It's been a few weeks since we've been out. When we were out yesterday in about 10 knots of wind I went to haul up the main and I couldn't get it up past about the halfway point. It's always been a bit stiff, but this was beyond stiff. It seemed stuck. We went back in and I cranked it up with the cabin top winch, but it's never required that much effort before. I ran the halyard up and down a few times by itself and that seemed to go up easily enough. I've owned the boat for about 20 months and have replaced the halyard at the beginning of this season. I've lubed the sail track up as high as I could (is there a device that you know of that can help lubricate it up the entire length), but I'm not sure when the masthead sheave might have been lubricated or replaced. It's a 1985 Catalina 27. These are the three things I can think of that might be a problem, but I'm open for other ideas/suggestions to fix. Thanks for any advice you might have.
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B. Young
Raising main - "stuck"......
We own a 2001 Catalina 400 mk II and have the dutchman system for our main with Batt cars, which were added after contracting to purchase the boat. During the trip from Annapolis to NC, with 5 men helping with the delivery, raising the main the last 5 feet was difficult for ALL. After talking to the dealer, lubricating the tract (even with Batt cars), having a local yard check the mechanism, checking the mainsheet line, etc., it was still too difficult. We eventually found two things that affected this: (1) the dutchman filament adjustment lines located in the pockets at the boom area of the main, needed to be released to allow for ease of raising the main all the way to the top. After 2-3 adjustments under various sailing conditions, it worked much better; (2) the mainsheet block at the bottom of the mast was moved one hole toward the stern, allowing the line to not chafe against any other blocks. We have since installed an electric winch which is a "joy" to help in raising, reefing, etc., even for my wife.
We own a 2001 Catalina 400 mk II and have the dutchman system for our main with Batt cars, which were added after contracting to purchase the boat. During the trip from Annapolis to NC, with 5 men helping with the delivery, raising the main the last 5 feet was difficult for ALL. After talking to the dealer, lubricating the tract (even with Batt cars), having a local yard check the mechanism, checking the mainsheet line, etc., it was still too difficult. We eventually found two things that affected this: (1) the dutchman filament adjustment lines located in the pockets at the boom area of the main, needed to be released to allow for ease of raising the main all the way to the top. After 2-3 adjustments under various sailing conditions, it worked much better; (2) the mainsheet block at the bottom of the mast was moved one hole toward the stern, allowing the line to not chafe against any other blocks. We have since installed an electric winch which is a "joy" to help in raising, reefing, etc., even for my wife.
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Roy
main stuck
I ALSO HAVE A 1985 CATALINA 27 AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE MAIN WOULD NOT GO ALL THE WAY UP. THE SHEAVE IN THE DECK ORGANIZER WAS DAMAGED CAUSING THE HALYARD TO SLIP OFF THE SHEAVE. iT WAS THEN GETTING CAUGHT INSIDE THE DECK ORGANZER.
I ALSO HAVE A 1985 CATALINA 27 AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE MAIN WOULD NOT GO ALL THE WAY UP. THE SHEAVE IN THE DECK ORGANIZER WAS DAMAGED CAUSING THE HALYARD TO SLIP OFF THE SHEAVE. iT WAS THEN GETTING CAUGHT INSIDE THE DECK ORGANZER.
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Patrick
Sheave in deck organizer or the mast?
Roy - Do you mean the sheave that is either at the top or bottom of the mast, or the one in the deck organizer on the cabin top? The bottom sheave on the mast seems to rotate OK. I've not specifically checked the deck organizer, but I think it ran through that OK. It's the masthead sheave that I'm most concerned about as it's so inaccessible.
Roy - Do you mean the sheave that is either at the top or bottom of the mast, or the one in the deck organizer on the cabin top? The bottom sheave on the mast seems to rotate OK. I've not specifically checked the deck organizer, but I think it ran through that OK. It's the masthead sheave that I'm most concerned about as it's so inaccessible.
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Roy
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Roy
Stuck Main Halyard
Patrick - Sorry about the incomplete response. My main halyard wasn't working because of the sheave in the deck organizer on the cabin top. In order to check it out I rigged the halyard through the other sheave in the deck organizer and the halyard worked fine. Am planning to replace both sheaves in the spring.
Patrick - Sorry about the incomplete response. My main halyard wasn't working because of the sheave in the deck organizer on the cabin top. In order to check it out I rigged the halyard through the other sheave in the deck organizer and the halyard worked fine. Am planning to replace both sheaves in the spring.
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Tom Speitel
No more plastic mast-head sheaves
I have a '92 Catalina 28 that had a similar problem. It turns out that it had mast head plastic sheaves that were grooved with 9 years usage and locking the halyard under load. Had them replaced with aluminum sheaves. Works fine now.
I have a '92 Catalina 28 that had a similar problem. It turns out that it had mast head plastic sheaves that were grooved with 9 years usage and locking the halyard under load. Had them replaced with aluminum sheaves. Works fine now.
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Tom Speitel
No more plastic mast-head sheaves
I have a '92 Catalina 28 that had a similar problem. It turns out that it had masthead plastic sheaves that were grooved with 9 years usage and locking the halyard under load. Had them replaced with aluminum sheaves. Works fine now.
I have a '92 Catalina 28 that had a similar problem. It turns out that it had masthead plastic sheaves that were grooved with 9 years usage and locking the halyard under load. Had them replaced with aluminum sheaves. Works fine now.
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Mike
Lubricate Mast Groove
To lubricate the mast groove take a piece of coat hanger or other stiff wire, bend a loop at one end and a small hook at the other, at the hook end wrap some cotton cloth around it and form a small plug that will fit the groove, soak it in your favorite lube (I use WD 40) and attach the loop to your halyard and attach a small line to the bottom of the wire and feed the cotton wad into the track and pull it up on the halyard, pull it back down and up several times - this not only cleans out the track but also applies lubricant into the track. I've done this a few times a season and it works great. Also get rid of the stock plastic/fibre rollers and have some aluminum ones made - they work tons better - and get rid of the wire halyards got to all line.
To lubricate the mast groove take a piece of coat hanger or other stiff wire, bend a loop at one end and a small hook at the other, at the hook end wrap some cotton cloth around it and form a small plug that will fit the groove, soak it in your favorite lube (I use WD 40) and attach the loop to your halyard and attach a small line to the bottom of the wire and feed the cotton wad into the track and pull it up on the halyard, pull it back down and up several times - this not only cleans out the track but also applies lubricant into the track. I've done this a few times a season and it works great. Also get rid of the stock plastic/fibre rollers and have some aluminum ones made - they work tons better - and get rid of the wire halyards got to all line.
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