Whats the best way of making through deck mast connections?

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forrestmichael

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Hi, just wondered what people would recommend for through deck-to-mast connections. I'm thinking of using a deck gland for each cable then a waterproof connection block fixed to the back of a bulkhead down below, obivously using silicone grease to seal the connections once made.

This seams more reliable than deck sockets and plugs or am i wrong?

Thanks

Mike
 
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Glands in the deck.
Try to ensure that crew working at mast cannot use the cable as a hand/foothold in rough weather!
Plugs/sockets here seem very vulnerable.
The pretty swan necks pictured would have to be quite big and they make excellent snagging points for ropes! They have there place, but its not the front half of an offshore sailing boat IMHO.
 
Deck glands from Index Marine and then a connection block inside. Index do some natty ones that fit inside a box.
 
Agree, Index Marine make a good range of deck glands.
If you have a vhf antenna cable to deal with get the type of gland that accomodates the PL259 connector. This makes it easier when you drop the mast.
 
Never had any ropes snag on my gooseneck, because I positioned it in a non snagging way, cant explain, but there is a way, look at a contest. (dutch built)
 
Yes it is possible to avoid snagging. Don't remember a swan-neck on the Contest 35 I sailed, but I do remember it taking quite a lot of water over the deck at one point. Not a criticism of the boat, it felt fine and we were dry behind the semi rigid sprayhood/windscreen.

Re Glands and PL 259 connectors:
PL259's are not generally waterproof, they are therefore unsuitable for keeping moisture out of the coax, even inside the boat. Get the VHF aerial lead terminated properly in a BNC or similar with a clamp up waterproof body. Your coax will then stay low loss for years more! BNC's also go through sensible size holes. I know you can get decent 259's but I've never seen one in a chandlery.
 
Every VHF radio on the market has an SO239 socket to take a PL259, so please don't put a BNC connector on the end of your antenna cable.
A BNC is a bayonet connector normally used where cables are frequently disconnected and reconnected - they were developed for laboratory work. They are usually the input connector on AIS engines because they are physically small enough to be accomodated on the chassis of these devices. If you have an AIS engine it is better to use an SO239BNC adaptor so that the antenna coax is terminated in a PL259, enabling it to double as a spare VHF antenna.
There are no connectors that are entirely waterproof and on external connectors you should use a silicone self fusing wrap to protect them.
The great benefit of the PL259 is it's mechanical integrity; solid as a rock, if somewhat bulky.
 
I had a deck mounted socket and plug on my boat. It was located directly behind the mast and it was so vulnerable to being hit by various ropes attached to the base of the mast. It was always being hit and therefore leaking. Even when it wasnt leaking the connector itself was constantly corroded up and needed some work with the sandpaper to get a connection.

last winter I decided to get rid of it and was pondering how to do. The swan neck looked ideal, but they were also too high for the location.

In the end I came up with a very low tech solution. Basically this kind of hose connector (but with a longer nozzle) fitted almost perfectly into the hole in the deck and was low profile enough to not get caught by the different ropes above. I only have to run the cable for the steaming light on the mast, so it is good enough.

I have sikaflexed the thing in place and sealed the end up with insulation tape. I am planning to actually replace the insulation tape with a lenth of flexible hose which will follow the steaming light cable into and up the mast.

With the kind of sailing and weather my 22ft boat encounters this is more than enough. It is high enough to ensure any water on the deck (waves, rain or me washing the deck) passes well underneath and low enough and well hidden not to get in the way. It works for me!

26_715iso.jpg
 
I have plugs and sockets (E C Smith type, big bulky things) and treat them to a dose of silicon grease every year. They give no problems. There is one connection that is taken to a connection block and it is a right pain in the 4r5e. I take the mast down every year and it takes me longer to deal with this one cable than all the rest put together.
 
Sorry, but here on the rig we call them goosenecks, we have them carrying lots of stuff, hydraulics, leccy etc. You call them whatever you wish! Bit difficult to fit LED's in a solid wooden boom! Yuck! Why is a boom connection to the mast called a gooseneck? mine doesnt resemble any birds neck.
 
Interesting reading this one been having problems myself with my through deck fitting for the vhf cable, 2 new fittings in a year.
like the idea of the gooseneck above (we call them goosenecks on this rig as well) used to fit these on ships and for yacht masts we also made the cable entry side a wee bit longer and when all the cables were fed into we squirted a small amount of expanding foam in between the cables to fill the end of the pipe, this allowed you to wash and hose the deck without any ingress of water and still pull out the cables if you needed to drop the mast quickly.

thanks for suggesting Index marine will be ordering A2 - kit 4 for my vhf cable.
 
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