Replacing wiring for steaming and anchor lights

[fleetswell]

I need to replace wiring for anchor and steaming lights on my H23. Since it's winter and the mast is sitting in my shop seemed like a good time. I'm having trouble getting access to lower end of mast. I also need to replace screws (shorter ones) that attach the steaming light, since they protrude about 1/2 to 3/4 inch into the mast and may possibly interfere with halyard. Is there a good way to avoid wiring contact with halyards????
Thanks Chuck

 

[Ed Schenck]

So Chuck, your main issue is that of the wiring and the halyards interfering? Or just the idea of them rubbing? I guess I have never heard that concern. The halyards, if kept tight, are pretty much on the sides of the mast from the sheaves up top to side exit plates. Do you have wiring both to the top(anchor light or wind transducers) and to the front(steamling light)? Either way I don't think it is a problem.

Short stainless screws are easy to find if your threads are still good. Otherwise use aluminum rivets. Can't help with the mast end. My H37C mast is keel-stepped so the end is open. I wonder where the H23 guys are lurking?

 

[s sauer]

You might 1st check if the wiring is in conduit inside the mast. Our Hunter 28.5 has a row of pop rivets spaced vertically several feet apart in a line and just off center on the forward port side of the mast which fastens a pvc conduit to the inside forward portion of the mast. The halyards are aft and off to the sides due to the positiln of the deck level exit sheaves

 

[Jim Kolstoe]

Fleetswell, the first basic problem is: which of the three mast types sold with h23's do you have? On mine, the mast is a francespar, open at the base, with the steaming light wiring exiting through a gasketed hole about 3" up from the base. The wiring is easily accessed. Your description of having problems accessing the wiring sounds like you have one of the other types. By the way, I would go with pop-rivets for securing fittings on the mast - no worries about the threads stripping and smoother in case a halyard or wiring rubs up against them.
Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo

 

[fleetswell]

Thanks for the pop rivet suggestion, I'll definitely use them for the steaming lite even though the threads (6x32) on the fore side of the mast itself seem to be intact. I was hoping that there was conduit inside the mast, but when I removed the sheave for the main halyard, none was visible. I guess I didn't mention that there was no anchor lite fixture or wiring leading to the top of the mast.

The two wires leading to the steaming lite exit the mast through a grommet about 4" up from the base on the port side. The major problem I'm having is being able to see up inside the mast from the bottom end which is covered. What I'd really like to be able to do is remove the base of the mast and be able to work from both ends to feed wires hopefully through conduit.

How would I be able to tell who manufactured the mast? I have looked pretty carefully but don't see a label or mark. Any thoughts???
Thanks for the help
Chuck

 

[Jim Kolstoe]

Fleetswell, I looked in archives and found a posting dated 4/18/2000 by Greg Stebbins listing the three known brands of mast on h23s as Z-Spar, Kenyon and FranceSpar. He further stated that the Kenyon was painted, while the Z-Spar and FranceSpar were anodized, and tapered more than the Kenyon above the spreaders. I will agree that my FranceSpar mast is anodized, but I don't have a comparison for taper since there are only a few h23's in this area and I have never bothered to compare taper of the masts. If you can identify the manufacturer, you may be able to find a web site with the information you need. Otherwise, perhaps someone on this site can help if you can specify the make.
Good luck.
Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo

 

[fleetswell]

Jim,
Thanks for info. I did find an electrocution hazard warning label on the mast with the name Kenyon on it, so i guess that means it was made by Kenyon. It is white in color and is not tapered at all measuring slightly less than 5" fore to aft and about 3.25" port to starboard. I dunno if this helps. Not sure I know how to find stuff in archives, but will give it a go. Thanks
Chuck

 

[Wanderer138]

If you're really worried about the points of self-tapping screws protruding too far inside the mast, grind the points off on a bench grinder. It goes without saying that you should wear some eye protection.
This approach works with new screw holes as well. Drill a pilot hole using a drill bit slightly smaller than the screw thread (experiment on a piece of scrap sheet aluminum first). Then use a regular, pointed self-tapping screw to cut the thread. Don't force it all the way. Back the screw out once the thread is cut and replace with a screw with a ground-off tip. That should do it. A little Loc-Tite on the threads will cut down galvanic corrosion and keep the screw from backing out on its own over time. Good luck.
Peter
H23 "Raven"