Has anyone attempted to get wires from the overhead access panel below the mast step to the 12V electric panel on a CD30C? If so, were you able to successfully snake wires through the overhead?
vwman@coastalnet.com
Wiring Path CD-30C
Moderator: Jim Walsh
-
Larry DeMers
Re: Wiring Path CD-30C
Joe,
I rewired my entire CD30C last summer, and no, there is no space to fish wires thru the overhead at all. CD used the troughs along the sides of teh liner to hold the wire bundles in, they used tape to secure these bundles. To get your wiring from the mast step to the breaker panel, you can fish the wires thru under the mast, over to the cabinet in the head, over the sink. Exit here, then bend it under the cabinet, and out to the outside (starboard) liner edge. You will find that the bulkhead has a large notch cut in it already, to pass the wires through. Lay them out and pull them through this hole, then route them to the breaker panel.
Good Luck!
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30
demers@sgi.com
I rewired my entire CD30C last summer, and no, there is no space to fish wires thru the overhead at all. CD used the troughs along the sides of teh liner to hold the wire bundles in, they used tape to secure these bundles. To get your wiring from the mast step to the breaker panel, you can fish the wires thru under the mast, over to the cabinet in the head, over the sink. Exit here, then bend it under the cabinet, and out to the outside (starboard) liner edge. You will find that the bulkhead has a large notch cut in it already, to pass the wires through. Lay them out and pull them through this hole, then route them to the breaker panel.
Good Luck!
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30
Joe Valinoti wrote: Has anyone attempted to get wires from the overhead access panel below the mast step to the 12V electric panel on a CD30C? If so, were you able to successfully snake wires through the overhead?
demers@sgi.com
-
Chris Schnell
Re: Wiring Path CD-30C
Joe...As Larry said you have to drop down in the head and run them back to the liner to get back to the panel. I ran a new VHF coax and Anchor lite, as well as my ST60 Wind cable and bundled them neat to the bulkhead and then back. Would have preferred to keep them hidden but there's no way I could see. Good luck.
Chris Schnell
s/v MADNESS III CD30 #235
Southport, NC
swabbie@compaq.net
Chris Schnell
s/v MADNESS III CD30 #235
Southport, NC
swabbie@compaq.net
-
Joe Mac Phee
Re: Wiring Path CD-30C
Joe,
A couple of years ago, I completely rewired the main mast and interior cabin wiring on my 1977 30 foot ketch to a new circuit breaker panel. I was unable to run wires from the mast step acces panel athwartship to either port or starboard. I gave up and drilled a hole in the overhead just forward of main cabin bulkhead and far enough outboard to be invisible from the main cabin. I then ran the wires from the access panel down through the new hole and thence to the outboard edges of the liner. On my boat, this area contains the head on the port side and a hanging locker on the starboard side. On the port side the (masthead sensor) wires enter the cabinet above the head and on the starboard side the (masthead lights) wires descend into the hanging locker. I fabricated teak strips to cover the exposed wires attached with screws for maintenance access. Once you have reached the outboard edges of the overhead liner, you can use the existing paths used by Cape Dory, which are just behind the lower edge of the liner, to get aft to the power panel. There are no exposed wires and the installation is not visible from the main cabin and in the head area is blended in with the existing teak.
Perhaps someone else was more resourceful than I and found a sneak path through the overhead. Clearly, Cape Dory was able to run their wires through this area. I think my problem was too much wire and not enough room.
Good luck,
Joe Mac Phee
S/V Iolanthe
CD-30 K
jvmacphee@aol.com
A couple of years ago, I completely rewired the main mast and interior cabin wiring on my 1977 30 foot ketch to a new circuit breaker panel. I was unable to run wires from the mast step acces panel athwartship to either port or starboard. I gave up and drilled a hole in the overhead just forward of main cabin bulkhead and far enough outboard to be invisible from the main cabin. I then ran the wires from the access panel down through the new hole and thence to the outboard edges of the liner. On my boat, this area contains the head on the port side and a hanging locker on the starboard side. On the port side the (masthead sensor) wires enter the cabinet above the head and on the starboard side the (masthead lights) wires descend into the hanging locker. I fabricated teak strips to cover the exposed wires attached with screws for maintenance access. Once you have reached the outboard edges of the overhead liner, you can use the existing paths used by Cape Dory, which are just behind the lower edge of the liner, to get aft to the power panel. There are no exposed wires and the installation is not visible from the main cabin and in the head area is blended in with the existing teak.
Perhaps someone else was more resourceful than I and found a sneak path through the overhead. Clearly, Cape Dory was able to run their wires through this area. I think my problem was too much wire and not enough room.
Good luck,
Joe Mac Phee
S/V Iolanthe
CD-30 K
jvmacphee@aol.com
-
Larry DeMers
Re: Wiring Path CD-30C
Joe,
When I rewired the boat, I found that Cape Dory did use the top of the liner to lay thier wiring out on, then installed it in the boat, epoxing the wiring in also. I tried to replace wiring to a reading lamp that was flaky, and could not pull the wires free at all. Finally, I cut them off at both ends, and routed the wiring around them. This was true for all the cabin fixturing that I tested.
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
demers@sgi.com
When I rewired the boat, I found that Cape Dory did use the top of the liner to lay thier wiring out on, then installed it in the boat, epoxing the wiring in also. I tried to replace wiring to a reading lamp that was flaky, and could not pull the wires free at all. Finally, I cut them off at both ends, and routed the wiring around them. This was true for all the cabin fixturing that I tested.
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Joe Mac Phee wrote:
Joe,
A couple of years ago, I completely rewired the main mast and interior cabin wiring on my 1977 30 foot ketch to a new circuit breaker panel. I was unable to run wires from the mast step acces panel athwartship to either port or starboard. I gave up and drilled a hole in the overhead just forward of main cabin bulkhead and far enough outboard to be invisible from the main cabin. I then ran the wires from the access panel down through the new hole and thence to the outboard edges of the liner. On my boat, this area contains the head on the port side and a hanging locker on the starboard side. On the port side the (masthead sensor) wires enter the cabinet above the head and on the starboard side the (masthead lights) wires descend into the hanging locker. I fabricated teak strips to cover the exposed wires attached with screws for maintenance access. Once you have reached the outboard edges of the overhead liner, you can use the existing paths used by Cape Dory, which are just behind the lower edge of the liner, to get aft to the power panel. There are no exposed wires and the installation is not visible from the main cabin and in the head area is blended in with the existing teak.
Perhaps someone else was more resourceful than I and found a sneak path through the overhead. Clearly, Cape Dory was able to run their wires through this area. I think my problem was too much wire and not enough room.
Good luck,
Joe Mac Phee
S/V Iolanthe
CD-30 K
demers@sgi.com
-
Olli Wendelin
Re: Wiring Path CD-30C
I rewired my CD30 Ketch a few years ago. In many places the overhead liner and deck are foamed together, with wires sandwiched in. There is a void and inspection plate below the mast area, but no way to traverse new wire to the area under the side decks, which is the fore & aft cableway. I ran my mast wiring down beside the door post and into the head locker. I also wound it in Spiral Wrap to keep the wires neat and protected. In other areas I have hidden wires behind teak trim, either existing or made for that purpose.
Olli Wendelin
BLUE MOON
Charleston, SC
wendelin@spawar.navy.mil
Olli Wendelin
BLUE MOON
Charleston, SC
wendelin@spawar.navy.mil
-
John R.
Re: Wiring Path CD-30C
Larry is correct, the wiring is permanent. Wiring was obviously a major CD shortcoming but not unlike many production boats. We used to run harnesses in Morgans around the periphery of the deck before dropping the deck in place, the harnesses were wire tied to glassed on wooden blocks about every 3 feet. Endeavours were even worse. I pitied the poor slob that would ever have to service it in the future.
It was all in the name of production efficiency and no second thought was given to easy access and repairability and that is also evident in CD's and others. Appropriate thing to do is just bypass as Larry has noted. If there is a will there is a way. The manner in which the CD's interior is constructed with easily removed trim makes up for their lack of wire routing finesse. The CD can accommodate much wiring modification without much trouble if the installer uses a little ingenuity.
It was all in the name of production efficiency and no second thought was given to easy access and repairability and that is also evident in CD's and others. Appropriate thing to do is just bypass as Larry has noted. If there is a will there is a way. The manner in which the CD's interior is constructed with easily removed trim makes up for their lack of wire routing finesse. The CD can accommodate much wiring modification without much trouble if the installer uses a little ingenuity.
Larry DeMers wrote: Joe,
When I rewired the boat, I found that Cape Dory did use the top of the liner to lay thier wiring out on, then installed it in the boat, epoxing the wiring in also. I tried to replace wiring to a reading lamp that was flaky, and could not pull the wires free at all. Finally, I cut them off at both ends, and routed the wiring around them. This was true for all the cabin fixturing that I tested.
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Joe Mac Phee wrote:
Joe,
A couple of years ago, I completely rewired the main mast and interior cabin wiring on my 1977 30 foot ketch to a new circuit breaker panel. I was unable to run wires from the mast step acces panel athwartship to either port or starboard. I gave up and drilled a hole in the overhead just forward of main cabin bulkhead and far enough outboard to be invisible from the main cabin. I then ran the wires from the access panel down through the new hole and thence to the outboard edges of the liner. On my boat, this area contains the head on the port side and a hanging locker on the starboard side. On the port side the (masthead sensor) wires enter the cabinet above the head and on the starboard side the (masthead lights) wires descend into the hanging locker. I fabricated teak strips to cover the exposed wires attached with screws for maintenance access. Once you have reached the outboard edges of the overhead liner, you can use the existing paths used by Cape Dory, which are just behind the lower edge of the liner, to get aft to the power panel. There are no exposed wires and the installation is not visible from the main cabin and in the head area is blended in with the existing teak.
Perhaps someone else was more resourceful than I and found a sneak path through the overhead. Clearly, Cape Dory was able to run their wires through this area. I think my problem was too much wire and not enough room.
Good luck,
Joe Mac Phee
S/V Iolanthe
CD-30 K