Rewiring mast for lights

[Rick]

I'm about to rewire the 22' mast on my trailer sailer (A21). I'm going to install an anchor light on the masthead and one of the combination mastead/deck lights, for a total of 5 wires. There's also a VHF antenna wire. I don't have a mooring, so I'll be raising and lowering the mast quite often.
My first question is whether it's better to use multiwire cable or 5 separate primary wires. If I use the 5 multiwire cable, how should I cut the cable at the masthead light location? Or is it better to run a triplex cable to the masthead light and duplex wire to the anchor light?
Next, what do you recommend I use to pass the wires through the cabin roof? I'll have to disconnect the wires each time I take down the mast.
Also, what steps should I take to affix the wire inside the mast? I've seen recommendations to stop the wires away from tapping against the mast ranging from cable ties around the wires with the tag ends left on, to riveting pvc pipe inside the mast to hold the wires. My instinct is to avoid putting all those rivet holes in the mast! Thanks

[catamount]

IOr is it better to run a triplex cable to the masthead light and duplex wire to the anchor light?

That is what I would do.

Next, what do you recommend I use to pass the wires through the cabin roof? I'll have to disconnect the wires each time I take down the mast.

I'm interested in the answer to this, too. (installing nav lights in my trailer sailor is on my agenda after the "big" boat goes back in the water at the end of the month).

Tim A.

[Tim]

Next, what do you recommend I use to pass the wires through the cabin roof? I'll have to disconnect the wires each time I take down the mast.

I'd suggest running them through two pulpit base-type fittings--one on the mast, one on the deck--with a hose connecting the two (through which the wires run). This is a nice, clean-looking waterproof system that is easy to install or dismantle as often as needed.

Belowdecks, install a terminal block near the opening to secure the wires and make the connections.

You can also use a through hull fitting for hose on the deck--install the fitting with the mushroom facing into the boat and the hose barb above deck. This is what I have.

[Hirilondë]

I'm going to install an anchor light on the masthead and one of the combination mastead/deck lights, for a total of 5 wires.

I think you mean a combination steaming/deck lights fixture. If so it doesn't go at the top of the mast, but near the spreaders or about 60% of the way up (exact distance up isn't critical). If all of the lights were at the mast head you could use a 4 conductor cable and have them all share the common conductor. But with lights in 2 locations it is hard to share the common, hence a 2 and 3 conductor cable going to the appropriate fixture would be easier. You can however run only one common to your deck connection and join the commons in the mast just before you attach what ever connection hardware you use. This is what I did on my Renegade.

360 deg. white masthead light = anchor light
forward facing 180 deg. white light =steaming light (for use under power)
directional deck light= general lighting on deck

[Ryan]

Ditto what Tim says above. I have the same setup and it works great, and is very flexible when changes need to be made in the future. There are a couple of photos of my setup in this thread:

http://www.plasticclassicforum.com/view ... ast+wiring

[Figment]

Why not just run a battery-powered lantern up a halyard?
How much night-running do you really plan to do?

[Rachel]

I'm going to install an anchor light on the masthead and one of the combination mastead/deck lights, for a total of 5 wires.

I think you mean a combination steaming/deck lights fixture. If so it doesn't go at the top of the mast, but near the spreaders or about 60% of the way up (exact distance up isn't critical).

I believe that the steaming light is called a masthead light. My guess is that the modern-day confusion about it is because now we tend to use the word "head" to mean "top"; but in the Ye Olde Days "head" meant "front." So the masthead was the front of the mast, and the light there (used for steaming) is the masthead light. At least this is my guess because the "heads" (as in toilet) supposedly got their name because they were in the bows (head) of the ship.

It does make it confusing when you start talking about anchor lights. Maybe they should be "mast-top" lights, but that's not very catchy.

If anyone can confirm this, I can move it from my "maybe" list of useless trivia to the "for sure" list.

R.

[Ceasar Choppy]

Yes I can confirm this... indeed the masthead is the front of the mast.

Although I've also heard the steaming/masthead light called the "bow light"... at least that is how its labled on any original Pearson electrical panel.

[Rick]

Thanks for the info - you guys (& gals) are great! To answer some of your questions/comments:

Dave & Rachel - I do mean the light ~ 60% up the mast that I called the masthead/deck light - that's what the seller called it.

Figment - It may be surprising, but we've already jammed my family of 4 into her for an overnight. This year we may do a little striper fishing aboard at night and we're definitely going to see the 4th of July fireworks in her.

Tim & Ryan - that setup sounds and looks great. I'll use one 2 wire and one 3 wire cable.

Does anyone have a suggestion to keep the cables from banging around inside the mast?

[Tim]

I'd try the wire tie method where you leave the long tails attached to sort of hold the wires in the center of the spar.

[Summersdawn]

I used the wire tie method on my boat years ago. It works fine - I never hear the wires banging. Be sure to use a reasonably heavy tie, and don't leave to long of a space between ties. I put three on, in a row, each turned 1/3 ot a turn, then left a space, put three more on. I don't recall the spacing, but I believe I found the spacing on the internet somewhere...

[Figment]

Overkill.
A single heavy tie every 24" is adequate for even heavy bundles of wire.

The idea isn't to try to suspend the bundle in the middle of the mast, the idea is to simply dampen its motion. The single tie tends to sort of hold the bundle against the inner wall of the mast.

[Rick]

Thanks for the info. It's great not having to reinvent the wheel.