PDQ OWNERS FORUM

Hello All,
I'm just wondering if anyone has replaced any wiring to the masthead with the mast up, and if there were any difficulties encountered getting the new wiring through? I may need to replace my coax, and just had the mast down so would have to do it with the mast up.
John

I have run wire down the mast twice. Actually the riggers did it while I helped. The first time was for the installation of a B&G wind vane at the masthead and running a N2K backbone cable down the mast (with the connector removed). The N2K cable is about the size of a coax cable. We attached the cable to a messenger at the top of the mast and the rigger fed the cable while I pulled the other end from the bottom of the mast extension in the salon. I was able to pull through most of the cable before it got stuck. We figured that there was a restriction near the point where the mast attaches to the deck. We eventually got it through, but it took several tries, lubricating and re-feeding the line.

The second time was about a year later when I installed radar at the spreaders. There is a deck light at that point and the rigger used the wire for the deck light as a messenger to pull the radar cable, also about the size of coax, connector removed. Same problem. it got stuck, seemingly at the same place, but we persevered and eventually got it through.

So, expect to have some difficulty, but I would advise using plenty of lubrication and make your splice as skinny as possible. Have patience and keep at it, you should eventually get it through.

Good luck!