How to? Wiring from mast to cabin

[Viking1]

Possibly wrong Forum, sorry if it is.
I have purchased a used Vancouver 28. All wiring from the mast including radar is fed through a single waterproof grommet into the saloon behind the headlining. Great set up for waterproofing but very hard to unstep the mast. The owners would not allow the mast to be unstepped for the survey due to the fact that an electrician was needed to decouple everything and the possibility of damage to the headlining. Canals? Foreign ports? Cost?
For me this is unacceptable as I lower my mast at the end of each season and through canals etc.
So what might be an alternative? I can fit deck mountings (I have always had this on my previous boats) but I have been advised that this is not an option for the radar. Have any readers set up a distribution box of any kind within the headlining or anything similar? Any advice as I am a little at a loss?

TX in advance

[pedcab]

Originally Posted by Viking1

Possibly wrong Forum, sorry if it is.
I have purchased a used Vancouver 28. All wiring from the mast including radar is fed through a single waterproof grommet into the saloon behind the headlining. Great set up for waterproofing but very hard to unstep the mast. The owners would not allow the mast to be unstepped for the survey due to the fact that an electrician was needed to decouple everything and the possibility of damage to the headlining. Canals? Foreign ports? Cost?
For me this is unacceptable as I lower my mast at the end of each season and through canals etc.
So what might be an alternative? I can fit deck mountings (I have always had this on my previous boats) but I have been advised that this is not an option for the radar. Have any readers set up a distribution box of any kind within the headlining or anything similar? Any advice as I am a little at a loss?

TX in advance

Hello!

Why don't you fit your setup with water-proof multipin plugs at deck level?



You could then interrupt and re-establish all the connections everytime you wanted to...

There are plenty of good multipin plugs out there (TYCO, to name one) and specially those built under military spec are virtually bomb-proof and will last forever. My uncle owns a Figaro Six he built himself some 20 years ago and he never had problems with the plugs he chose from some military aircraft surplus depot...

The radar may be an issue, though. I suppose the wire that goes from the radome to the operation station is some sort of a coaxial line and those aren´t generally to be messed with and cut at will, like for instance the signal cables from depth sounder transducers, but I´m sure your radar manufacturer will be able to supply an adequate plug for your installation

[sailingdog]

Another option is to use a standpipe and run the wiring into the cabin via the standpipe and have a terminal/junction box inside the cabin for the connections.