Mast Electrical Wiring

[captainwireman]

Will be replacing rigging so my mast will be at an easily workable position and everything is gong to get pulled out.
If you had this opportunity, what would be your best suggestions for fixtures, spreader lights, wiring and switching ideas, antenna, coax, , brand makes and models, USCG compliance???
My needs are high energy efficiency, top quality and not spending money needlessly but willing to pay for quality no problem.

10M cat, mast height aproximately 35 feet from deck level.

Thanks in advance for your experienced answers

[gamayun]

I just did this....with a friend's help, we machined a new mast head crane so it would handle a tri-color with strobe (Aqua Signal 400), new Shakespeare VHF antenna with LMR 400 coax, new anchor light, two new padeyes suitable for extra halyards (my boat only has one main, one jib and one spin halyard), new B&G anemometer and a new windex (from West Marine). I'm super happy with how it turned out. Here's a pic of the crane when we finished dry fitting everything.

[captainwireman]

Very nice job!

[Pete O Static]

It may seem obvious but ensure you have a conduit for the wiring to run in. I am amazed at how many boats don't and have to put up with the noise of wires slapping the inside of the mast while at anchor. If you have everything you need, it might be an idea to install a messenger line now so that if you decide to put something up later, you have a means to do it without taking the mast back down again.

[gamayun]

About conduit for the run, the hardware store has different diameter pipe insulation in 10' sections that was perfect to wrap the wiring run down the mast. It has a slit with sticky tape that I reinforced with gorilla tape and tie wraps. If you do that, make sure everything is solid and in good working order because you'll never be able to replace a cable without taking down the mast. In my case, I needed to do this because even the slightest of tapping on my CF mast sounds like a sledgehammer inside the cabin.

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by captainwireman

Very nice job!

Thanks!

Correction on the light....that's a masthead nav light at the back, not anchor light.

For sailing, if you're not convinced about LEDs, just install a battery monitor and compare the usage between LEDs and the regular bulbs. They're the way to go, but there have been issues with some of these lights on the masthead causing VHF interference.

[Sandero]

Originally Posted by gamayun

I just did this....with a friend's help, we machined a new mast head crane so it would handle a tri-color with strobe (Aqua Signal 400), new Shakespeare VHF antenna with LMR 400 coax, new anchor light, two new padeyes suitable for extra halyards (my boat only has one main, one jib and one spin halyard), new B&G anemometer and a new windex (from West Marine). I'm super happy with how it turned out. Here's a pic of the crane when we finished dry fitting everything.

WOW that is beautiful work!

I did a new top for the mast but it pales in comparison! Mine is made from fiberglass channels. The blue is a strobe and the new light is an Aquasignal LED.

[Sandero]

Originally Posted by gamayun

Thanks!

Correction on the light....that's a masthead nav light at the back, not anchor light.

For sailing, if you're not convinced about LEDs, just install a battery monitor and compare the usage between LEDs and the regular bulbs. They're the way to go, but there have been issues with some of these lights on the masthead causing VHF interference.

masthead?

an all around white at the top is an anchor light
a white lighting forward is a masthead light if I am not mistaken... a "steaming" light higher than the port and starboard running lights.

1. Masthead lights are white and shine from 112.5° on the port side through dead ahead to 112.5° on the starboard side. They must be above the sidelights.

OK I see that it's on the forward side of the mast... I stand corrected!!!!!!!

[SailRedemption]

Changed everything out on ours.. Only thing that stayed was the old wire for the anchor light. It draws so little big an LED that I wasn't worried. Plus, we'll have a lower light as well at anchor. We made the existing masthead topper longer to have the wind sensor further forward.

New:
Spreader lights - Rigid Industries Dually with diffused lens LED
Anchor light - Aqua Signal 34 LED
Steaming/fore deck light - Signal Mate LED
Sailing lights - Lopolight 180* Red & Green x2
Windex
Maretron WSO 100 wind sensor
Game SS-2 antenna with Belden 9913F7 cable w/ amphenol connectors




See more @ redemptiverepair.com

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by Sandero

masthead?

an all around white at the top is an anchor light
a white lighting forward is a masthead light if I am not mistaken... a "steaming" light higher than the port and starboard running lights.

1. Masthead lights are white and shine from 112.5° on the port side through dead ahead to 112.5° on the starboard side. They must be above the sidelights.

OK I see that it's on the forward side of the mast... I stand corrected!!!!!!!

Yes, I did confuse things when I said it was at the back. You are correct that it's the 112.5 degree light "at the front" of the mast. It's the first time I've had one on the boat so still getting used to it. Technically, my Freedom 38 is documented as a 36-footer, which doesn't require a masthead light, but in actuality it's more than 39 feet from bowsprit to stern. Better to be seen, right?