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Just an idea that popped into my head, how about shooting in some expanding foam insulation into a drilled out rivet hole at the top of the mast. Like I said....just an idea. Any thoughts?
I have a hobie 16 with a mast that is sealed with 'great stuff.' Normally this would not be my first choice, but the mast had a crack through the sail track that ran from the cleats to to the slot. I couldn't get the foam plug seated far enough up the mast. I sprayed some foam in through a small hole, and did some 'rotomolding' to get the foam to stick all around the mast. This was just to make a relatively small (maybe 4") foam plug/barrier to keep water from getting in above the crack.
If I had to seal a more typical leak, I would just use the hobie plugs if the leak was at the tip or base. If it was leaking from the mast tang, I would drill out the rivets and reseat/reseal the tang. I would not recommend the spray foam method for 'normal' repairs.
~Joe
Great Stuff is an open cell foam. It will absorb water. You should use a two part, closed cell foam.