450: Mast top Tri light nav

[Rickthesailor]

Hi,

We have installed a combination Anchor and Trilight Nav light for passages, as we found the deck level nav light pretty much killed our night vision on our crossing from Malta to St Barbados...

There already was a three wire cable running to the mast top for the anchor light so we used that to connect the tri light and its built in anchor light. Our intention was to use the Auxiliary switch on the DC panel to control the tri light nav lights. We were told by Lagoon that the Aux switch was not used for anything on our boat. However, it looks like it is wired but does not seem to terminate at the base of mast in the saloon. So it looks like I need to run a wire from the DC panel to the access panel below the mast in the saloon. The only path I see is directly across the boat to the port side and then snake it through the port hull and then up to the nav console. Does anyone know of an easier route that I am missing? There is a big thick HDMI cable that runs from the TV to the Fusion, so I know there must be a way across.

We are keeping our deck level nav lights for steaming.

Thanks, Rick

[Bean Counter]

One suggestion would be to install two light switches (or a 3 way switch) at Nav station and route the wires from the mast base through this (easy to get at), the anchor light switch on the panel would then act as a master switch. This then leaves the existing nav light to operate as a back up in case the tricolor ever fails.

[Rickthesailor]

Originally Posted by Bean Counter

One suggestion would be to install two light switches (or a 3 way switch) at Nav station and route the wires from the mast base through this (easy to get at), the anchor light switch on the panel would then act as a master switch. This then leaves the existing nav light to operate as a back up in case the tricolor ever fails.

HI,

We ran a new 3 wire cable from the DC panel to the base of the mast. Had to fish the line across the boat to the port hull, then up to the forward berth, then up through to the base of the mast...

We are now using the "spare" DC switch for the trilight nav, the DC anchor switch still controls the anchor light and the original nav/steaming switch still controls the original nav lights..

We could see our flash lights between the DC panel and the base of the mast, but could not get our snake across... Would have been nice if Lagoon had put access panels in the floor...

Regards, Rick

[PaulinOz]

I ran cable out the bottom of Electrical area into Starboard hull under floor.
Along the inside edge of hull forward, then into space behind lounge back rest. Across under mast step into Nav station. From memory access to space behind lounge back was through the back of a cupboard in owners side area, and behind back of lounge rest below mast step.

[Rickthesailor]

Originally Posted by PaulinOz

I ran cable out the bottom of Electrical area into Starboard hull under floor.
Along the inside edge of hull forward, then into space behind lounge back rest. Across under mast step into Nav station. From memory access to space behind lounge back was through the back of a cupboard in owners side area, and behind back of lounge rest below mast step.

HI,

We looked at the starboard hull, but only found a very small access panel for shower drains, exhaust water separator, and I think the generator exhaust... And I could not see an opening to the back of the lounge... We have a large wall forward of the starboard hull stairs with three floor based cabinets that are about 70 cm high...

Regards, Rick

[PaulinOz]

"We have a large wall forward of the starboard hull stairs with three floor based cabinets that are about 70 cm high..."

Is not the back of lower cupboard closest to bathroom removable.?

There is a way through there because I installed the Raymarine VHF extension cable through there to have the VHF up at the helm. I remember, because it still ended up 3 feet short and had to extend the extension cable behind the sofa back.

[Rickthesailor]

Originally Posted by PaulinOz

"We have a large wall forward of the starboard hull stairs with three floor based cabinets that are about 70 cm high..."

Is not the back of lower cupboard closest to bathroom removable.?

There is a way through there because I installed the Raymarine VHF extension cable through there to have the VHF up at the helm. I remember, because it still ended up 3 feet short and had to extend the extension cable behind the sofa back.

HI,

Yes there is. But it is quite small and the run to the port hull from the electrical panel was a straight clear shot with larger panels to work in... It took more cable, but I had a spare 35m that had bought to run power to the trilight before we discovered that the anchor light already was a three line cable

On another topic, did you run your solar cables down the centre of the main SS supports at the stern. We are just having our frame built and it looks like we will need to drill both top and bottoms to get the cables down them.

Also found that three of the top eight bolts were short and were grabbing just a couple of threads.

Regards, Rick

[Emmalina]

I believe Nasa marine did a clever thing with their Anchor/tri colour light You can power it and the anchor light comes on then if you reverse the polarity the tri colour comes on ! Only requires 2 wires !