Winter Store Mast Up

[Mark Wey]

This new to me boat(keel stepped) and has never been winter stored with the mast stepped. I do however want to consider storing it up. My last boat was a c-30 (deck stepped) and I had no problems in 12 years. I did pull it every five years for a through inspection etc. What I did do however was to drill a hole in the lowest part of the bilge. Then glass in (not epoxy in) a brass coupling to fit a 3/8 npt pipe plug which I simply removed in the winter. Keep in mind that I made sure that the entire drain hole had an epoxy coating on it by plugging the bottom (on the outside) with tape. Then filling the hole with epoxy ensuring  that all sides of the hole were saturated with epoxy. I then simply removed the tape from the bottom of the hole while the epoxy was still liquid and let the excess drain into a container. It worked perfectly, and drained the bilge of all the unwanted water on a yearly basis. No more freeze-thaw cycle. It also allowed for a real good bilge scrubbing on an annual basis.  I searched this site for anything similar but could not find it. Has anyone done this on a c-34? Which compartment is the lowest in the bilge. Any thing else to consider? Thanks in advance!!

Mark

[Steve Lyle]

I installed a garboard plug in the bilge compartment just aft of the mast. It sits about an inch off the bottom of the bilge, so it doesn't drain the bilge entirely.  But I run some 3 strand manila, 3/8", through the bilge compartments and out the drain, and it whicks the water right out.  I don't worry about the bilge filling, and yes, it makes it easy to clean the bilge in the spring or drain the tanks in the fall.

Steve

[SteveLyle]

Do a search for 'garboard' and you'll find a couple of posts of mine on this subject.

[Mark Wey]

Steve:

Read your post listing the immpressive upgrades you accomplished. Good work, you were a busy man!!
A question though. I am unclear whether you put the plug in the bilge, or in the keel faring on the exit hole. I have seen it in both places and just wondered what your thoughts were?? The three strand manila is a great idea!

Mark

[Mark Wey]

Ron:

I know what you mean about a hole in the hull. I have been told I had a hole in my head for doing it. But these people were first in line for advice after they had water dammage (cabin sole). Each to his own I suppose. I agonized over this on my C-30 and after I went ahead and did it, (with a real eye to a good installation and hull integrity). I never looked back. The benifits were to hard to ignore.  We are in the middle of a fairly tough winter up here. The thought of water coming in down the mast and not being able to drain away is stuff sleepless nights are made of. The lord hates a coward!

Mark

[SteveLyle]

Mark

The hardware I installed looks like  a tube with a mushroom fitting at one end (the 'outside the boat' end) and both internal and external threads on the other end.  You fit the piece from the outside-in, bedding the mushroom in sealant.  At the inner (bilge) end you bolt down a large nut (bedded into sealant).  The plug then threads into the tube.  The one that came with the fitting has a T-handle on it.

It took a bit of intestinal fortitude to drill into my hull, but I believe the benefits are worth it.  I applied epoxy around the mushroom, and use teflon tape on the plug threads, so there's no leakage.  And it was good practice for when I installed another thru-hull for the bilge pump that was never fully installed - but that's another story.

It's your boat - take all the input and do what you think best.

[pklein]

This topic has lots of good suggestions, but I must say, where's the problem?  My '89 C34 has been stored outside in Racine, WI with the mast up since it's "birth".  Never have had much water in the bilge in the spring.
 
Possibly because I do a pretty good job of covering the back half of the boat with a structure made out of 2x4's, filled in with cheap sheathing (1/4" luan plywood sub flooring) and then covered with a nice big blue tarp.
I also pump the bilge out after draining the tanks and hot water heater. Then while winterizing with pink juice, I let all the excess drain into the bilge where it stays all winter.  I use a bit of this bilge juice to run through the automatic and manual(emergency)bilge pumps the protect them and their hoses.

If there is a worry about a great quantity of water, I assume I could remove the sender unit for the speed indicator.  This little water wheel unit is designed to be removed and the hole is certainly large enough to drain the bilge in the event of a flood.

I hope my motto "If it ain't broke, don't fix it1" doesn't bite me in the butt some day.  There's already enough "broke" stuff associated with the boat to keep me busy.

Phill Klein
Andiamo #977
Montrose Harbor - Chicago

[mestoo]

What an interesting idea!  A suggestion is avoid the use of brass for the coupling however; in prolonged exposure to salt water brass can leach out one of its alloy metal and lose much of its strength.  Having the fitting disintegrate could be the beginning of a sad say.

I'd try either bronze or stainless steel for the metal parts.  

If you're using stainless steel plug in a stainless steel fitting it's very advisable to use some sort of thread lubricant; stainless loves to "gall" in such applications trying to pressure weld itself into one piece.  It can be a big mess when your try to take it apart.