Yes, I wondered which light was actually the problem child--coulda been the steaming light, coulda been a deck light/spreader light... I just figured that it was something near the spreaders so it would all work out. I also should have asked Jim what year his boat was; mine's a '77, but now that he's mentioned her being 30 years old or so, I expect our hull numbers are close. I didn't have any conduit in my mast, for what that's worth, although when I rewired I ran everything through foam pipe insulation to keep it quiet and avoid abrasion from halyards.
Jim, if you're worried about the birds in your mast, it's probably not much of an issue. The ones small enough to use a 3/4 hole for entry/exit don't have beaks strong enough to pierce a major vein or artery. Seriously, the nest materials probably came from a bird trying to build a nest up in your mast truck; there are openings in that which would let sticks and stuff fall through down into your mast. But no self-respecting bird wants to fly down a 34 foot tunnel to go to bed. And bats prefer to fly into their beds from below--lucky you. When you get ready to troubleshoot your lights, one of those wires in the mast disconnect is a ground. You can make life easier if you figure out which one it is--then you don't need to run your multimeter or test lamp lead all the way down to a ground or battery lead. You just look for voltage between the ground lead and each of the other leads while you turn mast lamps of all types on or off and narrow it down. Dave Shaddock -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2008 4:16 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: catalina27-talk: mast lights Mark, besta freakin' luck over the next 48 hours....we'll be thinking of you and hoping for the best!!!!!!!!!!!! also: totally true, a crane is best case scenario but a gin pole is certainly an option and the 2x4 A-frame that has been well-documented on this list is a great option, too. btw, I may be wrong but I believe the original post is about a streaming light, as opposed to a "mast" light...not to be obnoxious, but I mean...you know. --ferd I disagree, I've stepped too many masts, some much larger than a Cat 27, > using, among other things, the spin halyard on the 40 footer down the > dock, a gin pole, an A frame and just plain ol' muscle power. > After Katrina, we used a tree to un step a 30 footer's mast in the middle > of the street and muscle power to un step a Cat 27 mast in the middle of > the harbor while the boat was impaled on a piling. > Yes, it is heavy, just use caution. > A crane is the best way to go dependant on conditions and money but not > necessary > Mark, Gratis (6115), NOLA > P.S. I've got Gratis in a 70 foot slip with double lines and the rig is > down, I hope she's still there day after tomorrow! > Want to keep your WHOLE PAYCHECK? > PLEASE VISIT http://www.fairtax.org > ----- Original Message ----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To: [email protected] > Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2008 3:16 PM > Subject: Re: catalina27-talk: mast lights > > > P.S., yes, the mast MUST be handled by a crane. Trying to move the mast > around any other way is dangerous. It's heavy. > > Art Herrick > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Jim Bernstorf > Date: Sunday, August 31, 2008 1:43 pm > Subject: catalina27-talk: mast lights > To: [email protected] > > > All this talk about hauling oneself up to the top of the mast > > inspired me to > > change out my non-working mast light that is mounted at the area > > of the > > spreaders. My extension ladder worked just fine to mount the > > new light. I > > discovered that the old light had dropped one of the wires and > > when I pulled > > out the slide for the port side halyard, I discovered that the > > wire was worn > > through down there. I dropped a new wire down the mast and > > spliced it there > > but the light still doesn't work. I'm fairly confident that > > things are OK > > inside the boat since I recently installed a new panel. That > > makes me think > > that it is probably a problem at the deck top in the mast. > > Having had > > several trailerable boats I am used to seeing masts that have > > hinges or > > bolts or something to pivot them into place when stepping them > > and the > > wiring connections that must be made at that time. My mast has > > nothing like > > that and appears to just sit on a plate. I am assuming that > > there are > > splices of the mast wires to the boat wires in the bottom of the mast. > > Until I noticed that there is not apparent pivot point, I > > thought that I > > could just tip the mast back about 30 degrees to access those > > wire splices. > > My slip neighbor also has a C27TR and he told me that these > > boats take a > > crane to set the mast. I assumed that he was referring to the > > weight: now > > I'm wondering if that refers to how it is mounted as well. > > > > > > > > Is it possible to tip the mast back or does it get set straight > > down on the > > plate with a crane or something. If it can't tip, that means I > > can't finish > > this repair without hiring help which I hate to do!! > > > > > > > > Jim > > > > > > > > Jim Bernstorf > > > > Jules Distribution > > > > 6025 Cloverland Drive > > > > Brentwood, TN 37027 > > > > 615.833.1848 > > > > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.6.13/1642 - Release Date: > 8/29/2008 6:12 PM > >
