Masthead Crane

Submitted by Bob Nichols

My '83 C25 std. rig, swing keel didn't come with a spinnaker halyard.  I built a mast head crane of stainless steel with a block on the crane loop.  The crane moved the block out approx. 5 or 6 inches. Plenty of clearance from the furler swivel. (Hood). When I started the crane project I decided to renew any parts needing replacement on the whole mast. The original masthead unit cracked upon removal. So new mast head with new stainless pins along with the mast head crane gave me confidence in the spinnaker rigging.

In this view (port side) you will see that I have replaced the stainless steel round top pins which come with the masthead with hex-head machine screws: Why?

1. Easier to remove down the road for maintenance, the old ones were frozen in the holes and this is the cause of the mast-head cracking and needing to be replaced.
      
2. Mast-head crane increased the cross-section dimension requiring longer pin length. I bought machine screws with shoulder length in excess of the length required, cut off the threaded end and drilled holes for the cotter pins.

 

   
 

---

In this view (starboard) the ends of the hex-head machine screws protrude beyond the body of the crane for insertion of the cotter pins. I don't remember the exact size of the machine screws. When I purchased them, I took the new mast-head with the crane sitting on it and removed one of the new pins, laid it all on the counter and said this is what I need. No screw-ups.

You can also see that when the mast is in place and the forestay is in place, there will be approx. 5" of clearance from the Hood Furling swivel (not pictured, but the swivel will be at the top of the furler foil seen around the forestay).

When the asymmetrical spinnaker, attached inside the ATN spinnaker sleeve to a short pennant, is hoisted there is plenty of clearance from the swivel.

---

Bob Nichols
1983 Catalina 25  #3894
"CHERLYN TU"