Mounting a Tricolor

[Dennis]

Hi All,
Does anyone have ideas how to mount a tricolor? The base of the light has three mounting holes and is wider than the masthead.

My thoughts were to insert a block of wood in between the two. Screw the wood block up from inside the masthead with two screws (fore & aft), then mount the light using the three srcew holes into the wood. Will I regret this?

Thanks,
Dennis



dennis.driscoll@roche.com

[Larry DeMers]

I think I would pass on the wood block idea. Wood is great as long as it is serviceable, but that block would be hard to service..it's at the top of the mast afterall. I used a piece of aluminum, bent in an L shape, with the top part being slightly oversized to accept the anchor light ( I used a Hella anchor light, rather than the tri-color, but their bases are the same size). The vertical part of the bracket is bent around a paint can or log, to give it a curve close to that of the mast section. Attach this aluminum bracket to the mast using S.S.screws dipped in anhydrous lanolin or other dielectric grease.
Form a drip loop in the wiring to the light, before going into the mast head. Make your connections soldered connections at the mast head, and coat them with liquid plastic before wrapping in electrical tape, then overcoat the whole splice with self-amalgamating tape, which gives a good water proof seal.


Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30

Hi All,
Does anyone have ideas how to mount a tricolor? The base of the light has three mounting holes and is wider than the masthead.

My thoughts were to insert a block of wood in between the two. Screw the wood block up from inside the masthead with two screws (fore & aft), then mount the light using the three srcew holes into the wood. Will I regret this?

Thanks,
Dennis

demers@sgi.com

[John]

I think I would pass on the wood block idea. Wood is great as long as it is serviceable, but that block would be hard to service..it's at the top of the mast afterall. I used a piece of aluminum, bent in an L shape, with the top part being slightly oversized to accept the anchor light ( I used a Hella anchor light, rather than the tri-color, but their bases are the same size). The vertical part of the bracket is bent around a paint can or log, to give it a curve close to that of the mast section. Attach this aluminum bracket to the mast using S.S.screws dipped in anhydrous lanolin or other dielectric grease.
Form a drip loop in the wiring to the light, before going into the mast head. Make your connections soldered connections at the mast head, and coat them with liquid plastic before wrapping in electrical tape, then overcoat the whole splice with self-amalgamating tape, which gives a good water proof seal.


Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30

Hi All,
Does anyone have ideas how to mount a tricolor? The base of the light has three mounting holes and is wider than the masthead.

My thoughts were to insert a block of wood in between the two. Screw the wood block up from inside the masthead with two screws (fore & aft), then mount the light using the three srcew holes into the wood. Will I regret this?

Thanks,
Dennis

I second the No wood at the top of the mast. You could always have an aluminum piece made at a machine shop. John



redzeplin@yahoo.com

[Matt Cawthorne]

Dennis,
I made a simple mount six years ago and it is working fine. The mount was made of white PVC pipe and pipe caps. The anchor light that I bought had a wire exit in the center of the bottom. I did not feel like drilling extra holes in the masthead fitting and needed to get the anchor light above the electric wind instrument sender. I simply bolted one cap (open end up) on the top of the masthead fitting. I drilled a hole in the center of the other cap, mounted the light to it and ran the wire through it. I cut a notch in the side of the piece of pvc pipe to run the wire through and glued the three parts together. The whole unit cost a few dollars and has lasted well. It needs no paint, will not corrode, and matches the mast color. I took it off this year because I intend to re-wire the boat and will be installing a combination tri and anchor light. The mount still looks new.


Matt



mcawthor@bellatlantic.net

[Larry DeMers]

The source I use for sheet metal like this is your neighborhood junk yard (no, not the messy guy across the street). I found several good pieces of S.S. and also aluminum alloy. They sell it by the pound too, so you will have a <$1 bill probably. I bought 10 lbs of mixed steel and aluminum for $3.50 and there was no cutting needed by the yard.
Just use a pair of tin snips to cut the general shape out, then bend it over using a vice or brake if you can get time on one (work?).

Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30

I think I would pass on the wood block idea. Wood is great as long as it is serviceable, but that block would be hard to service..it's at the top of the mast afterall. I used a piece of aluminum, bent in an L shape, with the top part being slightly oversized to accept the anchor light ( I used a Hella anchor light, rather than the tri-color, but their bases are the same size). The vertical part of the bracket is bent around a paint can or log, to give it a curve close to that of the mast section. Attach this aluminum bracket to the mast using S.S.screws dipped in anhydrous lanolin or other dielectric grease.
Form a drip loop in the wiring to the light, before going into the mast head. Make your connections soldered connections at the mast head, and coat them with liquid plastic before wrapping in electrical tape, then overcoat the whole splice with self-amalgamating tape, which gives a good water proof seal.


Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30

Hi All,
Does anyone have ideas how to mount a tricolor? The base of the light has three mounting holes and is wider than the masthead.

My thoughts were to insert a block of wood in between the two. Screw the wood block up from inside the masthead with two screws (fore & aft), then mount the light using the three srcew holes into the wood. Will I regret this?

Thanks,
Dennis

I second the No wood at the top of the mast. You could always have an aluminum piece made at a machine shop. John

demers@sgi.com