Anyone wired a GPS (or other) antenna to Stern Pulpit?

[Brian W.]

Hi,

Looking for advice from anyone who's done this. I went to wire the fixed mushroom antenna for a new GPS last evening on our CD33 and can't figure the best way to do it.

I figured I'd mount it to the stern pulpit not far from the stern light, drill a hole in the rail, and snake the cable down into the stern locker, following the same route as the stern light wire. I figured there would be a hole at one of the stern rail bases that went through the deck. I was suprised to find that it looks like the stern light wiring is all glassed in.

Now it looks like I've got a few options. I bought two mounts, a deck mount and a rail mount. I could mount it on the teak under the stern rail and run the wire a few inches to the hole in front of the rear stay (where the loran antenna goes through). It would be slightly protected just in front of the rail from guests using it as a handle (you could spend hours telling folks what not to do on board). And though I'm told the stern rail would likely not cause interference as it would be mounted slightly below it, but I've seen more mounted on the rail.

Then of course I could mount it on the rail, run the wire to the rear stay, tape it and feed it through the loran hole. This would leave a 6 inch bridge of wire, but would be pretty simple. Or wire tie it along the rail and drill a new hole through the deck.

I figured someone's wisdom would help with this decision!

Thanks,

Brian

[Patrick Turner]

Not sure I understand exactly what you mean by the wiring for the stern light being glassed in, but I'll tell you how it is on my boat. I have a small mushroom type antenna rail mounted to the stern pulpit, maybe a foot to the starboard side of center...just about where the verticle support for the pulpit is. There is a hole drilled into the underside of the top rail at this point and it's here that the stern light's wire comes out. That wire runs through the tubing and down through the deck via a hole drilled under the forward most foot of the stern pulpit on the starboard side. Does that make sense? I just sniped the wires under the deck, tied a strong piece of twine to the end and started pulling the wire out at the hole at the other end by the stern light. Once out I could attatch the new cable and the old stern light wire to that string and pull it all back through. If you decided to do this you would probably have to pop off the stern pulpit to help either drill the hole if there isn't one already and to make it easier to pull wires. Also I had to snip of the coax end fitting for the antenna and then put a new one on when it was all pulled through. I suppose there is an easier way to do all this, but this way everything is practically invisible and protected from the elements.

Hope this wasn't too confusing.

Pat



patrick.t@home.com

[Joe Wysong]

Hi,

Looking for advice from anyone who's done this. I went to wire the fixed mushroom antenna for a new GPS last evening on our CD33 and can't figure the best way to do it.

I figured I'd mount it to the stern pulpit not far from the stern light, drill a hole in the rail, and snake the cable down into the stern locker, following the same route as the stern light wire. I figured there would be a hole at one of the stern rail bases that went through the deck. I was suprised to find that it looks like the stern light wiring is all glassed in.

Now it looks like I've got a few options. I bought two mounts, a deck mount and a rail mount. I could mount it on the teak under the stern rail and run the wire a few inches to the hole in front of the rear stay (where the loran antenna goes through). It would be slightly protected just in front of the rail from guests using it as a handle (you could spend hours telling folks what not to do on board). And though I'm told the stern rail would likely not cause interference as it would be mounted slightly below it, but I've seen more mounted on the rail.

Then of course I could mount it on the rail, run the wire to the rear stay, tape it and feed it through the loran hole. This would leave a 6 inch bridge of wire, but would be pretty simple. Or wire tie it along the rail and drill a new hole through the deck.

I figured someone's wisdom would help with this decision!

Thanks,

Brian

Brian,

On our 330, we have one deck hole with one of those plastic/rubber thingies to keep the water out once the wires are in place. We mount the antennas on the stern rail and tape the wires them to a stanchion using white rigging tape. Been doing it for years with, over time, a loran antenna, a gps mushroom, and an eight foot cell phone whip.

Now we're back to nothing but the gps mushroom and nothing is the worse for wear.

Joe



tgjournal@gestalt.org

[matt cawthorne]

A slight variation on this is to disconnect the stern light wires from the light, firmly connect a messenger line and pull it through from below. Now hook the antenna and stern light wires to the string and pull it back. This way you have one less set of connections in the stern light circuit. While you are at it pull brand new tinned stern light wire into the tubing. The original wire is not tinned and can corrode. On the Patricia louise UV light had destroyed the jacket where it exited the tubing and salt water corroded the wire until it was useless. Of course it finally failed when we were 250 miles from shore after beating into 10 foot seas for 3 days (with 4 more to go). While you are at it put an extra layer of shrink tubing on the outside of the wire where it exits the tubing to protect it from UV.

Glassed in? If it is like my boat there is a hole drilled in the deck where Pat describes it. It should have a dab of sealant because water can get under the flange where the stern pulpit bolts to the deck. You may need to drill a larger hole in the deck there and, after the wire is in, put some sealant back in there.

Matt



mcawthor@bellatlantic.net

[Chris Schnell]

Brian....I recently mounted the GPS Antenna pod for my Raytheon 300 GPS in my CD30 Cutter. It went like this: 1. Drilled a hole (and ovaled it some)on the underside of the stern rail on the port side appprox. half way back from the forward leg. 2. Went into the port lazerrette and located the foot of that leg and drilled up into it to create the passageway. 3. Fed the coax forward and down the leg thru the hole I'd just made in the deck and on it's way to the 300 GPS mounted in the bulkhead alonside of my ST60 Tridata and Wind and Autopilot for a nice neat cluster. I wouldn't try to use the same path as you stern light in case either needs work you could interfere with the other. I strongly advise NOT taping or running wires to the outside of anything. Too many things can happen to cut them and then you start over. Keep it simple. Good Luck!

Full Sails & Calm Seas,

Chris Schnell
s/v MADNESS III CD30 #235
Southport, NC



swabbie@compaq.net

[Brian W.]

thank you all for the helpful replies. I'm going to head out to the boat now and recheck where the stern pulpit wire should come through the deck. there was a bunch of wires, most for the bonding/grounding, so I'll try to figure out what's what.

I too noticed my stern light wire was in poor shape where it came out of the rail, so I think I will take the advice of snaking in a new wire. this sounds like a job for the weekend.

Regards,

Brian W.

[Brian W.]

thank you all for the helpful replies. I'm going to head out to the boat now and recheck where the stern pulpit wire should come through the deck. there was a bunch of wires, most for the bonding/grounding, so I'll try to figure out what's what.

I too noticed my stern light wire was in poor shape where it came out of the rail, so I think I will take the advice of snaking in a new wire. this sounds like a job for the weekend.

Regards,

Brian W.