Catalina 27 Questions

[philwsailz]

I am going to be looking at a C27 sunday afternoon. It is for sale, and I am considering purchasing it. I have a couple of questions...

1. How tough is the mast stepping job? Compared to a C22, I know it is substantially more, but how much more? Can I still expect a small crew to be able to step the mast on the trailer prior to launch?

2. How tall is the mast, from the waterline?

I have tried searching these two questions, but have been unable to locate the answer.

 

[Stu Jackson]

1. Small crew: do you mean a short person or less than 10 basketball players? Will you be trailering this boat, or are you just interested in doing it the first and only time until you redo the standing rigging in 10 years?

2. Find a brochure on the C27 Association website (www.catalina27.org most likely). They'll give you the I,J,P & E dimensions and you can scale off the distance from the cabintop to the waterline pretty easily.

 

[philwsailz]

Hey Stu-

By small crew, I mean myself, and maybe one or two others. I guessI could ask the question another way: Does the 27 necessitate a crane, ir does it have a tip-up tabernacle like a C22 or C25

I would probably haul the boat every two years, posssibly every season, but not every weekend. I hauled the C22 between 2008 and 2009 sailing season, but she stayed in the water this last winter. I do not trailer sail, but love having a trailer. It is very nice to be able to get the boat out of the water, and easily take her to my shop for service and maintenance..

 

[Randy6414]

The C-27 mast does not have the "tip up" tabernacle. It's got a standard base, and the mast must be lifted and set down into position. While I'd guess that a crew of four or five brawny guys could do it with some ingenuity, it's not something I'd want to do every time I went sailing. It's not something I'd want to do annually, either.

I haul out annually, via a travellift, but I leave my C-27's mast stepped. When I do remove the mast I have the yard do it via their crane.

At my masthead I have a Windex and a VHF antenna, which adds to the clearance required. For bridge clearance, I figure 41 feet to be on the safe side.

Randy

 

[philwsailz]

Well, I bought it.

It is a 75 model, aft galley dinette. 4' keel. On a trailer, a sturdy trailer. Built on a farm or from heavy farm parts obviously...

There are a few tasks to complete, I need to install a new water tank, (the old one is out) and plumb it. Cap the new replacement through hulls for the old direct-dump head. I need to install proper valves on th3 rest of the replaced thru-hulls and connect lines to the raw water motor intake. I need to run some new wire to the mast step for the mast wiring, and it needs new wiring in a few other places, (I may just re-wire the whole thing while I am at it).

I will likely redo the brightwork to the level that I did on my C-22. That and polish up the whole exterior and apply several coats of carnauba.

The whole mast raising thing was way over-complicated by myself. I have found instructions, and a youtube video that shows a safe and simple means of rigging an A-framte onto the boat for the purposes of lifting the mast. I am quite comfortable to see it and know I can do the same.

I am going to replace the porta potty with a different one I already have, and will be doing other things to make her comfortable for the admiral. I do not know if I am going ot be able to do ll the things I want prior to launch, like running the lines aft, but I am going ot go ahead and install the accessory base with the attachement points for turning blocks so I can work on adding aft-led-lines without unstepping the mast.

Here are a few pics:

 

[philwsailz]

We are moging the C-27 tomorrow morning. I have a go-fast boat-owner friend who also is in the modular, (read mobile) home business, and he has the gear to properly and safely move the boat and trailer from its current location to its new home. It will be tight, as my shop door will barely clear the pulpit and cockpit rails... I will have to remove the mast completely off of the boat prior to putting it in the shop... I want it off of the boat anyway for work needs.

These are exciting times...

It is nice to have a place inside to work. Here is a pic showing part of my shop.

 

[philwsailz]

I got her home. She just barely fits through the 12' high overhead door. Her is a pic of the girl in her new home for the fall and winter.

I did not have to take the mast down to get her in the door. I had to loosen the Windex mounting arm, as it was too tall, and I had to hold the door open just a little bit higher to clear, but it fits.

 

[Tim C350 April IV]

She looks to be in nice shape.

Those cinder blocks under the front end of the trailer are an accident waiting to happen. Suggest you find more suitable blocking to avoid damaging your new boat or hurting yourself.

Good Luck!
Tim Brogan
April IV C350 #68
Seattle

 

[philwsailz]

Tim-

I am pleased! As these old boat go, so many are so totally neglected around here, it is nice to find one that has actually been cared for. She has a new knot-meter, new depth finder, new life lines, newer standing rigging, new mast truck sheaves, new seacocks.... Lots of good work has been recently done to the old gal. The A4 motor is claimned to have been recently re-built, and I have no reason to doubt it based on the proper work of the previous owner. I am likely going to fully re-wire the motor electrics; there are a few too many butt-splices for my sensibilities, and I would prefer knowing that a kitty-hair stray wire short, or a hidden open circuit did not leave me stranded.

I have all his old books, including the Moyer Marine maintenance manual for the motor as well as manuals for the speep and depth equipment, the Hood furler, and the tiller pilot.

Yeah, the cinder blocks are VERY temporary. I just did not want to leave it supported only by the Bulldog jack. That was lots more scary.

It is SO hot in that shop right now, un-insulated with the Oklahoma sun beating down. I have a spare window unit, and I think I am going to fab up a padded cradle and put a funnel snout on the front of the AC and install it near the front hatch, so I can get inside and start work on the action items list.

I will likely start a new thread with updates and pics. Stay tuned!