Holes in mast

[Manny]

Hi All,With the help of the marina I took my mast down yesterday so I can fix the moisture problem in the core underneath the mast step. The wiring for the lights runs inside the mast and the connectors are also inside. My question is can I drill a hole in the mast down near the base to run the connectors outside the mast? A 3/4 inch hole should be plenty. It will make my life easier when repairing the core and also there will be less holes where water can get where I don't have access, plus creating easy access to the wiring. I am concerned that I may weaken the mast.

 

[Ross]

Manny, When I wired the mast on Bietzpadlin

I drilled a hole near the base of the mast and installed a short length of flexible industrial conduit to a junction box on deck. The wires exit the mast thru the conduit and have spade connectors on them all color coded The junction box has a deck penetration that is permanently sealed and the wire from the inside come to there. The lid for the box is gasketed and fastened with SS screws. When the mast must come down I open the box, disconnect the wires and remove the nut the holds the conduit in the box.

 

[Ken Pole]

Mast wiring and water incursion

Manny, I think that routing your mast wires through an above-deck hole to a junction box will not resolve your water issue entirely. Rainwater will always find a way in through your masthead fitting, etc., but it should be minimal. It would be better to address your mast-step problem (replacing all wood with glass and epoxy if possible) and live with a design that keeps all your wiring internal because even the best on-deck junction boxes' o-rings/gaskets can leak. That said, drilling a 0.75-inch hole through your mast wall won't affect its integrity; just ensure that you use an appropriate rubber ring to line the sides of the hole. Good luck.

 

[Ross]

Ken 8 years of experience says that it

works pretty well. Further some North American wood species are more durable than fiberglass and epoxy. I know where to find some fifty year old fence posts that are still in service.

 

[Bill Roosa]

Stop the water getting in first

If you can seal up the mast you can run the wires normaly. Can you tell where the water is coming in in the first place?On my Legend 37 the wires go through the deck and mast step and then make a "drip loop" and then the connection occures. This puts the connection inside the boat away from the weather and lets me run test without really long wire jumpers up to the deck.

 

[Scott]

Also looking for a better way ...

I shiver when I think about the one time I connected the wires as the mast was being stepped. The connection point was above deck, so as the yard held the mast vertically a few inches above the deck with a sling, I reached in to make the connection and tuck the wires inside a conduit inside the mast. If the mast slipped in the sling, I could have easily lost a few fingers!This puts the connection inside the mast where it is inaccessible except when the mast is unstepped. I have the mast down this winter and will re-step it in the spring. I don't think I can gain access between the headliner inside the boat and the wires, so I don't think that making the connection inside the boat is feasible unless I cut a hole in the headliner, which I don't want to do. Making a separate hole outside the mast and making a port into the mast doesn't sound like a bad idea except that I would still be faced with the same problem inside the boat. Any suggestions?

 

[Hunter voyager]

Mast cable

I dremmelled a slot 3/4 inch x 2 inch at the bottom of the mast to lead all the cables out.I then drilled a big hole through the deck 4 inches in front of mast and then installed a cable gland ( see link )that all the cables went through. I then terminated all the cables under the deck so when it comes to removing the mast again the top part of the gland stays with the mast.The old holes were filled with 5200 sealant.

 

[Manny]

Looks like the sealant had lost its effectiveness

When mast came off, there was all kinds of sealant covering the four screws that hold the step in place. Also there was sealant around the wire holes. All of it was dry, hard, and pretty much not adhering to anything. I'm going to cut out the fiberglass, clean out the wood core, and rebuild using new fiberglass, eliminating all wood in the area. I'd like to put a junction box on the side, like Ross suggested. At least if that creates a leak, it won't mean the time, energy, and $$$ to pull the mast. I Also didn't like (like Scott said) disconnecting the connecters with the mast dangling above by what looked like a dockline!!!Thanks for all the responses!

 

[Ross]

Manny go to an electrical

supply house, the ones that cater to the trades and tell them what you want to do and ask what pieces you will need. These parts are made for machines that run in some pretty awful places and the wires stay dry.I am blessed with a boat that has no headliner. My wires show, so I keep them neat, but I can see where they are.

 

[RAD]

Manny....

Ask for 1/2" non metalic pvc sealtight and a connector to go with it and a 1 gang pvc juction box with no holes in it and a cover. you can drill your own holes with standard wood paddle type bits to fit the seal tight connector.you might find this material in Loews or Home Depot

 

[Moody Buccaneer]

Proper ...

All masts with internal halyards get water inside. It's a fact of life. The mast should have a drain so water cannot stand inside the mast. Keel stepped masts can drain into the bilge. Deck stepped masts should have a weep hole at the step.Wire harnesses that lead through the mast step are fine if you do it right. Right means that there is a stand pipe that extends a few inches above the mast step. The wiring should come out of the conduit and loop UP to enter the top of the stand pipe. Water would have to be higher than the stand pipe to leak into the boat. The loop prevents water from wicking down the wires into the boat. The loop requires a longer harness, so the mast can be more than just a few inches off the deck when you make the connection. If the connection is inside the mast, it must be waterproof. Pack the connector with Dielectric grease to keep moisture out of the connector. Better yet, make the connection inside the boat, then when you go to step the mast, you just have to shove the wiring into the stand pipe and don't have to worry about making connections while the mast is in the air.My wires lead out of the mast into a custom stainless steel gooseneck, then into the boat. I prefer to have the connections inside the cabin rather than on deck. No offense Ross, but a junction box and conduit on deck is just a bit "industrial chic" for my tastes. No doubt it works just fine.