I recently purchased a Raymarine a78 chartploter/radar/sonar system for my 1983 Catalina 30. I have already successfully installed Raymarine autohelm. Does anyone have any tips on masthead installation, especially on how to feed the cable down the mast. Should I do it with mast vertical with it elevated a foot or so off the deck, or take the mast down and try to run something through to pull it. Also, are there any tips on how to run the cable through the deck. Should the cable come out of the side of the mast, or try to drill down into the deck inside the footplate of the mast. Lastly, any suggestions for getting the autohelm to talk to the chart plotter? I can probably figure it out, but would sure like some expert guidance. Cheers
Radar installation help
- Thread starter Doctor Aud
- Start date
Faced those problems on our '83 Catalina. Just purchased a pole from Edson, mounted it over stern starboard vent with adapter plate, ran cable in that existing hole down below. Pretty traditional installation. That cable is pretty thick and a challenge to run down the mast and into the boat. Not to mention the additional weight in the mast and potential chafing.
Do you store your boat with the mast stepped? I replaced a broken radome when I bought my boat. I snaked the wire town the tube to the bottom of the mast. I had to buy an additional cable to run from the pedestal to the deck so it could be disconnected when stepping. It wasn't too difficult. I'm not sure if Raymarine has reduced the size of the cable. The older C series cable was Ø1/2 which made it difficult when sharing the same space as my LMR400 VHF cable. I used cable lube I bought at Granite City Electric to help. Make sure the male/female connectors at the base of your mast are straight (in line). I made the mistake of snaking the extension cable with the 90° connector at the base and have had interference with the halyard rubbing on the cable jacket.
If the mast wasn't already set up with a raydome mounted you will have to drill a hole into the tube running inside the mast. You'll have to be very careful not to drill into the wires already in there. Try to drill it at an angle so you don't put to much of a bend in the cable when it exits the mast.
If the mast wasn't already set up with a raydome mounted you will have to drill a hole into the tube running inside the mast. You'll have to be very careful not to drill into the wires already in there. Try to drill it at an angle so you don't put to much of a bend in the cable when it exits the mast.
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Bob, is that a conduit coming up thru the deck? What size? I am thinking of doing something similar. Do you run the cable thru the bilge?
radar installation
Some years the mast is up, some down. I already have the second cable because it has to disconnect when the mast is down. It's looks like I will have to drill a second hole near the foot of the mast and run the connector outside of the mast. Then drill down through the deck to connect to the second cable leading to the the chartplotter/radar/sonar unit. I am a little concerned about surface water getting down into the core, but will seal it well with a waterproof 3M sealer. As a side note, I realized yesterday that I can't utilize the sonar unit because my transon sits too high above the waterline and the only way to get it close to the water is to have the entire transducer submerged. That is probably not where it was designed to live. It most likely will create some drag and pick up turbulance from the prop because the only horizontal plane on the bottom of the boat is on the skeg directly behind the prop. So anyone looking to purchase a transom mount sonar unit for a Raymarine a78 unit, please let me know. (unless someone has a brillant solution).
Some years the mast is up, some down. I already have the second cable because it has to disconnect when the mast is down. It's looks like I will have to drill a second hole near the foot of the mast and run the connector outside of the mast. Then drill down through the deck to connect to the second cable leading to the the chartplotter/radar/sonar unit. I am a little concerned about surface water getting down into the core, but will seal it well with a waterproof 3M sealer. As a side note, I realized yesterday that I can't utilize the sonar unit because my transon sits too high above the waterline and the only way to get it close to the water is to have the entire transducer submerged. That is probably not where it was designed to live. It most likely will create some drag and pick up turbulance from the prop because the only horizontal plane on the bottom of the boat is on the skeg directly behind the prop. So anyone looking to purchase a transom mount sonar unit for a Raymarine a78 unit, please let me know. (unless someone has a brillant solution).
wow don't like responding on my phone. Tough enough seeing my laptop
the wiring runs down the PVC conduit through the compression post and into the bilge. The boat was set up that way I believe from the factory. I took a length of PVC and cut a trough in it and ran the wires through it. I tie wrapped it high and it does a good job keeping the dry.whew.... that makes a lot more sense. Oh, so the compression post below the metal footplate is hollow, (I haven't gotten that far yet). What size PVC? From the pic you sent it looks like 2". I'm still not real sure how you notched it. You mean the entire lenght of the PVC was cut open, so you could slide the PVC over the wires already inside the post in addition to the radar cable? Where do they come out of the bilge and go back to the cockpit...through the engine compartment or where?
Yes, I used a bandsaw and cut along the length of the gray PVC tube (Lowes). It created about a 1/2 inch opening that I slid over the existing wires and they do go through the engine compartment under the floor to behind the four draw cabinet aft of the stove.
I store my boat in Marshfield, about an hour south of you. PM me, you're more than welcome to take a look. I probably won't be launched before the end of the month. Daughter graduating UMass Amhurst this weekend and son graduating high school Memorial Day weekend and have lots of family coming in for both. Wish I had more time to work on her.
The weather has still been on the cold side plus the winds have been stronger this year than I can remember.
Are you planning to mount your chartplotter on the pedistal guard? I did using a Navpod. I had to cut the cable to snake it up the tube. Makes for a clean install but was a pain to do. I used a waterproof electrical box and terminal strips to do it. I would assume your set up uses the newer Seatalkng cables which are much smaller.
SBO and the Catalina 30 Yahoo group are wonderful resources.
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Thanks for the pics. That looked complicated at first, but I see the colors just match. I have the same Smart Pilot course computer that you have pictured there. My plan is to connect the autopilot to the Raymarine a78 chartplotter to be able to set waypoints for the autopilot to navigate to and at the same time to be able to overlay the radar. I'm hoping I can figure out how all of this connects to each other. I was down at the boat this PM and noticed that the mast support post that you ran the PVC down has teak overlays. When tapping on them, they sound hollow. I see screws covered with teak plugs and am wondering if I can remove one of the covers and just lay the cable inside. I tried to see where the masthead wires came out in the bilge, and they emerge out of a tiny hole that is drilled into what must be the bottom of the support post. It looks impossible to get anything out of that space, so I'm going to try and open one of the cover boards instead. Do you have any advice on this direction? My email is mraud@aol.com if you want to send me your address. I may just take a ride down and check your system out. I am scheduled to go in on May 24th and would like to have everything up and running. I've got to go up the mast tonight and try and drill a hole and drop the cable down. The yard will take the mast down this weekend so I can install the dome bracket and dome. Let me know what might be convenient for you. Thanks ever so much for your advice and assistance.
My understanding is the PVC conduit runs through the deck but doesn't extend the full length to the bilge. There is another hard rubber hose entering the bilge that the wires exit from then run the length of the bilge high on the starboard side, through the engine compartment to their termination points. This makes it near impossible to snake new wires without removing one cover. I would not start pulling the teak apart until you step the mast. There has to be a termination point for the lighting on your mast. It might be set up the same as mine was. I've seen some owners had a terminal strip somewhere in the head to disconnect the mast lighting and or wind instruments. You have to see how it is set up now to get a better idea on how to proceed.
I cut the hole and fed the cable down the mast last night in the wind. It's alway an adventure going up the mast by myself, but my ATN Climbing system works pretty well. I'll have to wait until the yard can take down the mast to see how far down it went, hopefully all the way. The light, radio, wind machine wires inside the mast disconnect at the footplate, so I'll have to see how much room I have to try and fit the radar cable. I'll wait until the mast comes down before I open the teak side panels.
I am about to install my 3G radar and would rather put it on a stern mount. It seems easier and less likely to get damaged. However the price they want for that mounting pole is beyond ridiculous. $800. for a ten foot pole plus the mounting plate is more than the radar costs.
Anyone have any alternative ideas. I not keen on the backstay mount.
Anyone have any alternative ideas. I not keen on the backstay mount.
You paid under $800? May I ask from whom? Used?
You could always build an arch. 1-1/2" heavy PVC, just getting it to look good and be stable is the tricky part.
It may be a lot easier to mount it on a post, but I was advised that the higher the radar is mounted above sea level the better your coverage and object definition will be as well as the ability to detect approaching weather such as squalls, etc. I'll report back after tomorrow on my installation adventures once my mast is down.
I wasn't aware that this radar could pick up weather?
It seems everyone has a different idea about where to mount it.
I have read that the lower position is better because it's less affected by the heel and gives a better display of what's near the boat that you're about to run down.
10 miles away is nice but not like a large container that's a half a mile in front of you.
Simrad suggests that it's possible to navigate into your slip using the 3g radar.
I hope I never have to find out.
It seems everyone has a different idea about where to mount it.
I have read that the lower position is better because it's less affected by the heel and gives a better display of what's near the boat that you're about to run down.
10 miles away is nice but not like a large container that's a half a mile in front of you.
Simrad suggests that it's possible to navigate into your slip using the 3g radar.
I hope I never have to find out.
The pole and the mounting bracket run about $1200 and up. We got a MFD with fish finder/chart plotter etc. and the 3G radar for $2399. A gimbled mount is a grand by it's self.
I might just buy a powder coated or aluminum pole from a metal supply shop and make my own.
I might just buy a powder coated or aluminum pole from a metal supply shop and make my own.
Wander around marinas and see what others have done. I have seen several stern mounted poles that were fabricated by the owner, including the end pieces for the radar and boat mounting. The Edson pole is expensive, but all goes together quickly and you are off sailing.
I installed mine a few years ago on the mast just above the light. My mast was down at the time being painted and new rigging put on. My rigger cut a hole about 6" from the base & and put a grommet on it. There just wasn't a practical way to get the cables through the deck where all the light wiring was so I drilled two holes, one for power and the other for data, put some metal through hole hardware in, sealed with the white goop (don't remember the name). Then ran the cables over the companion way past the head to the Starboard side and then aft. I went above the power panel to avoid any electric interference. Works great. I loose radar contact when boats get within 40' but even in fog I can see them that close. When tuned properly in can pick up kiackers a mile away. Radar is only an aid for a good look out you can't rely on it without keeping watch too.
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