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myersge1
Deckhand

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USA
24 Posts
Initially Posted - 03/17/2018 :  19:36:46  Show Profile
I have a Catalina 25 standard rig. Is the boom supposed to be above or below the mast track cutout? I used to keep it above the cutout. It was nice to have it above head height but I always seemed to have a lot of heeling. With it below the cutout, I need to watch my head on tacks/gybes but it seems to have less heeling.

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts
Response Posted - 03/17/2018 :  20:52:20  Show Profile
Welcome Gerry!

Definitely below. Unless you reef the main or had it modified, I can't imagine you would have adequate tension on the luff (leading edge) of the sail and thereby flattening of the sail. An overly full (slackened and curved) sail "captures" the wind rather than smoothly redirecting it, and that capture causes excessive heeling. Sailors call it "powering up" the sail, which can be beneficial in very light breezes when used by a skilled sailor. If your leading edge looks "scalloped" along the mast, you're way too powered up. (Same thing with the out-haul to tension the foot of the sail along the boom.)

I stand only 5'9" (or used to), and at full hoist of the standard rig sail right to the mast-head and good tension on the downhaul that pulls the boom gooseneck down to tension the luff, the boom would pass over my head by maybe a couple of inches, although I generally didn't test that theory. You generally don't want to on most sailboats under 30', or racing boats even larger.

One danger of setting the boom above the opening, even with a reef to flatten the sail, is that if for any reason it slides down, the gooseneck slider could pop out, which in a good breeze could be the end of the mainsail. And the sail itself won't hold it up there. The downhaul, and/or a track stopper above the gooseneck, should prevent the boom from sliding up to the opening when you hoist the main.

Assuming you have slugs on the luff of the main that slide in the track (instead of a "bolt rope" sewn into the luff for feeding into the track), you can put a track stopper just above the opening to keep the slugs from falling out when you drop the sail. Alternatively, you can look into the "mast gates" that Catalina Direct sells, which allow the slugs to pass by the opening and stay in the track below it, letting the sail fall closer to the boom and improving its shape when reefed. Many folks here have installed the gates, and some have engineered their own versions.
Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
Edited by - Stinkpotter on 03/17/2018 20:57:22
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Sailynn
Navigator

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USA
178 Posts
Response Posted - 03/17/2018 :  21:46:00  Show Profile
Below unless your mast and/or sail has been modified.
Lynn Buchanan
1988 C25 SR/WK #5777
Sailynn
Nevada City, CA
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islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts
Response Posted - 03/18/2018 :  05:03:11  Show Profile
Below is where it is suppose to be. On later year boats Catalina got rid of the sliding goose neck and bolted the boom to the mast and eliminated the need for a downhaul. Luff tension is created by the main halyard. Catalina put the boom center at @29 1/4" measured from the deck up for the standard rig.
Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound


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myersge1
Deckhand

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USA
24 Posts
Response Posted - 03/18/2018 :  07:25:50  Show Profile
Thanks for the feedback. I think I'll use Bill Holcomb's solution for the mast gate and set the downhaul to 29.25". I've never liked the way the "gathered" part of the sail looks when reefed since the track slide stopper holds the luff sliders above the opening and the boom drops down to the downhaul cleat, there is about a foot and a half gap between the boom and the luff reef grommet. The clew end is nice and tight to the boom but the tack end has that large gap. The mast gate will make thing look better and will hopefully improve the sail shape when reefed. On top of that, I can never get that dang slide stopper tight enough and half the time the bottom couple luff sliders slip out of the track.
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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts
Response Posted - 03/18/2018 :  08:05:18  Show Profile
Yup--the gates improve reefing. Looks like you've been exercising our Search function. Have you been lurking here long?
Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
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myersge1
Deckhand

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USA
24 Posts
Response Posted - 03/19/2018 :  14:57:58  Show Profile
I've been a member for a year now. Not sure why I show up as a "Guest". I haven't posted much. Haven't had too. There's a lot of good knowledge just from searching and reading old posts. I've had my Catalina 25 for two years.
Edited by - myersge1 on 03/19/2018 14:59:20
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BCG-Woodbury
Mainsheet Editor

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USA
396 Posts
Response Posted - 03/19/2018 :  17:16:18  Show Profile
Hi myersge1 - Are you a paid Association Member or just a forum member? If you have a membership then you would also be receiving the Mainsheet magazine. Let me know and I will look into it for you. I'm the C25/C250/Capri 25 Mainsheet Editor.

Welcome to the club !
Brian & JoAnne Gleissner
Knot So Fast
1984 Catalina 25, SR/SK
Traditional Interior
Lake Candlewood, CT
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myersge1
Deckhand

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USA
24 Posts
Response Posted - 03/19/2018 :  18:26:29  Show Profile
I've been an Association Member since 2016. My ID is 3023 and I have been getting the Mainsheet magazine.
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Commodore
Russ Johnson

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USA
690 Posts
Response Posted - 03/20/2018 :  09:33:06  Show Profile
Gerry,
I've updated your Membership to link to your Forum user.
This is a manual process and I missed your account.
Russ
Russ Johnson, Commodore 2009-2022 (commodore at catalina-capri-25s.org)
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myersge1
Deckhand

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USA
24 Posts
Response Posted - 03/27/2018 :  18:59:20  Show Profile
Great. Thank you.
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.