wires going up the mast - where do they go in?

[jarcher]

I took a pic and I'll be posting it, but in a nutshell there are 4 wires (3 DC and 1 antenna) going up my mast. The wires come out through a sleeve in the deck right forward of the mast step, then into a hole in the front of the mast.

Of course it's all open, so I expect rain and, on a heavy day, seawater goes right down that sleeve. Is it normal for wires to enter the mast this way? Why not just bring them into the mast from underneath the mast step?

[philsboat]

The wires should exit the mast through a watertight strain relief fitting and enter the deck through a similar fitting to keep the water out.Most marine suppliers will have them.
Phil

[tommays]

It sound like you mast is deck steped or does it go through and step on the keel


If it is deck steped than the wires would come out above deck

[jarcher]

Originally Posted by tommays

It sound like you mast is deck steped or does it go through and step on the keel


If it is deck steped than the wires would come out above deck

It is stepped ont he deck and does not go down the the keel.

[pegasus1457]

Originally Posted by jarcher

Is it normal for wires to enter the mast this way? Why not just bring them into the mast from underneath the mast step?

I think it is not done that way because it gets really difficult to get the wires
connected up to the mast step while you have it suspended from a crane

Besides, there is water that gets down the mast from rain. You would still have to have a waterproofed entry for the wires at the mast step.