I am going to fit the NASA Wind System next spring.
However, I am unsure which is the best way to run mast head transducer cable from cabin roof to cockpit bulk head. Is there any way of getting access to existing cable connections (mast lights and VHF aerial cable) where they come thro' the cabin roof and run above cabin lining to bulk head?
Also how easy is it to fit mast head unit and run cable down thro' mast?
Can anyone who has done this installation pass on any tips?

Brian Banham 235/59

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Hello Brian,

The cables are accessible where they pass through the deck if you remove the trim from around the top of the keel box. There is a thread from last Feb discussing this very topic ("Mast cables"). I found it took a while to remove the trim and I had to be careful.

Unfortunately, at least on Sea Wyche, the cables running above the headlining are embedded in fire-retardant material and so I found them impossible to pull through should they need to be replaced or an additional cable run through with them. There appears to be no conduit there.

As an alternative, I did investigate the run through the headlining from under the port side deck in the heads, above the bulkhead and the heads door to the top of the keel box. I wasn't able to get a piece of wire very far up there before it jammed. Another alternative suggested was to run along the top of the keel box, through the heads and into the forepeak, thence to port and back into the heads to join the existing cable bundle to the switch panel. Very indirect and so less than ideal, of course.

Although the one-piece headlining gives the cabin a good, clean appearance, I have concluded that it is one of only a very few things that I would wish changed in the boat's design. It has caused me a few problems with wiring, mounting internal fittings and limiting options for fitting deck hardware.

Good luck and please let us know how you solve the problem.

P.S. There is a cable conduit inside the mast. Mine had a mousing line running through it, so adding a cable was easy.

Anthony Russell
235/02 Sea Wyche

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As Anthony said there is a conduit in the mast just make sure you exit mast through a rubber grommet. Inside the boat carefully remove trim around the top of keelbox above galley with flat knife, mount a deck socket next to existing mast deck sockets and bring cable through and run forward at top of starboard side of keelbox, drill hole in top corner of galley and take cable through into fore-peak then across to portside and follow existing loom back towards switch panel then through into cockpit locker, (assuming you are mounting wind inst below existing nasa/log,) temporarily remove it there is enough slack on cable to allow this, cut hole for wind inst and poke a mouse/stiff wire through from locker to wind inst position and pull cable through. please note if there is a plug on end of cable, you might have to run cable in opposite direction i.e. from wind inst towards deck socket. Don't even attempt to follow existing deck cables back you have no chance they are all bonded into module during construction.

Hi Brian,

The way Anthony described the route for the cable run is similar to the way I ran mine, the only difference was that I took mine through the heads side of the keel trim. Going into the cockpit locker before feeding through to the instrument position means you have a shorter distance to try to fish the wire through and you can coil up the spare and clip it out the way in the back of the cockpit locker. With regards to the mast, I used some soft galvanised fencing wire fed from the bottom through the conduit to pull the cable back down.

Regards
Graham Ebb 235/25 Blue Jazz

Brian,

We avoided all problems with routing wires up the mast and in the cabin by buying a Tacktick wireless wind instrument. We bought the "starter" (?) version that is wired at the readout but wireless on the mast unit. It was pretty simple to install and has worked a treat. It may appear to be more expensive but it does eliminate the problems and hassle in wiring up the mast. The readout unit also requires a much smaller hole through the mounting bulkhead. Ours is mounted adjacent to our existing Nasa log/depth instrument. Connecting to the 12v supply to the latter was relatively easy. The mast head unit is easy to remove for winter storage or indeed, I guess, any time you take the mast down.

Regards

Chris Cobb

235/48 "Tarakihi"

Many thanks for all of your responses.

As soon as the weather improves I will check out all of the ideas and locations mentioned. I don't think I will tackle the work until next spring but will report back when I have decided routes and locations.

Brian Banham 235/59

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I have just completed the installation of my NASA Wind Instrument. I did manage to remove head lining trim from around top of keel housing and run cable into forward cabin. From the forward cabin I was able to follow route of other cables to aft of main cabin and then to rear of wind instrument. However, I could not run cable behind lining and had to run partly on surface.
The hardest part was running cable down mast from the wind vane. I attached a line to the VHF cable at bottom of mast and pulled up to top of mast where I then attached another line and pulled back down again. When the VHF cable reached bottom I could then attach new cable to line and then pull that down. It was a bit fiddly getting cables to go down the 25mm tube inside the mast but with help from the First Mate (my wife) we eventually succeeded.
Most of the work had to be done from ladders as mast is laid on deck, running fore and aft along line of boat. As boat is in a cradle in local yard this made the job more awkward.
I hope when mast is stepped and cables are connected that instrument works ok.

Brian Banham 235/59

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