Bill
I looked at the images of a Newport 1986 Mk3 listed for sale out here on the west coast. It looks like the mast is deck stepped. If this is the case with yours, then your cables are either coming down inside the mast and then thru the deck and down inside the boat's compression post. I would expect the compression post too be part of the Head wall in your passage way. I have a similar set up on my boat. I could not find the electrical wires at the deck. When I pulled the mast, they were wrapped up inside the bottom of the mast. I rewired my 1974 boat and when dealing with the install, I brought all the wires to the outside of the compression post and built a chase around them. Images below.
You have a couple of options.
- Climb the mast and do the work at the top
- Take the mast down and do the work
- Test the wire for continuity from behind the DC panel
- See if you can find the wires in the area near the compression post.
How old do you think the shrouds may be (10 20 years)? If it is time to change the shrouds then it is a great time to do the electricals - and a whole lot easier with the mast down.
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