It appears I shall have to drill holes in my mast in order to run the antenna and masthead light cables down to the cabin. Does anyone have a suggestion as the best way to weatherproof the holes so as to prevent rain from entering the mast? This is an anodized aluminum mast.
Mast cables
- Thread starter Flashman
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Use a silicon sealer
The PO had to run some cables outside the mast for radar and the wind bird, I recently replaced those cables and had to do the same thing. I used what the PO used and that was silicon sealer in the mast, but thru the deck, he used a wire "gland" that is a screwed-on compressed rubber gasket around the cable that made it waterproof. If you can remove the mast in the off season, then going thru the coach-top, inside the mast (still use silicon sealer to seal it), would be "cleaner" if you can have access that way. (That's the way my VHF antenna was inside my mast). I sail a 1988 Legend 37, so removing the mast required the yard crane.
The PO had to run some cables outside the mast for radar and the wind bird, I recently replaced those cables and had to do the same thing. I used what the PO used and that was silicon sealer in the mast, but thru the deck, he used a wire "gland" that is a screwed-on compressed rubber gasket around the cable that made it waterproof. If you can remove the mast in the off season, then going thru the coach-top, inside the mast (still use silicon sealer to seal it), would be "cleaner" if you can have access that way. (That's the way my VHF antenna was inside my mast). I sail a 1988 Legend 37, so removing the mast required the yard crane.
Mast, leaks, etc ...
On my Legend 35 (1987), I have been having water problems with my deck stepped mast. When it rains, I get water both coming down inside the mast and dripping through the wiring hole (which is in the center of the mast step) and then down inside the compression post, and also dripping down the outside of the post and onto the dining table. The water in the compression post ends up harmlessly in the bilge. The mast step casting does have a drain (out towards the bow) where any water collecting inside the step can/should drain out onto the deck, but the wiring hole is an even better drain, so that's where the water goes. If all my wiring junctions could be above deck level, then I'd happily use silicon to seal up the wiring as it goes through the wiring hole. All my mast lighting wiring have quick connects above deck, but my wind instruments go to a junction box below deck and thus sealing up the hole is not that practical. If I could move the wind instrument junction to a quick connect that was above deck, I could seal the wiring hole somewhat permanently with silicon goo and get all the moisture out. Chris
On my Legend 35 (1987), I have been having water problems with my deck stepped mast. When it rains, I get water both coming down inside the mast and dripping through the wiring hole (which is in the center of the mast step) and then down inside the compression post, and also dripping down the outside of the post and onto the dining table. The water in the compression post ends up harmlessly in the bilge. The mast step casting does have a drain (out towards the bow) where any water collecting inside the step can/should drain out onto the deck, but the wiring hole is an even better drain, so that's where the water goes. If all my wiring junctions could be above deck level, then I'd happily use silicon to seal up the wiring as it goes through the wiring hole. All my mast lighting wiring have quick connects above deck, but my wind instruments go to a junction box below deck and thus sealing up the hole is not that practical. If I could move the wind instrument junction to a quick connect that was above deck, I could seal the wiring hole somewhat permanently with silicon goo and get all the moisture out. Chris
Chris
That issue is quite common. The leak into the cabin roof on top of the support post is coming through the tube that carries the wiring. If you drop the semi circular cover down from inside it will give access to this tube. Insert the nose of a chalk tube into and around that tube and chalk the hell out of it. The mast itself is not supposed to be water tight and in fact the drains at the bottom should be checked to make sure they are clear.
That issue is quite common. The leak into the cabin roof on top of the support post is coming through the tube that carries the wiring. If you drop the semi circular cover down from inside it will give access to this tube. Insert the nose of a chalk tube into and around that tube and chalk the hell out of it. The mast itself is not supposed to be water tight and in fact the drains at the bottom should be checked to make sure they are clear.
Chris
That issue is quite common. The leak into the cabin roof on top of the support post is coming through the tube that carries the wiring. If you drop the semi circular cover down from inside it will give access to this tube. Insert the nose of a chalk tube into and around that tube and chalk the hell out of it. The mast itself is not supposed to be water tight and in fact the drains at the bottom should be checked to make sure they are clear.
That issue is quite common. The leak into the cabin roof on top of the support post is coming through the tube that carries the wiring. If you drop the semi circular cover down from inside it will give access to this tube. Insert the nose of a chalk tube into and around that tube and chalk the hell out of it. The mast itself is not supposed to be water tight and in fact the drains at the bottom should be checked to make sure they are clear.
Thanks for the info, I didn't realise the mast wasn't supposed to be water tight. I read in the archives about putting wire ties around the cable to prevent it slapping against the mast. Would it hurt anything to put the same tie around both the antenna cable and the wire coming from the masthead light?
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