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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

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Eric Dove
1st Mate

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37 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/01/2005 : 15:59:00

I know there's been a few posts about this, but I'm hoping for some fresh info. Anyone out there using the MastUp? Particularly for a TR? Does CD still sell them or is there somewhere else that does? Any website for them or anything? I'd love to do away with the mainsheet A-frame system, just to simplify the whole thing...gonna be making a lot of trips this summer. Has anyone used it with a standard or TR per the instructions in the Catalina Direct catalog? In other words, just muscle it up once the MastUp is in the extended position. My crew and I are relatively able-bodied, decent sized guys, so if we could do it that way and eliminate the extra hardware, we definitely would. The biggest question is not the weight of the mast particularly, but if the MastUp extended position places the angle high enough that the middle shrouds have taken up side-to-side tension....it's that side-to-side action that makes things hairy.

Thanks!
Eric Dove

Eric Dove on Adelaide

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 03/01/2005 : 16:57:47

Eric,

I just browsed through the C25 section at CD. They still sell the mast up for the C25. Didn't check the price though as i am using my own, similar system. As for advice on mast raising,if you've got crew there shouldn't be a problem if using a device like the mast-up. I on the other hand, am geared up for single-handing, which includes raising the mast, launching the boat, sailing the boat, putting the boat back on the trailer, and dropping the mast.

Al
GALLIVANT #5801

Edited by - on

PZell
Admiral

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USA
548 Posts

Response Posted - 03/01/2005 : 16:58:27

Indeed. It's the side-to-side that's hairy. I raise & lower mine singlehanded and have found that raising from aft, if one puts a line to the foreward lower shrouds and run that line through a block on the stantion just forward and then back thru the deck organizers to a couple of clutches that that movement can be positively controlled. If you have three men: one to muscle up & hoist and two to control the sideways movement with lines thru blocks attached to stantions and held by them would make quick work of it.
'course mines a standard.

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 03/01/2005 : 17:02:35

Hi Eric,
I have a Tall Rig, I kept my mast up which I had from my Catalina 22, and I also use an A-frame (home made out of 2 x 4's)
I can rig, or de-rig by myself if I have to. The mast up will not raise your mast up high enough to get stay tension. The roller on the mast up (I replaced the stock roller with a non marking clear roller, I didn't like the black marks made by the stock roller) Makes it really easy to move the mast from the pulpit to the mast base, and raises it so it will clear the cabin top cover. The pintles on the Catalina 22 mast up are smaller than the Gudgeons on the C-25, so I got some sleeves from Lowe's which correctly matches the pintle size, and gudgeon hole to eliminate the space in the hole.
I bought my mast up directly from the manufacturer. If I remember correctly they quit making them for the 25, you may want to check on this.
I find that the mast up was well worth the bucks. Of course if you have lots of time, and metal working tools you could make one yourself.

I hope that this helps you out.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 03/01/2005 : 17:36:00

I own and use two mast-ups. I have an issue with the weight on the gudgeons when the mast is all the way back and ready to lift. With a tall rig it would be worse. We have seen a mast-up clone that transfers that weight to the transom with a broad flat hook that fits over the top of the transom. It seems like a smart mod on the existing ones and a smart design for a new one. I think the current design with the transom "hanger" welded to it would be a real improvement.

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 03/01/2005 : 21:06:43

I have a mast-up... works as intended, gives you a little start up. Two reasonably fit people can raise the mast easily... one lifting and one winching on a line run from the jib halyard around a block on the pulpit and back to the main winch.

I've bolted a 10' long piece of 2" pipe vertically on my trailer bow section. It sticks up above the pulpit and in conjunction with the mast-up I can raise the mast by myself by using the primary winch.

Like other posters have noted, it's the side-to-side motion that gets spooky if you don't control it.

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 03/02/2005 : 10:39:02

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Like other posters have noted, it's the side-to-side motion that gets spooky if you don't control it.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

So Bruce, how do YOU control the side to side motion ...and do you have any pictures of your trailer modification?

Edited by - on

Eric Dove
1st Mate

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37 Posts

Response Posted - 03/02/2005 : 11:33:47

Thanks for all the input. I spoke to CD and they do sell one for the 25 still...only $159. Not that it's pocket change or anything and I do have a buddy who welds, but I'm willing to pay that for the time, materials and design work they put into it. The guy at CD said there's a loop at the top which is intended to have a line run from it to a couple of cleats or whatever on the deck to counter the force of rolling the mast back to the deck plate. He said otherwise it'll bend. I think we'll use the muscle method first and if that's just a bit too much for comfort, I'll look into extending my trailer bow section as well and put a block on there. The PO used a similar method with a very jury-rigged block of wood and the trailer winch. The trailer winch aspect worked really well actually...then you don't have to unravel halyards and sheets to use as the pulling line. With the mast up at a good starting angle and the extension on there, it would have a nice angle to pull from. I'm curious too, though Bruce, how do you handle the side-to-side?

Eric

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 03/04/2005 : 08:41:22

The big problem with the tall rig is that the balance point is about 12" ~ 18" behind the transom. It's even worse if you have a roller furler. This means that with the mast down, lying horizontal in the Mast-Up, as soon as you pull the tabernackle pin the base of the mast wants to jump up and clobber you in the chin, and the masthead wants to fall onto the parking lot, breaking your Windex or even cracking the masthead casting; you have to be prepared to apply considerable downward force on the mast base as you pull the pin, until you can slide the mast forward to trailering position.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 03/04/2005 : 09:30:50

"how do you handle the side-to-side?"

Right now, by brute force... the mast raising extension on the trailer seems to help keep things straight in that regard. Next time out I'm going to slide the jib cars forward and rig some stout 'truckers' bungees from the spinnaker ring to the cars.

Edited by - on

Eric Dove
1st Mate

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37 Posts

Response Posted - 03/04/2005 : 13:03:28

I also wonder if rigging a "pull point" somewhere closer to the middle of the mast would help in that regard. I realize that would require a bit more force on the part of the winch or block and tackle..whichever one might be using...but part of the problem seems to be pulling from the tip top of the mast. Maybe rigging a line to a cleat or eye mounted somewhere about halfway up (it would have to just remain there, lashed down, for sailing since once the mast was up you wouldn't be able to reach it). That ought to alleviate a lot of the swinging moment when being pulled from the elevated point of an extended trailer bow section. It would also eliminate the need to use a halyard or whatever...it could be made to just the right length and used only for that purpose.

...things that make you go "hmmmmmm"...

Eric

Edited by - on

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