I have learned more since, and
solved this.
1. C-22 MK-II 1996 does NOT have wire in in the
hull for mast lights, older models had this, not this
boat.
2. The "dimple" where I drilled the hole (photo) is in the correct place, and enters the
cabin in the ceiling, right above a rectangular plastic cover directly beside the
compression post.
3. The plastic cover (which slides on the
compression post) serves as a box to hide the wire.
4. The wire can be run from the
battery, behind the bench of the
boat, across a channel in the floor, and then up inside through the compression post (steel in this boat) which has a notch in the top, and out the ceiling box up to the outlet
plug on the
deck. It's very clean, no surface conduit or channel needed.
4. This is the same path that the existing wiring for the
cabin overhead light is run.
5. This job requires the mast being down, as it means unscrewing and removing the compression post in order to
fish the new wire through it for the mast
lighting.
6. The overhead light must be disconnected during the job as well.
I have it all open, and I have the new outlet installed on the
deck, and the mast is all wired and has the male end of the outlet ready to go. I have
marine grade fourplex wire to run from the
battery up the mast outlet, as described above, and hopefully will have it installed shortly without any hitches.
The real PITA actually has been wiring the the outlet, and getting the four wires lined up and tightened in the brass compression fitting (Cataline Direct kit). Pro tip, strip the wire a good 6 inches back from the wire jacket so you have extra room to bend the wires individually into the fitting, so the wires can move independently.
Thanks!