[Public-list] Mast Beam & Mast Step

[Jim & Carole]

Fellow Albergers,

Let me start by thanking George Dinwiddie For getting the website  and 
online list up and running.

I thought this would be an easy spring to  prepare for the sailing season, 
that is until I noticed the rigging appeared to have loosened over the 
winter. I now have a bulge protruding from the cabin top that won't allow 
the door to the head to close. The bulge appears to be on the on the 
for/aft centerline approximately 5 inches aft of the main beam, or below 
the aft end of the mast step. Topside the cabin top is slightly concave at 
the aft end of the mast step.

I have read the article for reinforcing the main  beam  for newer boats 
(mine is #565) in the A30 manual by Cy Fishburn. I have noticed some 
deflection of the liner that supports the port side v-berth bulkhead.  What 
I am trying to determine is if that deflection is sufficient to cause the 
bulge, and if jacking up the beam and  supporting the bulkheads will cure 
the problem as the beam only supports the forward half of the mast step.

I should add that about 12 years ago when I first purchased the boat the 
balsa core around the mast step was wet from water entering at the forward 
hatch hinges and two holes through the deck, one for the antenna wire and 
one for the mast wires. At that time I made a tool of 18 in. long of 5/16 
Dia drill rod bent on one end to a sharpened hook that I used to remove the 
wet core and scrape clean inside surfaces of the upper and lower fiberglass 
laminates. I did this for an area of  about 10 -12 inches around the mast 
step. After wetting out the laminates I stuffed the area with chopped 
strand fiberglass thickened with high density filler. The area has always 
felt solid and strong.

I would appreciate any and all advcie. Thank you in advance

Jim Allocco
Barchetta Mia #565