out when he painted the bilge?  Whatever it is, it doesn't look too worrisome to me. 

[patrice]

Hope he was not in a big rush to get some answers from us....   
Posted his question in may 2011 ?
But if of any help, I don't have this hole in mine.

 

[Garth]

Thanks Patrice. It has been on there a while but I think it got lost......generally my luck with technology.

I appreciate all answers and advice though.

Cheers,

Garth

[Phil Spicer]

 I was cleaning up some rough glass in the lower corner in front of the Stb keel bolt. The glass was thin in the corner & the grinder went through. Water came running out. I was a little shocked. So I cut a hole to see what was inside the box (mast step). Left it open all winter with a wick inside to try to help remove all water. In the spring I put a 1" PVC fitting & elbow in the keel step, about 2" or 3" above the hi water mark.  I thought this may act as a vent to help dry the mast step if more water got into the box.
I really don't know what is supporting the step, Wood, Concrete, Steel, Alu ?  Think I am going to have another look at this on the next good weather day. Could not find a way for the water to get in there. Looks like it is all sealed. Any thoughts?

[Stu Jackson]

Keel step?

Try a search on "mast step" - found this

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6752.0.html

[Garth]

Thanks Stu, that helped.

I have never pulled the mast but am assuming that the water is getting into the mast step through the bolt holes that secure the bracket for the mast on top of the mast step. Based on the info in your link I am trusting that there is no wood in the mast step to rot which is comforting.

Thanks again.

Garth

[Phil Spicer]

 Thanks Stu. ..."Keel step", My error. Must be the flu & fever. Shouldn't try to reply when I'm sick. I did mean mast step. I will open the step this spring and check it again for water & rot. The bilge looks good, but I don't like the thought of a weak mast step.