Cat 30 TRBS broken head stay

[jybiom]

Good day. I have a 77 Catalina 30 TRBS with a Harken unit 0 furler and a 135 genny. I was sailing with the furler reefed in 30 k breeze when the headstay let out a large "snap". The admiral felt the shock while in the cockpit. I furled the sail and headed for the marina. I was able to furl without any undo force. I didnt know what it was until later inspection at the dock. I will pull the mast next week and get it repaired. I am wondering if any of you folks had any experience or tips on fixing this problem. Besides a new headstay, are there any particular parts needed? Do I need to take any of the foils apart etc? I feel intimidated at the prospect of repair and would appreciate any ideas or methods available. Thaks in advance for your input.
John
Hull # 593 on Lake Erie, Pa.

 

[Dean5735]

Please explain more

In a 30 k breeze, I would think the whole headstay would have been flying all over, did the furling lines hold it in place? enough to furl back up?did you lash it down then furl? I guess I'm not seeing it yet. Replacing the head stay is nothing more than pulling a pin at the top and bottom, sliding the stay out of the furling tubing and sliding the new one in, then pin back in place. Oh, I guess if it broke mid way up (seems strange) maybe the furling tube assy held it without the sections comming apart. Let us know what you find for sure.
Dean

 

[jybiom]

Re: Please explain more

Thanks for the reply Dean. I found that the headstay did part,about 1/4 inch from the swaged eye at the masthead. The admiral and I furled the reefed genny right away and I still cant believe it ,but it furled( a bit harder than usual) completely. It wasnt apparent that the headstay let loose at the time. I was afraid that a bolt snapped in the keel, or that we hit something underwater. The furler was being supported by the jib halyard(which is old) and of course the mast was being held by the halyard. We tried to unfurl the genny carefully at the dock, but it made a heck of a racket which reverbed throught the hull. We then refurled and counted our blessings. I now found out that it is a unit 1 Harken built it 1991 (17yrs.old.) I doubt that the PO (3) ever renewed the stay. I know the standing rigging was however, renewed 4 years ago. So, it was a scary end of season event but it ended ok. We made it out to the lake about 56 times this season, so we got our enjoys. I cant say enough good thing about the boat. Being 65, we thought about getting smaller, but we just like the boat and the way it performs too much. So, thanks for the reply and lets hope the winter season is short.
John
SV Second Wind
Hull # 593

 

[jybiom]

Dean, by the way, I noticed that yo trailer your 30. Do you take the mast down yourself?
How does it all work out for you? I currently pay $520 for winter storage and have thought about trying to trailer it home. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Dean5735]

I only trailer twice a year

Yeah, the old equip. trailer I found for $800 bucks, mounted my cradle to it, beefed up the cradle a bit and it works fine for my 8 miles each way to the marina. We take the least amount of hills rout to get there. Up here they get $850 a winter for outdoor storage, at home I have a "boat house" to keep it indoors, when I built my garage I built a spot for a motor home or boat, it fits with about 12" to clear on each end. The mast sticks out the back of the building (laying on rails) with a cover over it. I have a wrecker service haul it so the permits are covered that is a hundred each way, no lights or brakes needed on the trailer. The marina steps the mast and sets the boat in the cradle, I call the wrecker, they back it into my garage and I tuck her in. The marina runs about $5 hundred in and 4hundred out plus the 1hundred for the wrecker, having her home PRICLESS.
Good luck Dean