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.
Well... that's mine starting from back to front, ( right to left in the second picture )
We have a strap on the top holding the wind vane.
then 5 pins right to left, starting with
1. backstay and topping lift on the same pin. 2. aft Sheave pin holding 2 sheaves with a plate separating them. they are new sheaves not OEM to convert from wire halyards to line ( 3/8 I think )
3. forward Sheave pin holding two sheaves and the metal plate between the sheaves. the single metal plate goes front to back with holes for each pin, extending forward some and back some and prevents the halyards from jumping off the sheaves.
4. unused pin
5. forestay.
I wish I'd moved the forestay back one pin I might have added another block and another halyard... but that can wait...
And of course an anchor light in the middle. I think that's it... Please anyone feel free to comment. Anyhoo that's mine. 1984
Ray in Atlanta, Ga. "Lee Key" '84 Catalina 25 Standard Rig / Fin Keel
Now, for all our members who have installed a masthead crane on their boats, to fly a spinnaker, that diagram shows that it wasn't necessary. Most of us, if not all, have rigged our forestay incorrectly for all these years. That diagram shows the forestay attached, not to the forward-most hole in the masthead, but to the second hole. The diagram shows a block attached to the forward-most hole, and that block is used for the spinnaker halyard.
Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind" previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22 Past Commodore
Well it appears that Ray's forstay is on the right pin. I have the spin crane and it does get the block farther away from the forstay and the Roller furler and since the block slides on a curved rail the block lines up better with what ever point of sail your on rather than sliding across a straight pin and laying against the masthead. I guess the crane is an improvement over the original design. To answer the question, all your halyards and lines stay where they are. The crane allows you to add a block and another halyard to your setup. It can be useful as a spare halyard or for another sail like a spin or drifter.
Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688 Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound
As Islander said, it allows the halyard block more freedom to move side to side with the sail. It also gives a few more inches between the halyard and the rest of the gear up there.
Davy J
2005 Gemini 105Mc PO 1987 C25 #5509 SR/SK Tampa Bay
I imagine without the crane and using a roller it would be trouble. and the roller most probably would need the forward pin in the masthead. Sorry mine didn't have a crane on it for you to look at it but I just had the mast down and thought you might like to see some close up shots of the masthead.
always interesting to see what people have rigged. Catalina Direct has some nice views.
Ray in Atlanta, Ga. "Lee Key" '84 Catalina 25 Standard Rig / Fin Keel
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.