Greetings all, Back in the mid 1980s I briefly ran the rigging shop at Hinterhoeller Yachts where l learned a nice way to permanently secure conduit inside Nonsuch masts. I used the technique very successfully on my C&C 30 about 26 years ago and it’s solid as a rock. Forgive me if I’m repeating what may have been posted in the past, but I only joined the list in the past year. Pictures and diagrams would make this easier to describe this whole routine, but I don’t have any so here we go…
Glue sections of appropriately sized conduit (about 1” I.D.) together basically for the full length of the spar - between the upper and lower wire exit holes. About every five feet over the whole length, drill about 1/2” holes through one side of the tube and about 5/32" holes through the other wall, directly in line. Thread 3/16” x 1.5" round head SS machine screws through the conduit so the studs protrude out of the tube (the heads are inside the tube - that’s why you need the 1/2” holes to be able to access and screw them from the inside out). You need conduit that is at least 1/8" thick so that the studs will hold well enough when threaded in place. Lay the conduit on the outside of the mast where you want it (mine is off centre on the leading edge), tape it in place and mark (exactly) the location of each of the studs, making sure that you add adequate-sized holes for any mid-height exits for accessories (bow, deck, spreader, steaming, radar, wifi). Make sure to use grommets for these mast holes. Snap a chalk line on the outside of the spar to make sure the holes you are about to drill in your precious spar are nicely lined up. NO MISTAKES! Feed the tracer lines for pulling wires and spare line(s) using a separate tracer line for each exit. You may want to feed the lines at the beginning of the process, before gluing the conduit together if you don’t have a long enough pole or other clever way of feeding line. The holes you drill in the spar need to be somewhat oversized (say 1/4”) so that the studs will fall through easily. Push the conduit into the mast to the correct location, pull the tracer lines through the exit holes and tie the ends off. Then wiggle and maneuver the whole works until the studs fall through the holes, using gravity to advantage. Make sure that tracer lines aren’t pinched or caught before you add the nuts and tighten the tube down. Using SS nylock nuts. Use a vice grip to lightly hold the studs at the mast surface so you can get the nuts started until you have about a half inch of stud on the other side of the nut, then switch the vice grip to the end of the stud and crank the nut tight (within reason). Now you can pull your wires/cables/spare lines using your tracers. Have fun and sleep well when rolling at anchor. Rich Klajnscek, P.Eng. C&C 30 #9, Gloucester, MA C&C 39 #59, Hamilton, ON > On Apr 9, 2020, at 4:55 PM, Josh Muckley via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> > wrote: > > David, Yes. The mast on my 37+ from Offshore Spars came with a conduit of > sorts already installed. It was black poly tubing riveted to the forward > inside face of the mast. During the mast rebuild the yard suggested > upgrading to pvc since it would be a little more robust. > > Josh Muckley > S/V Sea Hawk > 1989 C&C 37+ > Solomons, MD > > > > > On Thu, Apr 9, 2020, 07:31 David Risch via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com > <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com>> wrote: > So let me understand this...folks have installed conduit for the length of > the mast inside the mast...? Thought of that but abandoned due to complexity > or did I overthink? > > Sent from my Android. Please forgive typos. Thank you. > > From: CnC-List <cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com > <mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com>> on behalf of Shawn Wright via > CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com>> > Sent: Wednesday, April 8, 2020 11:22:38 PM > To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com> > <cnc-list@cnc-list.com <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com>> > Cc: Shawn Wright <shawngwri...@gmail.com <mailto:shawngwri...@gmail.com>> > Subject: Re: Stus-List securing cables in mast > > I used CL200 for our irrigation system, as it was about half the price of > CSA/UL approved schedule 40. It is definitely thinner, which in this case is > a bonus. For water pipes, not so much, but I have >1000' in the ground and no > leaks after the 10 years, except for those pipes I've hit with something. In > my experience, schedule 40 has much higher strength and impact resistance, > and schedule 80 even more so, but it's not an issue inside the mast. For > making a support for a winter cover, I'd use sched 40. > > -- > Shawn Wright > shawngwri...@gmail.com <mailto:shawngwri...@gmail.com> > S/V Callisto, 1974 C&C 35 > https://www.facebook.com/SVCallisto <https://www.facebook.com/SVCallisto> > > > On Wed, Apr 8, 2020 at 9:06 AM Josh Muckley via CnC-List > <cnc-list@cnc-list.com <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com>> wrote: > Yeah that CL 200 is the pvc which I have for reference. When I pulled the > upc off the side it came up as scheduled 40. I don't know the difference. > I've never really had to research pvc pipe so I'm a little out of my element. > > Josh > > On Wed, Apr 8, 2020, 11:27 Shawn Wright via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com > <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com>> wrote: > I had hoped to pull our mast soon, but with the mast crane out of service due > to covid, it will have to wait. Some great info on this thread, so I will > save it. > > One option for thinner PVC is to use white (water) PVC, which you can get in > a CL200 rating (at least in Canada) for light use; it is a bit thinner > walled, and UV resistance is not an issue inside the mast. You could also > seek out aluminum electrical conduit, which will be even thinner. Regarding > sizing, I just installed two 3/4" conduits (grey electrical type) through the > bilge for wiring, and was able to get the wiring for both Garmin and Standard > horizon depth sounders through one conduit by staggering the connectors - two > 7 pin DIN twist lock, and one RCA for the old SH unit. Once the connectors > are through, there is plenty of space for smaller cables. > Holding the conduit in place while drilling and riveting might be challenge > also. Too bad the mast doesn't have a wire track like some of the newer ones. > > > -- > Shawn Wright > shawngwri...@gmail.com <mailto:shawngwri...@gmail.com> > S/V Callisto, 1974 C&C 35 > https://www.facebook.com/SVCallisto <https://www.facebook.com/SVCallisto> > > > On Tue, Apr 7, 2020 at 3:30 PM Nathan Post via CnC-List > <cnc-list@cnc-list.com <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com>> wrote: > All, > > As one of my boat projects this spring I am replacing the electrical wiring > in my mast. The mast is currently down (horizontal) so now is the time to > do it. I want to secure the wires in the mast, in particular to reduce noise > (when rocking at anchor). Wisper is a 1981 C&C 34 with a keel stepped mast > and 5 internal halyards in addition to the wires. The cables are for wind > instruments, masthead and steaming lights, VHF coax, and radar (power and > communication) so it will be a substantial bundle with a separate drop at the > spreader. The two approaches I am considering are: > > 1) Creating a bundle (wiring harness) of the cables and placing 3 large cable > ties on the bundle at perhaps 2 or 3 foot intervals with the tails sticking > out at 120 deg angles that will bend over and press against the mast and keep > the cables in the middle. I would use Panduit metal barb outdoor zip ties > which are robust, smooth edged, and long lasting. > > 2) Installing a PVC conduit (using rivets?) with a feeder line for the cables > and then running the cables through it. > > There is support of both methods in various forums online. Cable ties are > definitely the simpler method. The main advantages to the conduit that I see > is being able to run an additional wire through it at a later time > potentially with the mast up. Also I might be able to run cables from top to > bottom so that a large connector can remain preinstalled on the top (for > example for the radar unit) rather than needing to feed everything in to the > bottom at once and then fishing the ends out the various small holes in the > mast and reattaching connectors. The disadvantage is the effort required to > install it and the additional holes I would need to create in the mast. I am > also unsure how quiet either solution would be and the relative chance of > tangling or extra friction or wear on a halyard although most info on-line > seems to indicate that the conduit is the better choice for that. > > With the conduit approach, I am also debating if two smaller conduits - one > to the spreader and one to the mast head - would make more sense than having > a hole in large conduit at the spreader location. > > Has anyone done either of these securing approaches? What are your thoughts > on the success? How much does it silence the cables? Is the effort for the > conduit worth it? > > Thanks, > Nathan Post > S/V Wisper > 1981 C&C 34 CB > Lynn MA, USA > _______________________________________________ > > Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each and > every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use > PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > <https://www.paypal.me/stumurray> > > _______________________________________________ > > Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each and > every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use > PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > <https://www.paypal.me/stumurray> > > _______________________________________________ > > Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each and > every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use > PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > <https://www.paypal.me/stumurray> > > _______________________________________________ > > Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each and > every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use > PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > <https://www.paypal.me/stumurray> > > _______________________________________________ > > Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each and > every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use > PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray >
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