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Rob Moffat
Deckhand

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USA
6 Posts
Initially Posted - 09/28/2019 :  07:47:35  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
We are going to replace the wiring on our 1984, C25 from the base of the mast to the panel any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Rob & Kathy Moffat
Liberty#4673

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts
Response Posted - 09/30/2019 :  18:09:44  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Here’s an approach
Can you just rewire the deck fitting? It’s pretty straightforward to identify the switches to the pins and test with a voltmeter. Testing the mast side with a VOM voltmeter is easy with incandescent bulbs, impossible with LEDs. You’d have to use a 9VDC battery to check for continuity in the mast.
If you must rewire the cables from the panel to the deck fitting, that’s a weekend.
Here’s what to do.
1. Open up the power panel bulkhead behind the galley sink. 5 or 6 screws. It’s pretty unwieldy so work quickly, then put it back in place.
2. Identify the four wires you need from the switches
Anchor light
Bow “steaming” light
Deck lights. Mine were never connected
Negative power cable 12 AWG or better
3. Trace the bundle around to the port side hull-deck joint. The other cables in this bundle include the cabin lighting and negative wire and the running lights (bow red-green).
4. Eventually the mast light bundle gets to the bulkhead behind the head. That’s where these wires disappear. Catalina sandwiched them in between the inner skin and the outer skin in the layup. Sadly, these are frozen in the fiberglass, core and epoxy and are about 3-4 ft long.
5. Some people have succeeded in pulling alternately on both ends and freeing the cables. If possible you can run a light cord through as you pull the wires out if you’re careful. Patch/splice or run home run cables back to the panel
6. If item 5 doesn’t work out then you must remove the deck plug, drill through the cabintop, at an angle to aim toward the bulkhead and set up a flexible wiring tube to run the new cables. Several members have done this plus added another cable to run a light in the head or on the salon side of the bulkhead, or both, and to add a 12VDC outlet.
Some folks have assumed they will run only LED lights so go with lighter gauge wire. I wouldn’t. That’s a catastrophe waiting to happen.
Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain — Milford, CT
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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts
Response Posted - 09/30/2019 :  20:38:42  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
This is one of those recurring topics... Try "Search" above, looking for "mast wiring" in the C-25 Forum, including archived posts. One thing I've concluded from others here over many years is that the factory wiring from the panel to the mast base, sandwiched between the deck and the headliner, is not "replaceable" in place, but can be replaced via another route such as through the bilge or in the corners of the cabin-top. (I've done neither.)

Happy reading!
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 09/30/2019 20:40:22
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RichardG
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts
Response Posted - 10/01/2019 :  16:44:08  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I did that once - didn't bother trying to pull out the original wires, either to the mast, running lights or cabin lights - it was all crap. Just snipped off both ends short, then ran new tinned stuff from the panel (new also), then along inside the hull/deck joint. I used good marine heat shrink connectors at all intersections/connections, so I'm hopeful it can outlive me.


RichardG 81 FK/SR #2657
Terminal Island, CA
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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts
Response Posted - 10/04/2019 :  20:31:25  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Rob,
Question is how handy do you feel, and do you have a weekend to do it? Doing a search on this well worn topic may be a worthwhile effort, even if you get one trick out of it. That said, everyone’s situation is different.
Start by looking for the green, orange and white cables in the bundle.
Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain — Milford, CT
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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3367 Posts
Response Posted - 10/09/2019 :  17:54:53  Show Profile  Visit OLarryR's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Check my website. On opening screen, go to List of Improvements on left side and then select the one for “Battery Charger, Switch Panel and Fans”. I have some details and photos regarding my mast and cabin rewiring, added a switch panel, 2 fans and a battery charger.
Larry
'89 Robin's Nest#5820, Potomac River/Quantico, Va
http://catalina25.homestead.com/olarryr.html
Edited by - OLarryR on 10/09/2019 17:59:53
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.