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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

automatic pop-top

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southern cross
Navigator

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USA
123 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/23/2006 : 20:51:48

I purchased a 82 c-25 back in october 2005 (my first boat) I have spent a ton of time cleaning, teaking, installing 15" flatscreen and other electronics and recovering all interior cushions with new sunbrella. I have seen the automatic pop-top mechanism on catalina direct and it seems like a great ideo. Does anyone have experience with one, I am 6'2" and not having to lift the top with the top of my head sounds great.
Any feedback would be great in trying to decide if I should purchase one of these.
Thanks to all and be gentle, I'ma newbie to the forum.
Later

southern cross 1982 C-25
TR FK #2867

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 01/23/2006 : 20:59:28

They work great, buy them.

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Happy D
Admiral

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921 Posts

Response Posted - 01/23/2006 : 21:36:46

Greetings Zach,
Please post some pictures of the flat screen and the electronics upgrades if you can. Sounds real interesting.
Welcome to the forum!

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 01/23/2006 : 22:47:09

Hi Zach... I'm thinking about getting the same thing from CD. I recall reading here that it's best (or maybe necessary) to install the system with the mast down so the cylinders can be pre-loaded with the pop-top lying forward of the mast.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2006 : 09:15:44

Welcome to the forum Zach!

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southern cross
Navigator

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USA
123 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2006 : 12:11:12

Happy, I we post some pics once everything is done. Thanks for the inpput.
[/quote]

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jaclasch
Navigator

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USA
104 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2006 : 21:55:59

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bristle
 Hi Zach... I'm thinking about getting the same thing from CD. I recall reading here that it's best (or maybe necessary) to install the system with the mast down so the cylinders can be pre-loaded with the pop-top lying forward of the mast.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The power lift assembly is great. There is, however, an easier way to install them that doesn’t require taking the mast down or compressing the gas pistons. Here’s the procedure I used:

• As shown in the manual from Catalina Direct, locate the positions to mount the front brackets.
• Install the front brackets as indicated.
• It is important to have the bracket ball-connectors exactly the right distance from each other. Use a piece of flat wood molding to make a positioning jig. Mark two spots exactly 10.75 in. apart on the strip and drill two holes slightly smaller than the pivot balls on the brackets. A 3/8” bit works fine.
• Use this jig to position and mark the rear brackets (with the pop top down).
• Install the rear brackets. For best results drill one hole for each bracket and fasten with a single bolt. Then check spacing again. If you are a little off it is still easy to correct.
• With top up and locked against mast, run a piece of rope through the top mounts of the rear pop top stanchions and form into a bridle that is then pulled up aft of the hatch cover and hooked to your main halyard.
• Run main halyard around a winch and tighten up so halyard will not allow rear of pop top to drop.
• Remove pivot screws at the bottom of the aft pop top stanchions.
• Unlock pop top from mast.
• Now one person slowly raises rear of pop top with the winch while second person watches below until struts line up with mounts and snaps them into place.
• Lower top slowly until rear stanchion holes line up and replace big pivot screws.
• Slacken and remove bridle and begin using top. What a difference!

When I did this, I used a lot of time CAREFULLY mounting the brackets. Putting the struts on only took about twenty minutes.

James

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2006 : 23:28:52

Good info, James! Did the instructions with the kit include this procedure for doing it with the mast up, or did you figure out this method for hooking up the extended struts?

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jaclasch
Navigator

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USA
104 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2006 : 23:56:35

This is my own method arrived at after much thought about avoiding the other methods. I sent it to Catalina Direct but got no acknowledgement and do not know if they added it to their manual. I only know using the weight of the pop top to compress the struts works very well.

James

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frank679
1st Mate

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USA
42 Posts

Response Posted - 01/26/2006 : 13:31:00

I installed these a few years ago and since I am of advancing years don't know how I did without them.

Being adventuresome I jammed the struts under a metal stair step and using a small jack compressed the to the desired length. Using plumbers tape (metal) and lots of duct tape I strapped them in position and having previously installedthe hardware on the boat bolted them installed them and them removed all the tape.

Did it on my own, did not drop the mast. They work fine.

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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.