[C320-list] Pulling the mast

[Jeff Hare]

I believe that the decision of how/where to make the connections was made at initial commissioning time or the last time the mast was removed and will likely be differently done on most boats.

Ours now has the connections above deck inside the base of the mast. This way, stepping/unstopping the mast is much easier and less prone to wire damage during that process.  When our wires were connected in a junction box under the port settee, threading the wires in and out of the compression post was challenging and resulted in slight wire damage once given the 90 degree bend they make where the compression post meets the stringers.  I can also test all the wiring directly at the deck and base of the mast at the connector and have a good degree of confidence that there isn't any issue.

Clearly having connections inside the boat is better for testing once the mast is up, but if that is a serious concern, next time the mast is down, add an aluminum inspection plate near the base of the mast. That would be beneficial for many reasons anyway:
- like ensuring that the mast step drains are running
- ability to clean out the debris/dirt that comes in the top of the mast 
- check or reseal the compression post wiring tube
- allows servicing the connector or running new wires up the mast and down the compression post

Always pull both wires AND a new durable messenger line at the same time, regardless of the direction you're pulling wires... :)

-Jeff Hare
2001 #809 Woodbine II

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> On Behalf Of Scott Thompson
Sent: Monday, October 5, 2020 12:44 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] Pulling the mast

Surprise is 20 years old and as far as I know the mast has never been pulled. I'm thinking of doing that this winter to service halyard sheaves, rebed chainplates, etc.  Can anyone tell me what problems to expect if I ask the yard to do this as part of winter haulout? I'm mostly concerned about cables that may run through the mast step with no connector. In case it matters, I believe that my boat was originally commissioned by Sail Annapolis in 1999. I suspect that they sold most of the 320's of comparable vintage on the Northern Chesapeake, and probably the mast was stepped initially under their direction.

-- 

Scott Thompson
Surprise, #653