rewiring the mast
- Thread starter Off2day
- Start date
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,265
Yes it is "ok", but as @dlochner stated, putting your conduit in a place that can impinge on any of the halyards would be a bad choice (i.e a spinnaker or jib halyard). Better to remove the old and put in the same place the new. The builder put it there for a reason. Removal should be simply drilling out the rivets. You even get the holes already in the mast to use for the new conduit.
I'm curious why you find it desirable to move the conduit from the rear of the mast to the front of the mast, besides new wire what gain do you expect to make?
Which nav light is mounted on the aft side of the mast? That's an unusual place for it as the sail will obstruct it. Typically it is on the stern rail or on the transom.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,265
General practice is to use thinwall PVC. Rivets through the mast to hold it in place. Easiest install is with the mast off the boat in the yard. Routing is up to the installer if there is a preferred location. Mine is along the front of the mast. To one side to allow for the halyards on the other side to move fair from the mast top to the exit box.
Only need 2-4 rivets to hold the conduit in place. Split the conduit in the area of the spreaders if you have lights there. Or install 2 conduits if you have room in the mast.
Only need 2-4 rivets to hold the conduit in place. Split the conduit in the area of the spreaders if you have lights there. Or install 2 conduits if you have room in the mast.
Are you talking about the steaming light on the front of the mast half-way up or tricolor lights at the top of the mast? If you have already installed spreader lights then ignore the next comment, but if not, why not just install a steaming/deck light combo? Much simpler ... spreader lights are so unnecessary ...
Nope. If you put a tricolor on the bow, the white light will shine in the helmsman's eyes. Not good for night vision. Not to mention that it is not a legal position according to the COLREGS.
A Tricolor only belongs at the masthead. The steaming light, (known in the COLREGS as a masthead light) is only shone when motoring.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,265
Not a good idea to effect.
the ColRegs identify a "Tri-Color" light as positioned on the Mast Head. This provides Port, Starboard and Stern lights as required for night time sailing.
You would not have that on the your boat if you put the Tri Color on your bow. You would have a white light shining in your eyes ruining your night vision. That would be a double negative.
What was suggested is to have a dual light on the front of the mast. One light shining forward (steaming light) which you light up as required when you are using auxiliary power. And one light which is directed downward to the deck when you want light on the fore deck...
By design both lights are in front of the mast. The mast shades the Helm from having the lights blinding the Helm's night vision. And light is provided when it is needed on the foredeck and to other vessels telling them you are under auxiliary power.
@Off2day , a tricolor at the top of the mast isn't normally used on my boat and possibly is completely unnecessary on yours. I was just unclear which navigation lights you could be referencing in connection with your mast. Seeing that you have an ocean-ready boat and I figured that your Lancaster Pa location would imply that you sail on the Chesapeake, I thought a tri-color could be what you might be referencing. A tri-color at the top of the mast is far more visible at night by those huge ships that ply the Chesapeake waters.
I always use my bow and stern lights when in Barnegat Bay at night, where there are no large ships, but on the ocean at night the tri-color at the top of my mast is the preference.