Mast Light Wiring on E27

[Alec Hurd]

Decided to change out the marker light just above the spreaders with an LED… and lost the wire down the interior of the mast.

Yes… salty language followed.

The wires are fed through a very small hole in the ceiling of the cabin… inside corner of the head enclosure.

How do I replace the wire… and get it through this tiny hole in the ceiling??

 

[Mark F]

Is your mast step tabernacled? If you can drop the mast it should be fairly easy to retrieve the wire.

 

[Alec Hurd]

I don’t know that the mast has ever been dropped… I’ve owned her for just a year.

Here’s a picture of the base of the mast. No port of any kind

 

[Mark F]

Not tabernacled. Oh well.

 

[Frank Langer]

It's not that hard to drop the mast if you have two friends to help you.
Frank

 

[Alec Hurd]

I’ve never heard the term “tabernacled step”… which is why I simply attached a picture. Would you tell me what that is?

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[Alec Hurd]

It's not that hard to drop the mast if you have two friends to help you.
Frank

It may come to that!

I’ll have to put some real thought into it … it might come down easier than it goes up!

 

[goldenstate]

I don't know your boat model but on my 32, one has to get under the vinyl headliner to find the place the wire exits the mast.

You might need to fish a coathanger or something and send down a fishing weight on a small messenger line to pull the new wire.

Some people have good luck with an electrician's fish tape (which is a spooled stiff-ish wire).

 

[Alec Hurd]

Thank you! My E27 has no headliner… but I think you’re right about “fishing” out through the small hole leading to the base of the mast.

One can buy a boroscope now for $20. I may invest to “take a look” before I go any farther.

 

[JPS27]

I just dropped my mast to do rewiring this summer/fall. I don't see how it would be doable to run new wires without dropping the mast (having dropped your messenger line ). There are too many obstacles. For example, the small pipe that the wires feed through. In upgrading my wiring I had to widen the hole through the cabin ceiling, for instance.

 

[Gaviate]

electrician's fish tape (which is a spooled stiff-ish wire).

A better choice might be a fish rod which is also an electrician's tool, Sections of fiberglass rod thread together to obtain length needed and allows you to push wire rather than pull. Beneficial in this case as it will enable you to work from the bottom up. From the head, pull the wire all the way out so you have the end that belongs up top, attach it to end of rod and push up through the hole it came out of, add sections of rod as you go. After first section is nearly up, thread on next section and continue pushing, repeat until you can grab the end up on the mast where you lost it. My light is about 15 feet above the deck so you can measure and figure how many sections will be needed. Have fun fishing!!

You may need to enlarge the hole and you may need to wiggle the rod as you push to clear any obstructions along the way.

Cheers!

 

[Mark F]

I’ve never heard the term “tabernacled step”… which is why I simply attached a picture. Would you tell me what that is?

Thanks in advance!!!

Hi Alec, here is a (badly enlarged) photo of a tabernacled maststep. I used to need it to pass under a bridge in Santa Cruz. My current slip is on the ocean side of the bridge so I don't "need" it but it is very handy for any mast issues.