Kaimusailing

The new bolts for shroud attachments came in along with a piece of schedule 40 aluminum pipe to make a couple of compression tubes for the larger original holes in the mast – 1” dia. These mechanical components of the mast will be assembled using epoxy and colloidal silica to set them and for added strength. This can't happen until the electrical wiring is installed so that will be next.
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The wire was laid out along the mast, from head to base with additional 10 feet for the anchor light and VHF antenna wire, and from the steaming light and spreader light. The wire was all black color, so each pair was labeled with tape and magic marker. Pull strings were run from each light location into the mast and out the base. The longest runs, anchor and VHF, were fed into the mast and pulled along while 3 cable ties were zipped on every two feet at 120 degrees from each other, untrimmed. This trio of ties keeps the wire bundle together and prevents clanging against the inside of the mast. When the steaming light and spreader light wires reached the base of the mast, about 20 feet of anchor/VHF had already been drawn in. The pull strings for the spreader and steaming lights were tied onto the wires and now four pull strings were tugged to pull the bundle further along. When the wires were nearly all the way run there was an obstruction and they wouldn't budge. I lost the pull strings for the anchor light and the spreader light.
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The obstruction was cleared after quite a struggle. The technique that worked was twisting the end of the wire bundle at the mast base. After several turns there was a noticeable “pop” and the bundle was free to move again. It was possible to regain the ends of the anchor and steaming light wires using a “grabber” tool. Also a short piece of stainless cable strand was bent like a crochet hook to help. When all the wiring was in place it was time to knock off.