[C38] Replacing mast electrical conduit

[tom yost]

Tom,
 
Wanted to thank you for your post. Intriguing idea. I was able to locate thin-wall PVC, whole house vacuum pipe, that should do the trick. I'll see if the weather ever breaks.
 
Thanks,
 
Tom Yost

--- On Sat, 3/5/11, Tom T. <tdtron at earthlink.net> wrote:


From: Tom T. <tdtron at earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [C38] Replacing mast electrical conduit
To: "mayoryost at yahoo.com, Catalina 38 Listserve" <listserve at catalina38.org>
Date: Saturday, March 5, 2011, 10:25 AM




For anyone replacing the conduit in the mast, I replaced the conduit on our 27' Catalina in a way that I feel is possibly the best solution for a permanent conduit.
 
The key to my method starts with using T's instead connectors for the new 3/4" PVC.
 
Take standard 3/4" PVC "T" connectors and mount a finishing washer and nut and #10 stainless bolts in the side leg of the T.   The washer should be a finishing washer that makes a snug fit into the T which will hold the bolt with the threads pointing out.  The area around the bolt and washer is then potted with two part epoxy making the bolt secure.  Protect the threads with masking tape during this step.
 
Make enough of these T fittings to allow one at each end of the mast and one about every 4' in between.
 
Now cut up lengths of 3/4" PVC pipe in whatever length you want.  I used 4' but anything from 3' to 5' should work fine.
 
Assemble the conduit pieces and T's with glue making sure all of the "T's are parallel to each other.  Put a standard, non-modified T where you want the outlet to be at the spreaders for the bow light and spreader light, etc.
 
With the mast laying on its back on saw horses, lay this new PVC conduit on the mast.  Drill one hole for the first T where you intend for it to be in the mast and let bolt of that T fall into the drill hole.
 
Carefully go along the mast and mark where each bolt from each T touches the mast. 
 
After all of the holes are drilled in the mast, allow the conduit bolts to sit in the new holes to check for perfect fit.  If any holes are  misaligned vertically, as in deck to masthead, use a jewelers file to walk the hole in the proper direction to allow a perfect fit.  Don't worry about lateral precision because the PVC flex will allow those bolts to fit, only the vertical alignment is important for a perfect fit.
 
Now rotate the mast so the forward side of the mast is now in the down direction on your saw horses.  Push the new conduit inside the mast and allow the bolts to drop through the new holes in the mast.  Use a piece of 1/2" PVC to move the new conduit back and forth if needed to allow the bolt heads to drop into the holes.
 
Once you have all the bolt heads through the holes, cap them off with lock washers and cap nuts.
 
By using PVC T's, the new conduit will be about 3/8" away from the front of the mast which prevents any contact of the conduit with the mast making a very quiet and strong assembly.
 
I had already made up some T's to do my 38 but ended up selling the before I could rebuild the conduit but I still have the Catalina 27 we did this procedure on.
 
The real trick is making up the T's which are the backbone of the procedure.  I still have some that are finished if anyone wants photos.
 
If you do install a PVC in this manner, you will never have any internal conduit problems again.
 
If anyone wants more detail, give me a note.  I know this may sound confusing without pictures but it isn't much harder using this method than the crude manner the boat builders use which eventually fail. 
 
Tom Troncalli
Recovering Ex-Catalina 38 owner.
Hull 95
 

 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: tom yost 
To: listserve at catalina38.org
Sent: 3/4/2011 6:46:56 PM 
Subject: [C38] Replacing mast electrical conduit






Hi all,
 
I need a little help. I'm about to start replacing my broken conduit in my mast and have read the how to on our site. My problem is I can't find thin-wall pvc conduit. I can find sch. 40 but no sch 20 which I think the thin wall is. The 40 is way to thick(heavy) to use in a mast. Those that have done this where did you get your conduit?
 
Thanks,
 
Tom

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