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 Mast Wire Repair - Advice Needed		  New Topic  Reply to Topic
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crystal_blue
1st Mate

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USA
70 Posts
Initially Posted - 04/29/2025 :  18:06:37  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Greetings!

Last year I noticed that my masthead/deck/anchor lights only worked when they felt like it. When I put the mast up again for this season, I found that they don't work at all. I had initially figured that I probably needed to replace the connector at the end of the mast cable where it plugs into the deck; but on closer inspection I found a hole in the cable's sheathing where it exits the base of the mast:




(Thumb added for scale)

I'm not positive, but I suspect the innards of the cable are also damaged at this point and we're beyond a point where I can just wrap in rigging/electrical tape. With the damaged section being so close to the mast--am I going to have to just bite the bullet and run a new cable all the way through the mast? Or is there a way to get inside the mast to splice the cable?

Advice and experiences are welcome!
Jim and Crystal Smith
Lehi, Utah
1996 Catalina 250 WB #191 "Mariah"

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4021 Posts
Response Posted - 05/01/2025 :  13:01:29  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
It's possible that there is some slack in the cable inside the mast. Can you remove/pry that black plug out of the mast and then be able to pull the cable out enough to give you some room for you to repair the wires. After the repair you can slide the plug back on the cable and insert it back in the mast.
Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound


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islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4021 Posts
Response Posted - 05/01/2025 :  13:12:04  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Another idea is to drill a new exit hole 1-2 inches above the old exit hole. Push the cable into the mast and then reach into the new hole with a wire hook and pull the cable out. You should now be able to attach new connectors. Make the new hole big enough for the wire to come through. It might be folded in half.
Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound


Edited by - islander on 05/01/2025 13:15:40
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doublereefed
Navigator

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169 Posts
Response Posted - 05/01/2025 :  14:25:10  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I had to run new wires through the mast a few years ago. I used a thin diameter fish tape, it went pretty smoothly. I had to bump and try past a few interior obstructions but it wasn't terrible. I used this one, not sure why it says "frequently returned". https://www.amazon.com/Puller-Through-Threader-Cable-Fastener/dp/B0C5RXGW3Y/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=29Z5S8ZEOJVFO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.dBITHg27Lt5u-y1fYCESYKRHgCLzFoTKvcETnFgF-eXFjHRIsDbot1AiHAjdWhTfVPpmH494TlGf88ob1o-v65tGGyyQ4h_RwBDZN36gb441VgzTJOdBRTt8U6JgjDOHE-1z7oPeJAAIPKWLOReHycEQr4c3pxcZbYaBEd227VDOBKitHTdPc-sC-tIMKiqvijuLjGn19lBsW-dRwTfSGS_RKTzZywlg21XDjBOVBnZOFVCvPLByrzApIEQ_MW13pg53RnnoHoe08r_BJamGKAmfwrDhc5ZwKHdGHjpzje8.fLpsT-BTNKEy1-OtxMw8SS-VNNI2pFzzXBm1CpWBREo&dib_tag=se&keywords=wire%2Bsnake&qid=1746134658&sprefix=wire%2Bsna%2Caps%2C260&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1
'95 C250 WB #61
Midway, UT
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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5362 Posts
Response Posted - 05/01/2025 :  16:20:30  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
It’s funny about running a new cable through the mast - if you drop your mast, you can pretty easily access the mast base, and reaching the steaming light isn’t that bad.
But removing the mast head anchor light is an entirely different matter. Can you simply unscrew the fixture?
Or do you have to remove the mast top casting along with all the shrouds, stays, halyards, wind vane, etc? Now there’s a project!
Pulling cable through the mast generally involves using the old cable to pull the new cable through, no tape required.
Many people add three-way twist ties to the cable. This keeps it suspended within the mast shaft so it doesn’t bang and clang with wave action.
If the cable is still okay inside, Scott’s suggestions would provide you the greatest bang for the buck.
Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain — Milford, CT
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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5362 Posts
Response Posted - 05/01/2025 :  16:24:47  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
By three-way twist ties, I mean take two twist ties and run one through the other, get a third twist tie and run it through the second, then wrap these around the cable and pull the first tie through the the third one. A three-way twist tie.
Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain — Milford, CT
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JB
Navigator

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USA
114 Posts
Response Posted - 05/02/2025 :  07:42:39  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I have a Catalina 25 and a Catalina 250 standard rigs. Both masts have a wiring conduit that is not very large so the tie wraps may bind.
1988 C25 Wing Keel Std Rig Tohatsu 9.9 Tiller Steering and 2003 C250 Wing Keel Std Rig Inboard Diesel Wheel Steering
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doublereefed
Navigator

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169 Posts
Response Posted - 05/02/2025 :  08:21:28  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I have a 1995... version 1 so to speak. There was no conduit. There was enough resistance to pulling the old wires (what were they hung up on?) that I decided to go with the tape and feel my way past obstacles. Pulling new with old would be ideal particularly if there's a conduit.
'95 C250 WB #61
Midway, UT
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crystal_blue
1st Mate

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USA
70 Posts
Response Posted - 05/02/2025 :  08:57:46  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Folks, many thanks for the input. I'm sort of leaning towards the idea of just running new wire when I bring my mast down at the end of this year (Scott, I appreciated your approach too; but I'm not sure how much I could even do with the current wire since the outside seems pretty stiff with age; and I'm worried [maybe irrationally?] about the prospect of putting more holes in my mast at this point since I'm probably going to have to drill even more holes to replace the steaming light as well. As a side question, at what point am I compromising the mast's structural integrity by drilling too many holes?)

DoubleReefed, did you use the Catalina Direct wire harness? Was running the wire through to the masthead a problem (as Bruce suggests it may be)? Was it a problem to pull out the wire to the steaming light mid-mast?

Another semi-related question: For those who have rerun their VHF antennas through their mast--what is the benefit of doing so? Increased range? I imagine there isn't much reason for me to do it--my boat has a roughly-8' antenna mounted on a stern rail, and I mostly sail on Utah Lake with a roughly 8x16 sailable area; but if I'm going to be running wire through my mast anyways, I figured I'd at least ask . . .

Thanks, all, for putting up with my newbie questions!
Jim and Crystal Smith
Lehi, Utah
1996 Catalina 250 WB #191 "Mariah"
Edited by - crystal_blue on 05/02/2025 09:00:06
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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3448 Posts
Response Posted - 05/02/2025 :  12:38:42  Show Profile  Visit OLarryR's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Reread your original posting…..You suspect the issue is with the mast connection since you saw a hole in the sheathing. That very likely is the culprit, however, it is also possible that the deck connection is the issue. Regardless, as these boats age, replacing the mast wiring and wiring to the switch panel is not uncommon. On my Cat 25, I had a guy replace the mast wiring and it was done while boat was in its slip - The mast was lowered. The guy basically got burned out completing the job and while it worked along with replacing the anchor light with a photo-LED and the steaming light, the wiring was to the wrong switches - steam light went on when anchor light should have gone on. In any case, I had already decided to replace the cabin wiring myself and install an additional switch panel in the cabin but more easily accessible for the lights, from the cockpit area. The install was for a Cat 25 and so my experiences may not relate to your issue but if curious, I have some details and photos regarding the new and old switch panel on my website.
In regards to the VHF radio, I believe the sole reason for mounting an antenna on top of the mast is so the radio waves travel further than say with a handheld VHF. If you have an 8’ antenna off the hull/stern rail, that should have better reception than a handheld but not better than from an antenna located on top of the mast. My boat came with the mast antenna but my VH F is located under the cockpit area near the steps and so not that accessible. But I have a handheld VHF. I also sail on the Potomac River which varies in width between 1-3 miles wide. The few times I have used the VHF was to either get weather info or communicate with a friend on his sailboat - I recall one trip when we traveled downriver for bottom painting, I had left the dock about an hour before he did and my handheld VHF was fine for communicating. But since you are going to be doing mast wiring, it is something to consider installing an antenna on top of the mast just so you can do away with a large antenna off your stern rail. But consider this - If your VHF is not going to be convenient to communicate from your cockpit, are you willing to do the addl labor for antenna install on the mast, addl wiring and making the VHF accessible or is your present setup more accessible or would VHF handheld do the trick in the waters you sail?
Larry
'89 Robin's Nest#5820, Potomac River/Quantico, Va
http://catalina25.homestead.com/olarryr.html
Edited by - OLarryR on 05/02/2025 12:42:08
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