mast wiring problem

[sailordel]

This problem is not unique to my 89 Legend 37, or for that matter to Hunter boats. My boat has a light on the front of the mast, about 20 feet off the deck, that is really two lights, a deck light and a steaming light, each with a separate breaker. The light has been giving me problems, tripping the breakers, so I got someone to go up the mast and remove the light. The wires to it had pulled out of the connections and fell inside the mast. I can't think of any solution other than pulling the mast but am hoping someone has some ingenious solution I've not thought of.Del WieseChasing Rainbows

 

[nick8481]

electrician's snake

Trace the wires where they come from mast into the roof of cabin and than pull them out of the bottom of the mast, than go up the mast and send the electrcal snake down the mast where the light is until it comes out where you pulled the wires out the bottom of mast ,reconnect wires to snake than pull them up and out where light is,I hope this works for you. nick

 

[Gord May]

Fishing

Like Nick said - but if the "Snake" (fish tape) doesn't actually come out the hole at the bottom, you may have to back-fish. Put a small offset hook on a coat hanger, push it into the hole, twist it around to snag the fish tape. Gently retract the backfish, dragging the snagged fish tape with it. May require some "up and down" n the fish tape.HTHGord

 

[David]

I have heard of

folks using ball chain (like the kind on lamps...) and letting it work its way down past all the rest of the stuff in the mast then hooking it at the bottom with a coat hanger.My experience with fish tapes is that they are so stiff they are hard to work out of the hole at the mast bottom.David

 

[richard]

regular fishing line

we have used regular fishing line with a small fishing weight dropped down from where the wire exits the fixture. Then snag the line with a bent coat hanger as in Gord's post. Attach the wire to the line and pull it back up.Might work for you and you don't need to buy or borrow a fish tape.