Mast Connections??

[rpell1@msn.com]

I recently had my new '91 Mark II 30' shipped from Georgia to NY and naturally, the Marina in GA un-stepped the mast and packed it carefully for shipping.

Unfortunately, it seems as if they also pulled out the antenna wire without attaching a "messenger" line. It was also pulled out of the connection since there was no plug on the end.

My question is, how can I re-snake the antenna wire from the mast base back to where I can reach it in the cabin?.....Or, if I am lucky, is there as connector that may have slipped back into the tube that is in the base, which would mean I just have to fish it out along with the mast head light plug and simply re-attach it?

If anyone has had experience with this, I would really appreciate hearing from you. I want to avoid having to un-step the mast again where I would only have to have our fork lift raise the mast a few inches for me to make the connections.

Thanks and a Merry Christmas to all !!

 

[Jimm]

mast connection

Suggest calling Catalina tech support .......

 

[rpell1@msn.com]

Thanks Jimm, I will.

I'm still new to this and need to find my way around.

Merry Christmas,

Ralph

Suggest calling Catalina tech support .......

 

[rpell1@msn.com]

Hi again,

Am having difficulty finding a Tech Support Site for Catalina. Do you have one available?

Thanks,

Ralph

Suggest calling Catalina tech support .......

 

[Dean5735]

I think, even to raise the mast a few inches you will still need to unhook everything. Chances are the wire is not ther, or not easilly reached with only a few inches, otherwise the crew would have plugged it in. It will probably be easiest to lower it, get a piece of steel cable about an 1/8 or 1/4 in. dia. and shove it through the top or bottom, for your fish wire. You may want to think about spreader lights, and stuff before you do it. Been there, done that.
Dean

 

[rpell1@msn.com]

Ooops!

Hi Dean,

Thank you for the suggestions. I think I may not have been too clear though. The connections I'm trying to get at are in the deck side of the mast base and not in the mast.

I was hoping I could lift the mast enough to clear the base and move it to the side just enough to get to whatever connections there are in the base...on the deck side.

You are right about the spreader lights. I think it would be a good time to wire them.

Have a very Merry Christmas,

Ralph

I think, even to raise the mast a few inches you will still need to unhook everything. Chances are the wire is not ther, or not easilly reached with only a few inches, otherwise the crew would have plugged it in. It will probably be easiest to lower it, get a piece of steel cable about an 1/8 or 1/4 in. dia. and shove it through the top or bottom, for your fish wire. You may want to think about spreader lights, and stuff before you do it. Been there, done that.
Dean

 

[Dean5735]

Not enough coffee I guess

Now that I re-read the post I see what you mean, They may not have taped the connection together and it simply fell apart, Mine is just a little rubber connector in there. If you look in the bilge at the compression post base, do you see enough wires? If so, It may be up there pulled apart.
Mine is in the barn right here at home with the mast on the rails, let me know if I can check something for you.
Dean

 

[rpell1@msn.com]

Could I impose on you?....

I went to the boat today and examined the base of the compression post from the bilge. There are about 5 wires, all seem to be electrical, going up the post through a hole. There is no evidence of an antenna lead, nor does there seem to be any such wire anywhere in the bilge area.
Could I impose on you to take a look on your boat to see where the antenna lead coming out of the bottom of your mast would go into the boat and perhaps where the connection would be to get to the radio above the Nav table?
Fortunately, I have all winter to resolve this problem but I want to try to determine what I might need to do?
Thanks for your help and have a Wonderful, Happy and Healthy New Year.
Ralph

Now that I re-read the post I see what you mean, They may not have taped the connection together and it simply fell apart, Mine is just a little rubber connector in there. If you look in the bilge at the compression post base, do you see enough wires? If so, It may be up there pulled apart.
Mine is in the barn right here at home with the mast on the rails, let me know if I can check something for you.
Dean

 

[Dean5735]

You found it.

That is where my wires come through. You may want to mount an antenna in a different spot, maybe a rail mount or if you have a bimini you could mount it up on top. That would eliminate having to run a wire up the mast. The radio should work just as well with the antenna mounted lower.
Dean

 

[rpell1@msn.com]

Re: You found it.

Thanks for the effort.

I had a transom mount on my Chrysler 22 and it always seemed to get in the way of whatever I was trying to do. So, I want to avoid that if I can.

I am persistent.......If that's the path the wire is supposed to take, then I will find a way to re-thread the antenna wire from the bilge to the radio......

Thanks again and best wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year...

Ralph

 

[sailacat34]

Not a big deal..... I installed a mast mounted radar scanner last spring and hed to run a very large 11 conductor wire up the mast and through a small hole in the front of the mast.
For your sitation....since the mast is stepped, simple run a snake up the mast, get lucky as I did and grab it with a coat hanger, attach a messanger line and pull the new wire down to the base of the mast and install a connector. From the top of the cabin run the wire down the compression post and once again get lucky and grab it with a coat hanger... Pull the new line down and install a connector on the cabin top that will connect to the mast wire upon stepping the mast. Depending on your luck this can take 1 hour or all day.... Enjoy!

 

[rpell1@msn.com]

This is what I'm planning to do for that portion of my "snaking". My concern is the best way to snake from the bilge to hide the wire as it travels the starboard side, back to the radio to the right of my Nav Table. Hopefully, I can find someone who has a similar boat , ('91 Catalina 30 Mk II), and found the "yellow brick road".

....Not that I can't do it. Just that I'm trying not to re-invent the wheel if it's already been done.

Thanks again and Happy New Year. Maybe our paths will cross on the water, since I sail out of Brooklyn, passed Sandy Hook to the East and South.