Running VHF cable up the Mast

[Jacque ll]

I am finally getting around to putting my VHF antenna at the top of the mast. The M has both the top and bottom of the mast plugged with foam which I did not want to mess with. I have considered running the RG58 cable up the mast slot keeping clear of the mast slugs using cable ties with short ends to keep the cable clear. Has anyone tried this?
p.s. The ice is out of Georgian Bay. Its sailing time.

Peter

[James V]

Do you leave up the mast support?

If so, you can put the VHF antenna there. A little less range but easier to deal with.

Make sure that you tape the connector at the antenna very well as water does get into this connection and kills the VHF.

The factory web site has a COMPARISON OF THE 26X AND THE NEW 26M

page in which it says -

A small tube will be cast into the mast flotation foam to allow the future passage of wires to the top of the mast.

http://www.macgregor26.com/comparison_26x_and_26m.htm
Does your mast have this?

[Terry]

Peter,
It is really not that big a deal to drill through the foam pieces in the mast, there were only three sections in mine. One section at the top, next section was at the hounds and the last section was at the baby stay hound, about 10 feet up from the base. I bought three 10 ft sections of 3/4 inch PVC tube (only needed & used two) and used a round file to make a sharp edge around the top of the first tube. I then used a sharp box cutting knife to carve saw teeth into the sharpened end and voila a ten foot hole saw. Start at the top of the mast and start turning the PVC hole saw by hand through the first section until you cut through, you can pull it out every so often to clear the saw of the core. From there you just push through to the next section and start cutting again, the ten foot PVC should reach through the first two. You then glue the next 10 feet of PVC to the 10 foot saw, let it dry and then start cutting again, your now 20 foot saw should reach through the last section of foam at the baby stay hound, this should complete the job. You might want to remove the base plate on your mast to confirm no foam at the bottom (you have to anyway to run the cable through) likely there is none but if on the off chance there is, glue on a third 10 ft PVC section for a 30 ft hole saw and continue cutting through. Since you are running cable through anyway you might as well run a cable for a mast top anchor light as well. When you snake the first cable down the PVC tube, tie a piece of fishing line to the end so that you can use the fishing line to pull the second cable through, when you pull the second cable through add yet another piece of fishing line that can be left in the mast for a future time when you have to pull another cable down that tube. It really is not that difficult to do.

[They Theirs]

Some Pics From Paul's Mac
Sorry Paul, I had the redirect, but could not remember it was your boat, nice presentation.

[Harrison]

I too did the PVC conduit hole saw deal. Took me about 30 minutes to punch through I think 3 or 4 sections of foam. In my mast every where their was a hole, there was foam behind it. I however ran a new piece of conduit in the newly drilled holes, and left it there for ease of removal and replacement of wires and such.

Mast bottom. Notice the permanent conduit with VHF coax, mast & anchor light wires.


Mast base.


Top.


Take your time, and whatever you decide to do, do-it-right the first time. You'll be glad you did.

---Harrison

[Bobby T.-26X #4767]

nice job!
what antenna did you use (brand/model#)?
how did you connect thru the deck (double female thru deck or other)?

[baldbaby2000]

Our dealer drilled through the foam with a pipe. I didn't put conduit in because of the extra weight and I didn't think it was needed. There are several types of RG58; the loss among the different types varies a lot. You might want to consider RG8X instead of RG58. With the cheap RG58 you'll loose about half your power (3dB) with a 40 foot length whereas with RG8X you'll only loose about 30%.

[Paul S]

Some Pics From another Mac

This is our boat...this has been tossed around SO much...A good 'search' of the messages will yield a lot of infomation...

as far As I know..4 years later ...there is still NO channel in the mast. I have an email from Bill at the factory stating there will never be one.

I helped the dealers rigger do our mast...it was easy..but still a PITA..as the mast had to be taken off the boat (spreaders, etc taken off)..entire thing removed...he used a sharpened pvc pipe to drill/auger his way through the mast foam..

Paul

[Frank C]

Even with a completely empty ballast tank, the 26X won't turtle. The only report I ever saw of a 26X turtling was the capsize on SF Bay. Partial ballast was possibly the reason that mast was reportedly "dipping" in the chop, and the mast did not actually sink.

But, the M's mast is a larger section, taller and heavier. I'd venture a guess (strictly a guess) that the 26M could well be at risk of turtling after a capsize ... due to that much heavier mast. Roger Macgregor doesn't waste time, effort or manufacturing cost, so it's a safe bet that he's not pumping stuff in there just for grins.

FWIW, the M's mast is foamed for a reason ... best use any tactic to keep those M-masts sealed.

[Harrison]

I believe my antenna is a Shakespeare 5215 WM#251442. My through-the-deck-fitting is a WM#123851. On the deck I have the two coax's connected with a Female-Female conector. The hardest part of the whole VHF antenna thing was actually routing it cable through the cabin liner. That took some time. My radio is placed over the starboard aft round mirror cover next to the companionway. I'm not big on drilling extra holes if I don't need to.

In regards to Franks' comments about Roger adding foam to the inside of the mast. . . I thought about that as well. I figured he's not gonna spend the money or time if there really isn't a need for it. That's what directed me to keep the conduit in the holes. While it'll let water through it, it'll also plug some of the holes and trap SOME air in the mast. Not perfect, but may buy me some time.

---Harrison

[David Mellon]

As you can see by my hull number, my Mac was released from manufacture on March 6th, 2006. Still no conduit in the mast. I considered drilling for foam nuggets but decided to mount my FM antenna on the gallows (mast support) and switched to a handheld VHF. If l feel the need, l will run an anchor light up the main halyard, but I doubt I will ever anchor in a channel.

[James V]

Frank C - Turning turtle?? are talking about righting angle? Every boat has a point where it will NOT self right. The worse are the Cats.

It would be interesting to know if anybody has needed help to turn upright a turtled Mac. (without having the mast stuck in the mud)

[They Theirs]

I think Frank may be spot on. Mike Inmon removed the foam from the M-rotating spar he raced, and maybe the BWY boat also. I can assume the rotating spar would have little benefit for internal halyards as it would restrict the rotational benefit, and would be more detrimental than the gain in windage. I would install the internal electrical wire/cable and reseal the foam without the conduit. Use some wire tie tails left on to help center in as spider legs inside the spar.

[Chip Hindes]

Even with a completely empty ballast tank, the 26X won't turtle.

I believe this is simply not so. If you have evidence that it is true, I'd like to see it.

The 26X which capsized on Lake Champlain four years ago, killing two children who were trapped inside, was reported to have turtled almmost immediately and to have remained inverted until the next morning, when it was righted by a salvage boat.

Once the boat inverts and the mast fills with water, I believe the boat is just as happy to remain inverted as right side up.

It may depend on how the boat is loaded. Don't forget all the loose stuff that used to contribute to stability because is used to be in the bilges or on the cabin sole, or table falls to the inverted overhead when the boat is upside down, contributing to it remaining inverted.

[Bobby T.-26X #4767]

I believe my antenna is a Shakespeare 5215 WM#251442. My through-the-deck-fitting is a WM#123851. On the deck I have the two coax's connected with a Female-Female conector. The hardest part of the whole VHF antenna thing was actually routing it cable through the cabin liner. That took some time. My radio is placed over the starboard aft round mirror cover next to the companionway. I'm not big on drilling extra holes if I don't need to.

---Harrison

i ordered the same antenna (should arrive today). however, mine is an easy install up and down the mast (on an X w/out foam). i'll use 8X cable.
however, here's my thought on thru deck connectors:

this is a dual end female plug that can go thru the deck. plug the mast end on deck, plug the extension to the VHF under the deck. comes in several different lengths...



or, here's another option for "on the deck"...

this unit sits on top of the deck, has a male connection on top which would require a female adapter on the mast end. has a female end on the underside. a clean looking application.



any thoughts on either of the above applications vs. this standard one below...



Bob T.
"DaBob"
'02X w/ '04 90 TLDI