mast wiring at deck step

[Andrew Harvey]

In addition to obnoxious weather every weekend, spring has also brought an unprecedent amount of boat gremlins. The most recent is the loss of light sand wind transducer signal. I suspect that is from when we stepped the mast a few weeks ago that wires/connectors at the mast base were either pulled or crimped. It is a little scary when you hands are under a 500 lb mast attaching connectors and then shoving the mass of wire up into the bottom of the mast. I was probably in a hurry over concern of retaining all 10 digits. After having installed sails, boom rigging etc, I am going to de mast again. There must be a better way to deal with these connectors. Has anyone made an access hole in the mast?
I was thinking of a 4" hole in the side of the mast and making up a cover plate but my concern is for the structural integrity of the mast.
Any other ideas out there?

Andrew

       

[Susan Ray]

I don't know about the integrity but my mast has a about a 1  to 2" hole where the wires come out,  2" above step on starboard side. Only problem is.... I get water from somewhere above, through that hole during heavy rain. I have owned Allegro less than a year and haven't had anyone go up and check out where the water is getting in... yet. All the electricals work, by the way.Susan 

[Andrew Harvey]

Susan,
Do you have a cover over the hole?
Do you fish the wires out to make the connections?

Andrew
 

[Stu Jackson]

Our mast has a hole for the wiring to exit about 4 inches up on the forward side.  All of the wires are long enough to access and the mast can be stepped on the keel without having to do the wiring from underneath before it is dropped.  The wires then go to a waterproof black junction box mounted in the bilge.  I haven't seen a lot of water coming in from this hole, although we don't get the kind of rain that occurs elsewhere in the country.

[Ron Hill]

Andrew : With a DECK stepped mast, I know of no other way to check those wires except to lift the mast back up again.  Then you might spray each open connector with some Radio Shack "tuner cleaner" before you reconnect.   

[Stu Jackson]

OK, OK

We forgot to ask whether keel or deck stepped, hull #104.

[Jim Price]

Susan, if you have a spinnaker halyard, the exit near the top of the mast is an inverted guided same as the ones lower on the mast where your lines go internal.  Since the line run through the sheaves at the top of the mast, it exits a couple of feet below and the guide acts as a "scoop" with both water running down the mast and water wicking down the spinnaker halyard.

Bottom line is that unless you close off the opening, you will always have water internal the mast and exiting at the foot / wire "hole".   There has been some discussion on the board about this in the past how to deal with the upper line exit.

[Andrew Harvey]

Yes it is deck stepped.
Should I call Catalina to get their opinion on mast integrity?
I think that a 3" hole on the side of the mast about 2 OR 3" from the base should not be a problem as there is little stress there, but I would like some kind of second opinion.


Andrew 

[Ron Hill]

Jim : We have beat the topic of water coming down the mast - to death!!  Read my article in the Mainsheet Tech notes about the "Nuttall Block" and how I rerouted my spinnaker halyard.   

[Fuzzy]

Andrew:
A 3" hole is very large.  If it were me I'd drill it a lot smaller, maybe a 1" at the largest.  Do you
have large connectors to go through?  If so you might consider taking them off, running the
wires through then re-wire the connectors.  My boat is deck stepped and has a smaller hole for
the wires (can't remember the size now though.
For what it's worth.
Larry

[Andrew Harvey]

I called Catalina and they said 1.5" max. This should be enough to work with.

Thanks for all your help.

Andrew