Routing Wires to the Mast Base

[George Bean]

I would like to install an Oregon Combination Tricolor at my mast head which will require some additional wires.  On the MkII boats, how does Catalina route wires from the power panel to the mast step?  I do not see any wires in the bilge area.  Is there a hidden conduit in the headliner?  How do I route these wires?

[Roc]

Hi George,
Did you look all around the compression post where it leads into the bilge?  I seem to remember seeing wires coming out of the bottom in a notch cut in the plate that the post sits on.  I know my wind meter and VHF wire is clearly evident coming out.

[KWKloeber]

george,

I cant help with the routing so this is just a fmi question.
Why are you installing a try?
This came up on a J/120 I'm occasionally on

Thx
Ken

[Stu Jackson]

George,

This is a photo from the Catalina Yachts website from some time ago that shows the design.  IIRC, it is for a C320, but should be the same for your boat.

[Jim Hardesty]

George,
Look for some tracer lines.  On my MKll there is a line through the compression post and one up the mast to run additional wires.  A couple of years ago I was considering an LED tricolor/anchor masthead light and some had the ability to be run with only 2 wires.  I don't remember the brand.
Jim

[George Bean]

When I look in the bilge, all I see is a grey, anodized block that the mast step sits on.  I do not see any exposed wiring.  The block does have some flat head machine screws so I will explore further and report back.  Where do the wires come out of the bilge? By the holding tank? 

I'm installing a tricolor as I'm contemplating sailing to Mexico and I like the spotting range that a tricolor gives you in a seaway.   The Oregon Tri is a combination with an LED anchor light which switches back and forth by reversing the polarity.  I understand that Catalina combines this masthead ground with the deck/steaming light so I need to run a dedicated "ground" wire.  (This unit also has a strobe mode in the all-around white configuration).

[tonywright]

The masthead wiring is the large grey insulated wire you see coming out of the grey anodized block, which is encased in the black wire protection after a couple of inches, and formed into a drip loop.  It then rises to under the lip of the bilge and feeds through into the holding tank locker, and travels along under the upper rim of that locker towards aft, bending around over the back of the battery 1/2/both and engine switches. Then up behind the panel below the circuit breakers.

Good luck. Tony

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

If you do find and use a tracer line, be sure to pull in a new tracer line with the new wire. Makes it so much easier the next time you need to pull another wire in.

Mike

[Stu Jackson]

There's an article in the C320 section of the latest Mainsheet magazine about these mast bases.