Glendinning In-Limit Switch - Grand Banks Eastbay 47

On a recent trip, my Glendinning cablemaster failed to retrieve the cable. It has power, it will pay out cable, but selecting "In" results in nothing. I jumped the in-limit wires, and, as expected, it works. So I need a new switch. But here's my problem: I can't figure out how to access the switch. My cable runs from the bin through about 3' of 3" pvc, through the rear bulkhead of the engine compartment, and into the port lazerette. I have good access to the lazerette, but the glendinning hawse is about 18 inches above the deck. That space is open, but the port exhaust runs through there, and the aft fuel tank intrudes into the space. So I'd need to be about 8 inches in diameter to fit back far enough to get in there...which of course I'm not. I tried to pull the plate off the front, but after getting the first screw out, the three others spun...machine screws and the nuts obviously are not locked in any way.

The replacement CM-7 limit switch doesn't look like the wire is anywhere near long enough to get from the control box to the hawse, so I assume it was extended. My only thought is to attach a wire to the failed switch, fish it out, and use the wire to pull the new one through.

Or just leave it jumped and take the battery out of the remote so it's not accidentally activated.

Any bright ideas come to mind? I know pictures would help but I just finished replacing the duckbills in my heads, so I'm about whupped. Thanks in advance!

The switch may be fine but it can be triggered by the cable or the rubber gasket pushing on it (vs the limit collar). I'd move the cable up/around in the opening to see if you can relieve pressure on the switch. My setup also has a loose rubber flap/collar in the inlet. This can also activate the in limit switch.

Thanks gsholz...that was my effort, but no amount of manipulating the rubber gasket on in-limit switch did any good. But worth another try...it may just be "stuck". One can always hope!

I also have an EB47 with a cranky cablemaster. Mine runs out the underside of the port gunwale inside the cockpit.

Mine stopped working (in either direction) and I had to manually haul it back into the engine room storage tub. It was a chore but not as bad as I expected it would be. I picked up a 50' shore power for our home dock and used that to extend from the cablemaster. This is handier than having to extend/retract the cablemaster at our home dock.

I attempted to remove the on/off switch under the gunwale but discovered it must have been installed from behind, as it wouldn't come out the front after removing the fascia plate. I figured it would require popping off the cord flange and reaching up from there. It would take comic superhero Mr. Fantastic's rubber arms to reach it from the engine room. I have NEVER in my life been flexible enough to reach into that space. I should probably use my wifi borescope/inspection camera to get a better look at what's going on in there.

I asked by boat guy to put it on his list and moved on to other things.

Then, a week ago, I accidentally bumped the cablemaster switch and discovered it was working again. I have no idea why.

So I don't have any immediate fix advice, just sympathy from another EB47 owner with a similarly cranky cablemaster.

Okay, thanks to gsholz's encouragement, I gave it another go (poking at the in-limit switch actuator). Voila, it popped out! Back in business...now I just have to go un-jump the in-limit wires on the panel.

Bill, glad it is working, I'm with you, there's no way a human could get back in there!

Got pix of where you're talking about, re the switch actuators?

And do you know what these two things are on the metal plate? I can't get close enough to reach them, or take a better picture.

Glad you got it fixed. I suspect movement of the cable when extended and/or sharp bends at the inlet can contribute to the limit switch activating. I now make sure the cable does not put any pressure/pull on the inlet guides. No problems since.

Mine has some microswitches near those four rollers where the cable feeds down to the storage tub. I tired moving the cable away from those rollers and it had no effect. I literally have no idea why it just started working again (and thus no idea what would need to get fixed the next time it acts up).

Glendinning - sounds like a really fine Scotch.

Oddly, our cablemaster ran amok just as we starting coming up on plane. It just started paying out the cord, out into the cockpit. Not sure, but it's possible the hinged lid swung up high enough to trip the switch. And those that helped get it retracted let it pull too tightly back into the pipe. I had to grab it with a pair of pliers later to pull it back out.

It would seem my winter to-do list includes "doing something" about the cablemaster...