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Though some of these photos were
taken in Spring 2006, one of the first projects I undertook on "Chip Ahoy" was
to replace the entire mast wiring harness, add a mast top anchor light,
steaming/deck light combo, and run a coaxial cable up through the mast
to a new VHF antenna at its top. First, I fastened a length of 1"
PVC pipe up the inside of the mast, each end about 8" shorter than the
top or bottom of the mast. I fastened the pipe with pop rivets through
the mast's
forward edge, then ran both cables up through it. Both the wiring harness and coax cable exits at the bottom
of the mast. (Spring 2003) |
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The cable and wiring harness connect on the deck to a new
AquaSignal deck connector for the mast wiring, and a
new Blue Sea cable clam
for the VHF radio antenna coax cable.
Deck connector (JPG
file) blowup -- Deck connector
(PDF file)
blowup |
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The new steaming/deck light combo mount about halfway up the
mast, just above the spreaders. I first removed the old steaming light
and its broken teak mount. |
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A closer view of the new steaming/deck light combo. |
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At the mast head, the VHF radio coax cable exits through
a grometted hole then connects to the new VHF antenna's base. |
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I mounted a new anchor light on a pedestal
-- or as Catalina Direct terms it, an "anchor light mast mount tube." The
wiring for the light is connected through the tube to the wiring harness that I just installed
that runs
up inside the mast, within a 1" PVC pipe pop-riveted through the mast.
It's controlled by its own switch on the
cabin panel board. The
running lights/compass light also has its own switch, as does the
steaming light, and the deck light. |
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The anchor light mast mount tube is designed and
contoured to
fit and be secured to the masthead truck, but I had to drill holes in
the tube, then drill and tap the truck to fasten it.
Masthead Anchor Light --
CLICK
HERE for more detail. |
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The Shakespeare #5215 "Squatty" VHF antenna mounted
alongside the offset
new Windex. (For details on how I mounted the Windex
CLICK HERE.) |
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The VHF antenna coax cable attaches beneath and
alongside new masthead anchor light mounted atop the mast. In this later
photo (Jun. 2006), the
roller-furler is attached to the mast truck in place of the old
forestay. |
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Another view of Chip Ahoy's busy mast
head. |
| Moving on
with Season 2003 improvements |
|
It's never-ending ...
but spring has arrived and Sailing Season '03 is in sight |
