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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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C42 Surprise first sail of the year

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bear_tm4
Navigator

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USA
143 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/10/2008 : 20:37:47

Ok, I have had the boat out in some weather, winds up and down, and the Leisurefurl boom works great. I am very happy with it. Still working with getting that happy spot for furling the whole sail when done for the day...but will work with it when lil less wind.
We went out this weekend, sat was great winds 10-15 knts, sailed all day on full main and genoa. Dropped my brother off and then headed back out, still nice, so we decided my kids and I to sleep out...(should have checked weather report) Well this was our first nite on the hook....setting anchor went well, I kept checking until I went to sleep if we were drifting, rock solid...thats good...:) I also used my Banner Bay anchor sail for first time, and it works great. so willl have to give them kudos for good product. Anyways, we woke up to 27 degrees, Sat was nice 57, and wind blowing hard, 15-20 strogest puff was 25. so we put the sails up and I reefed first thing. Had heck of a time with Genoa, not enough purches with muscel alone to move it so every time had to head up and mess with it...thats not easy with a 10 yr n a 14....so I think I am going to look into a fix for that. a winch and a rope clutch would do....What do you all think?? I want to be able to reef it without having to round up all the time. Well the sail back was great, I didnt relize how cold it was, but had a great time ridin that big boat thru the waves, we did a steady 5-7 knts all the way back....was long day the wind was on the nose all the way back...:) but got to see what this Catalina 42 will do..I love her she is such a great boat and very forgiving....I was going to run a little so took all the reefs out...bad idea on my own...can steer and manage sails....kids dont have enough exp, so she feel off to a beam reach and got laid not too bad, only about 30-35 degrees heel.....but while I got her straight she kept us safe despite my lack of better judgement...:] so will wait to have fun with an adult. Thats about it, we headed in to tie her up to the dock and let the ice mest off the bow, :) it was cold did I say that. thank goodness for foul weather gear. But not a bad weekend for Febuary 10 08.

Capt.Bear, C42MKII "Surprise" #998 WK

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 02/12/2008 : 11:39:13

Fun, Barry! Are you saying you can't roll the genny up while it's filled? To reef or furl my "little one" in strong winds, I eased the sheet so the sail barely remained filled (for a smooth wrap) to take the pressure off. But that was with a much smaller rig, of course. You could e-mail Oscar (in case he's off in another world somewhere) and see what his experience was...

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 02/12/2008 11:42:41

bear_tm4
Navigator

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USA
143 Posts

Response Posted - 02/12/2008 : 20:23:54

No cant roll it up while its filled...evening easing the sheet its still tuff and almost imposable to get tied off on that little cleat they sent. So almost certain that I want to put a winch there with a rope clutch, might be over kill, but I am thinking of worse case so I can control it all not matter what. Kent at Catalina seemed to thing that was a good idea as well. with the rope clutch I can slap it closed to take load of winch and if need to furl reef sail with a load I can do so...Its been my exp that sometimes only 15-30 inchs will make a world of diff...I just feel safer, my Genoa has as much sail area as both sails on my 25, :) so even with a little wind in the genne, its alot of load...
I just love the way the boat powers thru the waves...real fun...I am just waiting for a another good weekend. take care all

Edited by - on

johnsonp
Admiral

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USA
606 Posts

Response Posted - 02/12/2008 : 21:07:28

This is what I used to help the grandkids to tame that roller furler line and it's mounted close to the port jib winch because the line dia is so small for them.

http://mauriprosailing.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD& Product_Code=SPIPXR0206SW& Category_Code=SPIPXR

paulj

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 02/12/2008 : 22:29:00

Just a thought: You might want to check with the furler manufacturer, too... There could be an issue over how much tension you should put on the furling line, and a winch could possibly overdo it.

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britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 02/13/2008 : 08:09:03

Barry, we're installing a cam cleat(?) for the furler line. I use the winch to roll in the furler and then have to struggle keeping tension while removing the line from the winch and onto the existing furler cleat.
If I put a cam cleat there then I can just winch it in, and release the line as it will be grabbed in the cleat. I'll route the line past the existing cleat to maintain line direction to the winch.

When i want to unfurl, I would just lift the line out of the cam cleat and maintain tension while winching in the gib sheet.

I guess you would need a bigger cam cleat

Paul

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 02/13/2008 : 09:30:37

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by britinusa
 When i want to unfurl, I would just lift the line out of the cam cleat and maintain tension while winching in the gib sheet.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Why do you need to do that? Do you have a CDI without the ball-bearing option? Your sail should fly off the furler... (Just wear gloves for holding the furler line.)

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 02/13/2008 09:31:41

johnsonp
Admiral

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USA
606 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2008 : 18:09:10

This has worked very good..... but as always... you have to have that feeling when a line, halyard or sheet is hung up.

paulj

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Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

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844 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2008 : 16:25:36

Why not try the C42 Intl. Association? I'm sure they have copies of their tech notes available from way back, if you don't have them you should get them to avoid re-inventing the wheel. Don't know about the "quality" of their website...

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frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2008 : 20:04:55

The general had a hard time with the 250 furler and it is a much smaller sail, but the idea might work for you if you have a cabin top winch with a stanchion anywhere from the 7 o'clock to 9 o'clock position. I attached a small block to the stanchion that is at the 9 o'clock position and ran the furler line through it and then back up to the cleat. To release the furler she takes the line off the cleat then puts one wrap around the winch which allows here to let the line out slowly without and strain or rope burn. To retrieve the furler she takes the line puts two wraps on the winch and then into the self tailer. Installs the winch handle and cranks the jib in slowly while I hold tension on the jibsheet. She continues to wind it up until there is four wraps of the jibsheets around the furler. Then takes the line off the winch and cleats it off. Here is a picture of the furler line through the block and tied off on the cleat. Sorry I don't have any pictures of it in action.

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5909 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2008 : 18:42:17

Barry, when you furl a roller furling jib, you should let it luff almost completely - just hold the least little bit of tension on the jibsheet, so the sail rolls up into a neat, tight roll. If you try to roll it up while the sail is even partially filled, you won't be able to do it. If you do it that way, the only time it should be hard to furl is when the wind is really blowing. In that case, I wrap the furling line on my primary winch. Also, I always continue to furl the jib until the jibsheets are wrapped around the rolled-up sail 2-3 times. The reason is that the extra wraps help prevent the sail from unfurling unintentionally in a hard blow. I've seen 3-4 jibs do that in just the past 3 years, and they've all ripped themselves to shreds.

Edited by - on

Don B
Captain

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USA
317 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2008 : 19:09:41

Man Steve, you nailed it...Happened to me yesterday.

I thought the genoa was properly furled, and while heading back to the marina, the wind caught enough of the sail that it promptly unfurled. Pretty exciting but taught me a good lesson. After rolling up the genoa, I put 3-4 wraps around the sail and cleated off the furling line. Also, before leaving the boat, wrapped an additional line directly around the genoa.

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2008 : 20:21:24

I go one step further after getting a call last spring from my marina manager reporting my blown out sail while sitting at the slip. Fortunately, it was repairable and will be replace this season.

I allow a couple of additional wraps of the sheets and then, once in the slip, I "counter-wrap" the jib halyard (extra with the CDI furler) against the rotation of the sail. That way, the halyard protects the sail from getting blown out again. Takes an extra 3 minutes when getting ready to leave the next time.

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5909 Posts

Response Posted - 02/20/2008 : 10:40:39

When you get done furling the jib, the bitter end of the furling line should always be cleated someplace. My boat has a small horn cleat for that purpose. If the furling line isn't cleated, there's nothing to prevent the sail from unrolling. I also cleat both of the jib sheets, and put just a little bit of tension on them, to keep the roller from turning in either direction.

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bear_tm4
Navigator

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USA
143 Posts

Response Posted - 02/24/2008 : 19:49:59

OH yes, I always wrap it nice and tight and usually do let the sail luff, but in 20 knots that big sail flogs to be the band, and its a mess, and I dont want to have to tack to furl, or reef..so I am going to put a rope clutch in. That will makeing control of the line much easier. I have a cleat and it works fine, but if there is any wind, well it just takes off as soon as you loose it, so just aft of the rope clutch I am going to install a winch. that is dedicated to the furler, now when I need to let line out I can use the winch as a snubber, if I need to furl in a blow, I can do so with some control, it will be in line with clutch and furler line, rather than turned at a rude angle to the main winch. Just ease the sheet spill a little wind and crank on the winch to furler put a few wraps on, trim the sheet, now the boat is more ballanced and she will almost sail her self. I noticed that last time I was out with reef in the main and jenny she sailed with just a little weather helm...just the right amount, so thats my plan, I leaned the hard way one afternoon on a buddys C30 always have the sheets wraped on the winch even if its the leward side, cause loose sheet in a blow is very dangerous thing, they have a mind of there own will wrap around anything in there path, arms, necks

anything so I always keep everything in its place....and one reason after my windy sail I want something to control things, with more controls means more safety....I thought long and hard about this and talked to several other sailors and there seems to be a number that have put winchs on, I also looked at severa other production boats, not hunters, Bs and Js they had rope clutchs so it makes since....winch just meanst more control of line when reefing, I know you have to pay attention so you break something...but its better to break the boat than yourself...I can buy new boat parts, people parts are harder to come by...lol..well thanks for all the suport, somthing I love about the the C25 forum, every one jumps when help is needed. Thanks gang.

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JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 03/06/2008 : 11:09:59

Barry,
I bet your experience on a 25-footer was only somewhat useful for handling a C42. I wonder if it is about twice as slow to respond to gusts? And twice as forgiving of errors of sail trim? And twice as hard to dock (bow thrusters needed)? And twice as fast? And about ten times more comfortable?

How about "commanding the ship's crew" to take pictures while underway? Then we can see you in action on your beautiful boat!

Fair winds!

Edited by - JohnP on 03/07/2008 13:35:14

Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

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844 Posts

Response Posted - 03/06/2008 : 12:52:22

A winch and a rope clutch is an expensive soltuion. Another option to consider is a ratchet block on the furler line and using your existing jib sheet winches.

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