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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Capri 25 Specific Forum

Lines

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Elliott
Deckhand

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18 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/29/2009 : 12:01:20

I've been looking at replacement lines for what must be original equipment on my 1982 Capri 25. Looking at some of the manuals, I've been able to gather that the main and jib halyards used to be 5/16" Dacron, and everything else seems to be 3/8" Dacron. In the years since, stuff like Dyneema and Vectran have come out. Since they are much lower stretch and higher strength, I was planning to replace some of the original Dacron with these materials.

My conclusions (which I present for the sake of ridicule, by which you get a laugh, and I get good advice) are to use 1/4" Vectran for the main and jib halyards, use 1/4" Dyneema for the spinnaker halyard, and stick with the original size Dacron for everything else, to help it absorb shock loading without overloading any blocks or fittings.

The questions associated with this are, do you all still use the original cam cleats and setup, or have you installed clutches, extra blocks, and/or extra winches?

New owner of hull #345, and new association member.

Port Captain - New Orleans, LA
Voodoo Krewe
Capri 25 Hull #345

Edited by - on

SailCO26
Captain

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USA
457 Posts

Response Posted - 10/30/2009 : 07:07:31

I'm all for upgrading to better line, but I *hate* lines that are less than 5/16" with any load. It's just too difficult to get a good grasp on, esp with gloves. On the Bus the only 1/4" line I have is the spin pole topping lift - that's due for replacement this year and will be going to 5/16".

I have added 2 clutches just fwd of the 2 cabin top winches - jib and main halyards. The rest use cam cleats, some original some replacements. The replacements are all Harken, which work well. The stock one's I'm not a big fan of, but the bolt pattern doesn't match anything I've found to replace them with. I just need to suck it up and drill more holes in the boat...

While I'm not big on self-tailing winches for racing, I'm actually considering replacing the 2 2-speed genoa winches with STs because as much as I dislike cam cleats I really (Really, REALLY!) hate jam cleats.

Jim

Edited by - on

leebitts
Navigator

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USA
122 Posts

Response Posted - 10/30/2009 : 17:08:02

I replaced all the running rigging on my capri 25 last year and gave a great deal of thought to diameter and material prior to buying them. The year before I replaced the double track head stay with a roller furler so for the primary jib and main halyards I used West marines most ultra low stretch. For the other jib, the spinnaker, spinnaker topping lift, spinnaker pole foreguy and the sheets I used the 2nd lowest stretching line from west. All of these were 5/16. I made the spinnaker sheets 3/8 in hopes to keep the weight down so the spinnaker would float better in light air. Next year the spinnaker sheets will be replaced. The most important thing about line selection is strength to do the job and comfort in your hand. 5/16 is nice line to handle.

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joearcht
Navigator

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USA
243 Posts

Response Posted - 10/31/2009 : 05:56:46

My boat came to me with over sized lines on everything. I've been down sizing as I replace them, but the only 1/4" line I've got is the boom lift and backstay adjustment. As far as changes to the original hardware, my boat has a double rope clutch mounted on each side of the cabin for the halyards and the main downhaul.

Edited by - on

Elliott
Deckhand

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18 Posts

Response Posted - 11/04/2009 : 08:06:25

When I got my boat, all of the rigging was completely switched around from the architectural drawing. This weekend, I straightened all out to match the original configuration. I still haven't replaced any lines that I have, but the spinnaker halyard was non-existent, so I did run a new spinnaker halyard. I went with the 1/4" Amsteel for now. I can test to see how I feel about the 1/4" lines with this one, and if it's too small, I will replace the other lines with 5/16" when the time comes.

I haven't had a chance to sail since I fixed the rigging (Voodoo Music Festival was this weekend, and the Saints were on Monday Night Football this week), so I'll let everyone know what I decide for the other lines, based upon this 1/4" halyard I just put in. My other boat is a Dart 18 beach catamaran, and I have the 3/16" Spyderline as the main halyard on that. So 1/4" is actually bigger than I'm accustomed to pulling! With that Spyderline, though, I do have to wrap it around my hand to get a good grip (but I only wrap it once, so I could still let go easily if it pulls back on me too hard.)

Edited by - Elliott on 11/04/2009 08:07:45

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 11/04/2009 : 08:27:15

Have you looked into getting 1/4 inch spliced into 5/16ths or getting a stripped core for the halyard. That would minimize the weight aloft while still giving you something to comfortably grasp.

Edited by - on

Elliott
Deckhand

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18 Posts

Response Posted - 11/04/2009 : 16:15:49

I didn't look at that, but I did consider that, if I add clutches to my boat, I'll probably need to lash a cover onto the portion that I need to catch in the clutch. I could do the same for the handling end, if needed.

I'll keep that in mind as another option. I know that the line I got is splice-able.

Edited by - on

SailCO26
Captain

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USA
457 Posts

Response Posted - 11/05/2009 : 07:07:43

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Elliott</i>
With that Spyderline, though, I do have to wrap it around my hand to get a good grip (but I only wrap it once, so I could still let go easily if it pulls back on me too hard.)<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Be VERY careful about when/where you do that. It's very easy for a line to load up quick enough you can't get it from around your hand before something goes "crunch"!

I'll admit I'm guilty of that once in a while, and cringe every time I have to do it. I crew on a J/80 occasionally and seriously dislike 10k+ jibing the greasy spagetti straps the owner calls spin sheets...

Jim

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Elliott
Deckhand

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18 Posts

Response Posted - 11/05/2009 : 16:02:49

Yeah, you're right about that. In that case, the Spyderline was a fix to a different problem. Anything stretchy was so hard to pull that I couldn't lower the main without wrapping the line around my tricep and pulling with my legs. I've learned more now, and if I did it over, I'd get a larger diameter vectran line. Instead, I'm going to sell the catamaran. The good part of that is that you're very seldom hoisting or lowering the main in a position that could catch a sudden gust of air, so it's probably fine.

Still, I take your point very well for other lines and for my future.

Edited by - on

Andy_334
Navigator

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USA
206 Posts

Response Posted - 11/30/2009 : 19:50:53

Agree with the comments about not wrapping line around the hands. Once you see it go really bad, really quickly, you just don’t do it.

Most of the lines on Jalepeno are 5/16”. However, I note the discussion about sheets.

For the jib sheets we use 5/16 line + Harken 40 winches + trimmers with busy hands. We rarely cleat the lines when racing. When cruising we do use the jam cleats. (Side note: recommend a single line attached to the clew with a simple cow hitch. It avoids the shackle or bowline getting caught up on the shrouds during the tack)

I know owners cringe when crew show up suggesting buy two sets of sheets. However, that’s what have for the Spinnaker: 5/16” for moderate/heavy air, and ¼” light air.

Edited by - on

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
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.