Running Lights 1979 Catalina C 30

[Thomast]

The running lights on the bow of my Catalina C 30 are not working. They are working on the stern and I checked for power at the fuse switch. I cut about 2 inches off the wires in the anchor compartment and hooked up a tester, but I have no power up front. Wires seem to be a bit corroded even with 2 inches cut away as they were under water due to the drain in the anchor compartment being plugged.
Does anyone know if the bow running lights are connected to the anchor light on the top of the mast? This was rewired recently, but it's the only think I can think of as to why there is no power.

If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. This looks like a tricky wire to re-run as it runs right into the fiberglass in the anchor compartment into the body of the boat. I would have to rerun the wire through the molding in the V berth and drill a hole in the anchor compartment which I am not all that inclined to do.

 

[twalker H260]

Bow lights should normally be wired to the same switch as the stern light but the anchor and/or steaming light usually have a separate switch. I would start by checking the wiring behind the panel try to trace the wire there forward. If the wire is corroded 2” back it could be you have more corrosion further back as well. I would look at cutting back/attaching/pulling new wire to get to a point with no corrosion. You should be able to use the existing wire to pull new.

 

[Thomast]

Hi twalker H260,

Thanks for responding. Yes, I have a separate switch for both anchor and steaming lights. I will cut back more wire to see if that helps.

I did open the back panel to check the switch and it obviously is working if the stern light is working. I did find the green wire behind the panel attached to the fuse, but tracing it is going to be difficult. I may just connect the new wires to the stern light wires and run it forward. I just hate to drill a hole in the anchor compartment from the V Berth, but that's the only way to run it. Additionally, the existing wire cannot be used to pull a new wire as it runs directly into the fiberglass of the boat and cannot be pulled at all.
Thanks for your help.

 

[jeepbluetj]

Catalina did not use good wire back then. In '79 the wire was embedded into the fiberglass. The running lights are definitely not connected to the anchor light in a C-30.

Step #1 - Look behind the panel to make sure that wire is still connected. Possibly you have two separate runs (one for bow, one for stern) I cannot remember if that's the case or not on my boat.

Step #2 - Using a ohmmeter and a spare length of wire see if you have continuity in both sides of that wire. Test it one side at a time.

If step #2 shows a bad wire, I'd run a new wire from the panel, through (under) the starboard settee, hanging locker, under v-berth and up into the anchor locker. Seal where it comes up and protect the wire in the locker. As far as boat fixes go, pretty dang easy - that's no more than a 1 beer job. Take longer to run to the store to get the wire. Actually, I'd just run a new wire without even testing it. 'Cause if it hasn't fallen off the breaker - I'd put $20 on it being a bad wire.

If the boat was recently rewired, why wasn't this a new run anyway?

 

[Thomast]

Thanks Jeepbluetj,

The previous owner rewired everything but this one....

I'll give it a try.

 

[Joe]

3 circuits...…. 1- running lights (red/green forward, white stern 2-anchor light (all around, top of mast on Catalinas ) 3- bow/steaming light. (220deg forward) Note on the old Catalina panel the steaming light (masthead in the pic below) is called the "bow" light. Required when motoring.


Get some small white plastic conduit to run new wires from panel. The old wires are imbedded, immovable and not changeable.

 

[Ward H]

On my 93 C30 the bow lights shared the black ground wire with the cabin lights.
Do the cabin lights work in the v-berth area? If yes look where the black ground wire from the bow taps into the black ground wire running around the perimeter of the v-berth. That connection went bad on my boat causing the bow lights to fail.