Association Forum - Need more stuff....urrgghhhh

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

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.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Need more stuff....urrgghhhh

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Page: of 2

binky
Navigator

Member Avatar

USA
115 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/14/2013 : 15:35:59

Got "Mast Confusion" away from the dock today, first time this year!!! No wind in the morning, so we slow-motored north about two hours. At that point we had picked up a breeze and decided to turn back homeward, cut the motor and threw the sails up. Sail was a PITA going up. I think the sail-slides are shot and need to be replaced...as usual I forgot to count and see how many I would need. Any clue?
Secondly, was there ever a sail track gate on the C-25 mast to prevent the slides from falling out of the mast as it is raised or lowered?. I see that CD sells one...I like the idea. http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display& product_ID=1013& ParentCat=121
Anybody have it or was it original equipment that is now missing?

Other than that, we had a great breeze for the trip home that took about 1-1/2 hours. Saw plenty of powerboats and very few sails today.

"Mast Confusion"
1983 SK, #3525
Ken
Hampton Roads, Va

Edited by - on

islander
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4034 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2013 : 16:26:18

The mast gate did not come on the C25 so you have to buy the one from CD. It's not an exact fit meaning you will have to fabricate the gate to make it fit your boat.

Edited by - on

shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2013 : 17:34:55

Have you tried http://www.mclubemarine.com/sailkote/ it'll make the slugs slide better.

Edited by - on

binky
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
115 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2013 : 18:09:46

I will give it a try..see if it helps. Beats spending 40-50 for new slugs

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2013 : 19:27:46

Yeah, boat stuff. I think I have more miscellaneous parts, spares and tools related to the boat than I do the house. arrrgh!

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
5446 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2013 : 19:44:52

I keep a can of silicone spray handy. That helps with the sail track and the lines. I try to keep the silicone away from the finish and surfaces my hands will come into contact with. I also keep iany overspray off surfaces where I expect to walk.

Edited by - on

hewebb
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
761 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2013 : 04:19:18

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=11083&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=50045&subdeptNum=50110&classNum=50111#.UWvhKcp3Y0c

I use one of these and carry a spare.

Edited by - on

Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1511 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2013 : 04:31:00

As far as the slugs falling out of the track, I just use a sail stop, the one pictured on the left. positioned right above the opening in the track. It needs to be lowered to reef, but in my case I cannot install the mast gate.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

Members Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2013 : 04:35:03

Did you mean [url="http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=11083#.UWvlwbWThIE"]one of these?[/url]

Paul

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2013 : 07:05:04

The stopper is a simple solution except, as noted, its not ideal for reefing. It prevents the lower slugs from getting down as close to the boom as possible. For that, CD's gate (or other home-made versions that have been discussed here) is the answer. The bars on CD's gate have to be ground down to the correct length for your particular opening, since masts apparently vary.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2013 : 07:32:08

No-brainer. Get the gates. Mark them port and starboard, file them down to fit.

Now go out and buy a blister pack of screws to mount them, and a piece of velcro. keep it velcroed to the top of one of the coaming boxes, mark the box MAST GATE SCREWS. Vecro a screwdriver there next to the screws. You can thank me next time you do a sail change and watch your mastgate screw go overboard. I do this about 3 times a year.

Edited by - on

awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2013 : 08:08:47

The mast gates on Lutra (my old Catalina 25) are kind of a pain. The fit isn't perfect and the slugs hang up at the transition between the gate and the slot. We keep a stopper at the top of the mast gates and still need to move that down when reefing. Part of it is my fault -- if you do get mast gates make sure to remove no more material than necessary. However I think they were too short as delivered anyway, we removed very little material.

It would be nice if longer slugs were available that could better bridge the gap.

Sailkote makes a world of difference in how the sail slides up and down the mast slot.

Edited by - on

pfduffy
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
317 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2013 : 10:24:21

Yep - get the mast gate from CD and Prospector makes an excellent point. I've gotten to the point where I just throw the screws overboard because I have no chance of preventing it from happening.

Edited by - on

binky
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
115 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2013 : 12:59:15

Glad to see I am not the only one with this issue.

Edited by - on

NautiC25
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
957 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2013 : 14:06:13

I have a stopper similar to the one above. It uses a philips screw to tighten though instead of the easily removeable thumb screw.

I use a can of silicon spray from Lowes. It's around $8 and always available close to me. Basically the same stuff. Works just the same.

Edited by - on

binky
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
115 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2013 : 20:01:00

Mast gate has been ordered, SailKote purchased and what the heck, bought a stereo too! Gotta have good tunes and I'm tired of buying batteries for the portable CD player. Now I just need some decent weather to install the stuff. Thought about buying new slugs/slides but decided to hold off and see how the sailkote works. Also picked up some Star Tron fuel treatment to try and combat the varnishing that ethanol causes...hope it works.

Edited by - on

Tim M
1st Mate

Members Avatar

60 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2013 : 12:13:56

Yeah I went a week after the gates went overboard before I ordered new ones - and I did have a sail-stop. Here's a couple tips I've learned about sail-gates over the years. File one to match the curvature of the mast cut-out, file the mast cut-out square on the other side to match the square ends of the gate. You will always know immediately at a glance which is which - and filing the aluminum is much easier than filing the stainless gate. If sail slides stick passing the gates it is because they need more filing/better fitting. Small misalignment of screws/holes is handled by slightly over-drilling the holes. Snug the screws down after installation, stick the blade of the screwdriver between the gates and twist to spread them and then tighten down. Alex is right about the Sailcote. If you can't drop the mast, tie a small sponge to the end of a rope with a loop in it so you can snap the main halyard to it. Stuff the sponge in the sail slot on the mast, saturate with Sailcote and pull up with the halyard and down with the rope until the slot is coated inside. SOP for racing boats. It will make a big difference.

Edited by - on

binky
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
115 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2013 : 12:43:14

Great idea on the sponge for cleaning/lubricating the track. and thx for the advice on the gate.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2013 : 14:39:00

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by NautiC25
 I use a can of silicon spray from Lowes. It's around $8 and always available close to me. Basically the same stuff. Works just the same.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Hmmmm... I found silicone spray to leave a permanent, slimy residue, while Sailkote and various PTFE lubes are completely dry and virtually invisible. Silicone is OK for some things, but I wouldn't use it around my sails or where it can collect dirt.

Edited by - on

islander
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4034 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2013 : 15:57:57

I think I got robbed on my gate, I only have the one side cut in the mast so I only needed one gate but it seems everybody else has both sides. Mine is also very small (Don't go there) so I had to cut a lot off the gate and re-drill one of the holes for the screws. Like I said above, The gates were cut different and are not all the same.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2013 : 18:28:20

Scott: Do you have a fixed (rather than sliding) gooseneck? If so, that might explain the smaller opening. Those with sliders need the larger opening.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 04/23/2013 18:32:37

islander
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4034 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2013 : 14:08:38

Yes Dave it is fixed. I just assumed that on an 87 Catalina made them all fixed and the sliders were on earlier models. I don't know as to the year they stopped the sliders or I could be totally wrong all together.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2013 : 20:10:04

Scott, I think you're right, and I think the change might have happened in 1987.

Edited by - on

binky
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
115 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2013 : 16:08:36

The track gate is in and works great...no more fighting the slugs to stay in the mast. The Sailkote also helped the slugs move easier.
Only one issue that arose, after lowering the sail and disconnecting the halyard....halyard slipped out of my hand before I could get it tethered. ZIIINNNGGG, up it went. So $45 later, for a paint roller and an extendable pole (23ft)...the halyard is now safely tethered with a small retrieval line added, just in case this happens again.

Edited by - binky on 05/11/2013 16:11:21

islander
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4034 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2013 : 16:36:37

I'm a little confused as to why you disconnect the halyard?

Edited by - on

binky
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
115 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2013 : 17:06:35

Good point...just how I learned. No reason to disonnect, sail cover shouldn't be an issue.

Edited by - on

Page: of 2

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

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.