General Forum - Wires in Mast

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Wires in Mast

Printed From: Laser 28 International Class Association
Category: Laser 28 General
Forum Name: General Forum
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URL: http://www.laser28.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=694
Printed Date: 06 February 2025 at 2:27pm
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Topic: Wires in Mast

Posted By: khardy
Subject: Wires in Mast
Date Posted: 24 March 2015 at 2:46pm

How do you all run your electrical (instrument & light) wires from inside the mast to the interior of the boat?

Mine run out the front of the mast, near the deck, and then go through the deck adjacent to the mast. I do not like this arrangement for a variety of reasons. I am thinking of drilling a hole through the bottom of the mast base, another hole through the mast step on the deck, and then another hole through the compression post under the mast. All so I can run the cables through the bottom of the mast to the inside of the boat. I realize that some water will get in the boat with this arrangement, but I think it would be minor and overall this would be a better arrangement.

Thoughts?

Replies:

Posted By: fatjohnz
Date Posted: 24 March 2015 at 3:36pm

My boat is set up as you describe, with the wire running thru the bottom of the mast, into the mast base, and into the compression post. They exit the bottom of the post into the bottom of the front starboard bench.
Now that I think of it, my racing compass wire is running external to the mast thru a hole behind the mast base. I should rerun this thru the mast... js

Posted By: Bill Layton
Date Posted: 24 March 2015 at 5:28pm

Passing wires thru the mast base casting has caused water infiltration at the base of the compression post and in many boats rotted out the large wood compression block under the ring frame. Now that we know this we should avoid passing wires into the compression post.

The solution is to pass them thru the deck near the mast casting and use this fitting which works very well

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/blue-sea-systems--cableclam-waterproof-through-deck-fittings--P003_094_003_008

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7142/6609947745_9b05463c3f.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.flickr.com/photos/26510883@N07/6609947745/&h=375&w=500&tbnid=EDiPiMKUKrp2nM:&zoom=1&docid=Kop68RSJWM4dPM&itg=1&ei=3dYRVdvuD63HsQSto4GQAQ&tbm=isch&ved=0CCMQMygGMAY

Posted By: Ron Waterson
Date Posted: 25 March 2015 at 11:18am

Unfortunately, I have both situations. Agreed that the exposed wires on the deck cause a problem with bowman's feet occasionally, but the water infiltration from exposing the post is not an acceptable alternative in my opinion. One of the previous owners ran the wires down the compression post...the water comes out the bottom of the post and rots the bulkhead, and apparently (see previous post) can do further damage. I'm replacing my starboard bulkhead right now. We'll be dropping the mast and correcting the leak at the mast base also. I suppose one could glass the bulkhead base where it meets the post and ring frame...perhaps forcing the water to run to the bilge.

One comment pertaining to the time I spent reconnecting instrument wires followed by a couple reminders to watch his step, and I didn't have any problems for the second half of the racing season. (:

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Hull 147 - Angel's Share

Posted By: dmarkc
Date Posted: 25 March 2015 at 11:35am

I agree too. I take my wires out of the mast, through the deck gland and then internally run through the compression post to tidy everything up. My solution to foredeck's feet...!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/94ixmvc54cgpsq1/IMG_0132.jpg?dl=0

Posted By: Ron Waterson
Date Posted: 25 March 2015 at 3:50pm

LOL...That'll teach to never go barefoot on the foredeck too.

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Hull 147 - Angel's Share

Posted By: khardy
Date Posted: 27 March 2015 at 8:28am

thanks all for your comments. I'll keep running them through the deck.

ken