Jim, when I pulled my '77 standard rig mast, inside I found two aluminum tubes running crosswise in the top and two more in the bottom. The top ones were about two inches under the mast truck, and the bottom ones were about three inches up (but my mast had been cut down to accommodate the height of a tabernacle full of turning blocks that the PO had made). Tied to the crossbars at either end and running the whole way was a very taut piece of mason's line about 1/8" thick; this in turn was used to tie off the wiring harness. I cut the loops that tied it all off and the wires for the steaming light still held it in place, but when I snipped those it came free. I used it as a messenger to draw another line through, and after painting the mast I used that line to pull my new harness through.
Also, when you get to the mast disconnect, yellow wire is to the spreader lights; masthead light is green; and black is ground. Your mileage may vary; my boat didn't have spreader lights, but had the yellow wire going to the steaming light mounted fourteen inches from the spreaders. Dave Shaddock -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jim Bernstorf Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2008 5:27 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: catalina27-talk: mast lights On the legal side, I think I only need these lights when motoring or anchoring. At the moment I have no lights higher than the stern and bow lights which I do have working. I do keep a flashlight handy to light up the sails for idiot motor boats that get too close at night. With the shape of the wire and the light at spreader height (whichever-the-heck that one is!!!) I have to assume all the wiring is battered. For the complete fix I have to lift the mast and then at that point it is all easy since I have rewired most of the smaller boats I have owned. Jim -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David Shaddock Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2008 5:07 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: catalina27-talk: mast lights Jim, do you have ANY lights--masthead, etc? If you lost everything that sits on the mast, you may have just lost the ground connection. Or the disconnect plug may have pulled loose (hey, maybe you have a nest of little rats in your mast...cool!) or corroded. Mine was pretty corroded, even though the boat was solely in fresh water all her life. I blame those birds, peeing down the mast truck holes to hear the little splashes. To clarify the mast mouse issue--I'm saying you need to pull up straight about an inch, and then you can swing the mast over or out of the way or whatever you wish. (By the way, my boat's PO was a machinist and the bolt we have may be his addition; not necessary due to the mast being in compression, however.) Phil Agur's got a great a-frame setup; you can do it with trees or nearby boat masts or a couple of really strong friends (remember it's only 110 pounds but, by God, when you get it away from vertical, or some wind catches it, it's a huge darned lever and its center of gravity is 17 feet north of where its butt is) or you can talk a friend with a cherry picker/bucket truck into driving over to your wharfside. Dave Shaddock -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jim Bernstorf Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2008 4:22 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: catalina27-talk: mast lights Neither of them are working! Jim -----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 > >
