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Up The Mast

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Bladeswell
Captain

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USA
490 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/28/2017 : 08:50:29

Hi Guys,

Well I finally got around to reinstalling my boats electrical panel. I waited until after dark to start checking above deck lighting so that I would clearly be able to see if they were all working or not. Bow lights worked and so did the stern light but of course the ones that decided not to work were the center mast light, (steaming light?) and the top of the mast light. (Anchor light ?)
When I get back to the boat I will make sure I have my continuity tester to check for power at the deck plug. I checked all fuses before starting my test and they are good. So, either a power problem or blown out bulbs. My boat is a "79" and still has the old style mast lights. So heres the question, I don't really want to have to bring the mast back down. So will our skinny 5/16
halyards be strong enough to take my 215 lbs up to the top safely or should I just get over it and bring the mast back down ? If I bring it down, I will replace the top light with the newer style LED light and pedestal. Thanks again.

Bladeswell

C25 TR FK Hull #973 1979 L-Dinette. So.Cal.

DavidBuoy
Admiral

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USA
707 Posts

Response Posted - 04/28/2017 : 09:03:27

I would find out if its the wiring in the boat, or in the mast first. My problem ended up being in the boat so I ran whole new wiring to the mast with an additional wire for a deck light.

Captain Rob & Admiral Alyson
"David Buoy"-1985 C25 SK/SR #5053

dasreboot
Admiral

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803 Posts

Response Posted - 04/28/2017 : 10:55:44

if you go up, make sure you rig a safety line. Ive always just dropped the mast. easier and safer. shouldn't i be able to check for a blown bulb with an ohmmeter? infinite resistance between the bulbs power and ground should indicate a blown bulb. would that work with LEDs?

Todd Lewis
Eowyn 87 TR/WK C25 #5656
ARWEN 84 TR/SK C25 #4031
www.mainsailsailingschool.com

oldengineer1949
1st Mate

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USA
75 Posts

Response Posted - 04/28/2017 : 11:34:21

Todd,

yes and no. If I remember correctly, an LED is a diode, and conducts current one way only. So I guess a good test for an LED light would be (with an ohmmeter) high resistance one way, (reversing ohmmeter leads) almost zero resistance the other way. If I measure high resistance both ways, I suspect my wiring. If I measure no resistance both ways, I have a blown LED. Any other (much younger) EEs please chime in.

For Bladeswell, I would want to know how old your halyards are before subjecting them to a 215-lb stretch test.

American Boat and Yacht Council Safe Working Load (in pounds)
3 strand twisted line and single braid line

Diameter Circumference Manila Nylon Dacron Polypropylene

1/4 3/4 120 182 182 213

5/16 1 160 281 281 232

(table continued at http://www.boatsafe.com/marlinespike/safeload.htm)

Regards,

Edited by - oldengineer1949 on 04/28/2017 11:56:40

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 04/29/2017 : 08:23:23

quote:
Originally posted by oldengineer1949

Todd, yes and no. If I remember correctly, an LED is a diode...

...except as I read it, the current light is the old-fashioned incandescent--he's thinking about replacing it with an LED. So continuity should be simple to check.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Bladeswell
Captain

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USA
490 Posts

Response Posted - 04/29/2017 : 09:40:39

Hello Everyone,

and thanks once again for your responses. Yes, I still have the old style incandescent bulbs on the mast. And it would have been easier to bring the mast back down before I had reinstalled my roller furling. such is life. I should have checked out my electrical before I did the furler. Oh well, live and learn right ?

Bladeswell

C25 TR FK Hull #973 1979 L-Dinette. So.Cal.

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 04/29/2017 : 12:12:48

You could try what my friend did. He hit the mast with a rubber mallet a few times to send a vibration up the mast. Surprised me but the light worked after that.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 05/01/2017 : 18:30:53

Couple of items. Festoon lighting fixtures SUCK!!! The electrodes always corrode and the contacts are always problematic. In the day of extremely light incandescent festoon bulbs, things weren't too bad. A little vibration would work out the corrosion and the bulbs would usually relight. But with LEDs, the bulbs are heavier and stress the electrodes more. Bayonet fixtures are much more reliable but our AquaSignal all around mast lights ONLY accept festoon bulbs. I like the rubber mallet effect.
Best way to test LED lights is not via an Ohmmeter because of all the active electronics in them (DC-DC converter), but by using a fresh 9V battery. These will usually light a LED bulb if you observe the polarity. On a 9V battery, the small terminal is positive and the large one is negative.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

TCurran
Admiral

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USA
588 Posts

Response Posted - 05/02/2017 : 06:28:45

If you decide to drop the mast and replace, I am very happy with all the fixtures I've bought from these guys. They are a little pricy, but they are sealed, solid fixtures. I've replace the red/green bow, anchor, and steaming/deck combo lights. Only light left is the stern and I'm just waiting for it to give me an excuse to swap out. The green side of the bow light illuminates a manatee zone sign at 1/4 mile away. They are bright, you will be seen. Because they're LEDs, I usually keep the deck light on at night along with the anchor light. I want to be seen at water level.

http://store.marinebeam.com/led-nav-lights/

Tom Curran
1981 Capri 25 Hull #101 "Dirty Debbie"
1988 Watkins 30
PAFB, FL

Bladeswell
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
490 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2017 : 08:01:47

Hello Again,

Too funny. I tried Scott's suggestion about the rubber mallet and guess what, it worked. I did try cleaning the connector first but it was a no go. Thanks Scott and thanks again everyone else for your input.

Bladeswell

C25 TR FK Hull #973 1979 L-Dinette. So.Cal.

islander
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2017 : 11:39:20

Ha, Ha See, Sometimes ya get lucky!

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Akenumber
Navigator

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USA
247 Posts

Response Posted - 05/09/2017 : 16:21:33

I think my halyards are a little bigger than 5/16, but I have been 225lbs and use one as a partial restraining line and the other as a safety. Done it many times. Even added a cabin top winch for that purpose and it works great for reefing too.

Ken
San Diego
84 C25 SR/FK 4116
The KRAKEN

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3754 Posts

Response Posted - 05/09/2017 : 20:17:42

The only downside to the mallet is that it doesn't give you a reliable light. Things that aren't reliable seem frequently to fail when they are actually needed, not when they're being tested.

Dave B. aboard Pearl
1982 TR/SK/Trad. #3399
Lake Erie/Florida Panhandle

Heartbeat
Navigator

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USA
161 Posts

Response Posted - 05/12/2017 : 10:09:05

Ken has it right. The lines will hold you. I think my 1/4" jib halyards are rated for something like 3k, but I am using kevlar cores.

Matt

former Captain of Heartbeat
Catalina 25 Tall
#4816

Bladeswell
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
490 Posts

Response Posted - 05/12/2017 : 10:28:37

Thanks Again Everyone,

When I get around to upgrading the mast lights I will much prefer to go up the mast rather than bringing it back down.Thanks again all and good sailing.

Bladeswell

C25 TR FK Hull #973 1979 L-Dinette. So.Cal.

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 05/12/2017 : 14:03:11

quote:
Originally posted by Bladeswell

...So will our skinny 5/16
halyards be strong enough to take my 215 lbs up to the top safely or should I just get over it and bring the mast back down ?

In general, 5/16" double braid rope has a breaking-strength (or tensile strength) of around 3000 lb. Conventional wisdom is that the "working load" limit for a line is no more than 1/10th of its breaking strength, suggesting a 300 lb. limit. I suspect part of that "margin of safety" has do do with the weakening of a line where it's knotted, spliced, or bent sharply around a fastener. These can dramatically reduce its strength. Check the halyards at the shackles and where they spend the most time over the mast-head blocks (exposed to maximum sunlight). See if you can borrow a bosun's chair and some assistance from somebody who has done this, and then use both halyards to go aloft--one as your primary lift, and the other kept reasonably taut as the safety line. And you need a tether that goes around the mast and can be unclipped and re-clipped when you reach the spreaders--to keep you from swinging out and heeling the boat.

Here's probably more than you want to know about going aloft--there are some good precautions there.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 05/12/2017 14:06:10

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 05/12/2017 : 15:37:12

I agree with Dave. The tensile strength of your line is greatly reduced if it has to make a bend or is knotted. Also take in consideration the sheaves. If they are the original white ones that Catalina installed they might just crumble. They were subject to UV deteriation.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 05/13/2017 : 10:32:14

That reminds me... If you have wire-to-rope halyards, you probably shouldn't use them for several reasons: The wire-to-rope splice is potentially a weak point, and the wire (cable) going over the mast-head sheaves might crush them under 200+ lbs. of pressure. And if they're the originals.........

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 05/13/2017 10:34:21

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