VHF cable routing in the masts sail track ??

[Gnasher70]

Iv'e just unstepped my mast on a Contessa 28 and noticed that the VHF cable is routed not inside the mast but in the sail track. Has some one been lazy ? I should re route this in the mast right ?

 

[Refueler]

First I would check the cable for abrasion ..... repeated sail up / down may have worn the cable outer ...

But yes - it would appear someone has been lazy !!

Would I re-route inside ? If its been there years and cable is still in good condition - then why change ? If it shows signs of wear - then it may be an idea to re-route or at least change the cable.

No doubt a perfectionist will now post !!

 

[Boathook]

I seem to remember a discussion on here that some masts are designed for a cable to go inside either side of the sail track.

 

[Martin_J]

Others will come along later with specifics for a Contessa 28 mast, although yours might not be the original..

However, as Boathook mentions, there are some Selden mast sections that take cables tucked away either side of the track..

Extract here..



And the full Running Cables document by Selden below (for mast sections pre approx. 2003)

https://support.seldenmast.com/files/1453127773/595-557-E.pdf

 

[andyc352]

My HR352 from 1987 has a Selden mast with internal channels either side of the mast track. Some years ago I fitted a new Windex and used the old Windex cable to pull the new windex cable down to the foot of the mast. Several years later I exited a marina and could only raise the mainsail 1/2 way. Turns out there is a small gap between the channels and the mast track and the thin Windex cable had managed to work its way into the sail track preventing the sail from raising. VHF cable is much thicker so shouldn’t cause a problem but thin cable requires care. When in safe harbour I solved the problem by mousing and pulling the VHF cable up to the top of the mast and taping the Windex cable to the VHF cable at regular intervals.

 

[littledancersadhu]

I have had to put the vhf cable in my mast track, spent weeks trying to fish down mast center to no avail!