It is only necessary to drop the mast if the boat is "on the hard". Otherwise, the boat is free to heel in a strong wind without overstressing the hull. A boat with the mast up and on stands is also subject to being blown over in a high wind.
The only external evidence you'll see of the conduit is a row of pop rivets, about a foot or so apart, that run up the leading edge of the mast, slightly to one side of center. Regards, Art Herrick #5468 Sea Change ----- Original Message ----- From: Jim Bernstorf Date: Sunday, August 31, 2008 4:46 pm Subject: RE: RE: catalina27-talk: mast lights To: [email protected] > The conduit makes sense but I dont see any signs of it (with > the mast up). > Over thirty years its no telling what is or isnt there that > should be > there. I will check the grounding with what I can get at. The masts > should be down comment is interesting. This will be my first > winter in the > slip with a non-trailerable boat, but this is Nashville and as > best as I can > tell all the boats stay in the slips all winter so the masts > dont come down > whether they should or not. We really dont seem to have the > facilities to > pull the boats out for the winter and put them on stands. > > > > _____ > > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2008 3:30 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: RE: catalina27-talk: mast lights > > > > > > Jim, > > > > The mast wiring is routed thru a plastic conduit that splits at > the point > where the steaming lamp is located. All wiring must be routed > thru it to > avoid fouling with the internal halyards. On my boat, an '84 > 27SR, the > connection to the main harness is at the base of the mast, and > is accessible > by removing the halyard blocks at the base of the mast. You can > use a test > lamp available at any auto parts store to test the appropriate > connection to > see if it is hot when the lamp is turned on. The lamp, of > course, will have > to be attached to a long wire running to the electrical system > ground bus or > a battery ground terminal. A long pair of battery jumper cables > serves this > purpose. If none of your lights are working, check the ground > connection by > connecting a cable to a + connection on a battery, and touch the > tester to > the ground connection from inside the mast. If it lights, your > harness is > grounded. I would add that, if wiring needs replacing, it would > be best to > replace all of it over winter when the mast is down. Masts > SHOULD be down > over winter. > > > > Good luck, > > > > Art Herrick > > #5468 > > Sea Change > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Jim Bernstorf > Date: Sunday, August 31, 2008 4:01 pm > Subject: RE: catalina27-talk: mast lights > To: [email protected] > > > Dave, on mine there is no sign of a bolt which is what made me > > curious.Regardless, you are saying that the mast has to lift > > straight up and cant > > be leaned back? There is a small hole about ¾ about 5 up > from > > the base of > > the mast that is not quite big enough to pull wires through to > > try and > > repair things without raising the mast. It also happens to be > > full of stuff > > that looks about like a birds nest so I havent been too > anxious > > to poke my > > finger in there too much. I want to make sure all of me comes > > back out > > again! > > > > > > > > Thanks . > > > > > > > > _____ > > > > From: [email protected] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David > Shaddock> Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2008 1:03 PM > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: RE: catalina27-talk: mast lights > > > > > > > > The mast sits on a mast mouse, which is a casting that fills > > the inner > > contour just about perfectly. On our boat, the mouse > penetrates the > > interior of the mast about three-fourths of an inch fore and > > aft, and about > > an inch and a quarter midway, which is where the bolt that > runs > > from side to > > side holds the mast to the mouse. When we pulled our mast, > > there was a > > disconnect attached to several inches of slack wire; this > would > > let you lift > > the mast about six inches or so and make a connection or pull > > the connection > > apart. When you do this, even if the mast is supported by a > > crane (weighs > > about 110 pounds), please use a 2X4 or two around the base of > > the mast mouse > > so if the mast happens to slip, you wont guillotine your > > fingers off while > > youre working. > > > > > > > > The wiring for the mast in our boat came up out of the deck > > through a hole > > in the mouse casting, and was embedded in silicone sealant. I > believe> Catalina has a wiring diagram for the mast connection > in the > > owners manual. > > If you need further help troubleshooting, just asksomeone > will > > know, or I > > can help. > > > > > > > > Good luck, > > > > Dave Shaddock > > > > > > > > > > > > From: [email protected] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jim Bernstorf > > Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2008 12:43 PM > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: catalina27-talk: mast lights > > > > > > > > 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 doesnt work. Im 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 > > Im 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 cant tip, that means I > > cant 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 > > > > > > > > > >
