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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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C250 WB Lifting Cable Replacement

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RPLieser
1st Mate

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USA
70 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/24/2019 : 09:32:50

Well... it finally happened, the S/S original (1997) lifting cable on my C250 separated at the clevis on the keel. Looks to be galvanic corrosion and age.

I note the replacement cable on CD #E2031 is a vectran line, not S/S cable. Anyone have experience with this or another replacement?

Anyone have luck pulling the keel up with a line around the hull... maybe using the cabin top winches or another approach?

Worse case I sail the 15mi to the next harbor and have it pulled with a travel lift.

Edited by - RPLieser on 03/24/2019 09:34:26

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1297 Posts

Response Posted - 03/24/2019 : 12:09:04

We replaced our cable several times. A vectran cable is by far the strongest and well suited.
If the boat is in the water and a diver is available, replacement is very simple and inexpensive, by feeding the cable down the tube and attaching it to the centerboard.
We unsuccessfully tried to raise the centerboard by using a line around the hull... it just did not seem to work for us.
If the boat is on the trailer it will need to be lifted in order to have access to the centerboard.
If you wish to launch the boat from the trailer, use 3/8 plywood to glide the board over the trailer crossbeams

3/8 plywood providing a path to slide for the centerboard to slive over the crossbeams of the trailer

San Diego West Marine - Professional Vectran splicing

Vectran cable spliced to the centerboard attachment using a split-pin

Spliced spare Vectran cable

Looking down into the uphaul tube and viewing the turning ball

Open block for easy installation of the Vectran uphaul cable

Closed uphaul cable block

6:1 uphaul mechanism

Henk & Johanna
"Floating", a few off your "barnacles".
"Someday Lady" '95 C250WB #151 ('03 - 2016)
"Sea ya" 30ft Bayliner (04-2018 - 09-2018)
"Mariah" '96 C250WB #191 (05-2019 - 15-05-2023)
"Lady J" '00 C250WK #499 (05-2021 - 09-2022)

Edited by - zeil on 03/24/2019 12:14:46

RPLieser
1st Mate

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USA
70 Posts

Response Posted - 03/25/2019 : 09:44:51

Henk,

Thanks for the detailed response and great pics! I was thinking diving, but didn't know if the small components and cold water of Morro Bay would be compatible :-)

If I may, some follow-on questions:

1. Are the original keel lifting pennant block, turning ball, and pennant lifting block compatible with the diameter of the vectran?
2. I like your choice of open uphaul block... do you have a brand and #?
3. How does the vectran respond to the chaffing on the turning ball?
4. Do you replace the keel cable hose with each pennant change?
Thanks again,
-Patrick

Edited by - RPLieser on 03/25/2019 09:45:29

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1297 Posts

Response Posted - 03/26/2019 : 10:18:06

Patrick

The Vectran cable has the same diameter, or in any case is very close to the original SS cable. No need to replace anything. However, if your turning ball is grooved or corroded and will not turn you may wish to remove it and replace it with a turning ball kit available at Catalina Direct. The old existing turning ball will have to be removed.

Sorry, I've no idea what brand name of the replacement block is... the new block operates with a lot less friction

You'll be able to notice if the Vectran cable starts to wear or gets ragged as it runs over the turning ball

In our case the black "hull cable hose", did not need to be replaced

If you replace the cable while the boat is floating, connect the cable to the center board. Drop a "fish line", from the top through the hose and connect to the Vectran cable, pull up, attach and voila...

Just a note: To eliminate center board "clunking", we epoxied "spacers", to the center board. It always has taken a lot to raise the center board even more so with the spacers. To avoid undue stress on the up-haul mechanism we often carefully nudged the boat up the ramp until the center board started to be pushed up. Once it moved up we could pull it up rest of the way until it reached the mark on the rope indicating that the center board was all the way up and ready for the trailer

Tried this but does not work....

Port Hudson, Florida A lift truck with "looooong", forks lifted us and held the boat while the cable was being replaced.

Turning ball with cut fiber-glassed in SS pin (Photo courtesy of a forum member)

Edited by - zeil on 03/26/2019 18:08:52

k3fuller
1st Mate

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USA
73 Posts

Response Posted - 03/28/2019 : 06:54:17

I have what may sound like a dumb question. On my 250 a PO must have replaced a SS cable with vectran as it looks exactly the same as you show. Last summer I swam under the boat to look at the board in the extended position and saw that the cable just seems to be tied to the board with knots. Is that the correct attachment method? I haven't had any issues with it and the board goes up and down just fine. Just curious since I'm still new to this boat.

2004 250WB #781

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1297 Posts

Response Posted - 03/28/2019 : 11:49:28

Kemp

It does, in my opinion, not really matter how the Vectran cable is connected to the center board. Try to avoid "knot loss", (also a great name for your next boat

Full size "Noah's Ark", on display in Dordrecht The Netherlands

Cars?... Orillia, Ontario.

Orillia, Ontario "Christmas in June", festival June 2007

On auto pilot... just past Lake Simcoe, Ontario and Orilia, on the way to Port Severn

Broken home-made 5 ft rudder... held the boat in position by reversing the 8HP outboard while replacing with a spare rudder blade

Smiling, coffee and underway again

Edited by - zeil on 03/28/2019 17:30:51

k3fuller
1st Mate

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USA
73 Posts

Response Posted - 03/29/2019 : 06:44:16

Thanks! Oh my, broken rudder! We saw a good boat name somewhere recently "Sea Nile" seems appropriate as I slowly approach retirement age. :-)

2004 250WB #781

Russ.Johnson
Commodore

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USA
833 Posts

Response Posted - 03/30/2019 : 00:02:04

quote:
Originally posted by k3fuller

I have what may sound like a dumb question. On my 250 a PO must have replaced a SS cable with vectran as it looks exactly the same as you show. Last summer I swam under the boat to look at the board in the extended position and saw that the cable just seems to be tied to the board with knots. Is that the correct attachment method? I haven't had any issues with it and the board goes up and down just fine. Just curious since I'm still new to this boat.

Hi Kemp,
Catalina converted from cable to Vectran, so yours is probably original.
Your and my boat are pretty close and I haven't had to replace the Vectran.
Henk has a 1995 and Patrick has a 1997 when they used cable.

Russ Johnson
2005 C250WB Hull 793

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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.