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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Attaching a Cruising Spinnaker

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B.Jones
1st Mate

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39 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/04/2009 : 12:09:23

I have an '83 tall rig with a CDI furler attached to the forestay. The forestay is attached to the mast head at the foreward most end. I am installing an 18" bow sprit with anchor roller and would like to fly a cruising spinnaker attached to the bow sprit. I wanted to use my external jib halyard as the halyard for the spinnaker. Since the forestay is foreward of the jib halyard at the mast head, how do I get the jib halyard in the more forward position to fly the spinnaker without crossing over the forestay and furler? Does this make any sense? How do others fly a cruising spinnaker?
Thanks in advance for your help,
Bruce
S/V Bella Sera
'83 tr/fk

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 03/04/2009 : 12:37:55

The head of a cruising or other spinnaker makes use of a block forward of the forestay, the sail flies ouitside and the sheets run outside all the rigging. You need to install this. I have a D-shackle and a block up there, installed by a PO.

As you imply in your question, if you choose to fly the cruising spinnaker inside the forestay with the existing jib halyard, then you will chafe the head of the sail and/or the spinnaker sock and/or the spinnaker (jib) halyard on the forestay.

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B.Jones
1st Mate

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39 Posts

Response Posted - 03/04/2009 : 12:58:56

So, I need to install a new halyard devoted just for the spinnaker? That does make sense. Do you know where I might see some photo's or drawings of where the D-shackle and block should go? I believe my forestay is as far foreward on the mast head as anything can go. I think I got in over my head on this whole bow sprit and spinnaker project.

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JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 03/04/2009 : 13:37:46

Here is the C-25 masthead image in our Parts Manual (link is on the left of the web page). I reversed it to match the orientation of my photo below.

This is a sideways photo of my masthead, which itself is shown lying sideways after I dropped the mast and investigated how to install an anhor light. The stays are slack and not angled out like on a raised mast.

The 5 clevis pins that are held in place with cotter pins, from stern to bow (left to right), hold the:
- Backstay (cable) and topping lift (white rope line)
- Rear main and jib sheaves
- Foreward main and jib sheaves
- Forestay (just visible along the dark tree branch)
- Spinnaker block (no D-shackle, after all - my error) and halyard (green rope line)

So you can see the spinnaker block is out front of the forestay, and the masthead on a C-25 of your boat's vintage should have a pin there for it.

So your next "trick" is to drop the mast and install a block and halyard.

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B.Jones
1st Mate

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39 Posts

Response Posted - 03/04/2009 : 13:56:50

Thanks, John. That is a big help. Not only do I have to lower the mast but also move my forestay with furler to the right position. It is on the foremost clevis pin where the spinnaker halyard is supposed to go. No wonder I couldn't figure this out. Thanks again for your help.

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 03/04/2009 : 14:08:27

B. Jones, I don't think you are the only one. I will have to take a look at mine as well this spring. Thanks for posting that John. You just saved me from buying a spinnaker crane!

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Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 03/04/2009 : 17:03:24

Bruce,
One thing to take note of when installing a bowsprit is some marina's charge by the boat length or the slip size, whichever is greater. When I have my inspection done every third year they measure from the tip of my bow pulpit to the farthest extension of my outboard and that determines the cost per foot for my slip.

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BJones
Deckhand

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USA
7 Posts

Response Posted - 03/08/2009 : 19:41:44

Joe,
Hopefully the club I'm at will continue to charge me for a 25. I believe some others with similar boats (not Catalina's) have aftermarket bow sprits and they are charged as the original boats. If I could figure out how to post pictures I would put some of the bow sprit here. It is custom made of mahogany and stainless and will extent 18" from bow. Work on the sprit is finished; now having a problem getting it mounted. This is all experimental. A stainless strap is run about 2 ft down each side of the hull and bolts run into the anchor locker. This is where we are running into problems getting the bolts to a large enough area for a backing plate or reinforced epoxy. We seem to be running into an area that is too close to the underside of the deck where we can't get in to tighten the bolts. Oh well, we will figure it out and it will be really sharp when done. Thanks for all the advice on the spinnaker rigging.
Bruce

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Daren
1st Mate

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USA
81 Posts

Response Posted - 11/02/2009 : 10:06:48

I too would like to use an asym or cruising spinnaker on my C-25 Tall Rig. I have a CDI furler attached to the forestay AND an internal halyard run.....what's next, beyond purchasing the right sail?

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JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 11/02/2009 : 22:42:42

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Daren
 I too would like to use an asym or cruising spinnaker on my C-25 Tall Rig. I have a CDI furler attached to the forestay AND an internal halyard run.....what's next, beyond purchasing the right sail?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">What's next is to go sailing with me and watch how I fly my asymm. You'll get the idea of what it involves in a flash. My boat is in Arnold, MD, just down the road from your boat in Mayo, MD.

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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.