Hi all,

I am about to get organised for haul out / antifoul etc. The yacht is on Lake Mac and I'm probably going to take it over to Marmong Point. This time around I am looking at just getting the work done rather than doing it myself. I have used the shipwright at Marmong before and was happy with them so that bit is covered.

One of the other tasks on the list is to pull the mast out and have it rewired and replace the lights as all the electricals have reached the end of their life. So I'm looking for recommendations from people for a marine electrical person that could do this job? If you have had a positive experience with anybody in the area yourself please let me know. Similarly, if you have had an experience that left you thinking you would never use them again that would be good to know also.

One other job while the mast is out is to sort out why my main halyard has seized up and won't go up or down, with or without any weight on it. My thinking at this point is that the sheave has seized up for some reason (it is probably about 30+ years old). I have been up the mast to have a look but can't make out much from that vantage point. It was a gradual thing, the halyard was becoming stiff and difficult to wind for a while then totally seized up after a period of no use. I'm curious to know if others may have any alternate ideas about what could be wrong other than the sheave? I realise the answer may not be clear until the mast is out and we can see what we are dealing with but thought somebody out there may have some suggestions of things to investigate before I get to that point so I know what I am dealing with.

thanks for your assistance

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MattM14 said..
Hi all,

I am about to get organised for haul out / antifoul etc. The yacht is on Lake Mac and I'm probably going to take it over to Marmong Point. This time around I am looking at just getting the work done rather than doing it myself. I have used the shipwright at Marmong before and was happy with them so that bit is covered.

One of the other tasks on the list is to pull the mast out and have it rewired and replace the lights as all the electricals have reached the end of their life. So I'm looking for recommendations from people for a marine electrical person that could do this job? If you have had a positive experience with anybody in the area yourself please let me know. Similarly, if you have had an experience that left you thinking you would never use them again that would be good to know also.

One other job while the mast is out is to sort out why my main halyard has seized up and won't go up or down, with or without any weight on it. My thinking at this point is that the sheave has seized up for some reason (it is probably about 30+ years old). I have been up the mast to have a look but can't make out much from that vantage point. It was a gradual thing, the halyard was becoming stiff and difficult to wind for a while then totally seized up after a period of no use. I'm curious to know if others may have any alternate ideas about what could be wrong other than the sheave? I realise the answer may not be clear until the mast is out and we can see what we are dealing with but thought somebody out there may have some suggestions of things to investigate before I get to that point so I know what I am dealing with.

thanks for your assistance

Sorry, can't help with electrical.
Did you ask Marmong who they recommend? - they have contractors who have their ticket to work there!!

Once the mast is out I'm sure the halyard problem will be easy to find & fix. The shipwright will be able to sort if you can't find the problem - nothing to worry about.

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MattM14 said..
One of the other tasks on the list is to pull the mast out and have it rewired and replace the lights as all the electricals have reached the end of their life.

If you are replacing your tri/anchor lights and dont want to mess with them for the next 20 years I highly recommend you fit a NASA Marine Supernova Combi Tri and Anchor Light.

It is a sealed LED unit that has only needs a twin flex cable. It comes with a polarity switch for the nav station. LED lights are polarity sensitive so switched one way the tri light come on, the other the anchor light comes on so therefore it is impossible to mistakenly have both of them on. Mine came with a mounting bracket as well. Price is right too.

www.ebay.com.au/itm/220948091583?hash=item33718852bf:g:RBsAAOSwcdBWRRxP&frcectupt=true

NASA have been in business for eons and have many other excellent marine products. nasamarine.com

With your mast out the logical thing to do is a rebuild of the masthead fitting with new synthetic sheaves, bolts instead of axle pins and a stainless wind bird positioned so the tri light reflects off the under side.

That NASA stuff looks good. I have had a few issues with my Aquasignal tri and masthead and will consider this one. I would also recommend replacing the halyards with spectra. I buy reels from Sydney Ropes. It helps if you can buy with a friend for a smaller boat, otherwise all your halyards are the same colour.

When replacing the mast wiring, ensure that the contractor re-uses or puts in a new PVC pipe to run the cables through. You want all electrical wires contained and the PVC pipe pop rivetted into the mast. It makes rewiring a pain but you don't get the slap, slap of the wiring at anchor.

+1 for getting all the cables in conduit and fixed to the mast......... you can never get that 'slap' out of your head - or for your on board guests

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cisco said..

MattM14 said..
One of the other tasks on the list is to pull the mast out and have it rewired and replace the lights as all the electricals have reached the end of their life.

If you are replacing your tri/anchor lights and dont want to mess with them for the next 20 years I highly recommend you fit a NASA Marine Supernova Combi Tri and Anchor Light.

It is a sealed LED unit that has only needs a twin flex cable. It comes with a polarity switch for the nav station. LED lights are polarity sensitive so switched one way the tri light come on, the other the anchor light comes on so therefore it is impossible to mistakenly have both of them on. Mine came with a mounting bracket as well. Price is right too.

www.ebay.com.au/itm/220948091583?hash=item33718852bf:g:RBsAAOSwcdBWRRxP&frcectupt=true

NASA have been in business for eons and have many other excellent marine products. nasamarine.com

With your mast out the logical thing to do is a rebuild of the masthead fitting with new synthetic sheaves, bolts instead of axle pins and a stainless wind bird positioned so the tri light reflects off the under side.

Thanks for the suggestions Cisco.

My current set up has the nav lights on the forward railing. does make them easily accessible to replace globes or deal with any other issues but i can see the benefits of having the one unit at the masthead.

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Kankama said..
That NASA stuff looks good. I have had a few issues with my Aquasignal tri and masthead and will consider this one. I would also recommend replacing the halyards with spectra. I buy reels from Sydney Ropes. It helps if you can buy with a friend for a smaller boat, otherwise all your halyards are the same colour.

When replacing the mast wiring, ensure that the contractor re-uses or puts in a new PVC pipe to run the cables through. You want all electrical wires contained and the PVC pipe pop rivetted into the mast. It makes rewiring a pain but you don't get the slap, slap of the wiring at anchor.

From my memory of the last time I had the mast out I don't recall the wiring being contained in a PVC pipe but I understand the thinking behind this. Having said that, the noise of the wires down the mast has not bothered me in the past. Maybe I just haven't spent enough nights onboard with a bit of wave action .

I have often wondered, if the PVC pipe secured down the length of the mast? If it is, how do you manage this? Strikes me as a pretty tricky procedure to manage to secure a length of (semi-flexible) PVC pipe in the middle section of a long aluminum tube whilst avoiding other halyards etc. then again, if I am getting somebody to do the work for me that will be their problem .

Rivet to the inside wall of the mast;

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Sailing/General/Re-wiring-mast?page=1

www.allyachtspars.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/B14-Electrical.pdf

theriggingco.com/2014/08/09/when-replacing-electrical-items-in-the-mast/