H23 Masthead (adding Anchor Light & VHF antenna)

DanFleig

DanFleig

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Sep 28, 2014
25
Hunter 23 South River, MD
I have a 1985 H23 and this year I'd like to add an anchor light and VHF antenna to the masthead. I realized at the end of last season that while there was room for the light, I couldn't fit the both the light, antenna with the wind vane. Is there some sort of extender bracket I can use to get more real estate up top? Any advice or pics of your setup?

Also, do you know if there's a conduit in the mast for routing the wires and keeping them away from my halyards? Finally, is there any special sort of cabling needed for the VHF antenna because of the distance i'll be routing the wiring, or is all VHF coaxial pretty much the same?

Appreciate your help!
Dan
 
Regular Guy

Regular Guy

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Jan 18, 2014
238
Hunter 260 Palm Coast, FL
Hi Dan,
Here are two pictures from my H260 mast head. Maybe they give you some answers. I put navigation and anchor lights atop. Used LED's to save battery and because their long life, should not burn out. The anchor light bulb has a built in dusk sensor, very handy when late on a land visit.
As you see my mast has on top the ability to mount an antenna. I used marine coax and the wire to the lights. Cannot say if a plastic pipe is as conduit in your mast.
Hart
 

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isaksp00

isaksp00

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Apr 27, 2010
1,279
Hunter 23 Lake Wallenpaupack
I lack a VHF, so no need for antenna real estate. My Davis SparFly is mounted to the side of the mast extrusion using the "spring clip" style side mount. This would interfere with a whip. You could get a piece of aluminum bar stock at a big box, say about 1 in wide by maybe 1/8 thick, and bend one end so it can be riveted to the side of the mast near the top, and extend it out far enough so the longest end of the vane clears the whip and light. In that case you could screw the mount designed for a top mount to that bar. Ought to work with most any vane, as long as it can be top mounted. Or worst case bend the outer end of that bar back up so you can use a side mount.
I have done some work around the base of the mast where my 12V wires come out and (at least with my Harken rig) have not noticed any internal conduit. Worst case, attach a messenger line to a 12V wire (assuming you have any wires up there) and pull it through, then use it to pull the new wires (and maybe another messenger line at the same time).
 
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DanFleig

DanFleig

.
Sep 28, 2014
25
Hunter 23 South River, MD
Hart,
Thanks for the pics! I love the fact that your wind vane is antenna mounted and clears both the nav and anchor lights! Question about your "Auto" nav lights. Is it actually the bulb that has the sensor? Also, do you still run your deck level lights on the bow pulpit or only up high? If it's only up top, have you ever had issues with people seeing you at night?

Isaksp00,
I was thinking about going to granger or somewhere and finding a piece of billet that I could mount along the top for more room, but I think the pic's above will solve my issue. My only real concern now is routing the dang wires without getting them tangled in the halyards. Unfortunately I don't have an anchor light up there yet (my year came with only the steaming light) so I think I'll just end up using fish tape to route the power cables for the lights and the VHF for the antenna). Hope I can keep it away from all the important stuff in there LoL!

JustSomeGuy,
Thanks for the link! if you can find a photo of all 3 on one bracket i'd love to see how your PO had it setup. I'm a huge fan of "quick and easy"
 
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justsomeguy

justsomeguy

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Feb 20, 2011
8,062
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
DanFleig said:
JustSomeGuy,
Thanks for the link! if you can find a photo of all 3 on one bracket i'd love to see how your PO had it setup. I'm a huge fan of "quick and easy"
Click to expand
You're very welcome.
If I can try to describe it for now, the PO spot-welded a bracket onto the stock bracket that comes with a Shakespeare Squatty Body antenna.
The anchor light sits above and behind the antenna base, and the windex rotates above it all on the whip.
Again, I'll look for a decent photo of it.
 
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Regular Guy

Regular Guy

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Jan 18, 2014
238
Hunter 260 Palm Coast, FL
Dan,
Sorry for the lateness of my reply. Yes, the dusk-dawn sensor/switch is built in the LED bulb.
Regarding the navigation lights, I am running the mast one together with the ones down on bow and transom.
Hart
 
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