Today did not go so well. I am in process of installing our radar/chartplotter. We had left a string inside the mizzen mast knowing that this was coming someday. I needed to tie the radar cable to it and pull it up the mast. Looking for the string, I could not find it. I thought I remembered tieing it to something under the beam that supports the mast step. I could see the other end of the string tied off to the radar scanner bracket just above the spreaders... Determined to get the cable in there, I ended up lifting the mizzen mast off the step. Maybe the string is laying on top of the step? I used the main halyard through a fitting on the end of main boom. I made 2 wraps around the mizzen under the halyard cleats. I used the mizzen and mizzen staysail halyards for temporary shrouds. The dynamics of the lift indicated that the due to the weight of the boom and sail, the mast would want to go over backwards. The triadic stay would take care of that. The base of the mast would try to kick forward. That needed to be controlled and also keep the mast centered. I used a piece of 3/8"line around the mizzen at the height of the cockpit seats. The line was doubled and the two ends led back through the spinnaker cheek blocks backwards and forward to the primary winches. I lifted it about 1/2", checked things over and slacked the temp shrouds and running backs. Lift another 1/2", slack things again. Over 2 hours, I got the mizzen up about 6", then used the primaries to pull the mast back enough to clear the step. I found my string. The radar cable would not go through the hole with the ground cable. I ended up removing the ground so that I could ream the hole with a 3/4" spade bit. It looked like we were good to go. Reconnect the ground cable, start the radar cable in the hole and reset the mast. We got the mast back on the step without incident. I put an extension ladder up between the fork on the main backstay and tied it off. I went up and was ready to pull the cable up while my father in law fed it in. That's when I found the string parted. We must have pinched it when we reset the mast. So- I tried dropping a new string down from the scanner. We would then lift the mast again to get it through the hole in the step. The string drops to about the level of the boom and hits metal. I played with it for a good while, then finally gave up. Reconnect the shrouds, close up the boat and leave it. A lot of trouble to be back at square one.
So- the only solution I see is to drop the mizzen mast and find out what it will take to get a new string in there. The other one went in easily, but the mast was on the ground. I'll pull it with the main halyard, walk the base forward and start slacking the halyard. It should end up on sawhorses on the dock, maybe.
Ray,
Before you drop the mizzen, try an electrician's fish. They are an amazing device that should solve your problem. Their stiffness allows you to twist them and "redirect" the end to get around obstacles. Any big box store should have one, or with your connections somebody you know must have one.
You may want to think about installing an connection plug on that radar cable. This gives you several improvements. First, you can seal the cable in the hole in the mast base. Second you can disconnect the plug if you need to remove the mizzen.
Dale
We have a mast that has conduit in it and is foamed at least at both ends. This mast has conduit in it, so I suspect I just found the one with the foam. It is 3/4" conduit, so I don't know if the radar cable and wind generator wiring will both fit in it. It may have to come out. I should be able to build a hole saw out of a joint of 1 1/2" PVC and cut it out of there. It doesn't take much to cut foam, although it will be an interesting looking operation if it comes down to that. It will look like I am screwing a joint of PVC into our mast with a cordless drill. The powerboaters in our marina will have a ball with that one...
I'll look at it some more next week and come up with some sort of a scheme. If it is not foamed, a fish tape ought to work.
Another thought since you have gravity working for you is a fishing line with some split shot fishing weight on the end....
JT
We did finally get it in there without dropping the mast, although I may have to before it is over with. Mast up a foot and pulled back about 6", pulled the mast step and cut the hole in it with a 1 5/8" hole saw. Put a stub of 1 1/4" conduit in the mast step coated with epoxy to seal it at the step. Drilled out the hole through the beam with a 1 1/2" spade bit. Hit some nails or screws on the way. Pull the mangled bit out, file, and go again. I had to use a 12" extension on the bit. Finally got through the beam. Throw the bit and extension in the garbage can- both are now junk. Coated the inside of the hole with epoxy in case the conduit/mast step joint leaks. Put the mast back on the step. Up the mast with a fish tape. The tape would not go down the mast. Finally cut a hole in the conduit inside the mast. Got the fish tape down to the step, couldn't hit the 1 1/4 conduit. Lift the mast again to guide the tape through. Put the mast back on the step and pull the cable up. Got the scanner wired- radar works, chart card is from 2001. Got a new one on the way. The next problem will be when we get our wind generator. The wiring for it will not go through the 3/4" conduit with the radar cable. We will worry about that when we get the wind generator.
Hey Ray,
Are you going to join the 365 fleet for the Harvest Moon this year? We had three of us on the line last year!!!
Haven't put the application in yet, but I am defintely doing it.
Maybe next year- We still have too much to do. We are going to be off that week, so we may see some of you on the return trip to Galveston Bay. We will probably be anchored down at Matagorda Island watching the parade of boats go by in the ICW.