New Capri 18 Owner

[thedude]

I just bought a 1988 Capri 18 to get out and sail some more on own and more often. So far I've been doing a fair amount of cleaning her up and sorting out the bits and pieces. The boat really just needed a solid day of cleaning and looks much nicer already. Some bottom scraping and maybe a repaint and she'll look great.

The guy I bought it from was using a CDI furler with a broken track with a job sail that didn't slide into the track anyway. Beat I can tell is that he just tied the sail on at the tack and head and let it swing loosely along the entire luff. I removed the furler since it was fairly useless and modified the sail to hank on to the bare forestay. It should hold over until I decide if I need to buy a new sail and real hardware.

The only thing I really haven't been able to figure out from the internet is what one of the metal cables running from the mast is. It is connected next to the backstay at the top of the mast, of a thinner guage wire and reaches down to about three feet above the boom when hanging straight down.

 

[shemandr]

I would like to say it's a topping lift but you describe it as being "About three feet above the boom", which wouldn't be a topping lift. And I can see on one photo that the boom is supported by a topping lift. We can't see in the photo with it circled - what is the terminus?

 

[thedude]

I would like to say it's a topping lift but you describe it as being "About three feet above the boom", which wouldn't be a topping lift. And I can see on one photo that the boom is supported by a topping lift. We can't see in the photo with it circled - what is the terminus?

In that photo I'm just holding it in my hand to pull it away from the mast and make it more obvious. It is terminated in a u-bend/thimble.

 

[Joe]

Does the line look like it should move or lift? A picture of the lower end of the wire would help. Also how is it attached at the top? Front, back or side of mast. Have you located the mainsail halyard yet? or the jib halyard.... Got to something simple. It's a simple boat. Good luck.

 

[shemandr]

Is it an extra halyard? Where on the mast head does it connect? Could it go over a sheave? Is there a tail coming out of the mast somewhere. Or maybe lost in the mast? Sorry if questions seem obvious but we can only see what the picture shows.

 

[thedude]

The mystery line runs off the back of the mast and with a single point fixed attachment next to the backstay. It is terminated with a thimble end like pictured below.

Forestay, backstay and upper/lower shrouds on both sides are accounted for. Both halyards are run and working though replacement line has been ordered, what was on there is a little rough.

 

[shemandr]

Maybe something to assist raising the mast?

 

[thedude]

I don't think so due to it mounting on the back of the mast.

 

[Joe]

It's a topping lift wire, minus the adjusting tackle that connects it to the end of the boom.

 

[thedude]

It's a topping lift wire, minus the adjusting tackle that connects it to the end of the boom.

That makes sense if it is supposed to have extra hardware and line. Honestly didn't considered that but after looking it up it appears correct.

 

[thedude]

Good news, she floats and sails. Went out today and sailed for about three hours while figuring the boat out. No surprises, she handled and sailed about as expected.

 

[shemandr]

Sail looks to have a pretty good shape!

 

[thedude]

Sail looks to have a pretty good shape!

The sails were doing pretty decent. Definitely not new but they can still get the job done fine.

 

[thedude]

Quick refresh if the wood to try to help protect it over the winter. I plan to remove, sand and refinish next summer but needed to do something to the bone dry, filthy wood. I just cleaned it up and then put on a layer of tung oil.

 

[kappykaplan]

Looks good!

 

[ErikVR]

It's a topping lift wire, minus the adjusting tackle that connects it to the end of the boom.

Yeah, looks like it. The stock Catalina boom holding device was a short wire pennant attached to the lower part of the backstay. It had a snap hook that clipped to the eye strap at the boom end when the mainsail was down. That said, I installed a Boomkicker device on my C18, and have never looked back.

 

[ErikVR]

Good news, she floats and sails. Went out today and sailed for about three hours while figuring the boat out. No surprises, she handled and sailed about as expected.


View attachment 200687View attachment 200688

Your boom vang is pretty slack there.

 

[thedude]

Your boom vang is pretty slack there.

Haha, never said I actually know what I'm doing.

 

[SailingLoto]

Nice little boat. It cleaned up well.

 

[thedude]

I ordered a quick release turnbuckle for the forestay which should be delivered today. That will save about ten minutes every time I sail without having to mess with tensioning the forestay and annoying split rings when stepping the mast.