Running wiring in mast

[ntnbetr]

Can anyone with experience in running mast wiring give suggestions on the best way to run RADAR and instrument wire in a C30's mast to the cockpit?
Especially on keeping the wire from slapping on the inside of mast.
Thanks

[AdamLein]

A suggestion I was given when my mast was last unstepped was to put some bits of foam on the wire and push them up into the mast. Infuriatingly, I forgot to do that before stepping the mast :P So now it's back to clang-clang all night.

[ntnbetr]

Thanks for the reply, to bad there wasn't some kind of foam that would fit through a 3/4 hole and expand to a couple of inches.

[xsboats]

There is, it's called Great Stuff, and comes in a spray can. You can insert a balloon into the hole and then insert the tip of the can into the open end of the can, spray, and tie it off. The balloon will contain the foam until it firms up and then can be trimmed off where the knot protrudes from the hole. Just make sure you have no internal halyards!

[ntnbetr]

Great idea, but its got internal halyards

[Faster]

Another trick I've seen is to put "zap straps" around the cable(s) every foot or so and leave the ends long.. the straps' "tails" can be forced into a relatively small hole after which they spring back to hold the cables off the mast wall.

I'd think that this could still work with internal halyards - but threading a new one might be interesting in the future....

[ntnbetr]

Great idea, thanks a lot