Noise of Cable in the Mast

marstal2003 · Nov 17, 2005

Hi Dieter,
I placed cable fixer in a distance between 50 to 100 cm on the cable and
did not cut of anything of the fixer. The noise was gone.
Grüße
Jan
dieter_mezger schrieb:

stevebirch2002 · Nov 17, 2005

Hi Dieter

Welcome to the Vega mast noise!! My Vega was first owned by Brian Dennis
and when he heard this noise he took the boat back to Albin inthe UK and
told them to fix it, they did. When it came to be rewiring the mast after 25
years I found I could not pull the old cable out as "the fix" had been two
tins of evostk glue poured down the mast all those years ago!!

Another Vega I delivered from Holland to Portsmouth had millions of small
polystyrene balls forced in the mast. It worked until I lowered the mast via
its tabernacle to go under a bridge in the Dutch canals and all the balls
dropped out! There are many ways but I have not found a staisfactory method
yet!

I am sure many owners have their own little trick.

Oh yes, it is now cured on Southern Comfort - I have a new mast!!

Cheers

Steve Birch Vega "Southern Comfort" V1703

pelagicasd · Nov 17, 2005

Easy fix! If the mast is down. Pull all the wires and don't forget to attach
a piece of line to the top of the wires so you can use it to pull them back
up. Use foam pipe insulation to wrap the wires with. It comes in pieces
about 4 feet long and is split on one side so it can be placed over pipe.
Next get some heavy duty nylon cable ties, Use these to make boxes. Shrink
the box by pulling on the ends. Now put one of these boxes about every two
or three feet on the the foam. Tighten the boxes untill they are snug on the
foam. Do not cut off the long ends of the cable ties. Pull the whole thing
back through the mast. The cable ties will act as springs to keep every
thing centered in the mast. (The foam might not be needed but that is how I
did it). There is a small internal brace inside the mast where the spreaders
are. You may find that you have some wires in front of it and some in back
of it. If so , just pull all of them back in front of or behind it when you
pull them back through. While you are doing this it might be a good time to
refasten any masthead equipment. Nav lights, wind speed, VHF. etc. Some of
my equipment is on brackets that I pop riveted on top. If you just snug the
rivets down instead of breaking them off it leaves spikes sticking up that
seagulls hate to land on! Walt S/V Lyric

eagervega · Nov 17, 2005

Dieter,

I have the same problem, drives me mad when anchoring. Pulling the cables tight helps, but not for long.

My plan is to drop the mast shortly and probably feed heating pipe insulation up the mast in sections perhaps 3' long at a time.

If this works I will post the results.

Would also be interested in any other solutions. The insulation with the split on the side would make the job easier. Apparently this has worked well on other boats.

Regards,

Nigel. Vega 3314 "Eager Vega".
Kilmore Quay, Ireland.

tycroes99 · Nov 17, 2005

Hi,

I have seen riggers use the foam pipe insulation but to keep everything still also then put liberal amounts of silicon on the outside of the insulation that when dries and sticks nicely to the inside of the mast preventing movement.

Pete

millerkm81 · Nov 17, 2005

As part of our rigging refit we are having some work done on the mast, part of which will
rectify the same problem you're having. Basically, we are installing a thin pvc pipe as a
conduit for the wires running the whole length of the mast. I believe that the conduit can
be either pop rivited to the mast, or attached by drilling a few small holes and hooking
wire around the pipe, or perhaps with some sort of clamps and screws. This is a similar
system to those that are used on most new masts, I believe.

Hans, S/V Whisper

mphalv · Nov 17, 2005

We also used pipe-foam over the wires but it was to be held in place by wire
around the foam and pop-rivetted in place. The foam quieted the mast noise
to a but the wire broke on the pop-rivets but the foam still moves and
thumps softly.
Thought about using flexible PVC pipe pop-riveted to one side but I think I
may try the glue to hold it to one side. The disadvantage is not being able to
remove the pipe.

Paul Halvachs
"Double Fantasy"

wxt8981 · Nov 17, 2005

The easiest way to stop the wire from banging inside the
mast is to get a few paper (or plastic) cups, make a hole
in the middle, but the wire in, and you're done.

Wilhelm, V-257

vega2438 · Nov 17, 2005

Hi,
simple and low cost way is use cable ties with antenna cable. Just
put tree of those tight and shape of star (like mercedes benz
symbol) and do not cut the tail. Tails will keep the cable off the
walls of mast. Make the stars alogn the cable about 1 m -1,5 m
distance. and yours mast don't do sounds anymore...

Hopes
Kauko Juvonen, Porcella Vega 2438

fotofundi · Nov 18, 2005

When I rewired my mast last winter I found the VHF cable was threaded
through several lengths of 15mm foam central heating pipe insulation
that a previous owner had used to overcome the problem. Cheap,
lightweigt and effective.

David
V1696

neyorolf · Nov 19, 2005

Dear Dieter,

When unstepping the mast you can put a 3cm tube inside it.
I did it the following way: a) check which side is best front or back
(according to the running rigging inside your mast); b) turn the mast so the
the side where you would like to glue the tube is down; c) cut the tube to
the appropriate length (10 cm below and above the cable entrance); d) put
glue (silicon is excellent, e.g.Sicaflex) on one side of the tube; e) slide
the glue inside the mast; f) press the tube with a long object.
Now you can slide your cables through the tube and remove them without
problems afterwards.
Many "silent nights"

Kind regards,
Flor OYEN
Veaga 566 , "Mohana", Nieuwpoort , Belgium

pelagicasd · Nov 20, 2005

In regards to using poprivets and PVC. If you flex a paper clip back and
forth a few times it will break. If our stainless rigging flexes slightly it
will eventually break also. Granted it is going to take millions of those
little flexes before it breaks. But each time the hull is hit by a ripple
force is transmitted to the rigging. Eventually the wire will wear out. The
back of the pop rivets are going to be rubbing against the wires and cables
in the pipe. How many times or ripples before you get a short in the wiring
or blow the VHF because of an insufficient antennae? Think about it. Walt

garryms82 · Nov 20, 2005

This is a company mentioned in PS: http://sailcare.com/

Has any one in N.America had experience with them or other suggestions?

thanks,

|Garry|
Albin 82MS "Half Moon"
@ Horseshoe Bay B.C.

Shaw Communications

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