I have recently removed the mast of my 1984 Cat 25 tall mast (for the first time) to replace halyards, some rigging, lights, and the wiring harness. After removing the cap on the top of the mast, I expected to be able to see through to the bottom of the mast. To my surprise, there seemed to be some material stuffed inside the mast, about even with the spreaders. While I couldn't see it well, it seemed to be a ribbon roughly 2 inches wide by maybe 3/4 thick, and may have be a blend of insulation and / or some kind of wire. It doesn't reach up to the mast head or to bottom of the mast, but seems to be stuffed to fill space, and looks to be stiff, but flexible. I'm guessing it fills about a 1 or 2 foot section inside the mast. Any ideas as to what this is? Anybody think of a reason I might not want to just yank it out? FYI - wiring requirements in the area are simple: I do not have deck lights on the spreaders ... only a steaming light on the front of the mast. Thanks.
stuff inside mast
- Thread starter cellomanjack
- Start date
- Status
Sounds like someone tried to
stop the wires inside the mast from slapping around. If that's what it is, I'd keep it and wire through it with the new wiring.
stop the wires inside the mast from slapping around. If that's what it is, I'd keep it and wire through it with the new wiring.
Reply 3
I recently re-rigged my mast. I left mast head in place, pulled wires out from base with string attached. On the old harness, there were foam blocks about 1.5 inches wide, 1/2 inch thick, 4 inches long. They were just taped to the cable. I salvaged what I could (some of it just crumbled from age). Taped them on the new harness and pulled the new harness in. It sounds like what you described may have been a few pieces of foam that came loose and are resting on the interior tubes at the spreader (the tubes prevent crushing the the mast when the spreader sockets are tightened. You might want to replace the spreader sockets if they are cast aluminum. I have been told that they often fail without much warning (no real experience except that mine had been replace with SS ones by a previous owner). The anchor light is a Aqua Signal series no 25, and if it is original, probably will need to be replaced (mine just shattered when I tried to remove the lens).
I recently re-rigged my mast. I left mast head in place, pulled wires out from base with string attached. On the old harness, there were foam blocks about 1.5 inches wide, 1/2 inch thick, 4 inches long. They were just taped to the cable. I salvaged what I could (some of it just crumbled from age). Taped them on the new harness and pulled the new harness in. It sounds like what you described may have been a few pieces of foam that came loose and are resting on the interior tubes at the spreader (the tubes prevent crushing the the mast when the spreader sockets are tightened. You might want to replace the spreader sockets if they are cast aluminum. I have been told that they often fail without much warning (no real experience except that mine had been replace with SS ones by a previous owner). The anchor light is a Aqua Signal series no 25, and if it is original, probably will need to be replaced (mine just shattered when I tried to remove the lens).
- Status