Running cables down an unstepped mast

cliveshelton

cliveshelton

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Selkie's mast is unstepped. I need to run an aerial cable from top to bottom while it is horizontal. 17m (from memory).
I have some of those thin connectible plastic rod thingies for electricians (10m) and some flexible plastic cable puller (20m) which I have used to thread through trunking with success but it's not rigid enough for the internal volume of the mast.
There is enough length of puller for the whole length of the mast.
However, I am struggling to think of way of using them to pull a cable the entire length of the mast. I also have plenty of mousing string which might be strong enough if I can get it from one end to the other.
Without the help of gravity, how might I pull the new cable (or mousing string) through using whats available? I can't wait until the mast is stepped (I don't do mast climbing!).
Any thoughts?
Virtual beer tokens for the successful answer.
 
a) If you left the halyards in the mast use one of them to draw a mouse cord up the mast then faff about at the"top" end with a hooked end on some of your electricians rods to get it through where you want it.
b) borrow a X-Bow and shoot a bolt down inside the mast with a piece of string attached.
c) use a catapult to shoot a "dart" down the length of the mast (similar idea to b) above but less conspicuous and therefore likely to cause some snowflake calling the local rozzers)
 
cliveshelton said:
Selkie's mast is unstepped. I need to run an aerial cable from top to bottom while it is horizontal. 17m (from memory).
I have some of those thin connectible plastic rod thingies for electricians (10m) and some flexible plastic cable puller (20m) which I have used to thread through trunking with success but it's not rigid enough for the internal volume of the mast.
There is enough length of puller for the whole length of the mast.
However, I am struggling to think of way of using them to pull a cable the entire length of the mast. I also have plenty of mousing string which might be strong enough if I can get it from one end to the other.
Without the help of gravity, how might I pull the new cable (or mousing string) through using whats available? I can't wait until the mast is stepped (I don't do mast climbing!).
Any thoughts?
Virtual beer tokens for the successful answer.
Click to expand...

When I fitted my halyards did that several years ago with my 15 metre mast horizontal I used several lengths of 20mm plastic conduit glued together with conduit couplings.

I took the base of the mast of to gain access

For my electrical cables I fitted plastic conduit inside the mast then used a normal fish tape.
 
I prefer to run a mouse cord using the existing halyard as suppose to inserting rods so that I am sure that the new halyard isn't tangled up inside the mast and runs freely where the old one run before.
 
Get some narrow bore pvc pipe, say 5-6mm ID 8-9mm OD. Insert into your halyard duct.Push your fish wire through it, then pull a mouse line, then something thicker after removing the pipe. Or you blow compressed air down the thin pipe to drag a thread down it, then pull a mouse line and so on. You may find the compressed air trick will work anyway without the thin pipe. It’s worth a go. You will need a powerful compressor with tank. A scuba tank might work ok instead.
 
cliveshelton,

I take it the boat is ashore ?

Whenever I do this sort of thing I do the following.

Tip the mast up at an angle, say head on the boat and foot on the ground.

Get a reel of whipping twine and tie say 6 x 6mm nuts in a row on the end.

Insert into aerial hole and jiggle mast, feeding the twine down.

Use a bent bit of wire to recover the twine and nuts at the lower end; worst case you may have to unscrew an exit sheave or the foot but I've never had to yet.

Now you have a mouse line for your aerial.

Have Fun !
 
cliveshelton said:
Selkie's mast is unstepped. I need to run an aerial cable from top to bottom while it is horizontal. 17m (from memory).
I have some of those thin connectible plastic rod thingies for electricians (10m) and some flexible plastic cable puller (20m) which I have used to thread through trunking with success but it's not rigid enough for the internal volume of the mast.
There is enough length of puller for the whole length of the mast.
However, I am struggling to think of way of using them to pull a cable the entire length of the mast. I also have plenty of mousing string which might be strong enough if I can get it from one end to the other.
Without the help of gravity, how might I pull the new cable (or mousing string) through using whats available? I can't wait until the mast is stepped (I don't do mast climbing!).
Any thoughts?
Virtual beer tokens for the successful answer.
Click to expand...

Throw it!
use the 10m rod thingies, slide all but 8ft into the mast then make like a javelin (er, ist, ... whadya call someone that does javelin?)

oops, first tie sommat to the back of it and use talk (bleagh) or washing up liquid to help it on its way
 
Get your flexible cable puller & tape some thine wire to the end to form a couple of loops. For the wire you might strip some electric house hold twin & earth cable. using the plastic cable rods push this 10 m up the inside of the mast & then withdraw the rods leaving the flexble cable in place.

Go to the other end & attach a hook to the rods. The rods are supplied with screw on hooks. If you have lost yours prefabricate something with a bit of wire coat hanger well taped on firmly so you do not loose it up the mast.

Now push the rods down the mast & hopefully if you keep rotating it (in the direction that tightens the screwed threads ) you should catch the end of the flexible cable puller that you pushed up the other end.

Pull it through & attach a mousing line that is TWICE the length of your mast.Drag this down so you now have a proper line. Back at the top attach your new cable to the MIDDLE of the mouse line & pull the cable through.

This will now give you your wire through the mast PLUS it will leave a mousing line up the mast so you do not have to go through the same rigmarole next time. Remember to tie off the ends of the mouse line so it does not disappear up the mast. Then cut off the spare & send me a pint of beer for being the one who gave you the only sensible solution.

if you do not know how to attach the wire to the mouse line, buy the next couple of issues of PBO & you will see ( hopefully the editor has published it in one of them) my notes on how to do it.
 
I had the same problem a couple of years ago. The nylon electricians runner I had wouldn’t go through. I had some 5mm SS rigging wire that pushed though without a problem. You’d probably get away with 3mm I suspect. Not an overly expensive option.
 
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If the mast is horizontal there is nothing you can do! Unless you get a tiny tank/ robot who can pool it through the mast! I deal with similar issues now! Nothing you can do( only use metal weight flexible enough to slide through blocks.) Best option do it while mast is up!
 
I take it the mast is aluminium. If so you may be able to pull a large mild steel nut attached to a mousing line through the mast by using a strion magnet on the outside to pull the steel mut on the inside of the mast.
 
Graham376 said:
Piece of 8 or 10mm rigging wire out of the skip with mouse string or cable attached will push along a horizontal mast OK but mast may have to be rolled a time or two to get it past any obstructions.
Click to expand...

+1. That's what I did when in the same situation. Worked a treat.
 
I used some quite thick (about 4mm) galvanised fencing wire. It took a bit of fiddling to get it to come out at the "bottom" end. I then filed the end to shape which allowed me to secure a line and pull it to the "top", this was then used to pull the aerial wire through from the "top" end. You will need to rotate the reel of wire to get it to unwind without twisting up.
 
Halo said:
I used some quite thick (about 4mm) galvanised fencing wire. It took a bit of fiddling to get it to come out at the "bottom" end. I then filed the end to shape which allowed me to secure a line and pull it to the "top", this was then used to pull the aerial wire through from the "top" end. You will need to rotate the reel of wire to get it to unwind without twisting up.
Click to expand...

Stick one end on a nail on a fence. The other end in an electric drill & spin it for a few seconds. This straightens out the coils
 
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