Dropping the mast this year. New owner of a 1988 Catalina 30TR

[Damifudo]

I am thinking its time to drop the mast and do the recommended standing rig replacement. I will be replacing the wiring, New anchor lights checking the running rig and replacing the mast shives. I also plan on replacing the old Hood continues feed roller reefing system. I am going to the boat show in Annapolis to see what's the best deal on a furler system.
Rigging I will have my Marina pull the mast and place it on a Saw Horses after I mark all the turn buckles and the rigging. Is Catalina direct the best deal for standing rigging? My Marina can make it up but are a few hundred dollars more. Of course if I get it from CD then I am sure I will end up with its not make correctly and who wants to deal with that?

Any other advice you can give me for pulling the mast? how about sealing the mast step?

What about chain plates ?

 

[CloudDiver]

Catalina Direct prices for standing rigging are pretty competitive, and they come with new turnbuckles... You can be sure the lengths will be factory spec before the effect of stretching... A lot of Riggers will measure the old wire and not account for stretch, big mistake. Price and measurement wise, I'm sure CD is your best bet.
For the mast, pay attention for the white chalky corrosion between stainless fasteners and aluminum, be ready to deal with stripped or broken screws and stuck cotter pins. You'll want to remove everything and put it back with new hardware and use tef gel on all the threads and cotter pins. The delrin self-adhesive isolator sheets CD sells are good to use on the flat or curved backs of stainless brackets like the spreader brackets. They are like a plastic sticker, cut out your pattern with scissors or a razor knife and stick them on the mast or on the hardware. If you run into a lot of corrosion get some CLR cleaner and put in a squirt bottle, that will break down the scale to clean it off. After removing all the hardware and cleaning any corrosion off, spray on the CLR and use green scotch brite pads to rub down the mast and rinse with water, cleans up to look almost new.

Check the deck really well for soft spots around the chain plates. If water got in there it could have gotten the plywood core wet and rotted. You may want to remove all the hardware from the inside and completely remove it all to inspect for rust and bad corrosion. CD sells a chain-plate upgrade kit for both the lower shrouds and a kit for the upper shrouds. The upper shroud kit is worth the money, it would cost you just as much to have someone fabricate the same thing... I would buy it unless you find that your boat already has that upgrade. The lower shroud upgrade kit isn't worth the $300. You can find those U-Bolts online and the rest of the stuff is basic hardware. You can get the angled aluminum from and metal supply place pretty cheap and do all the cutting and drilling at home with regular tools. Up to you if you'd rather just spend the money and get the plug-n-play kit.
Either way you go, it would be a good idea to over-cut all the chain-plate holes by just a little, maybe 1/8" on either side and epoxy pot the holes. Doing this will help fill any voids you may have from water ingress. I would suggest you get to this job first before starting on the mast. Over-drill the holes on each end with a drill bit and then use a flat but coarse file to open the square part. This way, if you find damaged core wood you can let it dry out while you work on the mast.

 

[The Garbone]

I installed the CD retrofit lower chain plate upgrade kit. Very happy with it. I bought my rigging locally from the same fellow who made my new main sail. It is good to keep things local.

 

[jssailem]

What about chain plates ?

CloudDiver hit the nail on the head. More experience with Catalina's than me. I did remove my 1974 mast and completed a total restore this year.
Mast removed. Totally stripped of all fittings. Cleaned or replaced all parts. Ran all running rigging in side mast. Stopped the clanging of halyards. Put ST 17 winches on both sides great improvement in line handling when sailing solo. Installed all new lighting. Reinstalled one in mast conduit and added a second to handle wiring. New VHF/AIS antenna and cable. Lowered radar 3 feet to jus above spreaders, making room for future staysail and raised steaming/bow light. New tricolor Nav +Amchor light on mast head. New rigging for future spinnaker. Cleaned and reinstalled the sheaves in the mast head. Added a new sheave for a second main halyard (internal). Then all new shrouds machine swaged tops, HiMod lower fittings and new toggles. Removed chainplates, two had micro pitting that was on the surface and removed with light grinding. All plates were polished to a bright mirror shine, then acid dipped to nutralize the steel and reduce possibility of future rusting. Used the MaineSail technique to bed the chainplates with butyl.
Very pleased with the results. The changes to the running rigging and the boom have simplified sail handling for my rig.

Especially since I tend to sail short handed or with non sailors which works out to be much the same.

Good luck with you project. "Good value while can cost a bit more is much appreciated, once cheap price has worn away. "

 

[Bikerbob]

Sounds like you have the same HOOD as I have on the one I am looking to buy... no idea how that thing was so popular back then. Guy I talked to said it was the only one Catalina offered as an option.. Nasty.. It is continuous furling, no reefing or at least only in an emergency and if you can keep a lot of tension on the line..
I sell and like Harken furling units. They are middle of the price range, and performance is excellent. If you are just cruising then they have their ESP line that is a bit more value minded, but still same bearing construction.

James