That "cylinder" says Norseman on it. I'm assuming its Norseman swageless fitting on top connected to a backstay adjuster. A quick look on the Navtec site though didn't reveal anything that looked exactly like that to my eye, but that's my guess.

In that case the ball of tape is covering an insulator and the wire is attached above the insulator. I believe my boat had the backstay going through the insulator and folding back on itself clamped with a couple of U bolt clamps. Standard insulators basically work like that with the two loops mechanically interwoven and the insulator holding them apart. It was similar to these cheap ones. http://www.obrienplastics.com/images...rain_large.jpg

The nice thing about them is that the glass is in compression and if it breaks, the rig doesn't come down, it just gets slack a bit. But that didn't stop me from replacing my backstay.

That doesn't mean this is what is under that black blob but you really need to know what is under there to judge the system.

Allen

most likely a u shaped wire clamp or god forbid a hose clamp lerks beneath the tape. I like Brion's suggestion of seizing for the connection. I never understood why noresman or other manufactures don't have a adequate provision for a electical connection on their insulating terminal. Probably a good patent opportunity out there for someone. Idealy there should be a terminal post on the insulated side of the connection where a properly soldered insulated lug could be fastened. Eliminate all the rigamaroo of trying to make a proper electrical connection to the outside of 1x19 wire.

Jake

I was going to say that solder might not hold up in a salt water environment but I see that galvanically tin and lead straddle SS so maybe it will hold up. Mine had wire clamps and the insulator. I see that someone sells wall made insulators for this application. $100 instead of $2 so you have to want to do it right.

Allen