Cables through roof

C

C-Dawg

New member
Here's my next question in a series of a million.

I plan to add a tall radar arch to a CD22 Cruiser to facilitate hauling two kayaks. However, I may not purchase the arch until next spring. In the mean time I will install a GPS and VHF with the antennas mounted to the hand rails along the roof. I know the antennas will have to go through the roof, but I don't want to drill holes that will have to be filled later when the arch is mounted.

What advice or possible solutions can the collective give me?

Also, can someone post links to pictures of how they've ran their cables through the roof? Thanks.
 
I agree with the GPS inside. I have run GPS inside on both the C Dory 25 and TC 255--works fine. In fact on the CD 25, I don't have an external antenna--and two GPS plotters.

You might consider putting the hole where you will put the arch, so that you will not be putting extra holes in the future. You can just put the antenna on the hand rail aft, and then put the cable temporally on the top of the cabin. When you bring a cable thru, there are several ways--one is the small SS packing gland--which requires only a 1/4" hole, but then 3 holes on the side--you probaly can just put 4200 or silicone seal around it for the winter. For larger cables I like the "Cable Clam". You can go up to 1" plugs with these.

I have two ham antennas which clamp to the railing of the TC 255, and I ran their cable thru the roof with the SS 1/4" packing gland type of fitting, almost direcly under the antenna. Inside I put a clam shell vent, and then dressed the antenna along the cabin top, under the interior hand railing.
 
I plan to add radar to my CD22 Garmin system after a while. I also want to leave room for two kayaks on roof racks. I thought I'd make a narrow tower to go up between the kayaks at the front of the roof, over the radio shelf area.

For now, I mounted a stainless pivoting mount for the VHF antenna in the center and I put two of the little 1/4" clamp sealing feedthrus, one on either side, right next to the antenna base. One's for the GPS antenna cable and one's for VHF. The GPS antenna is mounted on the rooftop side railing.

I figure when I make the base for the narrow radar post, it will cover all these little holes. I'll put the antennas above the radar and just let the short lengths of cable pass outside the radar path, unless I learn that this will be a problem. I think it won't.

I'm also thinking of a cargo pod in place of the second kayak location, depending on the particular trip scenario.

Jeff
 
Dear Dawg,

This may be so obvious that it goes unsaid? Radar arches have four bases (typically). One or two of those base are hollow so that cables can pass thru the roof directly into the radar arch pipe. If you knew just where your future arch would mount you could make a small hole and install as you suggest. My cables come thru the roof at the rear starboard arch base, down to the back of the stove area, under the stove and sink to the helm.

Regards,

Mar
 
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