Are comtip masts sealed?

I went over in my current 18 early last spring and the boat turtled immediately When I finally got rescued, towed to shore, and helped with righting I thought i noticed water flowing from the mast base area. I'm 70 and have been sailing 18's for about 50 years. Before I go through a more exhaustive analysis, does anyone know what potential leak points I should look for? Thanks

Yes, comptip masts are “supposed” to be sealed. However keep in mind that even the newest masts are now more than 20 years old, so damage or leaks could have developed.

The comptip and lower aluminum sections are each sealed individually, and both components are otherwise hollow tubes. The comptip has a hard foam plug in the bottom stump area where it inserts into the main mast. There is also a plug up at the tip inside the mast and the aluminum mast head fitting should also be installed with sealant.

The lower mast has a foam plug inside where the rotator bolt passes through. At the top of the lower section there should also be a foam plug and an aluminum plate just below the mast tang. The cavity between this plate and the bottom of the comptip should also have been sealed with expanding foam after the comptip was installed. All rivets for mounting hardware should have been installed with sealant.

If water was coming out of the lower section of the mast, then it is probably not an issue with the comptip, since the comptip is sealed separately. You can check for water inside the mast by holding the mast horizontally on your shoulder up against your ear and tilting each end up and down, you will clearly hear water sloshing inside the mast (may need a helper for this if mast weight is an issue).

Another thing to keep in mind is that comptip masts have less flotation up top than all-aluminum masts. This, combined with wind and wave conditions, could cause the boat to turtle quickly during a capsize, even if the mast is sealed.

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Thanks, I'll do further checking.