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Poptop instruction book

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/27/2008 : 16:06:56

Last spring we ordered the power poptop kit from CD. Step one was to lower the mast, and as we had just raised the mast an hour earlier we didn't think that was a very good joke.

I packed everything up, put it away and waited till haul out. Now that we've hauled out, I got the kit out to install, but cannot find the instruction book.

If anyone on here has installed the poptop kit and still has a manual kicking around, could you get a copy to me? I don't care whether it is a scanned PDF that I can print or a paper copy, as long as I can get the kit on the boat.

Thanks in advance,
Chris

"Iris"
1984 FK/SR #4040
http://frosthaus.blogspot.com/

Take a minute to register your boat with the association!!
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/owner_questionnaire.htm

Edited by - Prospector on 10/27/2008 16:08:04

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 10/27/2008 : 21:27:13

Chris,

I would give Catalina Direct a call. You're one of their valued customers.

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2008 : 06:42:30

A manual for a boat part. Next thing you know you'll want mounting hardware included.

Call CD and talk to Lowell. You'll need to do so on the non toll free number.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2008 : 08:30:36

Thanks guys. I did call and talk to CD they were very happy to send me another copy, however it will cost me $4.50 for the book, plus $5.00 shipping, plus brokerage fees at the border (the brokerage fees are a crapshoot, but I have yet to not have to pay them).

CD won't send a PDF or word document.

Edited by - on

Happy D
Admiral

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921 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2008 : 17:38:50

So much for customer service. I don't have a warm and fuzzy feeling about CD anyway.

Are talking about those air shock type cylinders?

Edited by - Happy D on 10/28/2008 19:25:14

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2008 : 08:10:15

Yes Happy. All I can remember from reading the instructions back in the spring is thay step one is to lower the mast, and then you have to open the pop-top past its forward position.

After that I'm at a loss.

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2008 : 10:11:42

Edited by - on

Bortiquai
1st Mate

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88 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2008 : 10:16:45

I'm glad you started this post. I am very interested in the pop-top Power Kit. But there is no way the mast is coming down anytime soon. Is it absolutely necessary that it does come down? I also see in the pictures the gas cylinders are in addition to the regular posts, not in place of. Not sure how much I like that.

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2008 : 10:20:43

The lifts are a god send and work very well, I have installed several and have not dropped the mast. All you need to do is compress the struts and control them as you install them, if you have ever put on gas shocks on a car then you have seen cord that keeps them compressed until in place. These are very strong struts but you can compress and control them.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2008 : 12:32:58

So Frank, Are you saying that it is a simple bolt-i in plce deal?

Can anyone at least give me the locations of where each end of the lift goes? I am guessing that the most important thing is that the bases are parallel to each other on each side of the boat. Any other tips or anything before I go and try to do this without the instructions?

Edited by - on

glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2008 : 13:14:35

Prospector,
I have a copy of the instructions (~13pages) and can either photocopy or scan and send if you can wait until the weekend....just too many brushfires at this very moment. I also suggest searching the archives of the forum...there was a good description maybe a year ago about installing the lifts without taking the mast down.

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2008 : 13:25:24

My photos show where to put it relative to the existing hardware. Note the magic marker line above the forward hardware. The aft hardware is mounted as shown, all you need is the instruction from the book for the distance between the aft hardware and the forward hardware.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2008 : 15:49:46

Glivs, if you are up to scanning and sending that would be a HUGE help. I will do a search of the forums for this. Thanks for the reminder.

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5376 Posts

Response Posted - 10/30/2008 : 00:18:46

I couldn't or wouldn't live without the shocks (thanks Dave). I could not imagine how I'd compress them to install on the poptop with it in anything but the fully extended (mast out of the way) position! But maybe some combination of clamps, vice grips, bailing wire and tie wraps would do it. I'd just hate to see the whole thing pop back into its original length before I put it into position on the poptop.

Now here's the real kicker: how do you reinforce the dogs holding down the poptop? In case of a rollover, that thing will open up like a drunk in a confessional and we'll have a major catastrophe on our hands - glub!

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 10/30/2008 : 08:14:45

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Voyager
 I couldn't or wouldn't live without the shocks (thanks Dave). I could not imagine how I'd compress them to install on the poptop with it in anything but the fully extended (mast out of the way) position! But maybe some combination of clamps, vice grips, bailing wire and tie wraps would do it. I'd just hate to see the whole thing pop back into its original length before I put it into position on the poptop.

Now here's the real kicker: how do you reinforce the dogs holding down the poptop? In case of a rollover, that thing will open up like a drunk in a confessional and we'll have a major catastrophe on our hands - glub!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Add a second set of dogs, CD sells the dog upgrade.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 10/30/2008 : 08:45:58

There is a God in Heaven!!

Last night I reached for some bed-time reading, and there on the bookshelf, filed in between Allistair Maclean and Stuart Maclean, and far from the boat reference area was the pop-top installation manual.

How it managed to escape the pile of "spare parts and things to be installed" where the rest of the kit is is beyond me. I also cannot explain how it would end up on the book shelf, let alone in that location.

So I read it last night. It is indeed about 15 pages long with 14 pages of dire warnings and exclamation points which have been duly edited and rewritten by lawyers, and one page of instructions.

If it is worthwhile to folks on here, I will try to scan and post that page as an image file.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 11/05/2008 : 08:37:39

I installed the poptop lift kit last night. It was actually quite simple, but for those who come after, I offer the following tips:

1. My 11 year old daughter lent a hand. She was a huge help. You really need someone to pass you screwdrivers and nuts and bolts and so on.
2. The screws that hold on the lower brackets (forward-most brackets in Frank's image above) did not play nicely. The deck in that area was very hard, and the phillips head screws stripped out entirely. CD should consider going with either a torx head or a robertson head IMHO. If you have the option you may want to consider a more robust fastener.
3. Whe I went to screw the toggle-holder into the pop-top (holds the toggle bolts on the dogs) there was nothing solid for the screws to 'grab' onto. this is unfortunate since we were looking forward to having the toggle bolts out of the way when lifting/lowering. We will do the velcro thing.
4. The process of installing the lift kit involved opening/closing the pop-top only twice. Maybe 3 times. Still, if you are having a hard time raising the top, it may be a workout.
5. Closing the pop-top with the lift kit on is VERY difficult. I am told it will become easier as the struts wear in.

Total time to install the upgrade: 2 hours including time to laugh with the kid.

Edited by - on

jaclasch
Navigator

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USA
104 Posts

Response Posted - 11/11/2008 : 23:05:04

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. Basically you are using the pop top itself to compress the struts in the last step. Here’s the procedure I used:

• As shown in the manual from Catalina Direct, locate and mark 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 aft 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 from 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

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 11/12/2008 : 12:53:25

James,

Very sensible method. I might buy some struts and install them. I'm tired of lifting my pop-top.

I used the main halyard and a temporary davit made from an aluminum pole (Sunfish mast) held against the cockpit bulkhead to lift my 9.9 hp Honda outboard off the mount to the dock for service.

The main halyard is also used with a block and tackle to hoist a MOB victim aboard with a Lifesling.

Edited by - on

cat1951
Admiral

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USA
636 Posts

Response Posted - 11/12/2008 : 14:43:06

prospector - I am really glad you found the instructions. I had just had a chance to read your thread and was ready to copy and send mine to you if you didn't find yours. Actually, I bought my kit from Frank sometime either this year or last... just can't remember at my age. If you lose them again, just let me know.

Edited by - on

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