35-2 folks

[jkm]

I'm finally going to drop my mast and try to paint it to resemble the job that was done for Cordelia.

Where are the connectors for the wires in the mast??? What type of connectors are they? Does the collar need to be replaced? If so are replacements available?

Would it help to Liquid Wrench the mast/cabin collar??

Just want to cover all the bases because I'm sure something will go astray?

John

 

[boethius27]

I hope you get some answers to this, I'd like to know these things myself...

Sorry I'm not any help, but good luck!

 

[treilley]

Hi John. I can only tell you what is in the 35-3. Your mast wiring may have changed since new but you should be looking for a terminal strip near the port side of the mast in the headliner. There are likely spade terminals.

The mast collar should not need to be replaced if it is in good condition. No need to lube. The people unstepping the mast should be able to tell you if it is good. Rigrite.com may have some but I have heard good things about Spartite also.

 

[u079721]

A suggestion....

Just a suggestion on the mast wiring.

As treilley mentioned, the mast wires will likely exit the mast on port just under the headliner, and run over about a foot to a terminal strip. The wires to the strip from the cabin, and to the mast from the strip, should be fitted with spade terminals. But in my case some of the wires had been replaced, and were a bit different from the diagram in the manual, with the result that it was not at all clear what went where. Also in a couple of cases more than one wire goes to a particular screw.

So before you go undoing everything, make a diagram of the wires by color, so you can reattach everything the way it was, then laminate the diagram, and fasten it with a cable tie to the wiring, and stuff it up under the headliner so it is always there for reference. If you never pull your mast again this may be overkill, but since I pulled my mast every fall this diagram was a great convenience.

 

[treilley]

Good point Steve. When I got my boat, many of the wires were on the wrong terminals evidenced by the problematic anchor, steaming and deck lights. I got them sorted out and labeled each wire on both sides of the terminal block using a Ptouch labeler.

Terminals with multiple wires may be grounds.

 

[jkm]

Thanks you guys. 35-2 don't have headliners.

The connection is either at the base of the mast or behind a wood strip running parallel to the door jamb.

I THINK!!!!



John

 

[Howard Keiper]

E-35 II mast wiring runs up beside the compression post in the head, thru a hole into the inside of the bottom of the mast. Depending on who did the last wiring, the conductors including the VHF and radar cable pigtails were either pushed down thru the hole and terminated in a barrier strip in the head, or terminated with individual connectors for the lights and coax for the radio, and taped while the mast is suspended during step-unstep. Radar cabling is not an option in this instance. Regardless, the best way is to make a conduit, leave sufficient length of cable to push thru the deck and terminate inside the boat. My E-35 was originally done inside the mast and is a real pain in the ass.
Howard Keiper
Sea Quest
Berkeley

 

[jkm]

Dan and Howard

Thanks alot. That was my fear.

I really have nothing up my mast, sailing light and spar lights only.

The weather head "dissolved" years ago and I've never replaced it.

I guess I'll remove the wooden strip and cut. Might install a mast head light.

Thanks again for the feedback.

Dan you got any real estate agents down there you'd recommend?

John

 

[CaptDan]

Thanks you guys. 35-2 don't have headliners.

The connection is either at the base of the mast or behind a wood strip running parallel to the door jamb.

I THINK!!!!



John

On our '77, the wiring runs inside the mast, through grommets in the deck, and into the head. Each wire is lead to a pair of contact blocks, hidden beneath a removable mahogany covering board adjacent to the quarter round trim piece near the doorway on the aft bulkhead. That piece conceals the wiring running to the breaker panel.

When we unstepped the mast a few years ago, some of the wires didn't make it through the grommet while the yard had the mast in the slings, so I had to cut those wires. They were from a defunct windspeed instrument so it didn't really matter.

Check carefully in your head to see if your boat has the wiring block setup as well.

Capt Dan G>E35II "Kunu"

 

[gareth harris]

My original set up had a connector for all the wires running up the mast within the mast just above the deck, so that when you lifted the mast you would disconnect the wires before pulling the mast away completely.

It was a bad set up, as the fitting could not be cleaned for corrosion without lifting the mast, plus I was not very comfortable standing near a mast swinging on a crane while sticking my hands under its base. The original wiring was also not designed to last very long.

When I installed new wires, I also installed a small piece of pipe through the deck for them, within the mast base, to prevent water entering the boat, and provide a conduit with no sharp edges. I ran the wires continuously all the way to the instruments / CB panel, but had to install a junction box the next time the mast was pulled. (Despite that, the yard that pulled the mast were about to cut the wires within the mast before I stopped them.)

Gareth
Freyja E35 #241 1972

 

[jkm]

Gareth

Since our hull numbers are so close I'm going to go forward with your set up as probably what mine is

Thanks for chiming in, bottoms up.

John