Original wiring

[Ben Lambert]

I'm trying to inspect/replace the wiring for the running lights/cabin lights/etc on my 1971 Catalina 27. The original wiring seems to run from the panel up through the port side of the engine compartment, into the liner and across the companionway, then further into the stbd liner.Is this typical? Is there no way to get access to the original wiring? What if you had to rewire the cabin lights or nav lights?I'm search the archives as we speak, but thanks for any advice you can give!Ben Lamberts/v Mariah

 

[Lionel]

Bad Wire Used By Mfr'originally

I am Tech Mate to Ship77 Boy scout Sea Adventurers' We own 12!!! 22 ft; Catalinas from the middle and late seventies. All of these boats have rotted wiring.The factory used non tin plated marine wire.It has been neccesary to completely rewire the first two boats after attempting to splice in new wiring.Most of the wire is inaccesible,,so we had to use surface wiring { marine two wire tin plated with a soft white sheathing.] If done carefully. this will look neat and acceptable.The starting point is a new electrical panel,with a collective buss bar for each of the condutors.1 positive, and one negative.I used units and wiring from West Marine.

 

[Lionel]

Addendum to previous replt to B, Lambert.

In addition to rewiring the nav; lights, we had to take down the mast on both boats to test the wiring and the deck connectors.We could get no readings thru our test equipment. The resistance in the wire was so great that only .5 of a volt would pass thru!The wire and connectors had turned black and brittle.We obtained new preassembled mast wiring harnesses direct from Catalina. They have a great parts book which gives a lot of useful tech' infomation as well.I hope that this info' will prove helpful Good Luck!

 

[Phil]

Done that

I did that this spring. My mast light wiring was corroded and black, and of course, completely inaccessible. Here's the procedure to cure:- Cut out the old wires as much as possible, and throw them away with disdain.- Measure the amount of wire you need, and buy 12 GA, 4 or 5 wire boat cable.- Buy two sets of 4-wire connectors suitable for screwing in the wires in the back. These would be trailer connectors or the like.- Remove the mast step (and mast, if not done so already).- Drill down through the deck into the compression post.- Inside the boat, drill a hole in the compression post on the port side to meet the vertical downward hole.- Drill a corresponding hole in the top of the hanging locker near the window.- Run the wires through the deck, accross the port headliner, down through the hanging locker,and out to the deck/hull joint where the old ones were strung, and connect them to your panel, making careful notes of which color wire goes to which light or ground. Also connect a trailer connector to the end of the cable coming out of the deck after sliding the mast step over the end. Make sure about 6" are sticking out.- Connect the corresponding trailer connector to the wires at the bottom of the mast.- Make a set of jumper wires that go from the deck wires to the wires at the base of the mast.- Test each circuit for operation with jumpers connected.- Epoxy the boat cable into the deck/compression post. - Re-install mast step.You know the rest. Good luck!Phil DeckerS/V Catmandu1982 C27 TR Traditional A-4.