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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Boom Height

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jduck00
Captain

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USA
313 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/12/2015 : 12:18:53

I've read through some older posts and searched the great oracle google and I think I've answered my own question, but I'm still looking for someone that has some personal experience.

Some thoughts, I don't race and don't care if I loose a little speed. Most of my sailing is cruising with the family where I try and keep the rails out of the water. With my brother on board we push a little harder, but 99% of my sailing is easy cruising.

At the same time, I'm planning on moving the mainsheet to the cabin top and getting it out of the cockpit. I'm going to trim the extra length off the boom as well.

I'm thinking of raising the boom up a foot so I can install a taller bimini. The Florida sun has taught me that I need one, but I hate having to crawl around then one I have now.

I'm in the market for a new main next year and so I think I'm going to go with a custom cut main vs getting low reef points put in. Keep the foot the same length but have the luff shortened. It would be a slightly different sail shape. Have any of you fellows done this before? If I keep the same angles on the sail and shorten the foot and luff, any idea on how much I would lose? I might raise the main, if quits raining, and measure to see.

My main concern I don't have an answer for yet is moving the stress point of the boom up the mast. Does moving the boom up have a negative impact on the mast itself?

I'm also interested in any feedback from anyone that has done this. Mainly how its impacted their performance.

Edited by - on

kc5dlo
1st Mate

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USA
71 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2015 : 14:41:38

I have a tall rig and had a new sail made 1 foot shorter than stock. that should have raised it to the same ht as a standard rig. I am 6'4" and I can stand under the bimini now. I am a little surprised you are having issues with boom ht and a standard rig.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2015 : 15:09:20

Do you have a pop-top? If so, a traveler on the cabin top would be complicated--I would strongly advise against mounting it to the pop-top. If it bridges the pop-top, then to raise the top you'd have to remove the bar. There probably are some ways to make that possible...

Regarding raising the boom, one factor is its position relative to the opening in the mast slot. With the sail at full hoist and the downhaul tightened, you probably want the gooseneck to be below the opening, and you certainly don't want it to be at the level of the opening. I suppose it could be above, but you would need something more secure than a track stopper to keep the gooseneck from dropping to the opening as you douse the main. If the gooseneck pops out, things could get dicey, and the sail could be damaged.

Edited by - on

hewebb
Admiral

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USA
761 Posts

Response Posted - 01/13/2015 : 05:55:52

My main sheets are mid boom mounted on each side of the companionway. I like the way they work because I am used to them. The issue with a new crew member is getting familiar with two main sheets in lieu of one. I can actually get the boom past center.

Edited by - on

jduck00
Captain

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USA
313 Posts

Response Posted - 01/13/2015 : 06:31:33

Nice mainsheet setup. I'll have to think on that one. Its a lot simpler than what I was planning. I don't think the crew would have a hard time adjusting.

I will admit part of my problem is a poorly designed bimini as well as the height of the boom. I'll get a tape measure out next time I go sailing and see how it compares to some of you guys. I'm going to build a bimini this summer and want to get as much height on the new one that I can.

I've been practicing my sewing and I've moved up from duck cloth to Sunbrella now. Should be able to tackle the bimini after a few more projects.

Edited by - on

alfreddiaz
1st Mate

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USA
30 Posts

Response Posted - 01/29/2015 : 23:20:07

Jduck, I feel this relates to you because at some point you are going to have to deal with raising the boom on the mast. I am pretty set on raising my boom this year and buying a sail with a foot less luff. I have a C25TR, so 26.5 foot luff would be perfect. But I want to use an adjustable gooseneck so I can still go back to my old sail if I ever want that extra foot in light winds. I hear of people installing tracks. But why not just use the adjustable gooseneck slide that Catalina Direct sells? Has anybody used these? Any reason not too? Here are links to the two parts.

gooseneck slide: http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm/product/292_149/gooseneck-slide-only.cfm

gooseneck clip: http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm/product/929_149/gooseneck-clip-only-c-25-c-27.cfm

Any used these?

Al

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 01/30/2015 : 07:51:34

We replaced our fixed gooseneck with the slider version from CD. Performs as expected. As Stinkpotter points out above, you will want to add a sail stop under the slide to prevent the boom from dropping to the deck when lowering the main.

1989 C25 TR/WK, #5822
1973 McVay Minuet 19
1975 Jester 12
1981 C25 SR/SK, #2428
1981 C22 SR/SK,
Tanzer 16
Sunfish

"There is nothing, absolutely nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." Kenneth Grahame

Edited by - OJ on 01/30/2015 07:54:19

alfreddiaz
1st Mate

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USA
30 Posts

Response Posted - 01/30/2015 : 15:58:36

OJ
That's good to hear. It looks like the simplest solution to me. And the lest costly.
Thanks.
Al

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3754 Posts

Response Posted - 01/30/2015 : 16:13:21

I really li&e that Mainsheet setup. I thought about a swing away track bridging the pop top and other complex, expsive approaches and missed the simple solution.

Dave B. aboard Pearl
1982 TR/SK/Trad. #3399
Lake Erie/Florida Panhandle

Last Fling 71
Deckhand

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USA
19 Posts

Response Posted - 02/22/2015 : 18:05:34

I raised my mainsail 1 foot last year. I purchased the slider gooseneck from CD and had 12 inches removed from the top of my mainsail (I didn't want to change the position of the reef points). I put a sail stop above the slider and two sail stops below the slider. At 6'1", I now have plenty of headroom, better vision forward and the bimini is now usable.

C25TRWK

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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.