sole flooring rot at base of mast.

[James Carlisle]

I have a 1985; 32-300
My flooring around the mast has delaminated and generally rotted an area about a foot square. Rot has also wicked up the side of the adjacent locker. Rain water evidently accesses the inside of the mast and should be routed to the bilge via a coffer at the base of the mast through a weep hole. Not really a good design. I've hauled out the boat and plan to replace at least a section of the flooring. Any suggestions for future prevention? I'm considering using synthetic materials in lieu plywood. Is this a common problem?
Jim Carlisle

 

[Loren Beach]

Lots of solution variations...
You need to do a search on this server and also over at Sailnet.com.

The mast drains freely to the bilge on my E-built Olson 34. This was not so on many of the mid-80's Ericson models, judging from the comments of other owners.

Loren

 

[escapade]

Jim;
Welcome to the Rotten Cabin Sole Club! I have a 1988 E-34 with the same problem. Looked at several others before we bought and this seems to be a general problem. I have found a place that sells the teak/holly sole material for about $85 a 4x8 sheet in Detroit,mi. I plan on coating the underside with an epoxy (West System) or similar just like you would any exposed exterior wood. I'm also going to enlarge the drain @ the mast base and create a path for the water to drain into the bilge. The problem on my boat and I believe yours would be similar is that the water tends to lay on top of the stringers and soaks the surounding area. Give it room to drain rather than lay on top of the stringer and this should cure the problem for good. Use the old pieces as patterns when laying out the new sole and this should be a pretty straight forward project. Good luck.
Bud

 

[Geoff Johnson]

I have a 1985 32-3 (so I suspect you have the same model, not the 200). Anyway, I "cured" the problem by drilling 1/4" holes (neatly with a spur bit) 2/3rds of the way through the sole and backing plywood. After drying, I patiently poured in Git Rot which permeated the fibrous wood; I plugged the holes with teak bungs, shaved down with a chisel. I think the repair, which is now impervious to water and solid as a rock, is quite acceptable. I believe the water damage to the cabinetry comes from water following the mast wiring at the base of the mast into the hole drilled into the settee. You need to put a loop in the wire (as well as in any wiring going into the headliner) so that the water drips down the mast to the base where it can be directed to the bilge (using the coffer system you mentioned).

 

[CaptnNero]

starboard

I fixed the removable soleplates around the mast with starboard. I carefully removed the trim from the three trimmed edges and saved that. Then I made a substrate out of 1/2" starboard and attached the now U-shaped trim to the outer edge of starboard. I got a scrap piece of 1/4" teak and holly plywood from the woodshop in the marina and cut to just fit inside the trim over the starboard.

The water orginally was contacting the plywood underneath and causing all of the problems. Now it hits the starboard underneath and stops there.

-- neal
'88 E34 KOKOMO

 

[P Abele]

I had this same problem on our E33 which I determined was NOT frm water coming down the mast, but rather from condensation when the boat was on the hard during periods of cool nights and warm days (spring and fall). The sole was bone dry in the summer and winter, but chect the area just around the mast on a warm spring day and it was completely soaked. I ended up replacing my cabin sole this winter and coating the top and bottom with west 205 epoxy. I also built a removable piece around the mast to take out in the off season.

 

[TorMar]

Labour of Love solution to rotting sole by mast

I replaced the two pieces of delaminated cabin sole around the mast several years ago. I did not want to use any kind of ply or synthetic material so I bought solid teak and strips of yellow cedar - could not get Holly here- and made the two pieces out of solid stock.
I ripped the teak on my table saw and using planer and jointer made teak planks exactly the same width as the pattern on the teak and holly sole. I did the same with the yellow cedar, and then glued the pieces together with two part waterproof recorcinol glue and clamped the works together. This gave me one finished solid piece of flooring.
Once the glue had set, it turns purple, I ran the new board through the planer to come up with the finished thickness and to get rid of the excess glue that had pushed out through the joints.
I then used the original pieces of 'sole' to transfer the finished dimensions onto the new board and cut the two pieces making sure that the 'holly' lines lined up with the rest of the cabin sole.
I then sealed the wood and applied the finish - numerous coats, hand rubbed, and just gleaming. The last step was to attach the two shaped teak trim pieces that fit around the mast.
The only problem with doing it this way...the rest of the cabin sole looks pretty well used.
This is year four after doing it and so far we've had no problems.