We have recently purchased a 1985 28.5 and we will be pulling the boat for new paint and other minor repairs. My question is this: What are we facing, as far as wiring connections at the mast step? Do the coax and electrical wires run continuously to their termination points or are there connectors at the step? There is some water intrusion through the compression post when it rains/snows and the base appears to be good condition. My assumption is that the top of the mast has holes from the antenna/instrument mounts that are no longer in place. I will be going up the mast to replace instruments and lights and I would consider installing an electronic anemometer if there is a way to fish additional wires using the old coax; if it is still at the top of the mast. Any advice would be appreciated.
Hunter 28.5 Mast Question
- Thread starter Charles Sade
- Start date
If it were me, because I just just did this for the same reasons, I'd unstep the mast when you have the boat out. You may have disconnects at the base, or up in the cabin ceiling, or both.
It will be much easier to repair and/or replace wiring and add new equipment with the mast down. I'm not sure if the 28.5 has internal conduit or not. Replace your mast lights with LED. Reseal your deck penetration to get rid of the water. I replaced the old PVC tube with copper. I also rebedded the tabernacle and cleared the weep hole. Good luck!
It will be much easier to repair and/or replace wiring and add new equipment with the mast down. I'm not sure if the 28.5 has internal conduit or not. Replace your mast lights with LED. Reseal your deck penetration to get rid of the water. I replaced the old PVC tube with copper. I also rebedded the tabernacle and cleared the weep hole. Good luck!
Did the same on my Non-Hunter. You will be happier in the long run.
My '86 H28.5 had quick disconnects at the base of the mast. Not sure if that was OEM or added by PO, but it made unstepping mast much easier.
I am an original owner of h28.5 and recently trucked the boat south so I did the first dismasting in a couple decades. This is what I had/found and did.
There is about 1-2 foot of wire play when you lift the mast up from the mounting "socket". I had the 4 prong connector there servicing the steaming and the anchor light. Also an f/f inter-connector to accept the the 2 male antenna cables.
I recommend getting all new connectors as once they where separated in dismasting, there was slight metal corrosion on the antenna hardware and plastic fracturing on the 4 prong wire connector. they prolly will never go together quite the same, and the parts are relatively inexpensive given the scope of remasting.
The top of the cabin/mast socket has the wires come out of the compression column tube into the center of the mast socket. I reran new wires from the top of the mast to the panel. I cut back and soldered the new fittings for the new antenna connect on the old cable. I also bought a new interconnect f/f to accept the male prongs of the cabin side ant cable and the mast side ant cable.
Map out you color coding for each device. You prolly won't find the wire colors you have in the new wire set from WM or elsewhere.
I used generous application of 25 yr ge silicone to caulk up the "bouquet" of wires emerging from the socket hole. It has not leaked anything in 6 mos down the compression post to the bilge.
I replaced the original anchor light (still functional)and the steaming light running new wires ( and the old antenna cable) in the tube within the mast - pulling the old wire out connected to the new wires. I also replaced the (still functional) acqua signal series 25 lights with a MARINEBEAM combo LED steaming/foredeck light. Also put a MARINEBEAM anchor light (with integrated photocell cut out switch option) atop the mast. That wire is one way tied looped around one of the two top plate bolts to take the weight off the anchor light wires..
As I mentioned I added the combo LED, I needed to take one of the 2 negative prongs on the 4 prong connect ( avail at WM ~$35) to service the new panel switchedposirive line for the foredeck light. I combined the 2 common neg wires coming out of the mast into one allowing a dedicated positive prong for the foredeck light.
I used liquid tape to seal the wire entry into all the connections. I added an subsidiary 3 circuit breaker panel at the nav table to service the foredeck light, the sounder and other accessories I added.
What's nice about the MARINEBEAM anchor led light is that it has a delay circuit so passing shades in the daytime won't trip it on. it needs a few seconds to POST test its self before turning on - note that when testing your connections ( ask me how I found out) or you'll think you have an intermittent connection. It's not like an incandescent lamp on immediately, give it several seconds to wake up to test your connection.
So if you sleep late in the morning on anchor outs, the photo cell with automatically turn off your anchor light when the sun shines. And you won't forget to turn it off causing added drain on your battery.
By the way the housing of the new anchor/foredeck led housing didn't lay flush to the mast like the old simple light. I put a bolt thru the mast to secure the mounting "ears" of the MARINEBEAM light housing and then used GE clear silicone to fill the gaps between the housing and the mast- leaving the bottom open for any drainage.
Hope this helps
There is about 1-2 foot of wire play when you lift the mast up from the mounting "socket". I had the 4 prong connector there servicing the steaming and the anchor light. Also an f/f inter-connector to accept the the 2 male antenna cables.
I recommend getting all new connectors as once they where separated in dismasting, there was slight metal corrosion on the antenna hardware and plastic fracturing on the 4 prong wire connector. they prolly will never go together quite the same, and the parts are relatively inexpensive given the scope of remasting.
The top of the cabin/mast socket has the wires come out of the compression column tube into the center of the mast socket. I reran new wires from the top of the mast to the panel. I cut back and soldered the new fittings for the new antenna connect on the old cable. I also bought a new interconnect f/f to accept the male prongs of the cabin side ant cable and the mast side ant cable.
Map out you color coding for each device. You prolly won't find the wire colors you have in the new wire set from WM or elsewhere.
I used generous application of 25 yr ge silicone to caulk up the "bouquet" of wires emerging from the socket hole. It has not leaked anything in 6 mos down the compression post to the bilge.
I replaced the original anchor light (still functional)and the steaming light running new wires ( and the old antenna cable) in the tube within the mast - pulling the old wire out connected to the new wires. I also replaced the (still functional) acqua signal series 25 lights with a MARINEBEAM combo LED steaming/foredeck light. Also put a MARINEBEAM anchor light (with integrated photocell cut out switch option) atop the mast. That wire is one way tied looped around one of the two top plate bolts to take the weight off the anchor light wires..
As I mentioned I added the combo LED, I needed to take one of the 2 negative prongs on the 4 prong connect ( avail at WM ~$35) to service the new panel switchedposirive line for the foredeck light. I combined the 2 common neg wires coming out of the mast into one allowing a dedicated positive prong for the foredeck light.
I used liquid tape to seal the wire entry into all the connections. I added an subsidiary 3 circuit breaker panel at the nav table to service the foredeck light, the sounder and other accessories I added.
What's nice about the MARINEBEAM anchor led light is that it has a delay circuit so passing shades in the daytime won't trip it on. it needs a few seconds to POST test its self before turning on - note that when testing your connections ( ask me how I found out) or you'll think you have an intermittent connection. It's not like an incandescent lamp on immediately, give it several seconds to wake up to test your connection.
So if you sleep late in the morning on anchor outs, the photo cell with automatically turn off your anchor light when the sun shines. And you won't forget to turn it off causing added drain on your battery.
By the way the housing of the new anchor/foredeck led housing didn't lay flush to the mast like the old simple light. I put a bolt thru the mast to secure the mounting "ears" of the MARINEBEAM light housing and then used GE clear silicone to fill the gaps between the housing and the mast- leaving the bottom open for any drainage.
Hope this helps