Funduit (large pics)

[merttan]

Beej you are genius!!!

[halekai36]

Stainless mast step and aluminum mast spells future mast base issues? I see what looks like lots of pitting in that photo.. Why did you choose stainless as a mast mast base? Most all spar manufacturers supply aluminum mast steps and not stainless to avoid corrosion issues....

I'm curious to know how you solved the dissimilar metal corrosion issue for the base of your mast with 316 stainless..??

[beej67]

Previous step was 309 steel, so we didn't think much about it, honestly. It only corroded when the bonding wire broke. We've got it bonded with a new, thicker bonding wire strait to the engine block now, and the new one's 316 instead of 309 .. but maybe that's not enough? Should I maybe try to squeeze a rubber pad between them, and bond the mast separately from the step?

Open to ideas. I'm a civil engineer, we don't believe in electricity.

[thekeip]

Well, the problem is that eventually you'll need to add to, subtract from, or otherwise change the wiring, or add halyards or whatever, and when you do, please don't come to my yard to do it. It is a major, major job to get that crap out of the mast after about 5 years or so, and easily adds two to three hours..
When you begin to pull that tube out it gets hung up on any number of little things that stick into the mast and begins to coil up in a spiral fashion and is the very devil to remove. I know, done it.
Howard Keiper
Sea Quest
Berkeley

[merttan]

How many times you guys change the wiring? I mean, I'm only adding coax cable for vhf after 30+ years of wiring to the original wires in the mast of my small sailboat....And, the original wires seem to be in great condition...
What if, by the way, I cover the pvc pipe with the fun noodle ? Instead of bolting the pvc to the mast, what if I just glue the fun noodles on to the pvc pipe then insert them in the mast? Those it make any improvements to your idea?

[merttan]

Here is a quick drawing I made to give the idea about pvs pipe in the fun noodle...

[beej67]

Originally Posted by thekeip

Well, the problem is that eventually you'll need to add to, subtract from, or otherwise change the wiring, or add halyards or whatever, and when you do, please don't come to my yard to do it.

That's how regular pipe insulation ends up, most definitely. But the Fun Noodle stuff is stiff, and you can run new wiring through it just like you would with a conduit, because it's semi rigid and has space for it. We left several strings for just such an eventuality, so we won't have to pull it out at all, no matter what we plan on running to the masthead.

What if, by the way, I cover the pvc pipe with the fun noodle ? Instead of bolting the pvc to the mast, what if I just glue the fun noodles on to the pvc pipe then insert them in the mast? Those it make any improvements to your idea?

For that application, you'd want to cut a slit down the side of the noodle and slide it over your pvc like a regular piece of foam insulation, then secure it with tape or whatever. Personally, I don't see the need for the added hassle / expense of using pipe at all. My concern would be that if it's rigid, that it will tip back and forth inside the mast. With the nonrigid version, it just sorta slumps a bit and takes up space, with no real motion to speak of.

I understand where you're going with your detail, but I'm not sure I like the dimensions. I wouldn't use it on a mast that small, because sliding it into your mast would hang on any errant screw through the mast, or backing plates for your spreaders, or whatever else might be in there. You want some gap to get around that stuff.