Replacing Wire in Hull Liner

[michaelmrc]

i have a broken ground wire for my cabin lights in the ceiling of my catalina unfortunately its in the hull liner i cant pull the old ground wire out its stuck in there is there a preferred method or tips of any sort on how to fish a new one in here. thanks

[Chief Engineer]

Short of trying to get a fish tape thru...I don't know.

Is there any stub of a negative wire left?

Or picking up the ground from another light?

[michaelmrc]

there is the stub of the old wire but i think that after 30yrs its seized in there it also feeds the 2nd light in the main cabin the hole coming through the ceiling is barely big enoyugh for the + and - wires to fit

[michaelmrc]

does anyone have any suggestions other than running a new conduit along the ceiling as i would really love to keep the wires hidden. thanks

[GordMay]

You can try inserting a short piece of fish tape in a drill motor, and drill out a channel between the liner and deck. If it’s a longer run, start with a shorter length, and increase length of fish in one or two foot increments, until the entire run is cleaned out.
It's a pain in the ass, and not always successful.

[michaelmrc]

its about a 6ft run and the current ground wire is stuck in there good.

[Florida Mike]

Maybe you can pull out to posit a wire or using it to pull a tracer through and then pull to wires back. I’ve managed to do that. Just my two cents, Mike.

[michaelmrc]

i have tried but both wires are stuck. i contacted catalina they told me that my best bet was to run a new wire under a teak cover. not what i wanted to hear but may be my only option

[sdowney717]

How about a thick steel rod 1/4 inch, sharpen the end to a blunt point
and pound it under the liner.

I assume this is some kind of glued liner board onto fiberglass?

[Maxs]

Michael , You won't be able to pull those wires no matter how hard you try. . That's why Catalina replaced the liner light fixtures for bulkhead mounted lights around 1980...... I want to install lights right there, so I already made my mind that I'll have to install the track channel...