Lightning damage

[MacGyver]

Is there a picture of the mast step, and where the wires are?  I dont know what yours looks like to know enough about it....

Sometimes on the inside of mast extrusions there is a little "T" looking tit inside the extrusion......
You can take a piece of small pvc pipe, and cut a slit in it, then put it around the wires putting the slit into that T, it would help hold the wires in a spot.....

I will see if I can find a picture of what I am talking about. might help you since most extrusions have that "T" tit inside

Mac

[steve brown]

Thanks Mac. I don't recall seeing a T inside the mast extrusion. There are two sets of wires; one for the anchor light and the other for the mast head light. At the hinge location, the wires are very flexible, vinyl shield, with a plug connection. the mast is up now for the season with all lights working. After the Fall takeout I will attempt to make this connection less vulnerable. I'll look for that T again. I wonder if a section of spiral plastic wire conduit will work?  Kind regards, Steve

[Eagleye]

Steve,
You are absolutely right.  "Too many cooks.....".
I have stepped my mast at least 15 times in the last 3 months  and I have to say that those wires will shear off if we don't pay attention to the position they rest in as you step the mast.  The Mastendr makes the perfect cable cutter!   I step mine single handed and as long as I plug in the connectors and tuck the wires in and keeping the whole assembly tight against the hinge side of the mast there is no problem.  Yes, some type of split corrugated type of plastic cable wrap would help but I have found it to be just one of those things that need to be on the check list.

Suzie and I didn't bring the Eclipse  (her name is yet to be announced) up to Saratoga this week because the forecast predicted absolutely no wind.   We stayed close to home and launched her for the first time in the Hudson River at Catskill instead.  It was a good chance to practice at a different boat ramp and to experience the challenges the river has to offer.  Tide, current, sand bars, crazy obnoxious power boaters and their noise and wakes and NO WIND!    This is the forth weekend I a row that we have gone out and have found absolutely no wind to speak of.  We are chomping at the bit to get some practice actually under sail but we have to appreciate the fact that we are sharpening our trailering, launching, docking and motoring skills.  

"Patience, Grasshopper"

Best to You,
Allen

[steve brown]

Message for Allen: Hi Allen. I think I saw you heading south on the Northway on Tuesday this week. I was going to my boat with a friend. we had some nice wind on Saratoga Lake that day. Where are you keeping your Eclipse? Steve

[capt_nemo]

I don't have any wires going thru my mast and don't miss them at all.

However, since they frequently tend to get in harms way, if it were my boat I'd rig something foolproof to keep them safely out of the way when raising the mast.

Consider a light bungee cord mounted inside the mast which, when attached to the cables, would apply light tension to keep pulling them safely up inside while raising the mast.

Just my two cents worth.

capt_nemo

[CaptRon28]

I wrapped about 2 feet of the in-mast wire with the plastic split cable covering that you sometimes see in cars and boats, taped at both ends with about 1 foot of cover on each side of the hinge.  I also removed the wire clamps that hold the wire to both sides of the hinged mast. The wire cover is stiff enough to keep the fairly loose wire from protruding from the hinge area when the mast is raised.  I accidently cut a wire twice in the past 2 years and this seems to have solved the problem.

[Eagleye]

Message for Allen: Hi Allen. I think I saw you heading south on the Northway on Tuesday this week. I was going to my boat with a friend. we had some nice wind on Saratoga Lake that day. Where are you keeping your Eclipse? Steve

Hi Steve,
Sorry to say that wasn't me on the Northway this week.   We live south of Albany and trailer the "Madame" up to South Shore.  We're getting ready to leave this morning for there.  Today looks to be the best day especially this afternoon.   Tomorrow they are calling for 30 MPH gusts.

I have chatted with Mike, the owner of the CP 16 2 slips away from you.   Maybe we will see you today. We will work our way up to Manning's Cove at some point.   

Take Care,
Allen

[steve brown]

Hi Allen, I am sorry that I missed you guys. Sat. was brutally hot so I stayed in the AC. I am going up for a sail tomorrow, 8/7, with two friends. Looks like a nice 5-7 mph wind in the PM. We will get together for a convoy yet. Kind regards, Steve

[Tom Ray]

Steve,

They make that black plastic wire sleeve stuff to prevent that kind of damage around trailer tongues. I have long thought that the same tubing should be around those in-mast wires. The space in there is already limited by all of the bolt ends, so maybe cut those off.

[steve brown]

Hi Tom, I think a piece of armored flex conduit would be nice; a kind that would slip into the mast sections smoothly when the mast goes up. Steve