Rigging my Catalina 27 for solo sailing
- Thread starter Buzzlovelace
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How long have you had the boat?
I've drilled and filled more holes in boats than I like to admit looking for the answer to this question.
One of the considerations is the fact that if it is set-up for single-handing it will be *harder* to sail when you have crew.
Will you be sailing alone all the time or do you just want to make it easier for when you do?
After years of this here are my suggestions.
The best autopilot you can afford, one size bigger at least than what the manufacturer recommends.
Lead only those lines you need to adjust regularly to the cockpit:
Main Halyard and reefing line(s) stay on the mast and boom.
Jib Halyard can stay on the mast also, particularly if you have roller furling.
That leaves mainsheet, jib sheets, cinningham, and boom vang as basic cockpit controls.
No need to change much if anything on a C27 if it is kept simple.
I don't care for roller furling, I'm going back to hanks on my C30. Since I race the boat, I lead the jib halyard aft so I can make halyard adjustments easily.
I also fly a spinnaker, so I have two spinnaker halyards, the down haul and pole lift lead aft.
Basically, as you sail the boat more and more, make a list of all the things you find hard to do and make only those things easier.
If you are not racing, there is no need to run every line on the boat to the cockpit. Jib halyards on roller furling that get used once a year (or less in So Cal) are a waste of cockpit space.
Main halyard and reefing lines lead aft are also a waste IMO. With a good autopilot you can walk the 6 feet to the mast, toss in a reef at the mast and not worry about the boom bouncing around just over your head. It takes about 30-45 seconds.
C27's have very limited space for lines lead aft, and the rig is simple so there are not that many lines to fuss with to begin with.
Buzz, here's a link to a setup that demonstrates the other extreme. You might want to check out the other mods this couple have done on their boat. I'll be getting my C27 soon. We might want to get together to collude and commiserate.
http://www.blumhorst.com/catalina27/cabintop-lines-aft.htm
http://www.blumhorst.com/catalina27/cabintop-lines-aft.htm
Thank you, it makes alot of sence, I have only had the boat one year. I had thought if I could raise the Main and Jib I could set sail on my own. I normally sail with my wife, but also seek some solitude. Thanks for yor comprehensive insight
I agree Buzz. I have four coming back on mine. The Main Halyard, the ezjacks, the furler line, and the toping lift. Before I had the furler I had a jib halyard and a very necessary down haul for the jib.
I did not rig it the PO did, and I will use a deck organizer when I do the C27. I also plan on installing the hinged mast plate as he did. I'll need that to step the mast solo.
If you have a good autopilot, there is no need to hoist sails from the cockpit.
You have to go to the mast to attach the halyard, why not raise the sail while you are there?
Topping lift can go away completely. Look at a Boomkicker (available here) to hold the boom up for hoisting and while reefing. I've had a Boomkicker for 14 years now and will not be without one.
The Halyard is used as a topping lift when the boat is moored. It keeps the halyard from making noise and beating the mast to death.
With a topping lift and the halyard lead aft the drill is overly complicated:
Hoisting
Go forward to attach halyard (halyard is now slack since the tail is in the cockpit).
Return to cockpit and hoist sail (if halyard has not wrapped itself around a spreader).
Ease topping lift.
Trim.
Reefing
Ease vang
Ease sheet
Ease halyard from cockpit ... oops forgot to take up on topping lift.
Re-tension halyard, set topping lift.
Ease halyard
Take in reef line(s)
A ) miles of reef line for single line slab reef
or
B ) Set tack line and secure, then set reef clew
Re-tension Halyard
Trim sail ... oops ... forgot topping lift
Ease sail, reset topping lift
Trim Sail.
With a Boomkicker the drill is:
Hoisting
Remove halyard from boom and go forward to attach to sail
Raise sail while still at mast
Return to cockpit
Trim
Reefing
Ease sheet
Ease vang to raise boom
Go to mast to ease halyard
Slip reef tack ring over tack horn
Re-tension halyard
Set reef clew (on boom)
Return to cockpit
Trim
As roomy as the cockpit is on a C27, I see no advantage in leading main halyard, reefing lines, and topping lift aft from the mast. It is just that much more clutter.
Another advantage of cleating halyards at the mast is reducing the length of the halyard. That equals less stretch and better sail shape with fewer cunningham adjustments needed. For the reef lines, a simple tack hook and ring eliminates more than half of the line required in a single line system and cleating the reef line on the boom saves many feet of line also. There is no need to have all that line in the cockpit.
The area around the mast is considered a "safe" area. The boom bouncing around while you reef is not hitting you on the head the sail and boom are back under control before you come back from the mast. On boats like the C27 and C30 the lower shrouds provide a handhold/backrest to allow you to work with both hands at the mast.
After many years of sailing single-handed I've found what works for me:
Adjustments made while racing are lead aft. Settings that are not adjustments, like main halyards and reef lines stay out of the cockpit.
For single-handing, reef lines should lead to the same place the main halyard leads. This allows the quickest and most reliable reefing. Not much of an issue on a C27 with standard rig, the boat does not need to reef very often for most sailing areas.
A good autopilot makes this all work. As soon as you don't have to worry about the boat turning off the wind, you have all the time in the world to handle sails at the mast of on the fordeck. I hank on the headsail at the dock and attach the main and Genoa halyards. One sail tie on each sail keeps things on the deck and under control until I have sea room to hoist.
Set the pilot, to hold the boat close to the wind and motor at idle while you walk forward and get the sails up. Leave the jib sail tie cow hitched to the pulpit. When you lower the jib the sail tie is right there, no need for a downhaul to keep the sail and halyard under control.
The mast area and foredeck should not be scary places to work, but all the newer boats with every line lead aft to the cockpit have played to the idea that leaving the "safety of the cockpit" is to be avoided. The mounds and coils of useless rope in the cockpit actually make a small cockpit less safe and the boat less seaworthy IMO. When sailing with a crew, we think little of having our guest hold the course steady while we handle chores on deck. A good pilot can do that job and make sailing alone every bit as easy as sailing with one crew.
Sorry to go on, but I've seen people try to over complicate small boats all to often and end up less than happy after spending way to much money. Perhaps I'm old and set in my ways, but all the un-needed deck clutter on newer boats offends me. Simple is almost always better and always cheaper.
Safer singlehanding
Main halyard; I disagree with Moody. If you're sailing in San Francisco, with cold weather and dangerously cold water, the number of times I need to get out of the cockpit should be MINIMIZED. I find it incredibly helpful at the end of a day to head into the wind, tighten up my lazy jacks, and drop the main from the cockpit.
With our roller furling I left the jib halyard on the mast, and ran the cunningham, vang, double line reefing lines, mainsheet, lazy jacks, and main halyard to the cockpit.
On our C25 we had the mainsheet in the cockpit, so that's one less to deal with, but the vang, jib downhaul, cunningham, and jib and main halyards were led aft.
I attach the main halyard to the headboard when I take the mainsail cover off, well before I'm ready to raise the main.
Your boat, your choice. The beauty of aft led lines is for both convenience and safety.
Main halyard; I disagree with Moody. If you're sailing in San Francisco, with cold weather and dangerously cold water, the number of times I need to get out of the cockpit should be MINIMIZED. I find it incredibly helpful at the end of a day to head into the wind, tighten up my lazy jacks, and drop the main from the cockpit.
With our roller furling I left the jib halyard on the mast, and ran the cunningham, vang, double line reefing lines, mainsheet, lazy jacks, and main halyard to the cockpit.
On our C25 we had the mainsheet in the cockpit, so that's one less to deal with, but the vang, jib downhaul, cunningham, and jib and main halyards were led aft.
I attach the main halyard to the headboard when I take the mainsail cover off, well before I'm ready to raise the main.
Your boat, your choice. The beauty of aft led lines is for both convenience and safety.
Look at displacement not boat length.
The Raymarine ST2000+ is rated for 10,000 pounds ... the minimum I would consider for a C27 Retail $730
The X-5 is rated to 13,200 pounds and Retail is $1280
Navico is now Simrad the TP22 rated to 5 tons displacement might be a good choice too.
Street prices for the TP22 are in the $460 range ... $600+ for the Ray ST2000+
If you only use the pilot in mild conditions a smaller unit will serve well. If you want the pilot to steer whilst sailing go bigger.
I really liked the Navico/Simrad pilot on a 26 footer that only weighed 3500 pounds. You can guess how long it lasted on the C30. I went up to the recomended size, blew the screw drive out twice (repaired under warranty) and gave it the float test after the third screw drive failed (they don't float). It had decided to give up while I was on the foredeck changing sails ... mutinous crew has to swim for it on my boat ... :cussing:
I now have a ST4000 that uses the same drive as the X-5 and it does a pretty decent job ... it has never failed in 6 years and steers well to GPS or Wind when conditions are boring. It tries when the boat is loaded up, but it is just not "smart" enough to to the job. Plenty of power and speed, just software limited.
I freely admit that I tend to work my pilots pretty hard, so take that into consideration ... it is your money I'm spending!
I happen to like Raymarine stuff and I know I pay a premium. The newer Simrad tiller pilots might be better than the ones I had. For a $160 savings, I'd look for feedback from a Simrad owner. That might well be the best deal.
Randy
Thank You Randy!!
Look at displacement not boat length.
The Raymarine ST2000+ is rated for 10,000 pounds ... the minimum I would consider for a C27 Retail $730
The X-5 is rated to 13,200 pounds and Retail is $1280
Navico is now Simrad the TP22 rated to 5 tons displacement might be a good choice too.
Street prices for the TP22 are in the $460 range ... $600+ for the Ray ST2000+
If you only use the pilot in mild conditions a smaller unit will serve well. If you want the pilot to steer whilst sailing go bigger.
I really liked the Navico/Simrad pilot on a 26 footer that only weighed 3500 pounds. You can guess how long it lasted on the C30. I went up to the recomended size, blew the screw drive out twice (repaired under warranty) and gave it the float test after the third screw drive failed (they don't float). It had decided to give up while I was on the foredeck changing sails ... mutinous crew has to swim for it on my boat ... :cussing:
I now have a ST4000 that uses the same drive as the X-5 and it does a pretty decent job ... it has never failed in 6 years and steers well to GPS or Wind when conditions are boring. It tries when the boat is loaded up, but it is just not "smart" enough to to the job. Plenty of power and speed, just software limited.
I freely admit that I tend to work my pilots pretty hard, so take that into consideration ... it is your money I'm spending!
I happen to like Raymarine stuff and I know I pay a premium. The newer Simrad tiller pilots might be better than the ones I had. For a $160 savings, I'd look for feedback from a Simrad owner. That might well be the best deal.
Randy
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