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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Mast connector problems

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Spain
1st Mate

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USA
35 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/14/2002 : 23:06:51

Hey Folks,

I have a problem with the connector for the lights on the mast(1978 FK/SR). I had a leak around the connector receptacle on the cabin top. When I unscrewed the receptacle from the cabin top a wire broke and as I tried to remove the wires for the receptacle others broke. I have ordered and received a new plug and receptacle (now a four wire set, they no longer make the three wire) from Catalina Direct, but now the wires are too short. I can get butt splice wire connectors on the wires coming out of the cabin top but there is no room to manuever the attaching wires into the receptacle.

So I propose raising the receptacle a couple of inches above the cabin top. I am planning to use a 2 1/4" diameter hardwood (birch) cylinder with a 5/8" center hole for the wiring.

I will screw and seal the cylinder to the deck and screw and seal the receptacle to the cylinder.

Does this sound like a reasonable and practical approach to the problem or is there a better way?

Oh! The cylinder will come from a Martha Stewart Rolling Pin ($7.99 at K-Mart).

Lee Spain
"MARGARETA" 0931

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 10/14/2002 : 23:30:59

"I can get butt splice wire connectors on the wires coming out of the cabin top but there is no room to manuever the attaching wires into the receptacle." - Lee Spain

If the wires broke easily, then they may be corroded and need replacing. I personally would avoid using butt connectors since they are prone to corrosion and failure in a marine environment. Can you solder a pigtail onto the broken wires to make them long enough? If so, solder them and use shrink tube around the repair to weatherproof it.

I think you should avoid the "Martha Stewart rolling pin" repair and, if necessary, run new wiring from the electrical panel to the cabintop or thou will become a DPO of the first order. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

Click on the link below to take you to an earlier discussion concerning cabintop electrical connector repair.
http://www.catalina25-250.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1158

Don Lucier, North Star
1980 C25 #2151
SR/FK

Edited by - dlucier on 10/15/2002 00:08:55

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MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 10/15/2002 : 04:01:48

OK, what does DPO stand for. I know I will feel stupid when the answer comes, but what else is new<img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle>

Matt/Brigitte Loeffler
E.C. Rider
Cat 25 86'
FK/SR _/)

Edited by - on

Mike Vaccaro
1st Mate

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77 Posts

Response Posted - 10/15/2002 : 10:06:51

Dear Lee,

Had the same problem over the last couple of years. The first time we replaced the connector, there was enough of a "rat tail" on the wires to allow replacement, but after that connector was broken (read stepped on!) we had to go to plan B. The best long-term solution is to rewire from your switch panel. We used marine-grade four-strand tinned wire. The original wiring is actually glassed into place above the cabin bulkhead, so it is not possible to remove it. The original wire is copper and prone to corrosion. We used an electric die grinder and 60 grit to remove the fairing.

After removing the fairing, we ran the new wire from the switch panel, along the port side under the deck (behind the settee where the old wires were run), through the bulkhead and then up along the top edge of the bulkhead. We drilled up from the head compartment with a 12" bit--measure carefully to avoid any interference with your mast base plate or any fittings on deck! We then drilled out this hole to a nominal 1/2" dimention. We made a small 3" x 4" plate of 1/4" thick "staboard" and pre-drilled a 1/2" hole. The plate needs to be large enough to cover the ground-off flange on deck--otherwise you'll have to repair that area with filler and gel-coat. After aligning the holes, we bedded the plate and screwed it to the deck. We allowed a small wire loop in the head compartement (tucked up underneath the deck junction out of sight) to allow easy future access.

Can't really think of a clever way to hide the wires in the head, but we considered maintenance access more important, because we've already had two fitting stepped on, I figure it's only a matter of time before we'll be mounting a fourth!

Good luck!

Mike Vaccaro on the "Swoose"
84TR/SK #4707

Edited by - on

luckystar
Navigator

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USA
236 Posts

Response Posted - 10/15/2002 : 10:14:29

I think it means either "Dumb Previous Owner" or "Damn Previous Owner". I feel that sentiment all the time!

On your wiring, Don may be right about the wires breaking easily and being corroded. When I was rewiring my mast four years ago, I put new lights and required 4 wire connector. I found the same problem that you have, not enough wire sticking up to attach. Not to mention I could not get the snake to go through the "channel" to get my fourth wire into the boat. When they built the boats, they tended to do all the wiring on top of the cabin liner before attaching the deck. When they did, they liberally applied 5200 or the like to the entire thing, basically sealing that wiring in permanently.

Although your idea sounds like it might work, let me offer another. I just cut the old wires down and tucked them in, drilled a hole though the existing one at a slight angle to come out in the head, right up against the bulkhead and ran the new wires along it with black zip ties over to the interior gunwhales where the rest of the wiring is "channeled". I was then able to run all the way back to the elec panel AND it's new wiring with no worries about corrosion.

Good luck and I hope this helps.

Patrick Burnett, Little Rock, AR
S/V Lucky Star #2707 1982 SK/SR

Edited by - on

Spain
1st Mate

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USA
35 Posts

Response Posted - 10/15/2002 : 13:40:03

Thanks everyone for your help. I shall investigate and run new wires if possible. Also thanks for the definition of a DPO, I did not know that either.

Lee Spain
"Margareta"

p. s. Does anyone need a Martha Stewart Rolling Pin???

Edited by - on

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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.