Installing new wire up to the Masthead

[Captain Kirk]

I'm looking at pulling a new wire up to the masthead; I want to avoid un-stepping the mast if possible. I spoke to a rigger who said it can be done but says getting it through the deck plate can sometimes be a problem.

Has anyone done this and has the deck plate been a tight spot that causes problems? Also is there a conduit inside the mast for wiring?

I've never done this and I also have never pulled the mast on Sand Dollar or any of the boats in my past, so I don't know what the deck plate looks like and what size the opening might be, through which the wire will need to be pulled.

I'm separately researching deck plates etc. and figure somebody on here has experience.

Thanks

[Captain Kirk]

I just found some postings on here from 2015 which gave me some good information.

I should add that I don't have in mast furling, does that simplify anything?

[c350ia]

I recently replaced my VHF coax with a thicker and less flexible coax I think it is RG 213 (why is another story all together).
Yes there are 3 conduits in the mast. Port and Starboard for the mast head and one forward that goes to the deck light, steaming light and on my boat Radar.
I fed the new coax from top down so that I did have to attach the connector at the top while in a bosun chair. I used the old coax to pull the new one through. Getting through the deck plate was not a big deal but getting it through the 90 degree bend at the bottom of compression post into the bilge was a little tricky and required some liquid soap applied to the coax to get it through due to the tightness of the bend and the fact that there are a lot of wires coming though a small hole.

Note also that there is an inspection hatch on the port side of the mast about 2ft above the deck (on my mast furling main mast), closed off with a black plastic insert. Best to pull wires to this point first then do the next stage down to the bilge.

Trevor Rabie
TREVI #460

[Captain Kirk]

Trevor

Thanks very much for your input, gives me some hope I'll be able to do it with the wind sensor cable too.

Question: once you got the coax out the bottom of the compression post what routing did you take to get it to the nav table area? Did you just continue to pull it with the existing coax or did you use some other method, snake etc? I'm guessing it goes under the cabin sole and somehow gets into the cable race that leads up to nav area??

Thanks again.

[Bob_A]

I have our mast off right now and in the process of re-wiring and cabling everything. Installing a Garmen G-wind transducer, Garmen Fantom 18 radar, new Shakespeare AIS antenna and anchor light. Of interest perhaps, I was about to install a new Forespar Deck / Steaming light (275.00) but in taking it apart and comparing to the original on our boats I found the original to be as good if not better. The Forespar (nice fixture) uses either a Halogen or LED bulbs as does the original fixture. I'm keeping the original, replacing the deck lamp lead, re-wiring with new and installing the same LED bulbs as per the Forespar.
To your project with a wind instrument cable. I was quiet surprise when the mast was off that the conduit stubbing up from the deck step and through the pedestal is up approx 1.5" and approx 1.5" in diameter (haven't measured exactly) the conduits in the mast terminate at the bottom such that they are far closer to being in line with the top of the pedestal conduit than greatly offset as I was led to believe.
If I was doing nothing other than the wind transducer cable I would definitely attempt it from the top down.
I recommend using the existing pull string if you have one to pull a new leader line from bottom to top (thinner & stronger)
My cable is designed to install the below deck connector later and if that is you case than what I do is poke a hole through the cable about an inch from the end using a sharp awl or pick, insert the leader line and tie a bowline. Tape this connection with painter tape as it is very flexible and create a tight taper from leader to cable. I use water based personal lube for cable runs. Far better than dish soap.
I think you'll make it if you get past the deck step offset. In the head you can reach into the hole and just touch the bottom of the conduit which may help clearing that 90 degree turn. Your existing cables will make this tricky but worth a try.
When I disconnected the electrical and coax below the sink I was able to pull the five wires with their connectors attached and the coax with its connector attached, up and out without trouble. creative taping and lubing. In my case as the radar is being redone I cut this and pulled it out first when the mast was a couple feet off the deck. Good luck!

[Captain Kirk]

Hi Bob

For some reason I hadn't seen this response to my question until just now. ??

Anyway lots of great info from you on this. I'm going to be pulling from the top down is as you say its the way to go. I don't know if I have an existing pull string, I hope I do because it will simplify things.

Thanks again

[Bob_A]

Hi Kirk,
Thats odd re the message lag.
Im very interested how you make out so please let me (all of us) know.
My mast is done and going back on early next week. Main halyard sheave was bad plus two bushings. I have replaced those and I sort of suspect the main sail may, over the years, has stretched a bit and perhaps under great power on the halyard the head might touch the sheave?
I can tell you that the original 15 year old wiring was still in good shape and was Anchor Marine 14 AWG and it was tinned. Exactly what I replaced it with. I did have a pull string which was pretty UV shot but perhaps had some structural integrity.
My wind transducer cable was pretty thin and malleable, hope yours is the same.
I would suggest you consider using the pull string to pull in a new pull string first. I use a halyard leader line I got from the riggers. Its very thin but incredibly strong and I think this would help at corners which are going to be tight. If you have no existing string and use one of the 14 AWG wires I would pull a string and a new wire in together than use the new string to pull down your transducer cable. Try the poke a hole and bowline, tape, lube method mentioned earlier as when this gets to the abrupt 90 degree turn out of the conduit then again into the deck stub you'll need minimum resistance and an excellent connection as you are going to have to pull pretty hard. Then again at the very bottom another 90 to turn into the head bilge. Plenty lube.
Im really hope this works for you and very interested to see. Good luck
PS. One other thing I found when the mast was down was the radar dome bracket was riveted to the mast with aluminum rivets which have loosened over the years. These will be replaced with stainless (bit of Tel-Gel too)

[Bob_A]

PS Kirk,

Thank-you for all your Em-Trak info elsewhere. Im sure you're considering this but given you are doing what I am too with the shared antenna I recommend the Shakespeare 5215 which fit right into the existing mount. The existing coax was Anchor Marine RG-8X which is exactly what I had recommended to me to replace it with. Which I did .. perhaps redundant but in for penny ...