[Public-List] Frustrating Mast Wiring Issue on Alberg 29

[Michael Connolly]

Bill,
I was thinking along the lines of what George has said.  If for a fact you know that all the halyards are protected in tubing, I would attempt to auger out the foam.  Flexible augers are available for running wiring in construction, they also have extensions to add to their length.  So drill a little and then try to vacuum out the ground up stuff.  In this process you will ruin all of the existing wiring and co-ax if you have that installed.  So then you can do it all over the correct way this time and have reliable circuits to use.

I assume the mast is unsteped at this point.  I would not attempt to run the wiring outside the mast as any kind of permanent arrangement.  To get out sailing you could use cpvc plumbing piping of 1/2" size and fasten to the outside of the mast with wire ties .................for this season. No holes for fasteners and no gooey mess from adhesive tapes.
Michael
> On 06/22/2022 12:31 PM vinegar joe via Public-List <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
> 
>  
> Sorry to bother the Alberg 30 folks, but I'm hoping someone here will have some insight into this aggravating problem.
> I've got a 1985 Alberg 29, keel stepped mast with a tricolor light at the top of the mast and a combo deck light - mast head light just above the spreaders.  The combo light had been dead for a couple of years and when I removed it I discovered that the wires were completely shot - it appeared that a glorified extension cord had been used and the end of the wires just barely exited the one inch hole in the mast behind the light - when the brittle wires were trimmed, they now were just inside the hole.  A gentle tug on the ground wire broke it and it is no longer visible.  But it gets the worse - the prior owner (I hope not the builder) inserted expanding foam a various spots along the mast (wherever access allowed) and so there's no budging of the wires even if you wished.  Additionally, the wires have been snaked up the aft side of the mast behind conduit that encloses four halyards so any attempt at fishing some of the wire out has to take place on the opposite side of where the li
>  ght is mounted.
> 
> I decided I would try to drive a run of metal conduit inside the mast and through the various layers of expandable foam with hopes of perhaps snagging it up by the light to run a snake line back down to the base of the mast.  The conduit was driven through the first layer of foam (at about 4 feet - no idea how it was delivered at this level) without too much problem, but at about 6 and 1/2 feet I encountered what I sense is a metal plate that seems to completely close further progress.  However, I cannot see what I'm hitting.
> 
> Are further efforts to reach the level of the light by conduit a waste of time? Does anyone know what I'm hitting?  I fear I may damage the mast or other wiring with further efforts.  If so, what is the most tasteful and solid way to run wires on the outside of the mast?
> 
> Thanks for any help/ideas/suggestions.  I want to go sailing!!!!
> 
> Bill Zellman 
> s/v Vinegar Joe 
> Milwaukee
> 
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