Mast wire tube

[jpaulroberts]

I bought a 1987 C-34 last year and love it, but the plastic tube that carries wires inside the mast had come loose and it bangs around as I roll at anchor. It drives me nuts. I have the mast out and on a rack for the winter. Any suggestions as to how to secure the tube or replace it with another system to keep the banging down a bit. Thanks, Jerry, NYC

[Ron Hill]

Jerry : Is the PVC tube broken or just detached?
If just detached, you might try to reattach/secure the tube to the mast with some new pop rivets.  

[jpaulroberts]

Ron, the tube in my mast seems to be in sections, perhaps about eight feet long. At least the bottom section is totally detached. How do I hold it back to the mast to pop rivet it? I see all along the mast there are several groups of two pop rivets. Did they use one hole to hook the pip to the mast and there other to drill it? I am going to go out and tray and pull all the pipe our (on a feeder string to pull it back in) and see what's going on at the top end and in the middle. If not for internal halyards I would just stuff some foam in there. Lots of fun anyway. Thanks, Jerry

[Ted Pounds]

Try turning the mast over and let gravity help hold the tube to the front of the mast.  I'd try drilling out the old rivets a use the same holes in the mast.  You may have to drill new holes in the tubing.

[Ron Hill]

Jerry : I'll guess that the tube came apart where the wires for the deck/steaming light come thru the mast extrusion.  If you can find the break you might try to rerivet that area.
Why don't you call the factory and ask Gerry Douglas - Catalina made the mast.
I'd definitely try to reuse the same holes in the mast.  You could drill all of the pop rivets out and start with a new PVC tube and rewire it.
But before you do that see what Gerry has to say.  

[jpaulroberts]

Thanks, where do I find Gerry Douglas' number or e-mail? On the Catalina site?

I would like to start with new tube and do the whole thing fresh, with new wiring as well, but I don't know where to find the thin walled tubing. Home Depot has PVC tubing but it's much thicker and heavier. Again, do you think they used one of the holes two hook the tube while pop-riveting through the other. I don't know that gravity alone will hold the tube in place while drilling and riveting.
Jerry

[Stu Jackson]

Jerry

Catalina Yacht's phone # is 818-884-7700.  Probably on their website which is found from the links on the C34 Homepage.  Recommend NOT using email, they don't do email very well, use the telephone.