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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

winter storage - lower shrouds ?

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jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/06/2010 : 14:18:38

We are trying to re-work our scheme for tarping this winter, and can accomplish a much more effective/closed covering w/o the lower shrouds. Does anyone disconnect the lower shrouds from their chain-plates while on the hard...any reason not to ??? (providing the forestay, backstay and both upper shrouds are in place...)

THANKS!

Jerry

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islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4023 Posts

Response Posted - 12/06/2010 : 15:24:08

I think Bruce " Voyager " brought up this question last year. I can't remember the results I think some said that it was OK and some said not. Some guys in my Marina let the forward and aft lowers loose leaving the forstay, Aftstay and uppers and then use 2 tarps joined at the mast. Maybe Bruce will jump in here and tell you what he did.

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jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 12/06/2010 : 16:05:32

you've sussed our scheme!

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5368 Posts

Response Posted - 12/06/2010 : 20:04:41

Jerry, I put the question out last year and since the jury was split on the decision, I did not loosen the lower shrouds, instead I did the following:

I got two 16'x20' tarps (one forward of the mast, one aft), each was about $25 (an order of magnitude less than shrink wrap or sunbrella covers) and joined the two at the mast.

I cut perpendicular slots in the tarps where the lower shrouds come through, then installed new eyelets all along the two edges of the tarps, and right next to the edges of the cuts to allow me to "stitch" the two tarps together matching up the eyelets.

I did not try to use duct tape, since it dries up and flies away in a few weeks. While the seams are not as tight as I'd like, they keep most of the snow off the cabintop.

I did get a small buildup of ice and snow near the joint last year, but that would probably have happened either way: whether I'd loosened the lower shrouds or not.

I had more problems with low-spots forming in the tarp near the bow and the stern pulpit. This year, I bought some 3/4" PVC tubing to create several curved "arches" under the tarps to prevent pockets and low spots. So far, so good.

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panhead1948
Captain

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345 Posts

Response Posted - 12/06/2010 : 22:40:56

I take my mast down in the winter. I made a couple of supports to set the mast on. I remove the life lines and slip black PVC on the stanchons and tie them to the mast. It looks like a big covered wagon but it works pretty well.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 12/07/2010 : 08:16:27

I don't remember Bruce's discussion last year, but my concern over detaching the lowers would be the mast "pumping" in high winds. With tension only against the top, the mast can go into oscillation, bending back and forth or side to side, enough to shake the boat. I've felt it happening with a "normal" rig--wouldn't want to feel it with the middle of the mast unsupported.

I read somewhere that pumping can be minimized by wrapping the halyards around the mast in a spiral, which supposedly stirs up the airflow in some way that prevents the oscillation. So I did that in the winter.

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jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 12/07/2010 : 08:49:50

I see your point, makes sense...I've done the halyard wrapping the past few years to reduce/prevent 'pumping'...I guess I'll poke small holes through the tarps and feed the lowers back through and re-connect - THANKS EVERYONE!

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5368 Posts

Response Posted - 12/07/2010 : 20:06:40

Poking holes in the cover will work fine, but once you do it, you have the problem of re-torquing the lower shrouds to the proper tension. There are several threads on the topic.

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jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2010 : 11:44:30

I've eased the tension on all of the shrouds and stays as normal procedure while on-the-hard, to basically hand tight, it won't be a problem to snug them back up after threading through the tarp.

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