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.
Greetings everyone. It has been many years since I've posted anything. The boat has been sitting in the shop for about 10 years with nothing going on at all. I finally painted the deck this summer and I am re-assembling the boat. One thing I don't have is a mainsheet. What do I need for a mainsheet for a C25 of early vintage? I don't have any blocks or line.
The mainsheet "kits" Catalina Direct shows on their site are quite different from stock--they're for changing from the stock end-boom sheeting to mid-boom. You can call them and ask about the stock setup.
A few questions they'll probably ask: Do you have the traveler on the transom, and the traveler car that goes on it? Do you have about a 4-6" steel tang bolted to the end of the boom? If the answers are "yes", then you need two fiddle-blocks, one with a cam cleat attached, two shackles to attach them to the boom and the traveler car, and the length of rope with an eye spliced in one end (unless you're into splicing). I recommend single-braid rope such as New England Ropes "Regatta" Polyester for a nice "hand" and easy coiling. Somebody else can suggest the length--I don't remember. Some folks use 3/8"--my C-25 had 1/2" for the mainsheet--it's a matter of feel. Catalina Direct probably has everything and knows what you need for that boat, but might not offer a single-braid rope. (It's worth a trip to West Marine or, for a lower price, an order to Defender.com.)
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
Dave, you’re right about the end boom sheeting. The traveler car can be a little confusing as well. On Passage there is a stainless steel tube mounted to the top of the transom that has a two-wheeled car sliding left and right. Two lines control it to port or starboard with a cam cleat on both ends. The lower block with the cam cleat for the sheet attaches to the traveler car. The sheet is either 3.5:1 or 4:1 depending on how you count. I’d say it’s 75 - 80ft long. I’d agree with Dave on the type of line except it will pull and fray here and there especially if it gets caught on a cotter or circlip. Another piece of rigging that I cannot live without are my reefing lines. A 20-25 ft piece of 1/4” or 5/16” should be fine.
Has anyone changed their sheeting from end boom to mid boom? I am considering installing traveler just below the companionway entrance and going to mid boom sheeting. I have seen some setups that have a traveler all the way across the cockpit just outside the companionway which would be more functional.
I installed a Harken 1654 Midrange Traveler (3:1) and Harken High Beam track last spring. The boom bail is from CD (E1871). I also installed a Garhauer 2 speed Mainsheet (25-2SP) which is 3:1 and 6:1.
One note on installation: the seats in the cockpit near the hatch are not level. I had to create custom spacers so that the track sits level. I used some spare Starboard, but I think I'm going to go back and reinstall with G10.
Also, I found the step from the top of the companion way ladder, over the track on to the floor of the cockpit to be too long of a stride. I plan on constructing a small 3 inch step out of Starboard, to sit in the cockpit well, under the the track and sticking out about a foot.
Upsizing lines on a sailboat is almost always a bad idea, regardless of whether they're dock lines or running rigging. If you'll click on the links in Keat's post, you'll see that those blocks are made for a maximum line size of 3/8". Half inch line won't run freely through them, it will be heavier, stiffer and it will cost substantially more. Buying oversized blocks to run oversized lines will cost substantially more, and the lines will still be too heavy, too stiff and too costly.
If properly sized lines are uncomfortable in one's hands, it's probably because he isn't wearing sailing gloves. Sailing gloves should always be worn when sailing. They protect your hands from blisters and rope burns which, on a bigger boat, can send you to the emergency room. Gloves also improve your grip on a line and make line handling more comfortable.
Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind" previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22 Past Commodore
I installed a Harken 1654 Midrange Traveler (3:1) and Harken High Beam track last spring. The boom bail is from CD (E1871). I also installed a Garhauer 2 speed Mainsheet (25-2SP) which is 3:1 and 6:1.
One note on installation: the seats in the cockpit near the hatch are not level. I had to create custom spacers so that the track sits level. I used some spare Starboard, but I think I'm going to go back and reinstall with G10.
Also, I found the step from the top of the companion way ladder, over the track on to the floor of the cockpit to be too long of a stride. I plan on constructing a small 3 inch step out of Starboard, to sit in the cockpit well, under the the track and sticking out about a foot.
Other than the long stride how do you like the mid-boom traveler?
In addition to Catalina Direct it's usually helpful to look at the Parts Catalog section of this website (under Manuals & Brochures in the sidebar to the left). I was disappointed to see that there's no really good illustration of the mainsheet assembly. There is this one, however, http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/manbro/pictures/pc10.gif showing the traveler and the lower fiddle block of the mainsheet assembly. In the parts list below the graphic it calls out the size & length of the factory mainsheet.
Here's another illustration that might be helpful (I don't remember where it came from):
The trouble with a destination - any destination, really - is that it interrupts The Journey.
Lee Panza SR/SK #2134 San Francisco Bay (Brisbane, CA)
Upsizing lines on a sailboat is almost always a bad idea...
Agreed. Somebody before me put 1'2" sheets on, and I always felt they were too big, although they worked in the blocks. I just never got around to replacing them with 3/8".
Correction to my previous post: I see CD has a kit for standard end-boom sheeting (line and blocks). Missed it before. But I still prefer single-braid.
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
@Dave Stinkpotter, I believe I replaced the mainsheet with 3/8” line. Regular NE Rope broad, nothing fancy. It’s supple enough as a mainsheet. I usta adjust the main a lot when I first started sailing Passage, but now usually keep it sheeted mostly in and adjust the traveler car and outhaul for the best shape. Most of the action is with the jib sheets which I replaced with the nicer “feel” line this year.
Yup--I think 3/8" is right... But my mainsheet on Passage (5:1 or whatever it was) seemed almost too easy to haul in, no matter the wind, and put excessive rope in the cockpit. If I had downsized the diameter, I would have also tried a reduced purchase.
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
I installed a Harken 1654 Midrange Traveler (3:1) and Harken High Beam track last spring. The boom bail is from CD (E1871). I also installed a Garhauer 2 speed Mainsheet (25-2SP) which is 3:1 and 6:1.
One note on installation: the seats in the cockpit near the hatch are not level. I had to create custom spacers so that the track sits level. I used some spare Starboard, but I think I'm going to go back and reinstall with G10.
Also, I found the step from the top of the companion way ladder, over the track on to the floor of the cockpit to be too long of a stride. I plan on constructing a small 3 inch step out of Starboard, to sit in the cockpit well, under the the track and sticking out about a foot.
Other than the long stride how do you like the mid-boom traveler?
Just one bail. The location of the bail is pretty far back on the boom, directly over the traveler. Maybe 2+ feet from the end. The bail from CD comes with a bolt that is long enough so that the threads at the end are on the outside. The boat is still on the trailer as I'm still finishing up on several other major projects, so I can't really comment on how well I like the new setup yet.
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.