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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Alternate mainsheet solution

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Ryan L
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USA
230 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/17/2012 : 00:14:50

The tang that links our mainsheet to the boom failed suddenly without warning a few weeks ago. After searching this forum I learned that this is a somewhat common problem. We didn't want to replace the tang and then wait for the new one to fail, and we didn't want to drill holes in the boom, instal compression tube, etc needed for a boom bail (a common "fix" for the tang problem) so we came up with an alternate fix.

I replaced the bolt in the end of the boom with a Seadog eyebolt of the same diameter. The eyebolt fits perfectly (the collar is exactly the same diameter as the raised section in the boom end cap, it looks like the parts were purpose made for each other). The eyebolt is held in place with a washer and nylock tight enough to eliminate almost all play but still allow the eyebolt to rotate with moderate pressure.

I attached the mainsheet block to the eyebolt with a Ronstan dyneema link (about $10).

The eyebolt is rated MWL about 5000lbs. I called seadog and they said shear would be about 1/2 that. I forgot what the MWL for the dyneema link is but it's something like a gazillion pounds.

The dyneema can chafe and eventually degrade in the sun but we keep a sail cover over it when the boat is in her slip and the eyebolt is very smooth (minimum chafe). I'd rather keep an extra $10 dyneema link on hand to replace the current one if it shows any signs of wear than keep a $10 tang on hand to replace if it suddenly fails. Plus, to replace the dyneema you just loop on a new link and sail away. To replace a tang you must remove the entire end cap from the boom, remove the bolt, etc.

So far it works well but time will tell...

"Naoma"
1988 Ericson 38-200
San Diego, CA

Formerly of:
"Maria T"
1987 C25 SR WK 5695
San Diego, CA
L DOCK ARMADA

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3442 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2012 : 04:28:45

Nice, clean repair ! I could see many of us benefitting from your approach. Great photos showing exactly what you did. Probably not a bad idea for for me/others to consider getting the Seadog eyebolt and a Ronstan Dyneema link as an emergerncy backup in case the tang fails. What is the diameter of the Seadog eyebolt/bolt at end of the boom ?

Edited by - on

JimGo
Admiral

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USA
962 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2012 : 07:44:38

Very clever! Where did you find the Seadog eyebolt?

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2012 : 08:20:35

Why not just attach a shackle to the eyebolt?

Edited by - on

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4018 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2012 : 09:27:24

Or a Quick Link

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2012 : 11:07:13

I like the repair the guy does in the Viagra commerical.

Edited by - on

sfsmith
Navigator

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USA
123 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2012 : 11:25:03

Nice fix, Ryan. I may do the same. Thanks.

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2012 : 11:45:14

<>

with the tow boat...

Nice job ryan. Look forward to hearing how it holds up.

Looks like a clean solution.. I know I've looked at mine many times thinking there must be a better way..

Edited by - on

Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1218 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2012 : 11:55:38

I like it...may do the same to mine!

Edited by - on

Ryan L
Navigator

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USA
230 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2012 : 12:18:23

Thanks. Got it at West Marine off the shelf but it can be ordered at:
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=108553&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=50045&subdeptNum=50046&classNum=50054

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JimGo
 Very clever! Where did you find the Seadog eyebolt?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Edited by - on

Ryan L
Navigator

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USA
230 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2012 : 12:22:26

IIRC the diameter is 3/8 but to be honest I don't recall offhand. I brought the nut from the original bolt with me to West Marine to get the correct size.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by OLarryR
 Nice, clean repair ! I could see many of us benefitting from your approach. Great photos showing exactly what you did. Probably not a bad idea for for me/others to consider getting the Seadog eyebolt and a Ronstan Dyneema link as an emergerncy backup in case the tang fails. What is the diameter of the Seadog eyebolt/bolt at end of the boom ?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Edited by - on

Ryan L
Navigator

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USA
230 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2012 : 12:27:54

I think a direct connect with shackle would probably work depending on the type of block you have. In our case I didn't like how close it put the block to the end of the boom. Also, we originally had a double block with side by side sheaves that tended to jam. The dyneema link allows for MUCH more range of motion than a shackle alone which allows a more fair lead for all degrees of boom offset. Again, a shackle probably works too, at least well enough for most situations, we just preferred using the dyneema and think it is a slightly better solution for our needs.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by John Russell
 Why not just attach a shackle to the eyebolt?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Edited by - on

Ape-X
Admiral

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USA
662 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2012 : 13:21:43

Do you think mounting the eyebolt horizontally as opposed to your current "vertical" position along with the Dyneema loop would allow a solid mount of the eyebolt? That would allow movement along all points of sail, and provide a good solid mount to allow the eyebolt to work as designed, with a solid base.

There are also hoist rings, albeit a more expensive solution:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#hoist-rings/=fuk1yg

Edited by - on

Ryan L
Navigator

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USA
230 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2012 : 14:44:34

Maybe? Good thoughts. Now that I've used it a few times I think the bolt could be mounted firmly regardless of it's orientation. The dyneema allows plenty range of motion. I was concerned about chafe (thus let the eyebolt pivot) but I don't see any signs of chafe at all of chafe after about 10 hours of use. There are plenty of name brand blocks that now use dyneema loops attached to fixed padeyes etc with no chafe issues. In fact, that's what the Ronstan dyneema link was specifically designed for.

Those hoist rings look interesting. The link shows the 316 stainless rings in 3/8 have a MWL of around 1000lbs vs the eyebolts estimated sheer MWL of about 2500 (per SeaDog). Plus the hoist rings are around $100 each... I think they might look good though. Maybe there's another solution somewhere in the middle?

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Ape-X
 Do you think mounting the eyebolt horizontally as opposed to your current "vertical" position along with the Dyneema loop would allow a solid mount of the eyebolt? That would allow movement along all points of sail, and provide a good solid mount to allow the eyebolt to work as designed, with a solid base.

There are also hoist rings, albeit a more expensive solution:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#hoist-rings/=fuk1yg

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Edited by - on

Ryan L
Navigator

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USA
230 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2012 : 23:06:48

A better pic...

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2012 : 06:51:22

Ryan,

Looks like you need a couple of cleats for your outhaul and topping lift. Maybe a double block on the outhaul as well.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2012 : 10:34:42

Your mainsheet fix looks great! Nice job.
My suggestion for making the outhaul more adjustable: Move the single block with becket from the boom to the main sail clew and put a double block on the boom (like Don suggested) where the single block was. Run the outhaul line forward to a cleat on the port side of the boom (or back to the cockpit) where it can be reached easily. For my topping lift, I added a lance cleat to the boom, port side, just a bit forward of and slightly higher than the outhaul cleat. My reefing line and blocks are on the starboard side of the boom.

Edited by - dmpilc on 01/18/2012 13:56:29

Ryan L
Navigator

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USA
230 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2012 : 16:57:49

Thanks Don and David for your suggestions. I have a captured foot main and notice very little difference in sail shape or power from differing outhaul tension. The setup in my photos was designed by the previous owner and is sort of a "set and forget" method. My tendency is to leave it as is unless there is some compelling reason for the change? David- your setup looks very clean and I appreciate the details.

As for topping lift, mine is set up much as David describes. I have a small jam cleat on the port side of the boom in the location described. The excess line you see is just the tail from the slacked topping lift loosely coiled and stowed under a loop of elastic chord. Like David, I have my reefing blocks etc on the stbd side.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dmpilc
 Your mainsheet fix looks great! Nice job.
My suggestion for making the outhaul more adjustable: Move the single block with becket from the boom to the main sail clew and put a double block on the boom (like Don suggested) where the single block was. Run the outhaul line forward to a cleat on the port side of the boom (or back to the cockpit) where it can be reached easily. For my topping lift, I added a lance cleat to the boom, port side, just a bit forward of and slightly higher than the outhaul cleat. My reefing line and blocks are on the starboard side of the boom.

Edited by - on

bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1773 Posts

Response Posted - 01/21/2012 : 13:56:43

Interesting thread. I have thought about the relative strength of the tang and was thinking more along the idea of adding a bail toward the end of the boom with hardware centered off it. This option offers a viable solution as well.

Edited by - bigelowp on 01/21/2012 13:57:43

blanik
Navigator

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Canada
210 Posts

Response Posted - 01/21/2012 : 15:46:02

i saw somewhere an alternative rigging for the mainsheet where it comes down the mast in front of the cockpit but can also be used from the rear, anyone has the link for this?

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JeanAndre
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USA
224 Posts

Response Posted - 01/21/2012 : 17:36:17

Here is the CD link for the double ended mainsheet. I got this set up on my boat but the forward end goes all the way to mast than back to the cokpit.
So if I am sailing solo I use the Aft end, if not Mainsheet trimmer works on the cabintop.

http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=609

Cheers All

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 01/21/2012 : 19:50:34

Ya know, I've been around this site for 5 years or so and I haven't really heard about much tang/mainsheet failure. I think they designed it the way it is to keep the lateral pressures at a minimum and it works pretty darn well! Keeping mine just the same.

Edited by - on

Ryan L
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USA
230 Posts

Response Posted - 01/21/2012 : 23:51:12

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by DaveR
 Ya know, I've been around this site for 5 years or so and I haven't really heard about much tang/mainsheet failure. I think they designed it the way it is to keep the lateral pressures at a minimum and it works pretty darn well!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

...until it doesn't and your boom slams into your aft lowers with full force or knocks someone's head off. The problem I have with the tang, besides that it broke, is that there will be no warning. You won't see the fatigue until it breaks. Here are some other threads regarding the mainsheet tang failing. Probably from before your time... ;)

http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/pop_printer_friendly.asp?ARCHIVE=true& TOPIC_ID=4109

http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/pop_printer_friendly.asp?TOPIC_ID=22324

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Ryan L
Navigator

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USA
230 Posts

Response Posted - 01/21/2012 : 23:51:48

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JeanAndre
 Here is the CD link for the double ended mainsheet. I got this set up on my boat but the forward end goes all the way to mast than back to the cokpit.
So if I am sailing solo I use the Aft end, if not Mainsheet trimmer works on the cabintop.

http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=609

Cheers All

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Pretty cool!

Edited by - on

Ryan L
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USA
230 Posts

Response Posted - 01/21/2012 : 23:56:55

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by bigelowp
 Interesting thread. I have thought about the relative strength of the tang and was thinking more along the idea of adding a bail toward the end of the boom with hardware centered off it. This option offers a viable solution as well.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yup. A common fix. But more expensive and kind of a pain in the ass because you need a correctly sized compression tube etc to do it right. You usually don't see spectra rigging except on more expensive boats although that's starting to change.

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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2015 Posts

Response Posted - 01/22/2012 : 08:45:16

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> Here are some other threads regarding the mainsheet tang failing <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

And I'm sure there's more than those two. Just like a stay, a rudder or numerous other parts in time they wear and can break. Periodical inspection. The thing that bothers me about the eye bolt is the lateral forces being put on it,but who knows, it may work as well or better than the tang over a long period of time, and only time will tell.

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