Check Your Antenna

[emandvee44]

I have had the mast down for a few weeks now, and what a can of worms it has turned out to be! The so called 'professionals' in England made a mess of installing a masthead light, vhf antenna and Raymarine transducer, and I am now putting everything right at considerable expense.
Anyway, to share my antenna experience with you. The V-tronix/Hawk was installed new in 2009, and since then has gradually declined in performance, and the reasons have recently become obvious. The base of the antenna is cracked in 3 places and even now after several weeks in the house there is water seeping out of the cracks.

The antenna cable has suffered ingress of water and the wires have corroded, resulting in a knobbly appearance on the first metre or so of cable below the antenna.

I have re-wired the mast, fitted a new steaming light, and very soon the new mast head stuff will be re-fitted (just before the mast goes up)
I will try to post some pics. of the finished job.

Cheers,

Michael.

 

[Blue Drifter]

Not sure how you automatically assume an installation error based on the evidence you have presented, whilst you could be correct, it is always easy to place blame elsewhere. Were all three installed by same operator and what convinces you that it was installation error? Glad to hear you are now rectifying.

 

[sarabande]

out of interest, M, have you gone for LEDs for the new lighting, or are you sticking with tried and tested filament kit for longevity?

 

[Scomber]

hi
just this minute ordered new vtronix antenna-the old one works ok but thought -while mast was down and new windex needs to go up along with new sheaves ,mast wiring ,tri colour and steaming light - i'd fit a new antenna (and bracket) its been up plenty of years!! (vtronix) -thought its much easier to kill lots of birds with one stone while mast is down-didn't seem to have any cracks around base like the OP's (it's just basic antenna not with hawk)-just wondering how and why that might have happened in just a few yrs !!! heat (climate?)-fatigue of base due to hawk mounted above ?

 

[emandvee44]

Check your antenna

Thank you all for the replies. I guess I started out with a bit of a rant, but I think you will understand when you look at the pictures below. Not a good installation!

The vhf antenna was mounted on the large stainless plate, which was clearly intended for another type of mast head profile. the hole for the antenna thread had been roughly filed out, and no notch made for the alignment peg on the antenna base.
The aluminium plate was secured with self tapping screws, no anti-corrosive compound used so all were seized, broke off and had to be drilled out. Two of the screws were not in drilled holes, just semicircular cut outs at the edge of the plate.
Ours is a Selden mast, and there are masthead platforms in their catalogue. we were not asked by the installers.
The masthead light, now 5 years old, is an aqua signal LED, and works perfectly.
Finally, alll the cables had chafed at the mast entry hole, and had to be scrapped. I have just finished running the new cables
I have a local stainless man making a masthead platform which will take all three items - it is nearly ready so I will post some pics when it is fitted.

Cheers,

Michael.

 

[emandvee44]

Update.

All the new stuff installed just before the mast was put up.!
The mounting bracket was a perfect fit and the price - 34 euros.

Yesterday I tested the vhf set/antenna with the Shakespeare test meter, and all readings were ok, so hopefully we will now be heard (from time to time).

M.

 

[Skylark]

Wow, what a difference. Despite the grief, you must now be well pleased with the installation. Satisfaction from a job well done.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

FWIW my experience of white wire ties is that they are useless in UV light. They rarely last more than a season in UK, heaven knows about Portugal. I've found black ones last far longer.

PS What is the stainless rod to the left of the mast? Rod rigging? Just curious.

 

[emandvee44]

[QUOTE PS What is the stainless rod to the left of the mast? Rod rigging? Just curious.[/QUOTE]

Hmm - at the risk of opening a debate, it is 'shepherds crook' for flying the club burgee above all the masthead stuff.

Also fabricated by the same guy as the masthead light/ instrument platform

M.

 

[Jabs]

May I delicately ask why you replaced a known poor design VHF antenna with the same?

I would seriously suggest that you try Metz next time around.

If you look at RibNet you will find lots of opinions on Vitronix antennas.

Just my opinion.

Tony.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

Hmm - at the risk of opening a debate, it is 'shepherds crook' for flying the club burgee above all the masthead stuff.

Also fabricated by the same guy as the masthead light/ instrument platform

M.

Debate opened!

Is that what is also described as a "pigstick" which enables you to raise or lower a burgee whenever you want? I've often thought of making one but it has never got anywhere on my to-do list.

 

[rob2]

Possibly anticipating a reply... I believe a pigstick is hoisted with the burgee bent on . It is of sufficient length above the top fastening that the burgee flies in clear air above the masthead clutter. the photo appears to show an offset permanently mounted tube which presumably has a halyard at its top for the burgee - or indeed an ensign when dessing ship.

Rob.

 

[TSB240]

I am currently replacing our vtronics vhf with a Metz. The design of the v tronics is completely stupid. Why mount the wind indicator half way up the antenna so that it can over flex the stainless whip cause water ingress to the coil and resultant failure. Not fit for purpose imho.

 

[srm]

Not as bad as the mashead fittings on my previous boat. Some clown had made an antenna bracket by laminating thin copper strips and screwed them to the alloy head casting with stainless self tappers. Not surprisingly a big bulge of alluminium oxide had distorted the copper bracket between the screws. Antenna and light cables had all chafed against the spreader fittings inside the mast. The clown may have been the same "professional rigger" who advised and fitted copper ferrules on the ss shrouds to prevent the ends of the spreaders from drooping. The spreaders were still drooping as the ferrules steadilly corroded through the alloy end plugs of the spreaders.

I would suggest anyone buying a used boat carries out a very careful mast inspection themselves. After all its you who will be at sea when the problems bite.

 

[emandvee44]

Finally got round to searching for the right pics.View attachment 42352View attachment 42353

The pennant halyard is attached to the pennant stick with two clove hitches spaced as far apart as possible, and the pennant is clear of all the other stuff at the masthead.

M.