Catalina 275 Sailing Tips

[danstanford]

Hi - I am new to the forum and also new to Catalina 275 (bought it end of last season). I am looking to improve downwind performance and am considering adding a code zero but Selden tells me that they do not recommend flying it off their retractable bowsprit. Does anyone have experience with using a code zero on a Catalina 275, and if yes, how did you mount the sail?

North Sails Helix technology is claimed to reduce the loads in this area significantly. Might be worth a look.

 

[Windseeker2]

I tried racing our C275 couple of weeks ago. Even though we rigged, hoisted, unfurled, and refurled the Asym in our slip it still got all tangled up when we hoisted it after the windward mark and tried to unfurl it. Is there a trick to using the top-down furler system or would you suggest just removing it and putting it back in the box it came in. I sailed using symmetrical spinnakers hoisted from a turtle for over 40 years and have never had so much trouble with a spinnaker as this top-down furler system.