Association Forum - TURNBUCKLE SOLUTION NEEDED

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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

TURNBUCKLE SOLUTION NEEDED

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Dkn420
Captain

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USA
298 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2005 : 17:30:32

Greg: I bought my boat from Mike at Sailing Ventures, a long story, but I did take a two day lesson on Tahoe Dream with the previous owner and his wife, very nice folks and a very nice boat...Once we were on the water and the cabin was opened up the diesel smell went away, but it was pretty obvious when the boat was closed up for a while...I have the inboard diesel on my boat and really like it...I do like the position of your controls being at the wheel. On my boat they are on the starboard side on the side of the helm seat near the floor of the cockpit, not as handy.

Good sailing, great place to sail!

Dan

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willy
Captain

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USA
422 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2005 : 10:24:58

I too have had extreme difficulty attaching the forestay to the bow and have come to the conclusion that I am going to get a new longer turnbuckle for the backstay to alleviate the problem. Even with all of the shrouds and backstay loosened completely, it remains a daunting task that I have only been able to acomplish with the help and brute strength of half of my piermates. Everyone just scratches their heads every year and says "Great boat, but how cheap did they get for something so stupid? Couldn't they have sprung for another two inches of backstay or a longer turnbuckle?" I really get uncomfortable putting the amount of torque on the mast needed to attach this thing. I envision it snapping, hurting someone, or at the very least requiring big bucks for replacement.
Anyway, enough of my rant... I am going to sail her for the first time this weekend with the her new IDA beaching rudder. I will keep you posted as to the results!
Willy

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Keith D.
Navigator

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USA
233 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2005 : 11:54:32

I put a post out there on this very subject a while back. Here is a short cut to it. http://www.catalina25-250.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6352
As noted in this post it is important to have the proper number of washers over the top of the t-bolt at the end of the drum. If there isn’t any there, as there wasn’t on mine, the antirotation strap will bottom out before the hole lines up. If this is the case any amount of pulling down on the drum will not help and the pin will be very hard to pull out or put in. This was outlined in the CDI furler assembly and operations guide step 5 page 4 in my book. As you can see in the first picture of the above post it took only 2 washers to allow the hole to line up, I could have used three to give it a little more clearance. This made all of the difference in the world. You can check yours to see if there are multiple washers on top of the t-bolt.
I actually put my mast up with out loosening any of the turnbuckles. In the second picture of the above post you can see I am using the trailer-based strap with the gin pole to bring up the mast. I have found that it works just fine even pulling from the spreader position but as Arlyn mentioned the jib halyard does work better because you are pulling from the top and hence have more leverage. In the remaining pictures you can see I am using a rope attached to the bow of the boat and over the two cleats then down to the u-bolt in the anchor locker to pull down on the furling drum. In the pictures I am using the gin pole winch to pull the drum down but you can also run a line back to one of the cabin top winches to do the same thing. I also added another eye to the front of the boat because it is easier to reach than the bow eye, which could also be used. With this setup one person can put up the mast and attach the drum on less than ten minutes.

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RSHOOTER
Navigator

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USA
101 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2005 : 14:04:07

I have multiple washers on the T-Bolt and Headstay attachment as Arlyn describes. I would like to hear from Willy if he sources a longer Turnbuckle. It's just too tight. I also bought the IDA SAilor kick-up rudder and will report on its performance. 1999 C250 WK

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johnc
Deckhand

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2 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2005 : 20:49:11

I have the same problem with the forestay pin on my C250 WB. For some reason it is harder to get out when lowering the mast than to get in while raising. My CDI furler has the washers in the suggested place. I use the mast raising strap from the trailer wench and the jib haylard but it is still hard to get the pin out. Two people have suggested that after the backstay is loose I unfasten one side of the split backstay at the stern to provide more slack. I could reattach it after the mast is down. If the saftey stays are in place and the shrouds loosened, would there be any danger that the mast would be pulled too far to one side and cause damage? This method probably would be of no use to get the pin in when raising the mast. There would be no way to pull the mast back to reattach the backstay unless the main haylard would bend the mast back far enough.

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sailorman
1st Mate

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USA
69 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2005 : 07:38:57

For what it is worth. When we first rigged "On Eagle's Wing", the dealer removed one side of the backstay and it worked well. He said that is the way he does it on all the boats. It workes. By the way; I hate rigging/unrigging/recovering this boat. I am almost always by myself and it is rough. Just think of the two hour times you have with help and then think of doing it yourself. Great boat on the water:awful on a trailer.

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RSHOOTER
Navigator

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USA
101 Posts

Response Posted - 06/03/2005 : 11:23:23

Did the Dealer remove one side of the Backstay at the "split" or at the point on the Hull?

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sailorman
1st Mate

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USA
69 Posts

Response Posted - 06/03/2005 : 22:18:35

The backstay was removed at the hull and I have done it 3 or 4 times without a problem.

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RSHOOTER
Navigator

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USA
101 Posts

Response Posted - 06/05/2005 : 09:19:34

Does that work for both raising and lowering? No problem getting the pin back in at the Hull? Thanks.

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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.