Sitka Spruce Mast, how to add antenna and masthead light?

[joshs]

Do I run it up the outside or try to bring it into the interior near the bottom and back out near the top? What are the pros and cons of each method? Also, does anyone know of a good antenna and good light to select? I'm a novice at electronics.
Thank you in advance,

Josh

[Sailor]

Re: Sitka Spruce Mast, how to add antenna and masthead light?

Is the mast already built? How big is the mast? Deck stepped or keel stepped? Does this mast get set up each time you use the boat or does it stay up all the time. Pictures are good to help us help you if the mast is already built. If not, what design is she? Maybe someone here has experience with that design.
Sorry for answering your question with more questions but we'll need to know more to best be able to help you.
Welcome Aboard.

[wizbang 13]

Re: Sitka Spruce Mast, how to add antenna and masthead light?

Probably outside if the mast has been built .
Over time, boats tend to have a BUNDLE of wires going aloft. Have no fear, they soon disappear into the rigging.
Just stuff to chew on.....
.... LED bulbs can re place most conventional bulbs now, for sailing.LOw energy draw.
....Steaming (motoring) and sailing use different set of lights.

[Dan McCosh]

Re: Sitka Spruce Mast, how to add antenna and masthead light?

Running wires on the outside of a wood mast is a pain, since it makes it more difficult to maintain the mast finish, and you end up with numerous fastening holes. The problem is feeding wires inside the spar. This usually is difficult, if not impossible, depending on how the interior is blocked, and your access to running the wires. We moved the wiring to the inside during a major rebuild of the spar, but I would have been difficult, if not impossible, to simply feed the wires down the spar otherwise.

[David G]

Re: Sitka Spruce Mast, how to add antenna and masthead light?

Agree with wiz. If we're building a new mast, we'll ask the owner if what wants internal & what external. Construction varies depending upon the answer. So if it's an existing spar... go outside. Unless you're willing to involve a knowledgable spar guy... and open a Pandora's box of unknowns.

But - above all. BED your fasteners. All fasteners. Now and forever. Do it really well. Check on it regularly. Sitka spruce is not very rot-resistant. And most of the spar repair work I do stems from bad/no fastener bedding.

[Bflat]

Re: Sitka Spruce Mast, how to add antenna and masthead light?

Agree with wiz. If we're building a new mast, we'll ask the owner if what wants internal & what external. Construction varies depending upon the answer. So if it's an existing spar... go outside. Unless you're willing to involve a knowledgable spar guy... and open a Pandora's box of unknowns.

But - above all. BED your fasteners. All fasteners. Now and forever. Do it really well. Check on it regularly. Sitka spruce is not very rot-resistant. And most of the spar repair work I do stems from bad/no fastener bedding.

What's a good way to bed fasteners in wooden spars? Is "fill and drill" with epoxy a good start?

[David G]

Re: Sitka Spruce Mast, how to add antenna and masthead light?

What's a good way to bed fasteners in wooden spars? Is "fill and drill" with epoxy a good start?

That would be the best of various choices. I'd still put goo under the hardware. Belt & suspenders for inaccessible locations. Dophinite/Boatyard Bedding Compound is one way. Butyl tape is another.

[Jay Greer]

Re: Sitka Spruce Mast, how to add antenna and masthead light?

Where epoxy will work for bedding fasteners, I prefer old fashiioned bee's wax for several reasons. Aside from being cheaper than using epoxy, if you have to remove them in the future, they will be easier to remove and, they are easy to install as the wax is a natural lubricant and a sealer of the wood fibers. In addition, it is also anti-fungal thereby, preventing rot from getting even a hint of a foot hold. By the same token, I still prefer Dolfinite for bedding fittings the fasteners hold down. I try to avoid putting things together so tight that they can't be removed or taken apart if ever the occasion arises to call for a repair job.

When I get a new box of fasteners, I stoke up my favorite music and the shop stove or hot plate and melt a chunk bee's wax in a tuna can. Then I spend a few quiet minutes dipping the tips of the screws in the wax which, insures I will have them ready for the next job ahead. Kind of Zen you know.
Jay

[wizbang 13]

Re: Sitka Spruce Mast, how to add antenna and masthead light?

I'm saying send the bundle up a shroud, not "screw up" the spar.
Good tape lasts for years. A second "worming " of tape lasts years again.

[David G]

Re: Sitka Spruce Mast, how to add antenna and masthead light?

Jay,

It sounds like you two are talking different techniques. It appears you are talking about lubing your screws with epoxy? He, I think, is talking about casting a larger annulus of epoxy in the area where the fasteners will go, letting it cure, then screwing and bedding in normal fashion.

[Bflat]

Re: Sitka Spruce Mast, how to add antenna and masthead light?

Jay,

It sounds like you two are talking different techniques. It appears you are talking about lubing your screws with epoxy? He, I think, is talking about casting a larger annulus of epoxy in the area where the fasteners will go, letting it cure, then screwing and bedding in normal fashion.

Yup, that's what I meant.

[Bob Cleek]

Re: Sitka Spruce Mast, how to add antenna and masthead light?

I'm with Wiz on this one. If you can't "go up the middle," make an "end run." Running wire up the spar requires a lot of screwing and causes more damage to the spar that you'd really want. Running up a shroud is much better all the way around and easily maintained and modified. Put a waterproof deck plug at the bottom end, so you can easily unplug it when you pull the stick.

[Jay Greer]

Re: Sitka Spruce Mast, how to add antenna and masthead light?

Jay,

It sounds like you two are talking different techniques. It appears you are talking about lubing your screws with epoxy? He, I think, is talking about casting a larger annulus of epoxy in the area where the fasteners will go, letting it cure, then screwing and bedding in normal fashion.

No, I am talking about bee's wax and not epoxy.
Jay

[lupussonic]

Re: Sitka Spruce Mast, how to add antenna and masthead light?

Mines a lugger, so outside the mast would get chewed by the traveller, and no permanent shrouds to tape to. I routered a channel up it, T shaped, and bedded the cable in, and capped it off.

[Dave Hadfield]

Re: Sitka Spruce Mast, how to add antenna and masthead light?

I went up the outside of the Sitka spruce mast on Drake when rewired.

I made the cable-clamps out of copper water pipe. I cut off about 1/2", smoothed the inside edges of the resulting ring with a stone mounted in a drill, pounded it flat with a 3/8 bolt trapped inside, drilled a screw hole, then ground the end off so you can open it up. They look good against the wood, and the copper discourages rot.

Dave