[C320-list] Mast plug

[Graeme Clark]

Jack

I think if you saw the plug you’d be less critical. It’s a very robust design, it’s not under tension and to be honest I doubt it’s the cause of your problem not least because as others have said it carries the common ground wire

Unfortunately the cable runs through a conduit on the inside wall of the mast which means it doesn’t tangle in the halyards. This means that at the base it has to make a sort of S turn to get down the (central) compression post. Plus on mine - which I assume is typical - the top of the compression post was then filled with silicone sealer. In short, I don’t think you’re going to be able to fish through a new cable without lifting the mast

The situation on my hulk is that from at the bottom of the compression post is a small cutout through which the cable runs and then into the locker beneath the port settee. I installed a simple join there but I think originally it ran unbroken to the rear of that locker and then up behind the interior liner to the switch panel. 

If you have some slack in the cable then installing a junction as I did makes trouble shooting easy. You at least can be certain powervis getting into the mast

When my mast was down I fitted new cable into it and carefully applied protective jelly to all the contacts. 2 years later my deck light has stopped working. It’s not the bulb

A boat mast is a hellishly exposed environment for a bit of electrical kit and I bet you a dollar to your cent that your problem is corrosion at the light fitting connections. Either the positive or the ground

Regards

Graeme
1996, #366

Sent from my phone. Excuse typos! 

> On 19 Mar 2020, at 01:14, Stephen Cox <scox at timmin.com> wrote:
> 
> 
>> 
>> Well, no access anywhere to the mast electrical plug on my 
>> 320 short of pulling the mast. That's really substandard 
>> design and work, what I would expect from McGregor, not Catalina. 
>> 
> 
> 
> In all fairness to Catalina, given your boat number it must be at least twenty
> years old and Catalina have made improvements over the years. Later C320's
> with the Selden mast like mine have an access port near the bottom of the
> mast.  It is not inconceivable that a similar hole could be made in earlier
> masts as long as it wasn't too large and was made with curved ends rather than
> stress inducing square corners.  Perhaps best to ask the rig supplier first
> before attempting this though.
> 
> Stephen Cox
> Tegwen #1141
>