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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Another shroud break! Help.

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JudOWNED
1st Mate

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USA
98 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/06/2010 : 06:20:56

Clearly, God hates me. I just got my new lower forward shrouds put on and was doing some minor rig tuning. I was LOOSENING (not even tightening, but loosening) the turnbuckle on my port-side upper shroud and it... broke. Specifically, the male ended screw attached to the bottom of the shroud wire broke. Looks like there was some rusting and as I was turning the turnbuckle it sheared off. Left part in the turnbuckle body and lost about an inch or so off the end of the screw.

What are my options? A new set of upper shrouds is $200 at CD, another week or so wait and another trip up the mast. I have a spare turnbuckle body, but with the length sheared off I don't think it can reach anymore. Can the old male end be removed and a new one swaged on? Can you get a longer turnbuckle body (looked at west marine and it doesn't seem so).

Either way, folks, I'm pretty bummed about all this. I checked the standing rigging before I bought and saw no visible rust. What's next, the forestay???

Matt W.
1983 C25 SR/SK
Monroe Harbor Marina
Sanford, FL.

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2010 : 07:03:08

I'd bite the bullet and replace all the standing rigging. I'm guessing it is original to the boat. The recommended life for standing rigging is 10 years or less.

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2010 : 07:52:13

Like most, I'm not real aggressive about replacing standing rigging on a seasonal boat in freshwater, but a broken swage fitting would fire off every alarm in my head and force me to replace all of it. You might check with a local rigger about replacement, my last keel cable was fabricated locally for a little more than half of CD's cost.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2010 : 08:05:54

JAIL BREAK!! 27 years in Florida sun, rain, and salt water is double the recommended life. Stainless corrodes from within (called "crevice corrosion")--that includes your swages (the sleeves holding the wire), your studs (what broke for you), and the wire itself. There are often no visible signs--it takes an X-ray to detect. (Big boats can justify that--not us.)

Believe me--you do not want to experience a rig coming down. It's the most critical maintenance item on a sailboat, for the safety of all.

My rigger couldn't match CD's price for a full set, and suggested I go with them... YMMV. You'll get first-rate open-body bronze turnbuckles and a heap of peace-of-mind.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 06/06/2010 08:27:08

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2010 : 08:34:21

You can't see the degradation inside a swaged terminal. I would replace all of the standing rigging before sailing this boat. Be grateful that this rigging did not fail while you were up on the mast. I suggest you lower the mast when replacing the rest of the standing rigging.

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JudOWNED
1st Mate

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USA
98 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2010 : 13:18:48

Well, you guys convinced me. Unfortunately replacing all remaining rigging in one go isn't an option. However, I will be replacing both upper shrouds right now, and eventualy everything else.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2010 : 14:56:24

The fore- and backstays are even more critical--the lowers aren't positioned to back them up. The forestay takes a lot of stress on beats and reaches--the backstay on runs and jibes. Replace all four or keep your sails down. This is not a drill.

Sorry, but I'm compelled to speak up for the safety of you, crew, and passengers.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 06/06/2010 14:57:12

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2010 : 15:06:18

One more thing... You should not "go up the mast" to replace an upper shroud--the uppers hold the mast up. (The lowers maintain column or bend.) Take it down.

(They don't call me the Chief Curmudgeon for nothing.

)

BTW, I'd say God was taking care of you!

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 06/06/2010 15:24:58

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2010 : 18:47:41

What Dave (and everyone else) said. Be very careful with that boat. Keep a spare halyard tied off to your bow pulpit until the forestay is replaced. Consider a way to double up the backstay. Order the rig like it was due yesterday.

Edited by - on

JudOWNED
1st Mate

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USA
98 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2010 : 03:58:09

FYI, the trip up the mast was in a basket on a forklift!

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2010 : 05:53:34

I think you're playing with fire by not replacing the stays. I'd do it or beach the boat. If that mast falls while underway, somebody could die.

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2010 : 07:27:16

Years ago when I was in college I was crewing on a 24 ft Morgan, beating upwind on the final leg of a race on Tampa Bay, when we lost the upper shroud. Thankfully, I was not sitting right next to the shrouds; it could have been ugly. The upper shroud turnbuckle had failed and a split second later the lower shroud popped from the stress. The mast bent 90 degrees at the spreaders, bending the 1/2" spreader bolts before the lower shroud broke. Then the whole rig went into the water. Fortunately, nobody was injured. I still shudder to think what could have happened if I or one of the other crew had been standing holding onto the shroud when it gave out.

Edited by - on

JudOWNED
1st Mate

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USA
98 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2010 : 11:11:19

I am in the process of contacting CD to see if they'll give me credit for my two lower forward shrouds, just purchased, towards the complete standing rigging kit.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2010 : 07:16:50

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JudOWNED
 I am in the process of contacting CD to see if they'll give me credit for my two lower forward shrouds, just purchased, towards the complete standing rigging kit.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">They'll make up a kit of whatever you want, and price it accordingly. Good decision!

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 06/08/2010 07:20:11

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2010 : 07:57:37

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dmpilc
 Years ago when I was in college I was crewing on a 24 ft Morgan, beating upwind on the final leg of a race on Tampa Bay, when we lost the upper shroud. Thankfully, I was not sitting right next to the shrouds; it could have been ugly. The upper shroud turnbuckle had failed and a split second later the lower shroud popped from the stress. The mast bent 90 degrees at the spreaders, bending the 1/2" spreader bolts before the lower shroud broke. Then the whole rig went into the water. Fortunately, nobody was injured. I still shudder to think what could have happened if I or one of the other crew had been standing holding onto the shroud when it gave out.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Similar story in our club - twice. One guy on a Viking 28 was headed across the lake to a race when he lost his forestay. The rig came down seconds later. He was alone.

Only course of action was to beach the boat hard since the lines all fouled his motor. Slept on board that night, and towed it further into the beach in the morning. The next day he returned with bolt cutters to free the mast.

The other story was a Catalina 27 owner who lost a forestay, but had a spare halyard on his bow pulpit that took the strain. He turned down wind to get the wind to push the mast back up, Tightened up the halyard, dropped sails and headed back to his slip pronto. A lot of guys keep a spare halyard tied off to the pulpit just in case now.

Edited by - on

JudOWNED
1st Mate

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USA
98 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2010 : 08:32:08

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Stinkpotter
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JudOWNED
 I am in the process of contacting CD to see if they'll give me credit for my two lower forward shrouds, just purchased, towards the complete standing rigging kit.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">They'll make up a kit of whatever you want, and price it accordingly. Good decision!

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That's good to hear.

Edited by - on

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