loose wires

[lewis]

internal mast wires have come loose and clang alot. any quick fixes, without dropping mast.

 

[jim oursler]

100 cans of foam?

i have read something, but for life of me, can't recall the real fix.

 

[Kenneth Pfaff]

I always thought it was 100 bottle of beer.

on the wall :>)

 

[R.W.Landau]

we may follow if you are willing to lead

Lewis,If you do not want to take the time and energy, and you are sure that the wiring is good, and you do not have internal halyards, read on.Your mast has many holes in it. Most are filled with fasteners. If you choose a few spots to remove those fasteners some distance apart, foam may work.I do not mean the urethane foam but a product made by DAP. The DAP foam is a latex foam that will not continue to expand once contained.You would ideally only need a small plug of foam to stop the noise.I say latex foam because it is not a dense(and softer )as the urethane foam. That may make future rewiring less costly and less of a problem, because it may be easier to penetrate than urethane.The DAP foam is unlike the urethane foam in that you can use some of the can and store it for some time and use it again. The urethane foam is a one time deal. Spray some on a piece of card board and observe how much it expands to get an Idea of how much to use. Let it cure and make sure the consistancy will keep the wires from moving.I would foam in two or three areas , let it cure (don't move it till it cures) and see if it helped.Like I said, if you try it and if it works, let us know. I would rather fix the problem than risk a future headache.r.w.landau

 

[Tom Ehmke]

I'm puzzled by your suggestion, R.W.,

unless you don't have internal halyards, topping lifts, etc. If you foam a section of the mast, how can you lead lines or messengers through the mast in the event you break a line or want to add a new one?I had an internal slap problem some years ago. Decided to run new and improved coax cable for the VHF radio and as I fed the new cable into the mast, I tied wire ties around it every 24" or-. They press up against the inside of the mast. No noise, no problem. I remove all the lines from the mast every season and leave messengers, take them home, throw them into a bag, soak them in fabric softener and wash them on delicate cycle. When I reload in the spring, the wire ties never interfere with the job.Tom