Lots of Light
Pete - It sounds like you have more lights than are on my '85 Capri 22, where the only light on the mast is the white mast light about half way up on the front of the mast. The other running lights on the boat are on the bow pulpit and the transom. I am assuming however that you apparently have more lights actually on your mast than I do. My question or thought would be whether you have got a short somewhere that is serving to power all of the lights any time that you turn any one of them on. I know on my boat the power goes from the deck on the top of the cabin next to the mast where there is a plug coming out of the deck, to a second plug at the end of a cable that runs into and up the mast at the area of the port exit block for the jib halyard, and then runs up the mast. It is secured right inside the mast at the exit block by a plastic clip that loops to hold the cable, and the clip is secured in place by one of the screws that screws in to secure the exit block. Could you have somehow gone through the insulation with the screw so that it shorts everything there?? I also would look for any other point of entry or exit for your wiring and see if any of it has had the insulation rubbed off or otherwise compromised, so that power could be going into the mast itself?? I have the point where the electric cable for the mast light comes out right below the light taped around the cable just as extra protection on my boat. It just sounds to me like all of the lights having somehow ended up with a common power source, intentionally or accidentally. Good luck on sorting it out.
