Running electric cable up mast
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 9:23 amI've searched the forum but don't see much on this.
I need to power a nav light at the masthead. I think I'm going to run an NMEA 2000 drop cable in case I eventually add a wind sensor at some point. Besides, the cables are premade and have watertight connectors; just seems like an easy solution. Now, I guess I could use a battery powered light and, eventually a wireless wind sensor, but I want to explore the cable option.
Anyway. I need to route the cable, and no, I did not plan ahead and run it up the inside of the mast. Looking around online, I've seen a couple of ideas. One is to route a groove up the mast, install the cable, then cover it. I don't like that as I think it would compromise the mast structure. Another is to run it up a shroud. This seems ok, but I think it would be unsightly and I can't think of a good way to attach the cable to the shrouds other than tape. Also running the cable from the chainplate over to the fore-deck looks a bit tricky. (I want to run the cable there as I will have solar cables going through the deck as well). The third way would be to just run it up the outside of mast, if I can find a route that avoids all the lines. I'm also not sure what the best, least obvious, attachment method would be.
I image others here have solved this problem, so what worked?
I need to power a nav light at the masthead. I think I'm going to run an NMEA 2000 drop cable in case I eventually add a wind sensor at some point. Besides, the cables are premade and have watertight connectors; just seems like an easy solution. Now, I guess I could use a battery powered light and, eventually a wireless wind sensor, but I want to explore the cable option.
Anyway. I need to route the cable, and no, I did not plan ahead and run it up the inside of the mast. Looking around online, I've seen a couple of ideas. One is to route a groove up the mast, install the cable, then cover it. I don't like that as I think it would compromise the mast structure. Another is to run it up a shroud. This seems ok, but I think it would be unsightly and I can't think of a good way to attach the cable to the shrouds other than tape. Also running the cable from the chainplate over to the fore-deck looks a bit tricky. (I want to run the cable there as I will have solar cables going through the deck as well). The third way would be to just run it up the outside of mast, if I can find a route that avoids all the lines. I'm also not sure what the best, least obvious, attachment method would be.
I image others here have solved this problem, so what worked?