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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Cruising without mast/sails?

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distantseachi
Deckhand

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USA
1 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/15/2025 : 10:51:29

3rd summer with my '83 Catalina 25 tall rig. Still lots to learn.

Yesterday, still in the yard, I attempted to lower the mast (solo) using the trailer winch so I could replace a damaged shroud. Lets just say things didn't go as planned and the mast tipped starboard enough to rip the mast step clean from the deck and fell to the ground (just barely missing my car). Aside from the screw holes being stripped, the damage to the fiberglass is minimal and there doesn't appear to be any rot. Repair seems manageable. However, I certainly don't want to rush this and would prefer to take the time and make sure its done right. Also, I still need to fully evaluate the mast to make sure its still in good shape. But I don't have a ton of time right now to work on this.

With boating season underway here in Chicago, I don't want to miss too many more weekends. So here's my crazy idea: do I go mast-less for the summer?

I am still VERY much an amateur sailor, so when I have friends on the boat its often easier/more enjoyable to motor around inside the breakwall, drop the anchor, and relax. I likely spent more than half my time doing that last summer. Plus, I have plans to do some racing on a friend's boat, so can still enjoy some sailing this summer.

Quirkiness of having a sailboat with no mast/sails aside (I can feel the judgement already!), my main concern is safety. I have a swing keel that has to stay down (broken cable), so plenty of ballast there. I've read that without the mast, the boat is more prone to rolling. I know you get a lot more stability with the sails up, but does the mast really counter balance the boat that much?

I'm moored in downtown Chicago and am keenly aware of how dangerous Lake Michigan can be at times, so I'm pretty cautious as it is. Without the sails, I likely wouldn't go any further than a mile out from the harbor entrance and would stay within the break wall. With no mast, I could cruise up and down the Chicago River, which is a huge plus. So its the trip from the harbor to the river lock that I'm mostly worried about, but that's less than a mile, but its a heavily trafficed area that gets choppy even on a calm day.

Thoughts?

Connor Kelly

DavidCrosby
Navigator

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USA
239 Posts

Response Posted - 05/16/2025 : 13:06:54

In my opinion, I would say to work your plan. Go explore Chicago, motor around the harbors and pick your days for going out on the open lake.

If your mast is not damaged, I think the repair will be pretty easy. Although, I am guessing that your mast step is mangled. Good thing about a Catalina 25 is that there is a whole bunch of them, so finding a used replacement step should not be tough.

When you get things all back together, watch some videos for mast raising. Look at all of the options. I have put a C25 mast up with myself and two other guys. No other equipment. We just did a leap frog maneuver and walked it up, we would switch out positions. A would lift as far as possible. B standing in front of A takes over and pushes up to his limit. A moves into position in front of B and then lifts more, etc. C using a jib halyard with some extra line stands out front and pulls on the top of the mast. This can be done at a dock.
There are better ways to raise a mast. What you were doing would have worked with an extra person guiding the mast down to keep it from swaying left to right. Although, I say that not knowing what height above the deck your trailer winch was.

Again, watch mast raising videos.

Enjoy.

David Crosby "Small World"
'02 C250 WK #614

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9077 Posts

Response Posted - 05/17/2025 : 13:30:02

Welcome Conner! I'm not sure what you mean by "more stability with the sails up"... They can reduce the rocking motion from waves on the beam, but they reduce basic stability (resistance to "turning turtle") as the wind pushes on them--that's what your 1500 lb. keel is meant to counter. Without a mast and sails, and with all of that iron extending below the hull, your CG is lower and basic stability greater than most of the boats out there--power or sail.

Assuming, as David said, that your mast step is mangled, Catalina Direct has them, shown on this page. If you haven't heard of CD (as we call them here), take a look around their site--they're separate from Catalina Yachts, know our boats, and supply many replacements and upgrades.

The mast lowering/raising operation is a geometry issue, as I suspect you demonstrated. With a line from the trailer winch to the top, at a certain point there is not a sufficient angle between the halyard and the mast to keep the mast from falling. That can be earlier than you might expect. The videos David mentions show how that is corrected. But one way or the other, I wouldn't start out trying to do it single-handed. It might be aluminum, but it's a lot of weight on a long lever arm, and when raising, shrouds can get caught on things, requiring another set of eyes and hands. We have people who do it alone, but they have lots of experience.

For future questions here (which we hope you'll bring), it's helpful for us to know some basics about your boat--vintage, rig (TR=tall or SR=standard), and keel (SK=swing), at a minimum. You'll see that many folks show those in their "signature", which I see you have.

Have a great summer with your "stinkpot"!

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 05/17/2025 13:37:37

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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.