Association Forum - connecting forestay to mast head question

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

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.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

connecting forestay to mast head question

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

avi
Deckhand

Member Avatar

12 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/02/2018 : 04:30:05

Hello forum members . I have a catalina 25 swing keel s/r. I am ready to raise the mast and the question is: Can I connect the forestay with harken MK3 roller furller to the upper clevis pin spot, where usually the spinnaker is connected? I am not going to use spinnaker. the purpose of doing that is to increase the halyard angle to prevent halyard wrap around the foil. I am using 150% jib. I know that I can attach a diverter to the mast but I want to avoid doing that.
Thanks

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2018 : 07:01:47

I've never done it, so don't know, but it will change the balance of the sailplan and consequently the amount of weather or lee helm. The open question is whether the forestay and backstay turnbuckles have enough range of adjustment to restore their balance and have a light weather helm. Then the next question is, after you have readjusted the turnbuckles to get a reasonable amount of weather helm, will the halyard angle be increased enough to prevent halyard wrap, or will it be the same as before? I don't know, but I think, if the rig is tuned correctly, the angle between the halyard and the forestay will be the same.

When you rig your boat in an unconventional way, nobody but you understands it. A new owner will rig it in the conventional manner and nothing will work right, and it could take him a long time to figure it out. The diverter would be the conventional way of doing it, you know it will work, and it's easy enough to install.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

dasreboot
Admiral

Members Avatar

803 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2018 : 08:54:31

quote:
Originally posted by avi

the purpose of doing that is to increase the halyard angle to prevent halyard wrap around the foil. I am using 150% jib.

you dont need a diverter. merely attach a wire between the upper swivel and the head of the sail. this raises the upper swivil closer to the halyard exit , increasing the angle and preventing halyard wraps. here is a pic describing it.

https://www.sailboat-cruising.com/roller-reefing.html

Todd Lewis
Eowyn 87 TR/WK C25 #5656
ARWEN 84 TR/SK C25 #4031
www.mainsailsailingschool.com

Edited by - dasreboot on 04/02/2018 09:02:17

odonnellryanc
Navigator

Members Avatar

108 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2018 : 10:28:08

Todd, I assume that instead of a wire any line would do as long as it is adequate with regards to strength, do you agree?

I say this because my boat is using the old steel padeye that I believe was used for one of the haylards at some point as a diverter, and I'm not sure how to feel about it.

This isn't mine, but here's what I'm talking about: http://www.chipford.com/graphics/2006/graphics/060605_mastlight1.jpg

Problem with this piece of hardware is there is a groove cut into it for some reason on one side (top or bottom, depending on how it is installed). When a line is through this at an angle it will absolutely chafe.

I can flip the piece to at least partially prevent this (and my boat has been sailed this way for who knows how many years and there's not MUCH chafing on the old lines...) but well, alternatives are always fun.

dasreboot
Admiral

Members Avatar

803 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2018 : 11:48:56

quote:
Originally posted by odonnellryanc

Todd, I assume that instead of a wire any line would do as long as it is adequate with regards to strength, do you agree?

yes you could definitely use a fiber line for a pendant. doesn't have to be any stronger than the halyard. If you do it this way, you can remove the padeye. I found this out after i sold my old boat. my new boat did not have roller furling, so i swapped the unit out. unfortunately in the swap i lost the harken halyard diverter. not wanting to spend $50 for a new one, I looked in the harken furler manual, and the pendant was a solution they recomended. It has worked since then.

Todd Lewis
Eowyn 87 TR/WK C25 #5656
ARWEN 84 TR/SK C25 #4031
www.mainsailsailingschool.com

islander
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3994 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2018 : 12:00:48

What you are calling a pad eye in that photo isn't a pad eye, Its a halyard lead or halyard preventer to prevent raps. Why yours has a groove in it might be just from wear but it is the proper piece of hardware. You don't say what year your boat is but maybe it had wire halyards at one time that created the groove.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Edited by - islander on 04/02/2018 12:38:08

dasreboot
Admiral

Members Avatar

803 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2018 : 12:24:47

its been a while since i looked at the chip ford catalina 22 site. Looks like his price has come down quite a bit. Still for 15k i think i can get a late model wing keel.

Todd Lewis
Eowyn 87 TR/WK C25 #5656
ARWEN 84 TR/SK C25 #4031
www.mainsailsailingschool.com

avi
Deckhand

Members Avatar

12 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2018 : 14:37:09

Once more, thank you all for the input .

odonnellryanc
Navigator

Members Avatar

108 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2018 : 16:53:06

Scott, good correction. And good point! Check out here: https://i.imgur.com/ybrAjqT.jpg

The groove seems remarkably consistent to be caused by wear-and-tear, but I suppose it is possible.

Probably more likely that it is there intentionally for a wire halyard?

Edited by - odonnellryanc on 04/02/2018 16:53:51

islander
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3994 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2018 : 17:44:44

Honestly to me that looks like a wire has cut into it. That restrainer is cast, Not machined. If the groove was cast the surface finish would be the same inside the groove as is on the entire piece. The groove in my guess should be more pronounced on the lower side where the wire changed direction outward and put the most pressure on the restrainer.I could be wrong but I've never seen one with a groove. You could flip it and take a chance that it doesn't chafe the line or IMO replace it.Im assuming you have all line now.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Edited by - islander on 04/02/2018 17:59:10

odonnellryanc
Navigator

Members Avatar

108 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2018 : 04:51:43

Yeah all line now. Thanks for the tips, I actually was not able to find a replacement in the past: was using the wrong search terms!

islander
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3994 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2018 : 05:27:56

I would say that at one time your boat had wire halyards and someone used a restrainer made for rope. Over time the wire cut into the restrainer. For wire he should have used a restrainer with a anodized sheave like this one.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

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.