Beneteau First 41S5 in mast conduits???

[georgetheleo]

I and a helper have been "restoring my 1990 Beneteau First 415 for past year. Now we are into the rigging and going to add LED deck lighting from the lower spreaders and replace the bulbs in the Forespar combo light fixture. It loos like all the halyards are running free indide the mast with no conduits?? Does anyone here know for sure just what the conduits are inside the mast and how to access them? Thanks from George

 

[RitSim]

I have a '99 B411 and there are two conduit, one for the deck light and one for the mast head. YMMV. But I replaced my deck light cable and added two radar cables at the same time by using the existing cable to get a pull cable in place. Then used cable/wire puller goo (from Home Depot ~$7-9). One person at the deck light elevation adding goo and feeding cable and a second person pulling from below. I did mine with the mast up. I assume your mast is up also.

 

[sail sfbay]

Who is your mast manufacturer? Suggest obtaining a manual with cross- sectional diagrams/photos of your mast from the manufacturer.

 

[georgetheleo]

I have a '99 B411 and there are two conduit, one for the deck light and one for the mast head. YMMV. But I replaced my deck light cable and added two radar cables at the same time by using the existing cable to get a pull cable in place. Then used cable/wire puller goo (from Home Depot ~$7-9). One person at the deck light elevation adding goo and feeding cable and a second person pulling from below. I did mine with the mast up. I assume your mast is up also.

Thank You. Yes mast is up. At base of mast where a halyard box w/pulley was removed we can see and feel where a conduit containing the combo light wires enter to go up. We can also feel a round something at another halyard box further uo say 7ft above deck portside, This round thing seems to be in the very center of the mast just behind the mains track....this is probably the conduit for the masthead light. Would you agree? Thanks

 

[RitSim]

I assume the old cables are still in place. If so, You can perhaps determine the conduit by using the cables/lights lit to get the information you are looking for. On my boat, there are 1" diam access plugs at each spreader location. To my thinking, you pull out the old cable while feeding in a new pull cord- then pull in a new cable with the wire compound. To me, its easier to make a cable/pull cord joint than it is to make a cable/cable joint. You may be pulling quite hard on the old cable and don't want to separate the joint. Someone is going to spend a few hours at the top of the mast. As an alternate to a bosuns chair, you might engage a close yard to use their crane and rigger to assist at the mast head.

 

[Hollyberry]

On our 91 35s5 all the wire is in a single conduit. There obviously must be an exit at the steaming/deck light level. Earlier this year we were able to change the wind vane wiring by using the old as a messenger (while mast was down). I think it would be more difficult, esp the last bit from conduit to the front exit at the base, with mast still stepped. It's a fairly hard turn.