That does not sound right
There should be a separate switch for the mast light. The running lights should come on without the mast light. As your boat is constructed after December 31, 1981, Catalina had to equip it with running lights and a mast light. I think the electric panel should have the word Catalina in logo form on it. This panel has separate switches for the running lights and mast light. If such is not the case, then your problems probably stem from what the PO did when he put in a new panel. However, if the electric panel appears original, see if there is a blue (?) (I think that is correct) wire on the switch for the mast light. (This wire might be red or white.) This wire may have disconnected from the mast light switch and inadvertently replaced onto the running light switch. (Note also, there is a common ground wire for the starboard cabin lights, bow light, and mast light coming down to the panel from the starboard side. This I think is a black wire.) If the panel is not your problem, then some wiring is incorrectly repaired. I suspect it is the mast light wires. The factory sandwiches these wires between the outside deck and the cabin liner. If you see exposed mast light wires near the compression post inside the cabin, than I suspect these mast light wires were incorrectly wired into the bow light wires.
