Mast wiring
Dave - I replaced the wiring in my 25.5 mast last winter. There was no "strain-relief" originally. On the steaming light I just crimped the connections using those heat shrink connectors and pretty much let it dangle, as that method seemed to last since 1985. On the anchor light though (top of the mast), the reason it wasn't working was that the connection had let go at the top, and all the wire was at the bottom of the mast in a pile, so something else was needed. Here's my fix: I used two plastic cable ties. The first I cinched tight around the cable, the second I pulled through the first, and closed it just enough to create a small loop, and cut the excess from both. I had the headbox off already to do the wiring, which is held by two long through-bolts. It's a slight trick, but I threaded the lower bolt through the mast wall on one side, the cabletie loop, and then through the headbox to the other side. There's just enough space between the mast wall and the headbox to do this. I tried to position it all so as not to interfere with the halyards. Now at least the cable is not hanging 30 ft by just the connectors. Good luck!
