H34 wire routing into the mast

[hunter34austin]

I know there are a couple of posts already on the topic of Hunter 34 mast wiring but what I couldn't figure out so far is how the wires run from the panel into the mast inside the cabin. The lights on my mast never worked since I've owned the boat and I finally have some time to look into this. The boat had some electrical problems in the past due to very random electrical installations of the previous owners, including cut wires without any obvious reason. So I would like to follow the wires below deck first and check before going up the mast. Has anyone figured out how the wiring runs from the panel to the mast? On my H34 they go from the panel into the channel on the port side but I have no idea if they then go down and in the floor section (can't see any wiring in the settee next to the compression post and also when I had the teak cladding of the post off). Other option would be through the deck stringer but I also couldn't find the wire in there when checking through the hole for the cabin lights.

thanks!

 

[jssailem]

Have you reviewed this drawing?
Hunter 34 Wiring Diagram

Found here...https://sbo.sailboatowners.com/downloads/Hunter_34_16788895.pdf

 

[kloudie1]

The drawing is correct for my '85 model. I know that the wires run in the port side "tunnel" under the deck then turn and run through the big beam at the front of the cabin to the mast base .. they aren't in conduit and in the tunnel, they are stuck down in a couple of places with some gummy stuff that seems to be butyl caulk. There is a ground wire running down through the compression post to the keel, and on my boat they ran the wind instrument wiring down the post and through the bilge.

 

[hunter34austin]

ok, I think I need to get the endoscope camera out and investigate. I found the butyl taping method in quite a few places, not sure why they did that but it really does a good job holding the wires in the most unreachable places Noted on the grounding wire to the keel - I see the grounding wires in the bilge area but not sure if they actually go up the mast.

 

[jssailem]

It is nicknamed... Fox and Hounds.
it is a wire tracing kit. You do not need to see all of your wires, unless they are "cut" compromised. If they are connected and they pass a signal during the trace, you can assume the wire is intact and move along tell you find a break or corrosion on contacts.



When you find a break, solve the break with a positive connection. I dislike plugs and exposed fittings. When I rewired the mast, I made a positive connection junction block in the cabin for the wires running up the mast. This allows the wires to be disconnected in the boat before the mast is pulled.