Association Forum

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

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

pop top

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

twinws
Deckhand

Member Avatar

USA
13 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/05/2013 : 09:54:01

I have a 25' pop top and often cruise with the pop top up. It makes for a nice breeze and seems pretty stable. I've noticed that is a lot of concern about the top falling. Just wondering does anyone sail with the top up?

Life is simple, just add water!

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

3476 Posts

Response Posted - 06/05/2013 : 10:27:57

I did and found the "screws" that held the struts in began getting looser and looser... My worry is that the thingy that holds the top up drops and quits holding it in place.

Anyhoo... I'd bet most folks will say it is a scary idea.

Edited by - on

sethp001
Mainsheet C-25 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

814 Posts

Response Posted - 06/05/2013 : 11:45:31

The guy in the slip next to me does that. I used to do that. It is nice.

But then my pop-top fell twice when the screw down on the tang on the mast that holds the top up worked itself loose so the tang slid down.

Never happened in the slip. Maybe vibration in the mast while sailing caused it.

Second time, I had tightened it with pliers.

Hit me on top of the head the second time. Felt my neck compress. Feel lucky I didn't break my neck.

Now, my top is never up without wooden braces beneath it. Maybe you could rig up some wooden braces with grooves to hold them in place.

Edited by - on

awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 06/05/2013 : 15:20:14

I think it's unsafe for other reasons.

Having the pop-top up means you've exposed a big hole into your cabin. Not only is there a big hole into your cabin, but there is a big hole facing forwards.

If there is a large wave (this could just be a wake, freighters around here leave huge wakes) that could dump a lot of water into the cabin without giving you time to close it up. I don't sail with the front hatch open for the same reason.

Sailing without the boom vang also isn't very good. It is primarily a missing useful performance tool, but it is also a safety item to prevent jibes where the top of the sail jibes to one side and the bottom to another.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9082 Posts

Response Posted - 06/05/2013 : 16:15:54

If there's anybody else in the boat with you, I'll call it dangerous. Engine vibration, boat wakes, ship wakes, slight shifts back and forth when tacking,... Broken neck, broken arm, smashed fingers,... You can't predict exactly what will happen, where everyone will be, or what they'll be doing that could affect the top, or be in the way of it. And how heavy is that sucker??

An alternative a few people have reported here is lifting the top a few inches with a couple of foam "swim noodles"--one on each side--adding a little headroom and some air without raising the top to a dangerous level and relying on a single screw to keep it there. I didn't do that, but it seems like it should be safe under way, except on big water that could put a wave over the bow and cabintop--I've had that happen from a tug that crossed my bow a half mile away.

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 06/05/2013 : 16:35:17

I'm a little surprised there isn't a warning label on the pop-top regarding this very topic.

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4311 Posts

Response Posted - 06/05/2013 : 16:41:38

With the top down when you hit a wave the stress/jar of the boat hitting the wake is distributed along the entire edge of the pop top and cabin top.

With the top up the stress/jar is directed down the four legs and through the small bolts holding those legs to the pop top and cabin top. This focuses all the stress on eight small points which I would expect will increase the likelihood of breaking something relating to the top and its mechanism.

Edited by - GaryB on 06/05/2013 16:42:59

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9082 Posts

Response Posted - 06/05/2013 : 17:50:12

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by OJ
 I'm a little surprised there isn't a warning label on the pop-top regarding this very topic.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">From the Owner's Manual: <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">In light winds you can sail with the pop top in the raised position, but in heavier winds it is recommended that you keep it closed and fastened down, along with all other hatches.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I suspect Catalina would revise that advice today.

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

3476 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2013 : 05:53:56

I don't sail with it up. It could be tragic if it fell. I added an additional line to hold it up.

Edited by - on

glen
Captain

Members Avatar

359 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2013 : 06:37:20

Like Ray ours is never up underway, and we also have an additional line. The line we use is actually our Boom Vang, which is left connected to the bail on the mast. The connection on the boom is moved down to the aft port “pop top” strut and secured similarly to the way ray’s is shown in his photo, and then drawn tight. This also makes a great clothes line :)

Edited by - on

michaelj
Navigator

Members Avatar

132 Posts

Response Posted - 06/09/2013 : 14:03:22

Frankly I am scared to death at the idea of sailing with the pop top up, and for all the reasons mentioned: accidental dropping (the thing is heavy enough to kill you), large hole in boat, etc. In fact, I have added two additional dogs to secure it while underway. Should (God forbid) the boat capsize with the pop top up the whole cabin will fill with water almost instantly.

Edited by - on

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.