Internal Mast Wires

[ixtlan22]

Any way to quiet internal mast wire slap short of removing the mast? We're talking all mast wiring here... masthead light wires, anonometer wires, radio antenna wires, and radar. The Admiral suggested shoving packing peanuts down the tube but unfortunately our mast has a 1/4 " steel cap to it...like armor plate...tough stuff to even drill a hole in.... Any ideas?

[gonesail]

are you planning to redo the rigging or do a mast rewire any time soon? tough to do this 50' in the air.

[ixtlan22]

Re-wire is on the list but looking for tips and tricks until then...

Thanks

[cantxsailor]

I used wire ties with the tails left long to quiet the racket in our mast but that would require you to pull the wires out of the mast...........m

[rustypirate]

Another option is to drill a piar of holes about 1/2" apart at several points along the lenght of the mast.

You would use a hooked shape wire to feed into one of the holes and gather the wires against the mast while feeding a wire tie in the first hole, then hooking it back out the other one. This will trap the wires against the mast with the wire tie closed through the holes and around the wire bundle at each point where you have drilled the pair of holes.

When you take the mast down next time you can remove the wiring and install a conduit for them using the same holes to mount the conduit.

[knothead]

Originally Posted by ixtlan22

Any way to quiet internal mast wire slap short of removing the mast? We're talking all mast wiring here... masthead light wires, anonometer wires, radio antenna wires, and radar. The Admiral suggested shoving packing peanuts down the tube but unfortunately our mast has a 1/4 " steel cap to it...like armor plate...tough stuff to even drill a hole in.... Any ideas?

I've done this a couple of times where the owner simply couldn't afford to have me do it the right way. Meaning pull the stick and install conduit.
I would go up the mast and drill a pair of 3/16" holes about 5 or 6 feet down from the top usually toward the front corner of the spar. I would probably use these same holes to install the conduit at a later date.

Anyway, it's painstaking, but what you want to do is heel the boat sharply to the side using a halyard to the dock and carefully thread a piece of seizing wire into one hole and out the other. Hopefully trapping the wires that are laying against the inside of the mast because of the heeling . Twist the seizing wire together on the outside and cover it all with silicone. Do this every 5 or 6 feet down the mast and you will probably solve your problem.
Then someday, when you can, pull the mast and do it right.

[sailorozz]

Yes down from the top 3ft in the front,,,drill 2 1/8in. holes 1 in. apart.With 1/8 in. alunimun welding wire fish the wires while bending thewire in a hook,pull the wires to the front of the mast,bend wire tight and popribbit in place. then repeat on back of mast 3 ft.below the first,,,,that will remove slack in wires. OZZ

[osirissail]

Drilling extra holes in your mast is not a great idea for several reasons. One you weaken the integrity of the mast tube and may set up a line of "perforations" along the mast tube that mast stresses will use to "connect the dots" and split the mast. Any holes drilled in a mast should be filled with a bolt or rivet to minimize water leakage into the mast tube. Using silicon sealant is a short term way to seal a hole, but long term the sealant breaks down and now you have additional entry holes for rain and sea water. The water collects in the base of the mast and starts corroding the mast tube or the mast shoe and then enters the bilge system. It is amazing how much water can enter a mast just from the cap piece and normal access holes for electrical wiring.
- - Wait until the next haulout and then rewire the mast correctly either using a plastic or metal conduit or the wire ties technique.
- - Or if you can remove existing fixtures or bolts you may be able to "fish" the wires and install the wire ties or a piece of capture monel wire without adding additional holes. Then put the fixture or bolt back in position.

[GordMay]

What Osiris said.