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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Question about reefing

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Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/10/2003 : 13:22:02

Hi All,

Had a great time sailing Saturday on my little lake. Not much wind, so we had the iron genny running with the sails up. The wife hates to sit around waiting for wind. We anchored, had lunch, I swam while the wife (the smart one) figured out how to hook up the lights to the batteries, which I've never been able to figure out on my own.

So anyway, we were in the middle of the lake, and I always try to remember the good advise that I get on this board, and I remembered that I should practice reefing in calm weather. Having never reefed before, my wife and I got out our copy of the Catalina 25 manual that we downloaded from this website and we worked it out. My sails have two sets of reefing points, but I could only get the reefing lines through the lower reefing points.

The question is this...when you lower the mainsail to reef it, how do you keep the sail slugs from popping out of the mast through that 5-inch slot? Needless to say, we didn't get to practice reefing very much.

Thanks for any help...

Ben
Adventurous
#5553
C25 SR/SK

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 09/10/2003 : 13:35:36

With a sail number like that I would assume that you would have a mast gate. Appearently not. You should have two pieces of metal that connect to the mast around the slot gate. They close the gate while maintainig the slot. I would hope you will not need to fabricate them. Check catalinadirect.com

Frank and Martha in Wichita KS. Lake Cheney

Edited by - on

Sea Trac
Master Marine Consultant

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Vanuatu
1357 Posts

Response Posted - 09/10/2003 : 14:06:45

OR...
<img src="http://www.westmarine.com/images/full/02238_f.jpg" border=0>
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001& langId=-1& catalogId=10001& productId=71952

J.B. Manley
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3d609b3127cce8d2e212441c60000002010" border=0>
Antares '85 FK/SR #4849
36°29'58" -94°59'59"

Edited by - on

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 09/10/2003 : 14:19:11

Thanks again Frank. I was wondering what mast gates are for, and no, my boat unfortunately didn't come with them. From seeing other posts about mast gates, I think someone fabricates them for the C25.

Regarding the post by J.B. Manley, I wonder if that sail stop will work, because unless I don't fully understand reefing (which is entirely likely) you need to pull the sail all the way down to the boom, which would require that the sail slugs slid below the slot in the mast. Am I wrong in this?

Ben
Adventurous
#5553
C25 SR/SK

Edited by - on

Sea Trac
Master Marine Consultant

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Vanuatu
1357 Posts

Response Posted - 09/10/2003 : 14:29:13

No, Ben, you are correct. I use sail stops and, therefore, don't get as good a reef as I would otherwise. However, I haven't found it to be a problem for me, yet. I will switch to mast gates at some point, probably when I get a new main.

J.B. Manley
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3d609b3127cce8d2e212441c60000002010" border=0>
Antares '85 FK/SR #4849
36°29'58" -94°59'59"

Edited by - on

Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1772 Posts

Response Posted - 09/10/2003 : 14:29:22

Hi Ben,

A lot of people (including myself) have bought mast gates from Joe Martinek. He fabricates them himself out of stainless steel ... he does nice work, and they are perfect for our boats. I can't remember what he charges ... 'seems to me they are less than $25, postage included.

You can write him at JoeMartinek@starband.net

They look similar to this:

<img src="http://c25c250.best.vwh.net/restricted/snkslot.jpg" border=0>

Good luck!

Buzz Maring
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3df23b3127cce9306a9b3abad0000001010" border=0>
~~Freya~~
C-25 SK/SR #68

Edited by - on

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 09/10/2003 : 14:46:12

Thanks again Buzz. I'll contact Joe and get the ball rolling.

Ben
Adventurous
#5553
C25 SR/SK

Edited by - on

deastburn
Captain

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USA
334 Posts

Response Posted - 09/10/2003 : 19:55:35

You can also make your own mastgates from a piece of aluminum carpet threshhold--it takes about ten minutes. A local carpet store gave me a length of scrap from a job they had just completed. When fitted properly, they work fine, and allow single-line reefing led back to the cockpit. I reef in under one minute without exiting the cockpit. Check Tech Tips--the original idea came from Bill Holcomb (of course) and I think it's still in there.

Dave on "Wood Duck" (#2616)

Edited by - on

ddlyle
Captain

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302 Posts

Response Posted - 09/14/2003 : 10:12:35

Regarding lack of "mast gates" and reefing ...
My std. rig does not have mast gates, but I do have a thingamajig that stops the sail's slides from falling out of the opening. Similar to what's pictured above, it tightens down by turning it.
I believe it is original, and it works okay.
(Except one time when dousing my main, it (the thingamajig) had come loose and slid all the way down, so when flaking my main, all of the main's slugs came out of the track.)

SO here's my question ...

When I tried reefing the first time, the one reefing point I have seemed to pull down very tightly on the first sail slug (slide) that was kept up by the thingamajig.

So I presume that to avoid that unseemly (downward) tension on my first sail slide, I should loosen the thingamajig, allow the first sail slide to come out of the track, raise the thingamajig again and tighten.
Then I would be able to secure my reefing points and tighen the halyard.

So, it seems to me that in weather, and the desire to reef efficiently, that hassle with the first sail slide makes the task of reefing more difficult than it should be.

(I have never reefed my main since I've had my boat a year.)

Did this lengthy post make sense?
Am I correct in my assumption?

Is this scenario why it is a good idea to order the beautiful custom-made mast gates from Joe Martinek ??

Cap'n Dave
Sailing The Blues
1986 C25 sr/sk #5413

Edited by - on

Sea Trac
Master Marine Consultant

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Vanuatu
1357 Posts

Response Posted - 09/14/2003 : 10:29:51

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Is this scenario why it is a good idea to order the beautiful custom-made mast gates from Joe Martinek ??<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

Precisely! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

J.B. Manley
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3d609b3127cce8d2e212441c60000002010" border=0>
Antares '85 FK/SR #4849
36°29'58" -94°59'59"

Edited by - on

LeighMarie
Navigator

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USA
188 Posts

Response Posted - 09/16/2003 : 08:44:17

I just got my new mast gates from Joe Martinek yesterday and am looking forward to seeing how they will actually work! They are slick little gizmos - however I'm a bit anxious about the installation process. But, I've been able to make everything else work on the boat, so I'm sure I'll figure this one out too. They will be handy!

Dave & Sharon on "Leigh-Marie"
Hull #5128

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 09/16/2003 : 11:34:11

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
...however I'm a bit anxious about the installation process...
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>
Dave & Sharon... I picked up a tapping kit from Home Depot for the size machine screws Joe provided. The kit includes the correct size drill as well as the tap, for just a few bucks.

You'll probably find that the rods are a tiny fraction too long for the gate, by design--a grinding wheel helps a lot in shaping them. I have a little one that fits on my drill--a Dremel would probably work even better.

That's about all there is to that.

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette-Honda "Passage" in SW CT

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 09/16/2003 : 12:19:37

I reefed yesterday for the first time and came to the conclusion that I need to remove my mast gates and take the sail stop out. It was very difficult to get the sail stop down through the gate so I could get the reef tack to the gooseneck. I found the Catalina clew reef syatem to work very well and I simply moved my cunningham line to the reef tack and made it fast on the mast cleat. All in all it has caused me to ship the $189. Harken single line reefing kit back to Harken today. Does anyone have an opinion on running the tack downhaul line through the reef or cunningham cringle verses using a hook?

Frank and Martha in Wichita KS. Lake Cheney

Edited by - on

Randolph G. Wilson
1st Mate

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USA
64 Posts

Response Posted - 09/16/2003 : 18:49:06

I bought the mast gates from Joe Martinek ($25), and they work great. Basically, what they do is close the gap in the bolt rope slot so that the slugs can't come out. The slugs slide by them as you raise or lower the main. They're easy to install and I heartily recommend them.

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3324 Posts

Response Posted - 09/16/2003 : 18:52:35

If you happen to have non-factory stock (oversized) sail slugs then you only have to use one mast gate!
Derek

<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3dc30b3127cce942c608d6f1e0000001010" border=0>
TRFK#2262"This Side Up"

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 09/16/2003 : 22:29:39

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
I reefed yesterday for the first time and came to the conclusion that I need to remove my mast gates and take the sail stop out. It was very difficult to get the sail stop down through the gate so I could get the reef tack to the gooseneck...
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>
Frank and Martha: Why do you have a sail stop if you have mast gates? I have one under the gooseneck, but with the gates, you might as well let the sail to drop as far as possible both when reefing and when dousing.

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette-Honda "Passage" in SW CT

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 09/17/2003 : 09:37:19

[/quote]
Frank and Martha: Why do you have a sail stop if you have mast gates? I have one under the gooseneck, but with the gates, you might as well let the sail to drop as far as possible both when reefing and when dousing.

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette-Honda "Passage" in SW CT
[/quote]

Exactamundo. We just launched on the sixth and put up the rig as we found it. I think the sail stop was handy for holding the slugs up while the gates were attached but now it seems to have too high a price for such a small convenience. There seem to be several extraneous items in the slot. Also the downhaul cleat is at the bottom. It seems the poptop lock should be last, followed by the downhaul cleat followed by the gooseneck stop, followed by the gooseneck, and then nothing else. How do you have your items ordered?

<img src="http://members.cox.net/fhopper/Catalina25/sigbow.jpg" border=0>Frank and Martha in Wichita KS. Lake Cheney

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 09/17/2003 : 11:27:13

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
...It seems the poptop lock should be last, followed by the downhaul cleat followed by the gooseneck stop, followed by the gooseneck, and then nothing else. How do you have your items ordered?
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>
My downhaul cleat is permanently frozed at the bottom, then the poptop lock, then the goosneck stopper, then the gooseneck. So poptop lock fouls the downhaul... (Maybe I should get me a $65 Harken thingamajig for that. <img src=icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle>)

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette-Honda "Passage" in SW CT

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