[Rhodes22-list] Compression Repair and Addition of Compression Post

Blue Heron sloopblueheron at gmail.com
Wed Feb 25 21:44:40 EST 2009 

Rummy,

Glad to see you back on the list to titilate our discussion.

My mast step was delaminated and had detached.  The delamination is from
water penetration which, if you bribed me with enough rum, I may admit to
being my fault since I have torn out the mast foot plate and may not have
re-sealed the screws properly when I re-attached the plate.  The yard
attacked the step because the gelcoat was cracking around the it.

When I bought the boat, it was 5 years old and the weight of the mast was
deforming the cabin roof.  After sailing it a season in choppy Lake Erie,
the cabin roof was getting worse.  I don't know if the PO started the
problem by over-tightening the stays or it was just because he sailed the
boat in Lake Erie since it was new.  Anyway, that's when I put in the
compression post, locating it according to Stan's advice.

Another problem I've had from Lake Erie chop is gelcoat cracking where the
cockpit benches join to the cabin bulkhead.  The same yard did a great job
solving that problem by reenforcing the benches with wood stringers.  The
benches don't have that nice natural spring to them anymore, but my bins
still slide under and lock just the same.  And I have the thick sealed-cell
foam cushions, so my butt isn't that much worse off.

Despite its weak points for Lake Erie, the yard guys love the R22.  Their
standard advice is to reseat all deck hardware every 5 years.  After 15
years of absolute neglect by me and the PO, my boat only had water
penetration in the mast step and the outside edge of the head hatch (and for
a little more rum--well, I did replace that hatch.)  Anyway, their advice
for the R22 is every 10 years.

Rick

On Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 9:07 PM, <R22RumRunner at aol.com> wrote:

> Rick,
> I've been watching the discussions with interest concerning the compression
> posts and the problems people are having. In all the years that I have
> owned
> my  Rhodes and been a part of this community, I have never before seen any
> discussions around this problem. After careful consideration and a whole
> lot of
> rum, I'm thinking that you all (southern expression) are doing something to
> these boats that you shouldn't be doing. My first thought is that the
> shrouds
> and stays are being tightened way to much. I would really appreciate
> further
> information. And why would anyone need to replace the mast step?
>
> Rummy
>
>
> In a message dated 2/24/2009 8:59:34 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
>  sloopblueheron at gmail.com writes:
>
> The yard  painting my boat just replaced the mast step.  They are not happy
> with  the beautiful compression post I fashioned from an oak full round
> supported  by the cross-beam that frames the head sole.
>
> They're thinking of  replacing the post with a truss to the head bulkhead.
> This would carry the  load down to the keel and prevent hull deformation
> when
> compression loads  the cross-beam.
>
> Rick
>
> On Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 1:00 AM, David Culp  <dculp at hsbtx.com> wrote:
>
> > Andrew:
> > That sounds like a  good plan.
> >
> > David
> >
> > Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2009  14:05:17 -0500
> > From: Andrew Collins  <sailingvesselcarmen at gmail.com>
> > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list]  Compression Repair and Addition of
> >        Compression     Post
> > To: The Rhodes 22 Email List  <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > Message-ID:
> >      <999352ba0902221105r149c46cdybec7ac8b082084de at mail.gmail.com>
> >  Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> >
> >  David
> >
> > You are correct. Our boat's respective deflections are  opposite. The
> > problem
> > I have is if I move the compression post  you can't get to the head very
> > well, so I am thinking of installing a  stainless steel bracket with a
> > buttress that will catch the mast step  forward and the compression post
> > aft.
> > The diagonal member  would only be about 8-10" long. I know a custom
> > stainless fabricator  and can't imagine it would be expensive,
> >  $100-150<$@2100-150>,
> > maybe.
> >
> > The other  possibility is to get the SS comp post from Stan and install
> it
> >  at
> > the aft end of the V berth. To do this I would want to take it down  to
> the
> > hull/stringers and glass it in. Then the deck reamining between  the 2
> > hatches must act as a bridge. My deck is wood cored, so my SWAG
>  (scientific
> > wild ass guesstimate) is that it will be  OK.
> >
> > I guess a call to Stan is in order. I'll keep da list  posted
> >
> > Andrew
> > S/V Carmen
> >
> >
> > On  Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 10:38 PM, David Culp <dculp at hsbtx.com>  wrote:
> >
> > > Hi Andrew:
> > >
> > > I am  visualizing your boat as not having any bulkhead in front of the
> > >  compression post and just the deck supports the mast in that area?
> It
> > that
> > > right?
> > >
> > > My deflection  was opposite yours and probably occurred because someone
> > > tighten  down too hard on the aft stays and left it.  My deck was
> >  basically
> > > bending backwards, sort of breaking over the edge of  the bulkhead
> because
> > > there was no support directly under the  mast.  Yours is flexing
> forward
> > and
> > > if you have no  support underneath it other then the compression post,
> > then
> >  > I
> > > can understand that and you probably just need another  post.  If there
> is
> > > some other support there already, then I  probably would want to
> > investigate
> > > further and make sure  that I had no water intrusion either in the deck
> > > itself (the  bridge) or in the deck support structure in both the top
> and
> > >  bottom of the boat.  My '98 has foam core, but your boat may be  wood
> > cored.
> > >  Neither one of them like water.  I  pulled a hatch out and checked
> just
> > to
> > > make sure none had  gotten in.
> > >
> > > Check with Stan because I think I read on  the list somewhere that he
> has
> > a
> > > kit for a stainless  pole.  If you already have a stainless pole and
> can
> > > install  another one, I think that would be good looking and very
> > >  substantial.  Maybe you could move the one you already have  directly
> > under
> > > the step and solve the problem?  I  don't know as the boats have some
> > > differences spanning the  years.  In any event,  I am sure Stan has
> seen
> > all
> >  > kinds of things on used boats coming in for recycle and can  probably
> > advise
> > > you whether or not there is anything for  concern.  Personally, I like
> > > having
> > > the hatches  for the ventilation they provide and having a compression
> > post
> >  > or two is actually a plus in my book.
> > >
> > >  Interested to hear what you work out.
> > >
> > >  Regards,
> > > David
> > >
> > >
> > > Date: Thu,  19 Feb 2009 21:36:19 -0500
> > > From: Andrew Collins  <sailingvesselcarmen at gmail.com>
> > > Subject: Re:  [Rhodes22-list] Compression Repair and Addition of
> > >     Compression     Post
> > > To: The Rhodes  22 Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > >  Message-ID:
> > >        <999352ba0902191836waed3e68wc7f72fdce1d6a6ac at mail.gmail.com>
> >  > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> > >
> > >  David
> > >
> > > Sorry to respond to this post so late, but due  to travel and work it
> all
> > > got
> > > delayed. The repair  work you did looks like it solved the deck
> deflection
> > > problem -  very nice job.
> > >  My boat is an '86 recycled in '06 with the  unenclosed head - it has a
> > > curtain. The compression post is aft  of the mast step, and I get a
> > seasonal
> > > deflection where  the mast step plate depresses downward toward the
> bow.
> > It
> > >  is not as severe as the conditiion your photos show, and the deck
> returns
> > > to
> > > the correct shape while the mast is  stepped during the off season and
> she
> > > is
> > > on the  trailer on the hard. The only reason I noticed it was because,
> >  like
> > > your boat there are 2 hatches, there was some rainwater  coming in from
> > > where
> > > the hatch gaskets no longer  touched the deck, leaving a 1/4" gap.
> > > Michael W's comments below  seem right on - the 2 hatches  leave a
> small
> > > bridge and a  little added support is required.
> > >
> > > Seeing your  results will probably inspire me to install a remedial
> > support
> >  > of some kind as well.
> > >
> > > Thanks for the post (pun  intended)!
> > >
> > > Andrew Collins
> > > s/v  Carmen
> > > Grass Island CT
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