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Install Radar on Zspar mast

bandreini

New Member
I have a 1993 Catalina Morgan 381 CC with a Zspar mast with an In Mast Furler system. Has anyone installed a radar dome on the mast? If so, can you share your experience, how you ran the cables, was there any challenges to overcome? I'd prefer to not have to haul out and especially do not want to take the mast down to do this. Is that possible?
 
There are very few of the participants here who have you boat and mast. You might contact Catalina who, I have always been told, has a fabulous reputation for helping owners of their boats. Also, obviously ZSpar could warn you about structural integrity risks. If the mast is keel stepped, or even if deck-stepped, you will have to figure out a way to drill a hole for the cable to exit. And a hole up high for the cable as well. It may be difficult to get the big plug at the bottom end thru whatever hole you drill without the mast out of the boat. A good rigger could probably belp. Good luck. My radar is on a pole on the stern, so things are a little easier to manage.
 
I have a 1993 Catalina Morgan 381 CC with a Zspar mast with an In Mast Furler system. Has anyone installed a radar dome on the mast? If so, can you share your experience, how you ran the cables, was there any challenges to overcome? I'd prefer to not have to haul out and especially do not want to take the mast down to do this. Is that possible?
I have the same boat as you. There are not a lot of us on this forum. I haven't yet installed my radar, but my marine electrical engineer suggested mounting on a pole on the stern. The height difference shouldn't matter too much unless you are in big waves or need a bunch more advanced warning. The advantage of mounting on the stern is that you don't have the problem of the jib getting caught on it during a tack. The disadvantage is that you have a big mast in front of it as an obstruction. Also, I don't know how you would run the wires without taking the mast down if you mount on the mast.

I have other questions for you since you have the same boat. Have you rebed your stanchions or jib lead block track or spinnaker lead block track? I cannot find nuts under the deck. I was wondering if they are screwed into the wood with screws instead of bolts, but I am afraid to loosen unless I know.
 
Sailorsab: Surely no one would mount deck track or stanchions without through bolts. Perhaps there are threaded backing plates embedded in the deck layup? Again, call Catalina.
I installed threaded backing plates for all my stanchion bases a few years back. They are glued to the bulwark inside so I can remove and repair the bases without tearing the boat apart again. Production boats are manufactured so they are easy to put together, often without thinking of how hard it may become to take them apart and repair them. Morgan, and perhaps even Catalina, was not immune from this tendency.
 
Sailorsab: Surely no one would mount deck track or stanchions without through bolts. Perhaps there are threaded backing plates embedded in the deck layup? Again, call Catalina.
I installed threaded backing plates for all my stanchion bases a few years back. They are glued to the bulwark inside so I can remove and repair the bases without tearing the boat apart again. Production boats are manufactured so they are easy to put together, often without thinking of how hard it may become to take them apart and repair them. Morgan, and perhaps even Catalina, was not immune from this tendency.
Yes I hope there is some threaded backing plate. That would definitely work. I just haven't bee able to find it. They installed a molded interior ceiling/wall that seems to be all one gigantic piece that has no way to remove without destroying. I have been using an endoscope to try to locate this stuff. Challenging. I love the older boats that don't try to hide all the hardware.
 
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