There aren't good pictures that tell the true story of what I got done this weekend, but lots accomplished.
The wind transducer cable was run up the mast... It looks off center in this picture but I've measured it against centerline and it's fine... Note I pulled the anchor light to get to the bolts. I wound up cutting a 1" x 3/4" rectangle hole directly below this vane mount, so that I could reach in and grab the main halyard (my feeder line). I used the main halyard to pull through a smaller diameter twine in its place (and I looped it top to bottom so it was continuous)... I used a set of forecepts to reach into the hole in the top of the mast to grab the small diameter line, up through the new rectangle hole. This particular mount runs the cable through the center, and out the back, the vane then has a 12 inch arm that clicks into place.
Here's a Mr. Fuzzycam picture of the masthead in place. You might notice I've sanded the mast and am ready for a 2nd coat of paint.
Closeup... of the masthead, you'll see the new LED anchor light.. this is before I secured the coax for the VHF...
This is all I did for the exit location at the bottom of the mast... I'll admit that I was nervous cutting the SIMNET cable since replacing the 50ft cable is about $100... but this is a trailer sailor after all and there has to be a way to "disconnect."
By the way, I tested the anchor light using my ATV battery (about 4 feet from the base of the mast) to make sure it works.. none of the pictures turned out, but it's bright, and it's a nice yellow/white like the original incandescent, the Dr. LED, perko anchor light bulb from catalinadirect.com was a good match.
The original wiring through the hull of the boat for the mast was retro-fitted with a 4-way trailer plug connector, and then someone later added the VHF... I managed to place the transducer wire (simnet) through the deck between the two (and seemingly out of the way), which puts the cable behind the daggerboard trunk, on the starboard V-berth bulkhead... Here's a shot of the deck (again shiny one in the middle is new):
Here's a shot of the cabin side. I used 5200 under the through deck fitting, as well as screws...
You have to ask yourself, what I did to connect the now cut cable (simnet), and as it turns out simnet is NMEA2000 "similar," which basically shares the same wires, just different connectors (actually smaller connectors)... so what I bought was Maretron Micro Field Connectors. I bought 1 male and 1 female connectors and the wire colors matched exactly.
Maretron Micro Field Attachable Connector
The result was pretty good.
By the way somewhere during all this, I waxed the starboard side hull... It turned out better than I expected, but I can't seem to get a decent shot of it.
After all of this I stumbled across my charging circuit from my outboard. I noted that the person who ran the wire didn't put an inline fuse in it... or a disconnect... What is worse (and scary) is the wire (which I used myself) was apparently shorted at one point and the positive sheilding was melted in places... so needless to say I ripped that out, and ran new, putting in a fuse and also slapping a board (like I did on the starboard side) on the vertical portion of the inside of the lazarette to provide a place for me to "clip" the wire. I just used pine on both sides, and will be clear-coating it. But this gets the charging wires off the floor (yep they were on the floor)... and how scary is that right next to the fuel tank? Someone had a death wish.
At the end of this weekends "cleaning up all small projects," I vacuumed up the dust over the whole cockpit, and deck and dropped the trailer off the jackstands, and secured bow and stern lines again. I am HOPING that I can drag the boat out tomorrow (rather today Monday) so that I can give the deck a proper washing. all the lines are off deck right now, as is the mast, so it's an "easy clean." This will also give me a chance to sweep the pole barn clean.
Forgot to say, I took the outboard and slapped it on the motor mount, so I could work on it... I removed the wires from the alternator, so I could run new (they were getting soft, and I was worried they were going to short. Checked plugs (they look nearly new), and I'll be taking apart the lower unit to get to the impeller for replacement as well... I hate outboard work, but its gotta be done.
Maybe I'll be able to get a decent outdoor picture of her after she's clean... boy it'd be nice to get a couple warm days to finish my gelcoating. I'm pretty pleased so far with the match there, can't wait to see what I can do with the port side.
