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Mast Removal

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2019 9:26 am
by bobdelia
I am going to remove my mast for inspection and replacement of windvane. Any advice? Where are the connections? I am told by Catalina that they are either in the bilge or in the mast/compression pole. I'd appreciate any insights from someone who's done it. Thanks, Bob "AndiRose" Hull #020

Re: Mast Removal

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2019 1:14 pm
by R.B.
I remove my mast every year. The connections are under the board, under the sink in the head. disconnect all of the wires, attach a string or line that gets pulled up the compression tube so you can pull the wires back down the tube when you re-step the mast. I also space any of the connectors and tape the wires together so that your wire bundle is as thin as possible to get into the compression tube. The hole is quite tight.

Once you have the mast attached to the crane, remove the pins from all the stays, have someone hang onto the roller furling, lift the mast about 1 ft and then pull the wires up through the mast step, undo the string from the wires and attach the end to the mast step, coil the wires and shove them into the base of the mast, lift the mast the rest of the way off of the boat.

FYI: Once on the ground, if you want to lift the mast horizontally, on our in mast furling the balance point of the mast is just around the steaming light.

Re: Mast Removal

Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2019 8:58 am
by Mark Sutherland
Great post, great info Ralph. Thank you.

Re: Mast Removal

Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 6:04 pm
by Lagniappe
Can someone please post a picture of the mast step and wiring conduit?

Re: Mast Removal

Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:22 am
by Bob_A
Hopefully this helps.

Re: Mast Removal

Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:52 am
by Bob_A
This might help as well. This is all new wiring. On the left is the 1" conduit to the mast head. Orange and Grey are stock colors for the anchor light,
Red is a redundancy wire in case we ever wanted anchor and nav lights up there, additional pull string, black is the new Garmen Gwind and larger white is the new RG 8X coax for the 5215 Shakespeare AIS / VHF antenna.
Had this conduit terminated about 3" higher up the mast pulling down from the top would be possible. As it is this conduit terminates pretty much parallel to the top of the pedestal conduit stub. On the right is the 3/4" conduit to the steaming / deck light / radar. Purple, yellow and black are the stock colors for the lights, the two larger Blacks are new radar.

Re: Mast Removal

Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:35 am
by wolfe10
Bob,

Thanks for the pictures and descriptions.

Re: Mast Removal

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 4:16 pm
by Lagniappe
Thanks. Photos will help a lot!

Re: Mast Removal

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 10:52 pm
by Captain Kirk
Hi Bob

Was just going over your submission from April 1.

You mention the position of the large conduit being parallel to the stub in the deck step plate. Can you clarity for me, were you saying that it would not be possible to pull cables down from the top of the mast because the location of the stub relative to this conduit? But it would be possible if the conduit ended a few inches higher. Are you suggesting that setup would allow the cables to more easily pass thru the stub?

I'm having a rigger go up the mast to mount a new wind sensor and he suggests they could try to use an existing cable and attach it to the new wind cable to pull it down and through. But he won't guarantee that it will pass through the deck step and they can only try.

I've had other input that getting a cable out the bottom of the compression post is the hardest part because of the 90 deg elbow under the post.

Still hoping to avoid pulling the mast. Your pictures are a big help to visualize things.

Re: Mast Removal

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:15 am
by Bob_A
Hi Kirk,
Sorry I did not see this sooner.
Yes on closer examination I think it will be iffy but worth a try. Had Catalina removed 3 or 4 inches off the bottom of the 1" conduit to the mast head, this mast in place cable fishing would work. The 90 degree turn at the very bottom is nothing. If you get past the deck step that wont be problem.
Often the wires are taped together which would make a single wire more difficult if used as a leader. Because the cable for the wind transducer is relatively thin it may well make it past this conduit to stub abrupt turn. Lube it up well.
Personally I would choose either the orange or grey anchor light wire, detach from the terminal block in the head, cut off the connector (important) and tie and tape 2 thin halyard leader lines to the wire and pull the wire up. Feed from the bottom as best you can until the connection starts up the pedestal conduit which you can just touch from under the sink. Pulling down is giving you another 90 which is just more friction. If successful in getting this up and out, tie off one of the lines, re connect one line to the lamp 14AWG and pull the wire down by itself. The use the second leader line to pull the wind instrument transducer cable down. I would not do these together. Even safer would be to pull up a new anchor light wire using the existing one. Again with an additional leader line beside it. At least this way you would have the anchor light wire back plus a leader line to pull down the new cable. There is one more thing that is done by pro riggers. You could cut (hole saw) an opening in the side of the mast at the bottom so that a) you can pull the cable(s) out the hole and work through this to catch the upper cable and a fish tape from the lower or b) install a deck gland and bypass the pedestal. Many boats are stock like this. With a bit of effort this could be very invisible below deck.
Fortunately I had so much more to do in the mast that pulling it was mandatory and I didn't have to consider the above.
Best of luck.

Re: Mast Removal

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 11:25 pm
by Captain Kirk
Hi Bob

Thanks for this, its great information. I will go over this with the rigger before they start the job and I'm sure they'll benefit from this first hand input from you. I kind of like the idea of pulling the cable out of the side of the mast near the deck and running it through a deck gland. It may be the best/easiest way and as you say the cable can be neatly and discreetly routed down to the area under the basin or even keep it above the medicine cabinet and over to the starboard side cable race way. I need to look at this routing more closely, but it might work.

The rigger is from Blackline Marine in Canoe Cove, they are about the best group of riggers I've seen. Have used them a few times and always happy with them.

One more thing when you say "the pedestal" I assume that is what I'm used to calling the compression post? I.E. the support post under the mast?

Thanks again.

Re: Mast Removal

Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 9:26 am
by Bob_A
Hi Kirk,
Yes, my error, I am talking about the compression post. To be more concise in my answer to your question previously - I do fear the bottom of the 1" conduit from the mast head is equal to the top of the conduit in the deck through the compression post and very close to it, like an inch away +/-
sounds like great riggers. I am fortunate to have Pro-Tech right at Lynnwood and have gotten to know them well. Lots of excellent advise.
Perhaps when you've chosen an anchor light wire, see if the rigger can budge it before clipping off the connector. I like your idea about staying high with the cable once in. I installed the G10 in the aft cabin port closet. I can't wait to hear how this goes for you!
Bob