Wood mast - cable running

A

airborne1

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 Sep 2006
Messages
122
Location
Scotland, River Clyde
Visit site
Hi all, I am about to start running cables down my wooden mast. Mast head lights, wind speed & direction, VHF and deck light.
Does anyone have any ideas on method of securing them to the mast that doesn't look too out of place. I have looked through various catalogues but they are all the wrong colour and "clash" with the nicely revarnished dark brown wood.
This isn't a fashion statement thing, just that I would prefer to retain the classic boat look as far as I can.
 
If it's a hollow mast? Why aren't you running them down the inside?
 
I might get pasted for this, but I had the same problem regarding aesthetics.

I used copper saddles to clip-up domestic cabling in a golden colour. The gold cable is the sort that goes onto antique lamps etc. and available at any good DIY shop or specialist electrician. I tinned the end of my cables myself. The VHF cable is white, but I sprayed painted that gold and it seems to work. I also tucked it behind the raised sail track so you can hardly see it now.

If using copper saddles you really should use Si/bronze screws, but I was naughty and used brass on the basis that someday I will replace the brass screws for bronze before they corrode and when I have some spare cash!
 
Harumph!!!.....Consider yourself Pasted! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Sorry all, forgot to mention that its a solid wood mast and dark brown wood.
Roach, nice touch witgh the gold coloured cable but don't think that would suit my tastes. Sounds Guzzi tho lol
 
It's not quite as bad as you might imagine.

The gold cable is not BLING gold, but a sort of understated varnish look. For the spray paint I used the Non-metalic colour which is more a sort of tarnished brass colour - from plasticoat. Either way, you can hardly see the cabling now.
 
Well, this is certainly the wrong answer, but having a gaffer with a solid mast I clip mine up the shrouds (could not go on mast as gaff saddle would soon make a mess of things!)

If doing this - don't use deck plugs, use in line waterproof plugs on the shrouds about three feet off the deck. They lead a much more "sheltered life" there!
 
I was waiting for that! (proper pasting Smiffy!) - although not sure which bit is wrong - cabling type, attachment type or the spray paint!

Anyway, for what its worth, I don't use deck plugs either - I have an inverted U-pipe by the base of the mast and the cables with connectors pass through this one at a time to be connected (with drip loops) into their respective sockets held within a box attached to the deck-head. Hopefully that has mitigated a bit of my "wrongness"!
 
None of it is "wrong"......sound like you have a good installation there? I would have maybe been tempted to chase out a groove in the mast for the cables to run in, deep enough to allow a fill in piece to be glued in over the cables to put a bit of strength back? Though I will say that it works better with a hefty mast, than with a skinny one!
 
On my little gaffer the cables are in a rebate in the front of the mast with a piece of wood glued in place on top of them.
When I first got the boat the tricolour light and steaming light cables were fitted like this while the VHF cable had been added to a shallow groove on the surface. The lights didn't work and the aerial cable was worn in places so I replaced them all. I was able to pull out the old fillets over the cables which allowed me to run a router up the existing rebate. I had to do this by hand as the original slot was not perectly straight. The rebate had to be a lot deeper than before to allow room for the cables. I used the expensive tinned cable on the basis that I really don't want to do the job twice. I tacked this in place with a glue gun and then poxied in some douglas fir which I had carefully shaped and scarfed beforehand. When it was all faired off afterwards it looked fine. A couple of seasons down the line and the new wood has mostly mellowed to the same colour as the rest of the mast. I think it is an excellent solution but would never have had the nerve to do it if somebody had not been there before me. The engineers on the panel might like to say what they think of the method but it has been there a while with no problem (so far!). Somewhere I must have some photos if they would be of interest.
 
Ours are run up the shrouds. Why would you prefer them run up the mast? That seems to just create all sorts of problems, particularly with parrall beads and gaff jaws.
 
My solution I must admit my solution is a low-effort job. But I am a sloop, my mast is solid, and only 4" daimeter - a rebate would be too much. I would imagine a Luke 5 tonner to have more like a 6" diameter where a rebate would be more acceptable but much more work, that would be very easy to avoid with the shroud option.
 
Just stripped out the wiring on my mast - it has a "groove" cut in to the side of the mast that faces the sail and the cables were in that and painted/ varnished over - i didnt even notice the slot at first - it looks like it could be done easily with a hand held router
 
I know it is not a cost effective solution to kit you probably have but you could cut down on the amount of cabling by using Tactic wirless wind instruments!
 
How much work are you up for?
You could always use a router to make a channel in the front of the mast to hold the wire, <u>being careful to follow the grain of the wood</u> and then cover this channel witha spline of similar wood epoxied in on top. The wires would then come out where you want them either above or below deck. Big job but very satisfying.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top