[C320-list] Mast deck wiring entry panel

[Marko Jamnik]

After years of mast stepping and unstepping I think its time to create an entry point at the base of the deck stepped mast. I’m always rushed to disconnect or connect the wiring at launch & haul out. The crane holds the mast as I make the quick connection. In leu of safety and making sure the connection is proper, I plan to cutout a 3” hole at least 3” above the base of the mast. I don’t think I’d be compromising the mast but if anyone has a better suggestion, I’m all ears.

Marko Jamnik
Marquesas 304
Lake Ontario

[Chris Burti]

It has been done and I’m reasonably certain that there is a discussion of it in the archives.

Thanks,
Chris Burti
Commitment #867
Farmville, NC

[Jack Brennan]

Hi Marko:

I just had the anchor light replaced on my 320. I had been paranoid that it was a bad connection between the mast plug and the deck plug and that I would be faced with the same problem you have. (In Florida, we don’t haul out except for bottom jobs, and it is very, very expensive to unstep the mast.)

Anyhow, it turned out it was just the fixture, and all is well. But the guy I hired to climb the mast said there was a fitting you can buy that allows you cut an access hole without weakening the mast. I assume this is not a big secret and that you could find it through some knowledgeable source or maybe even Catalina.

A funny story. There is a Catalina 28 down the dock from me, and he worked on it to fix an anchor light problem. He drilled a hole in the mast to install the fitting, and water shot out several feet. It turned out there was about three feet of water in the bottom of the mast.

Jack Brennan
Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
Tierra Verde, Fl.

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Marko Jamnik
Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2021 7:38 PM
To: C320...@catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] Mast deck wiring entry panel

[Dave Hupe]

Marko please let us know how you specifically accomplish making the hole and what you use for the wire connectors.
Dave Hupe
1994 C320 (#32)
Holland  MI

[Stephen Cox]

>
> After years of mast stepping and unstepping I think its time
> to create an entry point at the base of the deck stepped
> mast. I'm always rushed to disconnect or connect the wiring
> at launch & haul out. The crane holds the mast as I make the

> quick connection. In lieu of safety and making sure the

> connection is proper, I plan to cutout a 3" hole at least 3"
> above the base of the mast. I don't think I'd be compromising
> the mast but if anyone has a better suggestion, I'm all ears.
>

The Selden masts fitted on the C320 MK II came with a cutout and cover, although it is only about 1 inch or so wide. See
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12bWj85TA-gmELvDPZxxo81j77qDO02FF/view?usp=sharing to get the idea.

Regards,

Stephen Cox
Tegwen #1141