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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Length of the forestay

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billob
Deckhand

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15 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/29/2003 : 19:18:57

My partner (Stewart Eads) and I are installing a CDI Roller Furling system on our Catalina 25 (standard height). We need to know the the pin to pin measurement of the forestay. I've tried with the tape and with a piece of line - but what do you get when you measure ? If you had to replace your forestay what numbers would you use ?
This seems to be the crucial number before you cut the RF system - so we want to be sure we do it right !
Also - we plan to install this without dropping the mast - piece of cake per the directions - but have you ever tried to thread a line through a 35+ foot piece of plastic - not trivial I can assure you ! It involved a 60+ year old man on the roof with a fishing rod and a couple of weights trying to let gravity draw the "durn" thing down - plus my son-in-law and son on ladders and on the ground "helping" - a good test of family ties I can say !!!
! We got it but now the "cut" - need some advice here - lest we buy another piece from CDI.
Thanks
Bill O'Brien
"Osprey"
Charleston Harbor

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Earl Landers
Navigator

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USA
157 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2003 : 01:01:46

Bill & Stewart,
Use this information with a grain of salt, for I didn't install a CDI, but did install a SnapFurl. The SnapFurl instructions have you measure from the bottom end of the upper swage fitting to the throat (bottom of "T" bolt)of the toggle at the bottom end of the fully closed turnbuckle. That measurement on my boat is 354 inches. Pin to pin would be several inches longer and variable depending on the length of the upper and lower toggles, length of the upper swage and the length of the turnbuckle body. My upper and lower toggles and turnbuckle body have been replaced. The method of measurement for SnapFurl was to cut a one inch piece of the foil and snap it to the forstay. Next you tape a tape measure and you halyard to this piece of foil and haul the tape measure to the top of the stay to make your measurement. I do not know if the forestay is the original length or if it has been shortened by the previous owner as the boat was eqipped with a CDI Reefer II when I bought it.

Earl Landers
'83 C25 SR/SK
"Gentle Spirit"
http://home.bak.rr.com/edlgs

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Ed Montague
Captain

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USA
499 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2003 : 16:07:34

I just went thru this project this past weekend. The numbers are still fresh in my head. The pin to pin length I came up with on my boat was 30'4 1/2". This is with the fore stay off of the boat, stretched out in the backyard. I loaded the boat onto the trailer and brought her home. The water is 95' deep under her keel in the slip and all those expensive little pieces sink. Assembly went very smoothly, I can't say easily. The biggest problem was getting those two nasty little screws on the bottom of the drum lined up with all the turning parts inside the drum. Then when I hoisted the mast I found that I was 90 degrees off on the stem fitting match so I had to undo the screws and turn everything and then work upside down the get them back in. My wife was holding the weight of the extrusion up and out of the way while I wrestled with the screws. I could have used another set of hands. Once the mast was up things progressed fine. Good luck.

Ed Montague on 'Yahoo'
1978 #765 SK, Stnd, Dinette ~_/)~

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osmepneo
Past Commodore

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USA
1420 Posts

Response Posted - 07/01/2003 : 06:43:36

I put a cdi4 on osmepneo a couple of years ago and do not have with me the calculations of the length of the forestay. I remember going through the same frustration trying ti figure it it, because the people who recut my sail needed to know!

When I cut the cdi luff I measured twice and still cut it wrong. I made a mark at 25 feet and then measured the rest. Got my saw, and went to cut. I saw the mark, and cut there, only to realize that when the extra piece fell to the ground I had cut at 25 feet. Lesson even though you measure twice, make sure you are cutting at the right mark.

Then I went to install with the mast up. Not. I could get it half to two thirds of the way up and would lose control. Ultimately had the mast dropped, Put the luff on and had the marina operator raise the mast. He suffers the pain of thrying to the pin through an already tightened forestay.

Once installed I really love the furler. The best upgrade Iv'e put on osmepneo.

Don Peet
c25, 1665, osmepneo, sr/wk
The Great Sacandaga Lake, NY

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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 07/01/2003 : 21:25:16

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>It involved a 60+ year old man on the roof with a fishing rod and a couple of weights trying to let gravity draw the "durn" thing down - plus my son-in-law and son on ladders and on the ground "helping" <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

Tell me you took a picture.........

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>My wife was holding the weight of the extrusion up and out of the way <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

I keep a little piece of line in the anchor locker just for that purpose. Tie it on the pulpit, twist around the headstay under the foil, and back up to the pulpit on the other side. Lift the foil, tighten up and belay the line and the weight is off the drum. I do that when raising lowering the mast, it gives easy access to the turnbuckle. It also helps to avoid the sensation I felt <img src=icon_smile_blackeye.gif border=0 align=middle> when my fingers got caught in the "slicer"...If you cringe reading this, you've been there.

BTW, my headstay came short enough to require backstay and shrouds to be loosened to disconnect the headstay, and then I needed to tighten it and the backstay way too tight to be able to get the split pins in. In order to be able to utilize the full range of the headstay turnbuckle, and not have to mess with every turnbuckle on the boat everytime the mast goes up or down, I installed a toggle between the turnbuckle and the stemhead, in effect lengthening the headstay by 1-1/4" Unless you use a twisted toggle, which I was unable to find and would probably have cost more than the $13.00 I paid for mine.....this requires turning the bracket on the furler drum 90 degrees......I'm going to submit a tech tip with pictures for those who suffer from the same problem, (I have heard mention of it before) All I need is a picture next time the pole goes up.

Oscar
<img src="http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/Images/familypics/LKforumshot.jpg" border=0>
Lady Kay 250 WB #618
In the driveway in Behtlehem, PA ready to go anytime.

Edited by - Oscar on 07/01/2003 21:40:35

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