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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

How should the boom and sail attach to the mast?

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Ed Cassidy
Captain

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USA
365 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/13/2007 : 11:33:57

I am trying to get things set up correctly but I'm not sure how it should be. Could someone provide a photo of how the boom is secured to the mast and how the sail is tied down also? Does the slide get tied to the mast first and then the sail? Help, please. I don't mind sounding stupid; I just don't want to look stupid!
Ed

Ed
HisHorse
1979 SR/SK #1393
Green Cove Springs, FL

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2007 : 12:41:31

There should be a long narrow fitting on the front of the boom that you need to insert in the slot on the mast. Make sure the short rope attached to this fitting hangs down. That's your downhaul and it attaches to the cleat under the boom. The boom should come to rest just below the slot opening. If your mainsail has slugs attached to the grommets on the sail, the slugs will also go into the slot on the mast, feeding the top as you raise the sail. You should also have a sail stop device (looks like a sail slug with a threaded post and a thumbwheel nut or maybe just a screw in it. That device goes into the slot after the last slug to keep the sail in the mast when you drop the sail back down. If your mainsail does not have slugs, feed the boltrope into the slot as you raise the sail. Also, before raising the sail all the way up, be sure it is attached to the end of the boom. That line is called the outhaul. Sorry, I'm at work and can't do pics right now.
David

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2007 : 14:08:14

this should give you an idea of the boom to the mast

http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/manbro/pictures/pc16.gif

as for the sail - there should be slugs on the luff (leading edge) that fit into the kerf (the slot) on the mast. The foot will be one of two things - either a bolt rope and slide (similar to the slugs) or just a slide (loose footed main) That goes all the way aft where it is attached to the outhaul.

I'd recommend taking a peak at the manuals and brochures section linked on the upper left and parusing the parts manual and the original owners manual. Both should give you some guidance. I highly highly doubt the luff of your sail does not have slugs and is just a bolt rope, however it is possible.

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Ed Cassidy
Captain

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USA
365 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2007 : 15:01:13

Thanks.
I had already looked at the parts manual but I didn't see a rope from the bottom of the slide to the mast. And I had remembered a rope from the foot of the sail to the mast but I guess what I saw was the reefing rope. My boom does have the jiffy reef setup. It also had four boom stops.

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Ed Cassidy
Captain

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USA
365 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2007 : 15:43:59

oops.... Sorry. It's a line or sheet but not rope! I forgot where I was.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2007 : 16:10:54

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Ed Cassidy
 oops.... Sorry. It's a line or sheet but not rope! I forgot where I was.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Not to worry--just remember that on a boat, a "line" is generally made of "rope". (Rope is the material--the line has a specific function--halyard, sheet, dock, etc.)

The mainsail has an eye at the forward-bottom corner, called the "tack". That is generally held by a bolt through holes in the gooseneck--the metal fitting on the boom. You attach that bolt after you've pulled the "bolt rope" on the foot of the sail all the way into the boom track (or kerf). With that bolt in place, you can then use the outhaul (a line from the end of the boom) to pull the foot tight and secure it. I tied a small loop in the outhaul and fed the other end through it and then tied it back to create a crude 2:1 purchase. (Hmmm... sorry, no picture.) With all of that done, you can then follow the directions above to hoist the main on the mast and use a sail-stop (like a metal slug with a knurled knob) to keep the slugs from falling out. I also used a sail stop to keep the boom from dropping too with the sail down. The downhaul (line from a hole in the gooseneck) keeps it from raising to far and falling out of the gate.

Later, you can search for "mast gates" to see a better solution than the stop, especially if you reef.

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frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2007 : 23:11:43

Ed, I guess you got all your work done and are ready to put her in the water since main install is your problem. Is the boat in Green Cove now? If so drop me and EM through the Forum and we can arrange to meet and I will show you how it goes.

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 07/14/2007 : 21:42:35

There is one rope on a sailboat - can anyone tell me what it is? (old timers - let a newbie get this one!

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gbeardjr
Navigator

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USA
101 Posts

Response Posted - 07/15/2007 : 00:39:09

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Champipple
 There is one rope on a sailboat - can anyone tell me what it is? (old timers - let a newbie get this one!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Starter rope?

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britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 07/15/2007 : 06:40:18

They're all ropes! no matter the material. The problem is referring to a particluar rope. Every rope on a sailboat has a purpose, even if that rope is a spare line.
There are so many ropes on a boat that to ask someone to pull on the rope is probably going to be the cause of a problem. So we refer to the ropes by the correct name, normally their function.

There are several ropes that are referred to as ropes on a boat.. The Bell Rope. It's very common for folks to refer to the line that is used to tow another vessel as a Tow Rope but to be correct it is a hawser, however I've never heard anyone say 'pass them the Tow hawser' but then I've never been aboard a barge towing tug.

Paul
(25 years in the British Navy, retired)

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 07/15/2007 : 09:17:44

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by britinusa
 They're all ropes! no matter the material...
Paul (25 years in the British Navy, retired)<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
But Paul, you're evidentally still learning American!

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Jefffriday
Navigator

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USA
198 Posts

Response Posted - 07/15/2007 : 10:05:50

Hmmm, Mine has a plate screwed on to the mast that the boom attaches to. No slide, is this a modification from the PO? She is an 89 SR/WK, should I change it? I have a hook that goes into the bottom large grommet on the sail for the downhaul, the sail shape is fairly good but there is a bit bunched up right above the boom attach point (Main halyard is all the way up in the track)

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 07/15/2007 : 10:20:50

Jeff, ours have fixed booms, most sailboats do. Ours are much stronger.

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