1984 Catalina 30 Tall Rig - Questions about furling system & anchoring

[madmax]

I am looking at a 1984 Catalina 30 Tall Rig for sale. See the pictures. I don't know if the seller/owner installed a wood plank (at the top of the bow) and moved the furling system to the end of the wood plank. Looks like I can't anchor the boat?? I don't think it has a windlass.

Your thoughts? and thanks.

 

[jssailem]

You can anchor the boat. Just grab the anchor, and let it drop over the side.
I would tie off the end of the anchor rode to the boat before I tossed the anchor overboard, that is a fielder’s choice.

 

[jssailem]

Retrieve the anchor by hauling in the rode hand over hand.

The chain in the locker does not appear to long so should not be too heavy.

It would be a good idea to discover how long your chain and rode is before you try to anchor in too deep of water.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

You have not one but two bow rollers though I would feel more comfortable throwing the line over the side instead of through the roller. Why put all that stress on your rigging if you don't have to?

A few items to check on C30's of this vintage:

• Mast step - the mast should not be sunken into the deck
• Keel bolts - they should not be sunken in to the bilge
• Catalina smile - Tons of info on this
• Sunken compression post support - Lots of info on this. Look for abnormalities in the forward section of the bilge and uneven space around the head door

I've looked at an 84 and ended up buying a 94 so feel free to ask any questions on what to look for

 

[Qorgyle]

That is standard for the tall rig. The extra 2ft or so of bowsprit is what gives the extra sail area, and that is the combo forestay/rollers that you get with that vintage Catalina 30.

Unfortunately it means you get to heft the anchor by hand over the side. You can put it in the roller and it's probably fine? with a snubber but it's not great design for sure.

 

[Tally Ho]

Most bowsprit rigs look just like that, and can handle an anchor roller just fine..

if you are worried about the wood, then replace it.

If you are in a serious blow with large waves, and are worried, then haul the anchor in over the side.

Greg

 

[miketcook]

I agree with Tally Ho. The picture is the same as my '89 Tall Rig. with furler, bowsprit and anchor rollers. All works fine, the "rods" across the rollers, sorry forgot their names, turn and slide back to put the anchor line into either side, and go back on to keep line in "track". Great for setting two anchors. I've never put in, or pulled an anchor from the side - don't know where that line would go without mucking up the bow?
Bowsprit is very strong in supporing one or two lines. For overnight, where strong winds or current are expected, I'll put an anchor off the stern. But usually two anchors off the bow work well, set at about a 30 degree angle.

 

[shemandr]

I don't see why the Danfoth style anchor can't live on the roller (Except of course on a mooring aka MaineSail). Maybe it doesn't clear the hull or whatever. I don't think it would be so complicated to devise a snubber and run the rode into the anchor locker which has a feed opening for the rode. .
Deploying the anchor will be fairly easy but retrieving it will be more complicated. Pulling the anchor hand over hand over the roller will be strenuous and probably done sitting done. Leaning over the bow rail is hard on your back. In either event the rode has to pile on deck until the anchor is snubbed down. Then you have to flake the anchor rode into the locker. Not easy but I used to do this on my Ranger 29 which didn't have an anchor locker. I had to feed the rode down the hawse pipe (Flaking was still necessary to avoid hockles). Tedious but a good excuse to motor slowly out of the anchorage and think about the installation of a windless.

 

[Hayden Watson]

I have been using a 35-lb anchor with 40' of 5/16 chain off the roller on my bow sprit for 26 years. It is plenty strong enough to handle the anchoring loads. The roller is welded to the stem fitting which is supported by the forestay. The sails in a big blow, put far more load on that sprit than you will get from an anchor.