Lessons learned while rewiring mast

[Bill Goldsmith]

Last weekend the mast got rewired as planned. No power to the anchor light, so it was time. My loyal yard grunt Mark Y. helped (where has he been on this board?)

The old wiring was pulled out. Someone had used electrical zipties to secure bunches of foam to the wire, presumably to stop slapping. That had been ineffective, as there was slapping.

I bought 35 feet of Ancor 5 conductor wire from West. The plan was to run two wires all the way up to the anchor light and pull out 3 wires at mid-mast for the combo steaming/deck light fixture.

We were absolutely unable to pull the three strands out from the top to the mid-mast point. Ended up snipping the three wires a couple of feet up, and pulling them through, leaving three dead wires in the outer jacket going all the way up (in addition to the two live ones).

I could have stripped the entire jacket and just have run the two bare inner wires up to the anchor light, but I wanted the extra protection of the outer jacket. The extra weight was really no concern.

I purchased the incredibly overpriced inner sailslides from Rigrite, but they are the only place *I* could find that had the tiny ones.

We used electrical zipties to attach the power and new VHF cable to the zipties. Tracer lines (heavy string) had been run through the mast as the old wiring was removed in order to pull the new wire through.

Don't use tracer lines to run the new wire, especially if you're using the inner sailslide track. The twine snags on any screws that might happen to protrude into the mast. And if it so happens that the old wire was on the wrong side of the spreader compression post inside the mast, and you used the old wires to run the tracer line, your won't be able to pull it past the compression post.

After abandoning the tracer line, we used a long electrician's fishtape which worked great, got it on the correct side of the inner compression post. However, after hitting a few snags we broke down and removed the masthead casting. Lo and behold there was more old wire in there that had been ziptied to foam, we couldn't see it in the dark mast. That was also removed.

As we slid the wire up the mast I fed the slides into the track. There were a couple of boomvang plate screws that were just a little too close, and the zipties kept snagging them. Working slowly (and breaking a few of the sailslides along the way) we finally got the entire wire into the mast.

The benefit of keeping the outer jacket on the wire became evident. There is another compression post built into the masthead casting near where the upper shroud bolt goes through. I took a length of the fiberglass reinforcing strand that jackets the inner wires of the 5-conductor, and bunched it and tied it to the post. That will take the weight of the wire now, not the actual wire.

Had to replace the steaming light, the socket was corroded. Found out that the Seadog steaming light is a direct replacement to the one I had. Fit perfectly. I also installed a new socket in the anchor light but kept the original housing, it's an old bulletproof Perko job.

Connected it all up, and it all tested positive!!

The mast goes up this weekend--Altough the boat itself was splashed last weekend I feel that doesn't count--not until the mast goes up!!

Bill Goldsmith
CD27#173
Second Chance



goldy@bestweb.net

[Warren Kaplan]

Last weekend the mast got rewired as planned. No power to the anchor light, so it was time. My loyal yard grunt Mark Y. helped (where has he been on this board?)

The old wiring was pulled out. Someone had used electrical zipties to secure bunches of foam to the wire, presumably to stop slapping. That had been ineffective, as there was slapping.

I bought 35 feet of Ancor 5 conductor wire from West. The plan was to run two wires all the way up to the anchor light and pull out 3 wires at mid-mast for the combo steaming/deck light fixture.

We were absolutely unable to pull the three strands out from the top to the mid-mast point. Ended up snipping the three wires a couple of feet up, and pulling them through, leaving three dead wires in the outer jacket going all the way up (in addition to the two live ones).

I could have stripped the entire jacket and just have run the two bare inner wires up to the anchor light, but I wanted the extra protection of the outer jacket. The extra weight was really no concern.

I purchased the incredibly overpriced inner sailslides from Rigrite, but they are the only place *I* could find that had the tiny ones.

We used electrical zipties to attach the power and new VHF cable to the zipties. Tracer lines (heavy string) had been run through the mast as the old wiring was removed in order to pull the new wire through.

Don't use tracer lines to run the new wire, especially if you're using the inner sailslide track. The twine snags on any screws that might happen to protrude into the mast. And if it so happens that the old wire was on the wrong side of the spreader compression post inside the mast, and you used the old wires to run the tracer line, your won't be able to pull it past the compression post.

After abandoning the tracer line, we used a long electrician's fishtape which worked great, got it on the correct side of the inner compression post. However, after hitting a few snags we broke down and removed the masthead casting. Lo and behold there was more old wire in there that had been ziptied to foam, we couldn't see it in the dark mast. That was also removed.

As we slid the wire up the mast I fed the slides into the track. There were a couple of boomvang plate screws that were just a little too close, and the zipties kept snagging them. Working slowly (and breaking a few of the sailslides along the way) we finally got the entire wire into the mast.

The benefit of keeping the outer jacket on the wire became evident. There is another compression post built into the masthead casting near where the upper shroud bolt goes through. I took a length of the fiberglass reinforcing strand that jackets the inner wires of the 5-conductor, and bunched it and tied it to the post. That will take the weight of the wire now, not the actual wire.

Had to replace the steaming light, the socket was corroded. Found out that the Seadog steaming light is a direct replacement to the one I had. Fit perfectly. I also installed a new socket in the anchor light but kept the original housing, it's an old bulletproof Perko job.

Connected it all up, and it all tested positive!!

The mast goes up this weekend--Altough the boat itself was splashed last weekend I feel that doesn't count--not until the mast goes up!!

Bill Goldsmith
CD27#173
Second Chance

Bill and Mark,
Its nice that you left all the "expletives" out of your narration of the mast rewiring. I suspect there must have been many that would even make a Barbary Coast sailor blush! I was toying with the idea of doing the same thing on SQN this year but I really must save some projects for next season (sure). I guess there's something to be said for hoisting an anchor light up the mast on a spare halyard! How long did this project take?


Warren Kaplan
Sine Qua Non
CD27
Oyster Bay Harbor, NY



Setsail728@aol.com

[Bill Goldsmith]

Warren,

There were a few choice words, but mostly reserved for the impressive cloud-to-ground lightning that swept across the river at about 2pm last Friday (one week ago). Of course that won't be close to the expletives that will come forth if any of those chincy little overpriced sailslides break out someday and the wire starts slapping. That was a bit of a concern as they are necessarily made of thin plastic.

Excluding forced breaks from passing thunderstorms, it took about 6 hours, two people. Four of that was just troubleshooting getting the wire up the mast. The connections were relatively quick and easy. It's definitely a two-person job.

Bill

Last weekend the mast got rewired as planned. No power to the anchor light, so it was time. My loyal yard grunt Mark Y. helped (where has he been on this board?)

The old wiring was pulled out. Someone had used electrical zipties to secure bunches of foam to the wire, presumably to stop slapping. That had been ineffective, as there was slapping.

I bought 35 feet of Ancor 5 conductor wire from West. The plan was to run two wires all the way up to the anchor light and pull out 3 wires at mid-mast for the combo steaming/deck light fixture.

We were absolutely unable to pull the three strands out from the top to the mid-mast point. Ended up snipping the three wires a couple of feet up, and pulling them through, leaving three dead wires in the outer jacket going all the way up (in addition to the two live ones).

I could have stripped the entire jacket and just have run the two bare inner wires up to the anchor light, but I wanted the extra protection of the outer jacket. The extra weight was really no concern.

I purchased the incredibly overpriced inner sailslides from Rigrite, but they are the only place *I* could find that had the tiny ones.

We used electrical zipties to attach the power and new VHF cable to the zipties. Tracer lines (heavy string) had been run through the mast as the old wiring was removed in order to pull the new wire through.

Don't use tracer lines to run the new wire, especially if you're using the inner sailslide track. The twine snags on any screws that might happen to protrude into the mast. And if it so happens that the old wire was on the wrong side of the spreader compression post inside the mast, and you used the old wires to run the tracer line, your won't be able to pull it past the compression post.

After abandoning the tracer line, we used a long electrician's fishtape which worked great, got it on the correct side of the inner compression post. However, after hitting a few snags we broke down and removed the masthead casting. Lo and behold there was more old wire in there that had been ziptied to foam, we couldn't see it in the dark mast. That was also removed.

As we slid the wire up the mast I fed the slides into the track. There were a couple of boomvang plate screws that were just a little too close, and the zipties kept snagging them. Working slowly (and breaking a few of the sailslides along the way) we finally got the entire wire into the mast.

The benefit of keeping the outer jacket on the wire became evident. There is another compression post built into the masthead casting near where the upper shroud bolt goes through. I took a length of the fiberglass reinforcing strand that jackets the inner wires of the 5-conductor, and bunched it and tied it to the post. That will take the weight of the wire now, not the actual wire.

Had to replace the steaming light, the socket was corroded. Found out that the Seadog steaming light is a direct replacement to the one I had. Fit perfectly. I also installed a new socket in the anchor light but kept the original housing, it's an old bulletproof Perko job.

Connected it all up, and it all tested positive!!

The mast goes up this weekend--Altough the boat itself was splashed last weekend I feel that doesn't count--not until the mast goes up!!

Bill Goldsmith
CD27#173
Second Chance

Bill and Mark,
Its nice that you left all the "expletives" out of your narration of the mast rewiring. I suspect there must have been many that would even make a Barbary Coast sailor blush! I was toying with the idea of doing the same thing on SQN this year but I really must save some projects for next season (sure). I guess there's something to be said for hoisting an anchor light up the mast on a spare halyard! How long did this project take?


Warren Kaplan
Sine Qua Non
CD27
Oyster Bay Harbor, NY

goldy@bestweb.net

[Bob Dugan]

Bill,

I was there with you last weekend doing the same thing on my 25D. It was quite an undertaking, but I'm glad it's done and I now have an anchor light at the top of the mast in addition to new wiring for the VHF and steaming/deck light.

I had many of the same experiences you had!

Bob



bdugan@stepzero.com

[Andy Denmark]

For what it's worth -- a little too late but others might benefit. The sail slides that fit the internal groove on most Cape Dory masts are available from most sailmakers for about 40 cents each.



trekker@coastalnet.com

[Will W.]

I rewired the mast of my CD25 this year. The masthead light was shot and there was no anchor light, also the VHF antennae was taped to the outside of the mast. I was able to do it alone after the mast was down (which took help).
An electricians fish tape is essential to get the wires all the way to the top. As for the steaming lights. I tied string to the old wires at the steaming light and for the spreader lights. When I pulled the old wiring out the string followed. I then used those strings to pull new wires to their proper places. It was not a walk in the park but it did work pretty well. I wound up having to enlarge a few of the holes at mid mast because the new AWG specs are a little larger than what was in there.

Will Wheatley
Suzi Q
CD25
Sailing from Chesapeake Beach, MD

Warren,

There were a few choice words, but mostly reserved for the impressive cloud-to-ground lightning that swept across the river at about 2pm last Friday (one week ago). Of course that won't be close to the expletives that will come forth if any of those chincy little overpriced sailslides break out someday and the wire starts slapping. That was a bit of a concern as they are necessarily made of thin plastic.

Excluding forced breaks from passing thunderstorms, it took about 6 hours, two people. Four of that was just troubleshooting getting the wire up the mast. The connections were relatively quick and easy. It's definitely a two-person job.

Bill

Last weekend the mast got rewired as planned. No power to the anchor light, so it was time. My loyal yard grunt Mark Y. helped (where has he been on this board?)

The old wiring was pulled out. Someone had used electrical zipties to secure bunches of foam to the wire, presumably to stop slapping. That had been ineffective, as there was slapping.

I bought 35 feet of Ancor 5 conductor wire from West. The plan was to run two wires all the way up to the anchor light and pull out 3 wires at mid-mast for the combo steaming/deck light fixture.

We were absolutely unable to pull the three strands out from the top to the mid-mast point. Ended up snipping the three wires a couple of feet up, and pulling them through, leaving three dead wires in the outer jacket going all the way up (in addition to the two live ones).

I could have stripped the entire jacket and just have run the two bare inner wires up to the anchor light, but I wanted the extra protection of the outer jacket. The extra weight was really no concern.

I purchased the incredibly overpriced inner sailslides from Rigrite, but they are the only place *I* could find that had the tiny ones.

We used electrical zipties to attach the power and new VHF cable to the zipties. Tracer lines (heavy string) had been run through the mast as the old wiring was removed in order to pull the new wire through.

Don't use tracer lines to run the new wire, especially if you're using the inner sailslide track. The twine snags on any screws that might happen to protrude into the mast. And if it so happens that the old wire was on the wrong side of the spreader compression post inside the mast, and you used the old wires to run the tracer line, your won't be able to pull it past the compression post.

After abandoning the tracer line, we used a long electrician's fishtape which worked great, got it on the correct side of the inner compression post. However, after hitting a few snags we broke down and removed the masthead casting. Lo and behold there was more old wire in there that had been ziptied to foam, we couldn't see it in the dark mast. That was also removed.

As we slid the wire up the mast I fed the slides into the track. There were a couple of boomvang plate screws that were just a little too close, and the zipties kept snagging them. Working slowly (and breaking a few of the sailslides along the way) we finally got the entire wire into the mast.

The benefit of keeping the outer jacket on the wire became evident. There is another compression post built into the masthead casting near where the upper shroud bolt goes through. I took a length of the fiberglass reinforcing strand that jackets the inner wires of the 5-conductor, and bunched it and tied it to the post. That will take the weight of the wire now, not the actual wire.

Had to replace the steaming light, the socket was corroded. Found out that the Seadog steaming light is a direct replacement to the one I had. Fit perfectly. I also installed a new socket in the anchor light but kept the original housing, it's an old bulletproof Perko job.

Connected it all up, and it all tested positive!!

The mast goes up this weekend--Altough the boat itself was splashed last weekend I feel that doesn't count--not until the mast goes up!!

Bill Goldsmith
CD27#173
Second Chance

Bill and Mark,
Its nice that you left all the "expletives" out of your narration of the mast rewiring. I suspect there must have been many that would even make a Barbary Coast sailor blush! I was toying with the idea of doing the same thing on SQN this year but I really must save some projects for next season (sure). I guess there's something to be said for hoisting an anchor light up the mast on a spare halyard! How long did this project take?


Warren Kaplan
Sine Qua Non
CD27
Oyster Bay Harbor, NY

willwheatley@starpower.net

[Bill Goldsmith]

Thanks,

Guess I should have checked that route before ordering from Rigrite. I think I paid something like 20 bucks for a bag of 10.

Oh well, ya live and learn!

Bill

For what it's worth -- a little too late but others might benefit. The sail slides that fit the internal groove on most Cape Dory masts are available from most sailmakers for about 40 cents each.

goldy@bestweb.net