Spreader Light's wiring on wooden mast?

[Broach Maharg]

I will be installing lights up my wooden mast. I'm looking for suggestions for running the electrical. Up shrouds? Oh, antennae too.

[PAR]

On solid sticks, there's only a couple of neat ways to do this. First don't run them up a shroud, it's a pretty lubberly thing to see. The most common method is to staple it, with insulated staples, in a handy location, that will not foul anything (tracks, pole sockets, etc.). Another method is to route out a shallow groove, deep enough to accept the wires and a filler, which is tacked in place over the wires. This method doesn't noticably weaken a solid mast, unless it's just adequate for it's role (read, all out racer). I've seen a few who have epoxied in the filler piece over the wires, making the stick whole again, but the wires become a life long fixture of the spar, without major digging to retrieve a broken wire, later in it's life.

On hollow poles you have a few options. The common method is to fish it up through the inside of the mast. This can require some surgery to accomplish the task, particularly if you have hard points (swallow tails) spaced along the length of the mast. These have a weep hole to permit moisture to drain out, but often times it isn't big enough to pass the wires through. On sticks with internal halyards, this space issue may not be an problem, though tangles and chaff can become a problem without a "chase".

A halyard can be used to pull a "fish" through, then the fish can be attached to the wires and the halyard (so you can re-reeve it) and pulled through.

You should already have a masthead light, how is it attached? If the hollow stick doesn't have the space inside to pass the wires, it's attached on the outside, just like a solid pole.

Cutting a groove in a hollow spar isn't a good idea. I don't like the thought of cutting into stave thickness, even if it gets back filled with epoxy, but I have seen a few that have done just that.

What kind of mast is it? Antenna type? Gauge of wires for lights? Internal halyards?

[Broach Maharg]

Thanks for your suggestions.

There is no masthead light on this mast. It is a solid spruce mast on a fiberglass boat from the early 1960's. There are only red and green lights on the salon walls.

I think I've decided to tack the wires so as not to compromise the strength of the mast at all. Does it make sense to cover the wires with a piece of trim - say mahogany? I've also decided to not install an antennae on the mast. I do still plan on spreader lights and either a masthead or half-way up running light and keeping the starboard and port lights on the salon.

Again, thanks. No lubberly look here...

[PAR]

On a solid spar, you can route out a groove, which can be covered with a thin piece of spruce, for a hard to see look, without compromising it's strength. Tacking them on is acceptable too. I've never seen a cap used on surface mounted wires, but would think it could work. Be careful not to trap moisture behind this cap, which may cause trouble later.