Association Forum - Using Catalina 27 mast on my Catalina 25?

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

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.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Using Catalina 27 mast on my Catalina 25?

New Topic

Reply to Topic

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Silsdorfskm
Deckhand

Member Avatar

USA
1 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/10/2019 : 08:05:56

Hello all!

My current catalina 25 mast has a dent just below where the starboard upper shroud connects. I have sailed in heavy wind consistently for 2 summers but would still like a rig I am more confident in.

I have acquired a cat 27 mast from my boatyard and my plan was to cut the bottom of the mast to the same height as my stock cat 25 mast. I have no yet taken specific measurements of either mast, but would it be at all likely that I will be able to use my current cat-25 rigging (which is in good condition) and use it with the cat-27 mast once it is cut to the same height?

Is it safe to assume that the spreader height/width, etc is different than my current mast and therefore make using the same standing rigging not a possibility?

Any advice or ideas on this would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks

83' Catalina 25

Bill Holcomb
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
769 Posts

Response Posted - 06/10/2019 : 08:25:39

Yes, it is safe to figure that the spreader height, width, et al will be different between the two masts.
Also, the mast base is substantially different and due to the difference between the two masts, the mast base on your boat will not fit the C-27 mast. You will need a C-27 base.
Bill Holcomb - C-25 Snickerdoodle #4839

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 06/10/2019 : 09:24:08

I would suggest you explore the difference in weight between the two masts. If your boat has a standard rig, the heavier C27 mast might be acceptable, but if your boat has a tall rig, the extra weight of the C27 mast might make it very tender, especially if you like to sail in strong winds.

The factory-stock tall rig C25 is already more tender than the standard rig, and needs to be reefed a bit earlier. Adding weight aloft to either version won't improve it's performance.

Regardless of whether your boat has a standard or tall rig, your boat will perform it's best with the OE mast. The strength of a mast is very much dependent on it being held in-column by the shrouds, so good rig tuning for a dented mast is especially important. If my boat had a dent in the mast that concerned me, I think I'd be more inclined to reinforce it by having the dented area sleeved or reinforced in a similar manner.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

dasreboot
Admiral

Members Avatar

803 Posts

Response Posted - 06/11/2019 : 03:26:39

The PO put a diferent mast on my boat. Its a bit beefier with a different mast head. Dont know what it is from. Havent noticed any difference between it and the stock mast i had on my previous 25. As long as the mast section fits in the tabernacke, you should be fine. Of course making a new tabernackle would be trivial for a machine shop, or even with a homemade brake.

Todd Lewis
Eowyn 87 TR/WK C25 #5656
ARWEN 84 TR/SK C25 #4031
www.mainsailsailingschool.com

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 06/11/2019 : 07:22:44

I've heard or read somewhere that the C-25 tall mast is the same extrusion as on the C-27 standard rig, but don't take my word for it. I do know that CD sells different mast steps and mastheads for the C-25 TR and SR, so they are apparently different extrusions. If yours is a TR (??), maybe the C-27 mast could be cut at both ends so that the spreader sockets are at the same height as on your C-25 mast. Then maybe your C-25 spreaders could be used in those sockets... I would be very cautious in validating any of this--you don't want to end up designing your own rig. This is a lot of if's and maybes, but I'm just fishing for a way you can take advantage of your acquisition.

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 06/11/2019 07:27:14

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 06/11/2019 : 07:37:00

Another detail: If your spreader sockets are cast aluminum, this is the time to replace them with welded stainless steel from CD--they sell one set for both the C-25 and C-27. The aluminum brackets are apparently subject to cracking and failing catastrophically. This also suggests that the two boats use the same diameter spreader tubes, although probably different lengths. CD doesn't show different spreader tubes for tall and standard rig C-25s. (By the way, they are a very good resource to discuss this stuff with--they know these boats.)

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 06/11/2019 07:39:43

islander
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 06/11/2019 : 09:46:20

The spreader's are the same size for the 25 and the 27. Both are 1 1/4 and 34" long so I don't see a problem there. You could cut the mast so as the spreader's are the same distance from the base as on the 25 mast. Then if needed cut the top of the mast so the distance from the spreader's to the top is the same as the 25 mast. If the extrusions aren't the same just use the mast head from the 27 mast. You may need to change the mast plate to the one for a 27 also if the extrusions aren't the same
Then cut any haylard exit holes if you need them.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Topic

New Topic

Reply to Topic

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

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.