How deep is the mast step hole?

[SailDan]

We have a 1994 Mark I C-34 and will be pulling the mast for storage for the first time this year.  The mast will be stored on the boat suspended between the stern and bow pulpits, and supported in the middle with a post extending through the mast hole in cabin top to the mast step in the bilge. I need to know the depth of the mast step hole in the bilge so as to be able to precut the middle support post to the correct length ahead of time.
Thanks,
Dan

[Stu Jackson]

Dan

Not clear what dimension you are asking about.

The mast step itself sits on top of the amidships stringer.

Do you need the depth from the cabin sole to the top of the stringer, or the height of the mast step itself above the stringer?

The mast step itself is only about an inch high.

I can measure the depth from the sole to the to of the stringer tomorrow for you if you'd like.  Seems if you're doing it in wood, it would be easier to get something longer and cut it when you get there.

Let me know if and just what you want me to measure.

[Ed Shankle]

I know this is a tangent from the original question, I'm more responding to Ron's inquiry;
I don't pull the mast annually, but do it every few years for inspection and maintenance. I concur with Ron, you need to get it higher than the pulpits for good sloughing of snow and water. Also, that is one heavy mast. Add to that the weight of snow and you get a lot of pressure on the pulpits. I'd suggest either building wooden saw horses for the height needed for on deck storage, or store it on the ground, raised on normal sized saw horses (reinforced of course). You can build an inexpensive ridge rail and frame from PVC pipes to support your tarp, or simply have it shrink wrapped, in which case the "wrapper" will build a frame from strapping.
I've gone the PVC way with a tarp. Going on 5 years with the same tarp, whether mast up or mast down.

Ed
Tailwind
#866

[SailDan]

Our C-34 has a keel-stepped mast.  The mast passes through the top of the cabin and sits in a hole in hump in the bilge over the keel.  Its the depth of the hole in the hump I am interested in.
Dan

[mike baker]

On my boat (#815) the mast sets on a stringer in the bilge.  It does not go into any hole in the bilge.  On the contrary, the mast sets on an aluminum plate with a slightly raised area that the mast sets over.

As I understand your original message you want to support the center portion of your mast with a post extending from the mast step at the keel through the cabin top to the mast above.  Why would you want anything going through the cabin top?  This would be a potential leak are all winter.  I pull my mast every fall and store it off the boat.  I vary carefully cover the hole in the cabin top (mast partner) to keep weather, etc. out before covering the entire boat with a canvas.  The mast weighs quite a bit but can easily be supported off the cabin top and decks without going all the way down to the keel.  You might want to support it in several places to spread the load.

If you are going to place any type of cover over the mast and boat using the mast as a “ridge pole” then, as others have stated, the mast needs to be raised above the pulpits considerably to provide proper drainage.  We use a wood frame to do this.

Mike Baker #815 "Gray Hawk"

[SailDan]

Mike,
Great… this is exactly what I needed to know.  Having never pulled the mast on this boat before, I assumed it was stepped in a hole in the hump / stringer in the bilge.  I have seen a "plate" on the cabin roof of other Catalinas with deck-stepped in our marina.  For keel-stepped masts, I assume the factory simply mounts the plate on the stringer in the bilge.  (I see now that Stu said essentially the same thing as you in his reply above, but I was rather dense and did not fully understand his explanation… sorry Stu)

Regarding the reason for needing a center support, we have a winter deck cover ("The Canvas Store": http://www.thecanvasstore.com/covers.htm) designed for use with the "mast up" which uses the boom as a ridge pole.  Since our mast will down and replace the boom as the ridge pole this year, I've built "X-shaped" wooden frames to support the mast above the bow and stern pulpits at the same height as the boom with the "mast up" i.e., about 3.5 feet above cabin.  This should provide ample slope to shed the snow but, a center support will be is really desirable to prevent downward bowing of the mast.
Thanks to all for the information and suggestions.
Dan