Radar cable inside mast

[DickB]

I fitted a 2kw Radar dome and the cable is fed through a small hole in the mast just abive the lower spreader and picked up again through another small hole at the base of the mast. The 5 metres inside the mast is not supported in any way and just dangles alongsonde the halyards.

It struck me that this was not particularly clever but I can see no way of attaching the cable to the inside wall of the mast. Am I getting paranoid or should I be concerned and get this fixed? The guy who fitted it did'nt seem particularly bothered... Any views?

<hr width=100% size=1>Dick

 

[robind]

Hi! How often do you actually use it? and is it likely to fail when you do? who knows! Radar`s nice to have (some would say essential) but you can manage without it if you had to (plenty of boats and skippers out there without it) So If it aint broke dont fix it.IMHO

Regards

Rob

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.rejuvanu.com>RejuVanu</A>

 

[Ric]

I think just about every boat with a retro-fitted radar on the mast has the cable donging about inside - it will be ok.

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Ric on 24/01/2004 12:45 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[beneteau_305_553]

My mast (Z Spars) has a plastic strip that is held in chanels extruded in the mast section. This separates the cables from the halyards so preventing chaffe. Perhps a similar conduit could be retrofitted?

<hr width=100% size=1>Richard

 

[philmarks]

My halyards are external, so what follows was possible (done by previous owner) on both masts:

holes drilled in mast at intervals, and expanding builders PU foam squirted in. Be careful not to overfill. Sticks like bugger.

I've got a lot of it in mys masts - should help with my righting moment!

It was a great challenge to re-wire the mast after that, but I managed it - that's another story.

<hr width=100% size=1>Rgds
Phil

 

[LadyInBed]

Saw a tip somewhere - probably PBO, to put 3 tiewraps with tails pointing out at 120 degrees on cables every 1 - 2 mtrs to stop them clanking.
I wouldn't recomend expanding foam if you ever want to get a cable out or put another in.

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[DickB]

Thanks for the advice folks... I will probably just leave alone, but it is not an elegany solution having this cable dangling around inside the mast... All the other cables go down a specialtrack which you cannot get to (factory fitted I guess). Typical eh!!!

<hr width=100% size=1>Dick

 

[JamesS]

I'm about to do the same myself (see my post). One sensible precaution is to ensure that where the cable enters the mast, it is well protected with tape or grommet so that it can easily take the weight of the cable and avoid chaff.

Cheers

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