What is this on my boom?

[yelkenli]

My boom layout does not match the Catalina manual.

The topping life comes to a block on the end and from there I am not sure where to run it. There is a cleat forward on the boom, but the line is not really long enough, and I would have expected a jam cleat for this application.

Secondly, on the starboard side there is a track with a block and tang.

A friend has a similar Catalina with this but has nothing attached to it.

They tell me that sometimes there is extra hardware or I got more than I paid for. But I would like to know what this is for.

If you know, please post.

 

[stickinthemud57]

As for the track on the starboard side of the boom, I have a similar one on my boom that I installed for managing reefing lines. It's mounted a bit further aft than yours.

No clue as to the topping lift.

 

[thinwater]

A track for the reefing clew. Not common, but one of my boats had that.

 

[JoeWhite]

If i have to guess, the block on the end of the boom is part of the Dutchman reefing system. There should also be another block near the top of the mast. A 1/4" line should make a loop through these blocks to adjust the lines that are fed through the main sail. Are there several holes vertically on the main sail? If yes, then I guessed

 

[garymalmgren]

Hi yelkenli

RE: The topping life comes to a block on the end and from there I am not sure where to run it. There is a cleat forward on the boom, but the line is not really long enough, and I would have expected a jam cleat for this application.

There are a few ways to run an topping lift. On a used boat it is difficult to know what the previous owner had in mind.
Maybe just using a piece of line that was available.
My suggestions are - If you have two sheaves at the rear of the masthead one will be for the mainsail halyard and one will be for the topping lift. This is a best case scenario. Run a line from the end of the boom, through the masthead, out the bottom of the mast and back to the cockpit.

When you want to control the topping lift the line is right there and ready to go. Also it becomes a spare mainsail halyard in a pinch.

If the topping lift is tied off at the masthead and just comes down to the boom end ( no two sheaves at the rear of the masthead), rig up a short tackle with a cam cleated block at the boom end and connected to a shortened the topping lift. The photo is 6 to 1 but you don't need that purchase or expense.

Cheapest and easiest fix. Rig a cam cleat on the boom end. Lift boom manually.I used my shoulder and cleat off the topping lift at desired height.


RE: Secondly, on the starboard side there is a track with a block and tang.
As mentioned this is an adjustable reefing set up. Never really understood why as the reef points in the sail are set .
Happy rigging and sailing
gary

https://bartonmarine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Fitting-Instructions-For-Slab-Reefing-Kit-41483-2012.pdf

 

[PaulK]

Modern reefing lines run through sheaves at the end of the boom, up to the clew of the sail, and then loop down around the boom, where they get tied back on themselves with a bowline. (There are drawings online showing the right way to lead and tie it off - it makes a difference.) The boom-end lead supplies ample tension to keep the foot tight as the reef is put in and results in a reefed sail that is set relatively well. The line can be untied and moved to the second or third reef clews and the loop moved to go under the appropriate clew as needed.

The OP's boom does not have sheaves at the end of the boom, so his setup is somewhat different. The picture does not show the port side of the boom, but there may be padeyes there to secure the end of the reefing lines at various points for the different reefing clews. Theoretically these should be located a touch aft of where the reefing clew lines up on the boom in order to provide some outhaul tension to the sail. The sliding sheave on the starboard side of the boom should also be set a touch aft of the reefing clew for the same reason. If there are no padeyes the reefing line could be dead-ended at the end of the boom - perhaps with a stopper knot after being led through the hole in the black anodized fitting near the topping lift. Not having the line loop around the boom may result in the sail not setting well, with the clew too high off the boom, but if there's enough wind to need a reef you may not have to be too picky about sail shape.

 

[yelkenli]

A track for the reefing clew. Not common, but one of my boats had that.

Thanks @thinwater

Does anyone know if reefing is compatible with a lazy jack bag system? Here is an example showing a sail up, not necessarily the bag I have.

I looked for reefing with a lazy bag and got nothing but 'reefing a lazy bag', which showed a boat minimizing the drag of the lazy bag - atrocious use of the term reefing IMHO, if I am reading it correctly.

The previous owner probably would not have gone out in weather needing reefing. I plan to however.

 

[PaulK]

We put a reef into a lazy-bagged sail on a Beneteau Oceanic last summer. It is possible, but needs to be set up properly and as you are finding out, boats are all different. Since the lazy bag is held up by the lazyjacks you will have to make sure your reefing lines all run from the boom to the sail inside the lazyjacks and the lazy bag. Nothing outside the lazyjacks or lazy bag. Then, how tight is the space between the bottom of the lazy bag and the boom? Is there room to lead the reefing line between the bottom of lazy bag and the boom to the block on the starboard side of the boom? Will the line chafe the lazy bag too much or perhaps drag it into the block mid-reef? If you don't have the lazy bag set up yet you may want to look at examples on other people's boats first and try to determine if it will work on yours.

 

[Joe]

The basic topping lift tackle that is rigged on the majority of 70's80's era small Catalinas is pretty simple. My 78 C27 can be described thusly. A static wire from the masthead to a few feet above the boom end. There was an eye crimped to the both ends for attaching to the masthead and the boom end control line. A small block was attached to the end of the static TL. The control line was knotted to an eye strap on one side of the boom, up through the TL block, then back down to a cheek block on the boom opposite the eyestrap. The line was led forward a few feet, being held captive by another eye strap on the boom to a HORNED JAM CLEAT. The line was lead far enough forward to keep it reachable from the cockpit when the boom is let out.

Looking at your rig: you have jam cleats on both sides of the boom. That style cleat works well and is inexpensive... remember they were really poplar before the cam cleat craze took over with jib sheets.. because you set the line by pulling it into the wedge side horn. With a vee style cleat, such as the "clamcleat" you have to press the line down into the vee as you pull.... pretty hard to do sideways over your head. With the jam.. just pull on the stopper knot. Also, you don't want a lot of purchase.... 2:1 at the most, I kept mine at 1:1... because that puts too much line hanging down into the cockpit... The TL only has to move the boom a couple of inches. And all you're really doing is removing slack.

The track mounted on the boom side is not factory equipment. It looks like part of a Harken or Shaeffer reefing kit... the track allows for multiple reef blocks to be mounted or a single to be repositioned... but as others have mentioned... unnecessary for the price... but don't throw it away. Here's why.... Harken Single Line Reefing Kit Yep, that's the right price. There are many uses for track and related hardware.

Your question about reefing with a Lazy Jack bag........... yes, of course. When you reef you're only going forward to secure the tack point, the clew can be secured by the ling running forward to a cleat on the boom near the mast, where you'll be during the procedure. You don't have to tie the sail to the boom, just the tack and clew.

Final comment. Get used to seeing modifications and upgrades to all older and some newer sailboats. Remember, that Catalina manual referred to was published 50 years ago... things change. I have added many nifty upgrades, alterations and improvements to my boat in the 26 years I've had him. Improving and modernizing old sailboats is a very popular thing to do... not to "flip" it... but to simply make it better.

 

[yelkenli]

Thanks @Joe

Looking at your rig: you have jam cleats on both sides of the boom.

I was thinking the two cleats near the mast are horn cleats, but are you saying those are jam cleats? I can take another look to see if one side has that function.

The problem with those is they are far forward. The out-haul line reaches no problem. The TL control line reaches it with enough for one bend, and no way to secure.

It seems like the TL line would be secured further back - a shorter line. Install a better cleat in a better location? Would further back interfere with something?

 

[Hayden Watson]

Thanks @Joe



I was thinking the two cleats near the mast are horn cleats, but are you saying those are jam cleats? I can take another look to see if one side has that function.

The problem with those is they are far forward. The out-haul line reaches no problem. The TL control line reaches it with enough for one bend, and no way to secure.

It seems like the TL line would be secured further back - a shorter line. Install a better cleat in a better location? Would further back interfere with something?

The two cleats that are mounted about midway back on your boom are both jam cleats. You can identify them by the leg that extends out from the aft screw which allows the line to get jammed between it and the horn. On my C30, the port side is used for the topping lift and the starboard side is used for the clew reef line. The setup you have is called a Jiffy Reefing system and is an upgrade from the cheek block shown in your manual. I have two of them on my C30 for the two reefs in my main.

 

[Andy6789]

Looks like you have an excellent reefing mechanism

 

[OS2Dude]

On my 1985 Catalina 30, the topping lift is wire to within a few feet of the boom then becomes a small line. The line then goes to the block on the aft end of the boom then forward to a cleat.

The car and track on the side are for reefing. You tie the line to the tang, go under the boom, up to the cringle (grommet) in the leech of the sail (Reefing Outhaul), then down to the block and forward to the cleat. On mine, the luff also has a cringle (Reefing downhaul) and a line goes from a cleat on one side of the boom to one on the other side through that cringle. Yours may have a hook near the forward end of the boom to connect the cringle to. If you plan to reef, the car needs to be moved aft so that it acts as the outhaul for the reefed sail, pulling down and aft. A reefed sail is a loose footed sail. The reefing points (grommets in the body of the sail) are only to keep the reefed part of the sail organized and not sweeping the deck. Do NOT tie them tight to the boom or you can rip your sail. NOTE: Your sail may not have been made with reef points and reef cringles, therefore unable to be reefed.

The car on the top of the boom forward of the topping lift block is the outhaul. It puts tension on foot of the sail. You can adjust it for different sailing conditions.

The cleats are on the forward end of the boom so they can be accessed even if the boom is out (reaching or running).

 

[PaulK]

Thanks @Joe[/USE
The TL control line reaches it with enough for one bend, and no way to secure.

It seems like the TL line would be secured further back - a shorter line. Install a better cleat in a better location? Would further back interfere with something?
[/QUOTE]
As noted above, the cleats are forward on the boom so the lines can be adjusted even when the boom is out. Instead of installing a new cleat it might be easier and cheaper to simply add some length to the topping lift tail if it isn't long enough to secure it to the cleat now.