December 22, 2021

Arietta Phase 2-34

Wednesday

To run the VHF cable up through the deck, I needed a 3/4″ hole to accommodate the diameter of the end fitting.  Hoping to get this final cable through the deck without needing to further expand the opening in the liner below, I drilled at an angle towards the centerline, which then allowed me to succeed in getting the cable through from below.  With the final and largest hole drilled, now I could install the base of the new deck gland fitting, securing it with machine screws in tapped holes, and the included adhesive gasket beneath.  Because the VHF wire itself was 1/2″ diameter, this left some space around the cable where it passed through the deck, and even though the rubber seal of the new gland would be the main waterproofing here, I filled the hole around the cable with butyl sealant before finalizing the installation.

Using only the existing screws securing the sea hood, I secured the built-in wires leading from the solar panel with rubber-lined clamps; this worked out well in terms of securing and neatening the wires, and gave me the space for the connectors to the through-deck solar wires.  With that routing figured out, and finalizing the amount of each of the four cable sets that came through the deck, the final step to complete the gland was to install the rubber insert, which I drilled to fit the various wires, slit as needed to install, and then, with some effort, got it clamped down and secured within the upper piece of the gland assembly.  I wrapped the mast wires and VHF in plastic for weather protection.

In the cabin,, I taped the solar wire pair to the VHF cable, and used this to pull the solar wires through the narrow space behind the liner and out the same opening in the forward cabin.  Then, with ample slack still available in the VHF cable, and since the other end of this cable was already through into the main cabin, I again taped the wires to it and pulled them through the tight space above the galley.  Then I installed split loom over the three-wire bundle and secured it along the top edge of the bulkhead in the forward cabin.

I pulled the solar wires through to the after part of the boat along the gunwale, securing them as needed, and then out into the battery area beneath the cockpit, where I led them to the solar controller the owner had provided and which I installed on the starboard side of the bulkhead where there was room and access both.  I made up the wiring connections, adding cables to lead to the battery when installed.  Then I finished up the VHF cabling, securing any excess length up behind the liner near the radio.

To finish up the mast wiring, I made up the connections between the new mast connector I’d run through the deck and the existing wires running through the liner beneath, then tucked the wires up beneath the liner out of the way.  Finally, I made up some new teak trim to cover the wiring opening and replace the trim across the passageway opening.

With the wiring work complete, now I could reinstall the shelves in the main cabin.

Total time billed on this job today:  6.5 hours

0600 Weather Observation:  29°, freezing rain.  Forecast for the day:  Freezing rain, sleet, maybe some snow (probably not, alas), and rain, delightful, 35°