I have a 1990 Catalina -- the head sail is very difficult to get up. It is the zip type. When we have taken it down (repair or hurricane), it usually takes 3-4 straining guys to get it back up. Suggestions? Thank you.
Difficulty with Head sail
- Thread starter Lee3573
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Could it be the diameter of your halyard? I have a difficult time with hoisting my jib and it's because my halyard is just a tad too big. After Irene I used the spin halyard to raise it and it went up easier with the smaller diameter line. Will be changing it out before the spring.
The earlier C 30's were designed for wire halyards, but I believe that they were changed to all rope halyards by the 1990's era. So the sheaves should be wider to acept the rope diameter. As for it binding, sounds like your sheave pulley may be jammed at the mast head. Lubrication always helps, but its a long trip up! Our C 30 (as do all) has a bit of resistance which increases as the main is raised up. I always wondered if the wire halyard bites into the sheave & wears a groove in it after many years of wear & tear.
I found that my main halyard was making 5 right angle turns from the top down to the cockpit, plus the PO had installed the wrong type halyard, this stuff, and excuse that I can't recall the name, twists into little monkey balls as you are pulling it past all these right angles, making it a beast to pull up or down. When the weather cools down some I will be riding the chair up to replace both with the right stuff.
I have the same exact issue with my 1990. As far as i can tell i have the correct diameter line and am installing it correctly. the first 30feet go up nicely.. after that it takes the full power of a man to get it the rest of the way up. I also have the zipper type.
maybe we just need this: http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=239&ParentCat=41
Don't leave home without it.
I have a Furlex 200 with a double track in the aluminum headstay foil. The "port side" track on the foil is a bear to haul up the sail. I think it's comparatively unused and may have surface corrosion within the track. I use the starboard side, where the P.O. kept the sail on for maybe, years? It's like night and day between the two tracks. The bolt rope on your sail matches the groove? I wondered if that might have been the case on mine, but using the starboard groove got me back on the water and I haven't revisited the issue yet.
I would look at your sheaves at the mast head. I had same problem. I replaced the original sheaves with roller bearing ones from Catalina Direct (I think). Worked great for a while, then it was hard to raise main sail again. Turns out the bearings on the new sheave seized.The liner shifted out of place and the entire sheave bound up. I replaced them again & so far so good. be careful raising sail, you dont want to snap your halyard.
I assume that he was talking about the type that, in addition to the bolt rope that feeds into the furler there is a zipper that encloses the entire luff around the forestay.Stu Jackson said:
I had never seen one until a month ago when a friend with an Ericson 38 was having problems with his jib. He made the mistake of not inserting the bolt rope (which started about 15ft below the head of the sail) and just zipping it up. By dumb luck it furled ok from April to August and then all the furler would do was spin inside. After 7 years with the boat, he thought that zipping it was the way to put it up.
At least that's what I think he is talking about!
I had a bear of a time getting my jib up or hauling it down when we first got the boat. But every time I put it up I really soaked the bolt rope with Sailkote. Now it goes up pretty easily and will drop on it's own when I release the halyard.
Jim
Jim
Has the furler been changed over the years with the same headsail and perhaps the bolt rope is the wrong size? I have never heard of a zipper type so forgive me if I'm way off base. I know I had to have my headsail bolt rope replaced when I changed furlers so that could be an issue if the bolt rope isn't sized properly for the furler.
Ball bearing sheaves are a big help, as is the right size halyard (I think mine is 3/8" but may actually be 5/16" or it's metric equivilent.
My lines are led back to the cockpit though with at least three turns in the jib halyard and I can raise it by hand and it crashes to the deck if you releast the halyard. It's not something you should have to live with.
I also Sail Kote the crap out of the bolt rope whenever I raise the sail... just in case.
DanM.
Ball bearing sheaves are a big help, as is the right size halyard (I think mine is 3/8" but may actually be 5/16" or it's metric equivilent.
My lines are led back to the cockpit though with at least three turns in the jib halyard and I can raise it by hand and it crashes to the deck if you releast the halyard. It's not something you should have to live with.
I also Sail Kote the crap out of the bolt rope whenever I raise the sail... just in case.
DanM.
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