ODay 322 or 302 - Replace wire in mast while standing?

[Tin Kicker]

Anybody pulled a new wire through a standing mast?

Went to replace the anchor light and found roughly half of normal battery voltage at the top then found a full 12.7V in the positive bilge wire at the bottom of the mast. By jumping to the mast at top & bottom I verified the issue is with the positive and not a bad ground and found the incandescent fore-deck light is dim, so it probably has the same issue.

Found some other wire connections in the bilge were green and corroded and the two light wires (+ & - ) at the top of the mast are a different set of colors than at the bilge. Bottom line is that it appears SOMEWHERE there is at least one corroded splice between the bottom and top. I've pushed pieces of tubing sleeve over the bottom of the wire as far as possible and only gotten maybe a few feet up from the bilge so any splices are above that.

It appears to me that the most likely place for splices would be just above the tube in the mast step. This is where the wires pass through the deck and that can only be reached by dropping the mast, plus it's the most likely area for wires to be damaged when the mast last came down. That sure isn't happening to simply replace one or two sets of light wires.


So the questions for those of you who've replaced wires or at least tried:

Are the wire sets tie-wrapped to anything inside the mast to prevent pulling new wires through?

Pulling the wire set downward through the mast step would probably cause the splices (+ and - ) to hang up on the tube in the step. Any thoughts on whether it'd be possible to solder a replacement wire set at the bottom then pull the set up to the top?

Other ideas?

Thanks in advance,

TK / Bob

 

[Tally Ho]

Do you have an O’Day 322 Or a 302?

Just curious as your avatar says Ericson 32.


I have never pulled my mast nor had to run new wires on my O322.

Greg

 

[Tin Kicker]

Ooops -
Updated the avatar and other details

 

[Tally Ho]

I sure like my 322. just spent 3 days, 2 nights sailing and anchoring on Lake Michigan.

As i mentioned, I have not had to pull my mast, but my owners manual has some notes about a wiring “plug” which I assume is in the bottom of the mast...

The note says the 1st owner changed the plug to a 8-gang plug…


I have a green wire in the bilge, but that is for the grounding system I think.m

Greg

 

[Tin Kicker]

Thanks Greg -

Yes, we are enjoying the boat too. The Ericson could sail in much lighter air and faster than the ODay and would be better for open ocean, but for the Bay the ODay interior has a more livable spacious feel than the Ericson did and I like being able to stash wet deck clothes in the aft head to prevent getting the rest of the cabin wet.

My owners manual doesn't have a similar note about the plug and having one would prevent being able to pull a new set of wires through. Does anybody else have a photo of the 302or 322 mast step without the mast on it?

I did find this thread and my boat has the wiring come out the bottom of the compression post, not through the side of the bottom.

Oday 322 mast wiring

As soon as it is warm enough, I will be running new wiring for a wind transducer on my Oday 322 - I may also go ahead and rewire the masthead lighting at the same time. My question to other 322 owners is where is the wiring conduit in the cabin? I have only worked on keel stepped masts before...

forums.sailboatowners.com

Bob

 

[Evan656]

I have an ‘88 or ‘89 O’Day 302. I have replaced the wiring in my mast but when it was down. Mast wiring and instrument connections are at the on deck mast step. Originally, the electrical connections at the step were in a simple wiring block. Wires are disconnected at the block and the mast can then be removed for service or storage. The mast step includes a caulked in tube for the boat side wiring to pass through and to shed water coming down the inside of the mast to the step weeping hole and out onto the deck. The tube is about 1 1/4” inside diameter. Wiring in the mast also runs through some plastic conduit to keep wires away from halyards and from slanging against the mast. I replaced the wiring block with plugs as my mast comes down every year.
If you don’t have mast wiring connections in the bilge area (bad set up) or before the electrical panel, then the connections likely are in the step at the foot of the mast.

 

[Tin Kicker]

Found this in a Facebook post for a 302 so it ought to be the same. Putting it here for others to find in the future:

Till whenever we bring down the mast we have been hoisting this light which easily makes it through the night.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09KT64FVL?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

[AndreNJ11]

I have not replaced the wiring in the mast. I did however take the mast down to replace all the lights, and sheaves.
I have a 1988 322.
I have no deck plug. There is a tube in the middle of the mast step, and all the mast wiring goes down through it, to an exit hole at the bottom in the bilge, and then a turn to the connection buss. Sorry I don't have a picture of the mast step itself. The wires below the mast bottom are about 6-7 feet longer to make the trip down the inside mast support, exit the hole and to the connection bus. I do however have a picture of the old wiring bus (a rusted mess), and new bus with all new connectors cut back to fresh wire 3-6" or so. Why don't you try that first, and see if that improves the voltage.

The picture of the mast bottom, the 6' extra wire is just stuffed in it , but it looks like the wire that actually goes up the mast travels in that little extruded groove in the side of the mast (to avoid wires slapping during rocking). I do not hear any wires slapping at anchor.

Sorry, it's been seven years. These pictures may help. It was expensive, and definitely a job for a professional crane and marina staff to get the mast down and up. The rest, you can do yourself once it is down.

 

[Tin Kicker]

Appreciate the photos and detail but it's clearly different. While you show the mast wires coming to the connector block in your bilge, I have no connector block. Plus I've got red/black wires in the bilge and a different set of colors where the wires come out of the mast so there is a connection between the bilge and lights coming out of the mast. Unfortunately, that sounds like the photo I posted with a plug at the mast step.

 

[Mickstr]

Appreciate the photos and detail but it's clearly different. While you show the mast wires coming to the connector block in your bilge, I have no connector block. Plus I've got red/black wires in the bilge and a different set of colors where the wires come out of the mast so there is a connection between the bilge and lights coming out of the mast. Unfortunately, that sounds like the photo I posted with a plug at the mast step.

Figure it out yet? I can help if you haven't. Have a 322 up on Long Island with connectors at the base of the mast. ( Mickstr66@ yahoo . com )