PO pain

BobM

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Jun 10, 2004
3,269
S2 9.2A Winthrop, MA
So, doing some work while the mast is down. Not going nuts but the work, I do will be safe and solid. Looked at the mast wiring. PO had crimped on the existing plug and loop connectors with butt connectors. No solder...no shrink tubing. Maybe they were the correct adhesive lined butt connectors. But the wire in the mast was black with tarnish. So no tinned wire. I bought $100 of 12/3 flat tinned wire (100 ft) and tried to tape,it,off,to the wires in the mast and pull it through. No dice. Too old. Too cheap. It just pulled apart. Time for some fishing. And I thought I was being a cheap for not planning on replacing the VHF wire (I use a hand held) and not replacing the light fixtures (jusr
T new bulbs and lenses). But I will run 12/3 to themmast head and steaming light giving some future owner three tinned wires to each location to allow for a combo at the mast head or a combo steaming deck light mid mast if they wish. I will solder, crimp, heat shrink and water proof my connections. And hope the future owner doesn't have to take my name in future vain.
 
Mar 20, 2004
1,729
Hunter 356 and 216 Portland, ME
I use them too, work great on board! Their 50' nylon fish tape is also really useful
 
May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
Yup those rods are the best thing. Much better than a pull string or fish tape. I used them on my mast
Les
 

Johnb

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Jan 22, 2008
1,420
Hunter 37-cutter Richmond CA
Thanks for posting - sharing this kind of information/suggestion is really useful.
 

JRacer

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Aug 9, 2011
1,331
Beneteau 310 Cheney KS (Wichita)
And, if you break a tent pole, you have a backup. ;-)
 
Feb 8, 2014
1,300
Columbia 36 Muskegon
I've had good luck fishing wires with the longest stay (usually the backstay if it's one piece.) Stiff enough to feed and it's already on hand.
 
Feb 8, 2014
1,300
Columbia 36 Muskegon
Hopefully the PO didnt jam chunks of foam up the mast to keep the wires from banging. That will really make your day.
 
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BobM

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Jun 10, 2004
3,269
S2 9.2A Winthrop, MA
Guys, for anyone trying to run new wires down a mast, I can't recommend these enough!
I bought two, gives me almost 70' of very easy feed length. I'd struggled for a few hours before I bought them, took me all of 5 minutes to run a new wire!
https://www.harborfreight.com/3-16-inch-x-33-ft-fiberglass-wire-running-kit-65326.html
You a life saver. The mast head lihjt run was cake once I took the mast head off (two long bolts beneath it) but the steaming light has been kicking my ass. The 90 degree turn and the tube have made it impossible. I will get this fiberglass rod kit for sure!
 

BobM

.
Jun 10, 2004
3,269
S2 9.2A Winthrop, MA
I got both the 33" fiberglass rod kit and the 50' nylon fish tape ($7). The later worked fantastically for doing the 90 degree turn for the steaming light. What I had struggled with was literally done in two minutes. Regarding the fiberglass rods...I really should have bought two at that price to get all the way through the mast. Especially since the mast is bisected by through bolts and the steaming light tube and I wanted to run the headsail halyards on one side of them and the main halyard up the other side. Got it done though. I have a metal fish tape and I taped it to the fiberglass rods to get the extra length. Pulling the mast head was easy and necessary to get it done right. I took the opportunity to service the sheaves. I cleaned them up with a wire brush and sandpaper and then greased the sleeves (no ball bearings in them, just a sleeve) and re-installed. I reused the original Perko steaming and mast head lights in the name of economy but put in new bulbs and lenses (~$20 each). One surprise was the the wire/rope halyards had literally sawed halfway through the bolt that passes through the tangs for the port and starboard stays! Luckily a nearby hardware store had the necessary 3/8" x 5.5" stainless bolt and new nyloc nut.
Another surprise was that the PO had attached the VHF antenna with three sharp ended stainless screws. They look like wood screws. Get a tap and die set folks. They are inexpensive and the screw ends aren't sharp! Note that in the photo there is a hold in the wire chase near the blue flecked halyard. That is to run the mast light wires through. As a bonus it provides strain relief. I should have taken more photos.
 

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May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
It is too bad the threads on the fiberglass rods are different than the nylon fish tape -- I have two sets of each - The rods are great for fishing wires behind and under places on the boat you just can't reach!!

Les