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Rewiring the Mast

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redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/26/2011 : 05:26:09

Holey Moley what a job this is turning out to be. Tried to git this done Sunday and had to tie the mast to the boat and leave in the dark. Cut up, $75 worth of hardware kerplunk into the water, Backstay pin is damaged, can't get it out.

Took forever to get the wire pulled into the mast.

Best trick I learned from this job was running the forstay down the mast like fishtape.

Ray in Atlanta, Ga.
"Lee Key" '84 Catalina 25
Standard Rig / Fin Keel

Edited by - on

JohnP
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Response Posted - 09/26/2011 : 06:36:05

Yeah, it's a hard job with a bunch of challenges.

I learned about dropping & raising the mast, tuning the standing rigging, about tying tools to my wrist with string, about LED bulbs, about DC wiring wire sizes, about through-hull connectors, and about how a brand-new nylon fishtape is too curved to work before straightening for a few months. Instead I used a magnet to pull a light string attached to a big steel nail through the mast!

Edited by - on

redeye
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Response Posted - 09/26/2011 : 07:10:09

<< magnet to pull a light string attached to a big steel nail through >>

Hey that's another good one... Thanks..

Now my problem is the backstay pin seems to be damaged and I may not be able to get it out without damaging the topmast. I've tried to get it out with a punch and hammer and it would not budge. Next I'm gonna try lock freeze spray and let it sit and then heat the topmast and hammer it. I may have to take it to the shop and cut it out.

Edited by - on

OJ
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USA
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Response Posted - 09/26/2011 : 08:23:53

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redeye
 . . . I may have to take it to the shop and cut it out . . .
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Not sure how far away the shop is - but have you thought about using a cut-off wheel?

Edited by - on

pastmember
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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 09/26/2011 : 08:47:15

Dremel

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 09/26/2011 : 09:05:36

<< using a cut-off wheel? dremel >>

Good Idea... I swear, this weekend whipped me so bad I can't even think straight. I've not had a project in a long time where everything seemed to go so wrong.

I made a wood folding a frame that will fit in my trunk and it attaches to the cleats I added and it was just long enough to sit on the pulpit and drop down at just the inopportune time.

The closed turnbuckle held the screw and two shackles until we let go and then fell into the water. Every cotter pin seemed to fight me...

Edited by - redeye on 09/26/2011 09:13:01

OJ
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Response Posted - 09/26/2011 : 10:07:25

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redeye
 I've not had a project in a long time where everything seemed to go so wrong.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I was glutton for punishment. I installed a PVC conduit before running the new wires . . .

Edited by - OJ on 09/26/2011 10:08:34

redeye
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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 09/26/2011 : 10:53:16

sadist...

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OJ
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Response Posted - 09/26/2011 : 11:26:10

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redeye
 sadist...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
It gets worse. After riveting the conduit inside the mast, I discovered I had to go down one wire size to get all of them to fit!

Edited by - on

GaryB
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USA
4303 Posts

Response Posted - 09/26/2011 : 18:31:52

Heat the casting and hit the pin with your punch and hammer. It should pop right out. The casting should expand faster than the pin making it easier to get the pin out.

Edited by - on

rrick
Captain

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USA
261 Posts

Response Posted - 09/26/2011 : 19:36:47

It was after I welded the six 1/2" PVC conduit pipe sections together, I realized fishing a pull-string 5' at a time without couplers would have been easier.

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GaryB
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Response Posted - 09/26/2011 : 19:55:06

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by rrick
 It was after I welded the six 1/2" PVC conduit pipe sections together, I realized fishing a pull-string 5' at a time without couplers would have been easier.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
That's why they make hacksaws and extra couplers!

Edited by - on

redeye
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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 09/27/2011 : 11:00:17

Well... I ordered up a bunch of extra parts from CD direct... and the phrase for this project has been...

"All we gotta do is...."

So ... all we gotta do is cut that masthead clevis pin out and put in another one... without breaking the masthead.

Edited by - on

Sloop Smitten
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Response Posted - 09/27/2011 : 13:48:13

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redeye
 Well... I ordered up a bunch of extra parts from CD direct... and the phrase for this project has been...

"All we gotta do is...."

So ... all we gotta do is cut that masthead clevis pin out and put in another one... without breaking the masthead.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Well be careful. If the clevis pin is seized do not try hammering it out. I will leave it to you to imagine how I know this. Apply heat and the aluminum will expand at a different rate then the the pin and "should" allow it to dislodge. If you cut the pin in the middle you can work on each end of the pin separately.

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jrchase11
1st Mate

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35 Posts

Response Posted - 09/27/2011 : 17:23:13

I had the same problem with the pin. Tried the heat thing and it would not budge. Bought new masthead from CD.

Break Out Another Thousand

Hope it works for you, though!

Edited by - on

OJ
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4382 Posts

Response Posted - 09/27/2011 : 18:59:08

Apparently my simple mind is thinking this stuck masthead pin is going to be a simple fix. Isn't the pin just bent (causing it to bind) and if you cut it in half each end will slide out?

Curious minds want to know Ray!

Edited by - on

Tom Gauntt
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204 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2011 : 04:59:55

Ray,

Did you try [url=http://www.kanolabs.com]Kroil[/url] or PB Blaster on that frozen pin?

Edited by - Tom Gauntt on 09/28/2011 05:14:42

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2011 : 05:33:44

Cut out the middle and drill out the ends. Spoke with another lucky owner that hammered his and broke the masthead. Might take the masthead to the shop. clamp it down and put the drill press on it. I hammered it some, carefully, and the pin would not budge. The pin does not appear to be bent, but one side in the middle is flat.

Spray release and heat and tap and if it does not budge then I'll probably cut it out and dremel a center starter hole and drill into the end of the pin.

on location.

I believe this damage happened to the rig when we had a small tornado come through. Destroyed the anchor light.

Edited by - redeye on 09/28/2011 05:35:04

rrick
Captain

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261 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2011 : 19:19:22

Aluminum-oxide has wedged the stainless pin in place. A few carefully placed drops of hydrofluoric acid over a few days (or weeks) will shiny up that aluminum and make space to draw out a now chromium-oxide depleted stainless pin (SS part is not for re-use, the mast head aluminum will rapidly heal). If your seriously considering this, have some calcium gluconate gel on hand for ANY skin contact, but I'm sure you'll be MSDS savvy and not risk real death or the least painful, slow healing burns from simple skin contact. Don't bother with a baking soda demonstration, its not that kind of acid; it's just scary stuff stored in teflon bottles because it eventually eats through most everything.

Edited by - on

redeye
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Response Posted - 09/30/2011 : 04:29:27

<< hydrofluoric acid over a few days >>

<< we had a small tornado come through >>

Bent or "flattened" clevis pin from the damage of another mast beating mine. I don't think it is from corrosion, but thanks for the info. Might come in handy one day and as usual I'll probably be asking the forum if anyone can remember that acid someone suggested for aluminum corrosion.

I'm hoping it doesn't come to that, but it beats hammering until I break it. I've already wired up a bebe led anchor light with a spike in the top of it for birds and I'm hoping I don't have to redo that connection.

Edited by - on

redeye
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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 10/03/2011 : 04:43:34

Whew.. got that done. Roto-zip blade cut out the middle and the pins knocked out no problem. Got the mast back up and tuned, new bebe led anchor light, steaming and deck light. New Mast Plate, had to dremel out the holes a bit.

I like the design of the bebe Owl led anchor light, very bright.

The topping lift rocks!

Edited by - redeye on 10/03/2011 06:48:10

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 10/03/2011 : 07:43:50

Good job. We have a bebe as well. Pretty amazing little lights, and I love th eidea of supporting a bunch of dudes who dropped out to start a business on the beach.

Glad everything worked out well for you!

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redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 10/03/2011 : 08:42:59

Ya wanna talk about a happy man... Finally every switch on the panel works ( and the fixture it goes to ) and I can quit the dumpster diving!

WhOO HoOOOoooo...........

( of course I'm sure I'll come up with some other projects )...

And Thank You Prospector ( and many others ) for the support. I connected the bebe light to the car battery before the mast wiring just to recheck the wiring, thinking of your story!

Edited by - on

JohnP
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Response Posted - 10/03/2011 : 09:07:08

Congratulations, Ray!!!

In my opinion, the suggestion of using hydrofluoric acid is not a good idea for anyone without special chemistry knowledge and training. The stuff is just too dangerous. [url="www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9924296"]HF safety sheet[/url]

It's great to have all the switches work, isn't it? Happy sailing!

Edited by - on

KiteKraemer
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191 Posts

Response Posted - 10/03/2011 : 10:12:55

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redeye
 , new bebe led anchor light, steaming and deck light. New Mast Plate, had to dremel out the holes a bit.

I like the design of the bebe Owl led anchor light, very bright.

The topping lift rocks!

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hi redeye, I just dropped my stick for the winter and will desperately need some working lights (as I have none on my mast) I have the anchor light, which never worked but need to do this same very thing to my set-up. Can you tell me where you purchased them? I assume CD or West marine, but it looks like you've done the research, thank you!

Edited by - on

redeye
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Response Posted - 10/03/2011 : 10:38:00

I'm sorry I didn't take pictures, but here goes.

http://www.bebi-electronics.com/

I used the OWL led anchor light without the Night/Day sensor. No eyelet on top. I drilled a small hole in the top, and put in a screw and dremeled off the top of the screw to leave a spike so the birds will not land on the top. I JB welded the light to a PVC connector and the screws go up from the bottom of the post that holds the anchor light to the mast. I ordered a new post from Catalina Direct and mounted the light on it.

The post from Catalina Direct will not have mounting holes that match your current post. No mounting holes.

So I drilled holes in the new post that matched the hole location on the post that was on the mast and used the same screws to remount the new post to the mast. The wiring comes down in the middle of the PVC mount and into the middle of the post.

I mailed a check to the US rep for the Bebi company and they mailed me the light. I worked with them by email.

I just did not like the design of most of the lights I've seen.

We will probably have a storm this weekend and it will be smashed by the mast next to me, and I can do it all over again!

Edited by - redeye on 10/04/2011 04:50:41

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