Running lines aft

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Jan 22, 2008
402
Catalina 380 16 Rochester NY
I have seen many threads on this topic.

My boat is a '77 and the traveller sits on top of the 2 original teak risers.

Below is a picture from last spring before I put the boat in the water. The cam cleats for the traveller aren't installed in this picture.



This a wide view of entire system...



Currently the only line coming aft is on the stbd side that controls the traveller itself. As you can see, there is a winch on the stbd side too, I believe this is to control the traveller, but I have never had to use it. (Probably not doing it right!)

I raise and lower the main from the mast. I wonder just how much value there is to run the main halyard aft. My old boat (Catalina 22) had all lines running aft and sometimes it was a bother to get the main up or down due to the winds.

The main also has 2 reef points.

So the questions...I would like to run the main halyard aft and both reef points using a dual line system aft too.

Would I have to drill holes through the teak risers? Or replace them with newer metal risers and then install sometime of 'rope guide' under the traveller rail?

Does anyone have any pictures of their Catalina 30 with their lines running aft? No sense doing the thinking if someone else already did it!

Thanks
Chris
 
Jul 28, 2009
38
Catalina 27 Lake George NY
I know this is a little off topic but your teak look great, nice job on it. And as far as running lines aft Ive seen Catalina 27's with similar traveler arrangements that had holes drilled through the riser blocks to run lines aft, I don't see a reason why you couldn't run lines through the blocks, just plan out where you want to run everything first and it should work fine.
 
Jan 22, 2008
402
Catalina 380 16 Rochester NY
Thanks for the comments. It's been a labor of love.

I kind of figured I could drill through the risers, seems like such a crime...

I really want to set up the main with a reefing system, just not sure. On my old 22, it wasn't so hard to reef the main from the cockpit. I just wonder at the added difficultly of larger sails and what it will be like to raise and lower the main from the cockpit...

I see you're in Lake George. Our Union has their State Conference there every summer. What a great place for a sailboat! So many areas to explore and islands to camp out on (when they're not in use!)

It's sad, Lake Ontario is so large, but the southern shores have very few places to hole up in. The price of centuries of erosion and nature!

Thanks again
Chris
 

LDK

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Feb 21, 2010
8
Catalina 30 MKII Benicia
Before I started running lines aft I would get on the Garhaurer site and look at their Catalina 30 stuff. Their replacement traveler and boom vang are great. I had a small problem with one of the blocks that came with the system, made a call to Garhaurer, they paid for shiping both ways and replaced all eleven blocks. Great people to work with. With those improvements in place, I would then run the lines aft.

LK

LK
 
Jan 22, 2008
402
Catalina 380 16 Rochester NY
Great ideas. I like Catalina Directs 'direct' approach. Thanks for the tip. I've been on their site so many times that I forget what's on there.

Thanks again!
Chris
 
May 23, 2004
3,319
I'm in the market as were . Colonial Beach
Oh...by the way, nice bright work! I need to get mine this summer.
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,760
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
This is a bit old but just in case you have not seen this. Here is a link to a Cal 30 Traveler upgrade. http://www.vermontficks.org/northernlight/traveler.html
That's a nice link. On our boat we purchased the same Garhauer material, but we didn't need the lift parts 'cuz we already had the flat track. The thing the owner did wrong, though, was to spend $$ on the clutches for the traveler lines.
Cam cleats work just fine and are much easier to work.
 
Oct 3, 2005
112
Catalina 30 Downtown//Shoreline Marina, Long Beach
I just bought an '83 30 and plan to run my main halyard and tack reefing lines aft. Since my halyard line is wire and line I'll probably have to replace with line only. The tack cringle reefing line I'll bring aft through blocks and a starboard clutch. Also, I plan to loose foot my main. I want to be able to grab the boom if I happen to slip going forward.
 

mortyd

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Dec 11, 2004
952
Catalina 30 easy living
when you lines aft, make sure to use a cam cleat and not a rope clutch for the mainsheet; you may need to dump the load on the mainsail NOW someday.
 
Oct 3, 2005
112
Catalina 30 Downtown//Shoreline Marina, Long Beach
My '83 traveler has the line running forward on the boom, down to blocks, then back to the starboard winch. With the main halyard run aft, which line requires the winch the most, or could both lines be secured with large cam cleats?
 

mortyd

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Dec 11, 2004
952
Catalina 30 easy living
the halyard presents a perfect use for a rope clutch astern of the winch, just take a wrap around the winch before dropping the halyard through the clutch. my clutch works fine to keep the halyard put after raising the main and then freeing the winch.
 
May 17, 2004
2,099
Other Catalina 30 Tucson, AZ
Team118: The Garhauer straight track traveler is the way to go and here's why. The rubber bearings on your curved traveler are probably shot and loaded with friction. Originally, I had Garhauer build me a triple end block setup but after spending the money the first time I used it I was sorry I wasted my time. I sold it and bought the straight track which I mounted on my teak blocks, which I should have purchased in the first place. I got sick of having to put my foot on the cabin to move the darn thing. With the straight track you can move it with one hand.

The biggest problem with the curved track traveler, which probably looked trick to some designer who never use one, is that when you're cranking on the car it is going downhill and the main sheet tension causes the car to lift or tilt which further increasing the tension. This does not happen with the straight track car.

While you're at it take a look at your main sheet blocks. Garhauer sells a nice mainsheet conversion kit.

As an aside, I prefer the traveler car to have 3 shackles instead of one because the 3 shackle car spreads the mainsheet load better.
 
Mar 11, 2010
292
Catalina Tall Rig/ Fin Keel Deale, MD
One of my projects this year is to put three clutches on the right cabintop (main halyard, two reefs) and lead the mainsheet under them to the right cabintop winch. Left side clutches are jib and spinnaker halyards for now, but I need advice on how that left side is most effectively set up. Would a 3rd or 4th clutch be useful (pole topping lift, foreguy)? I have a light air drifter currently and could go with an asym spinnaker now, but in the future, I'd like to add a pole and learn to fly a sym.
Rob
 

igor

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Sep 25, 2008
36
Catalina 30 Baltimore
Also wanted to comment on the wood - fantastic looking! How did you do it?
 
Jan 22, 2008
402
Catalina 380 16 Rochester NY
Hey, thanks for the compliment.

The short answer is time, time and more time.

I bought the boat a few years ago and took all the exterior wood and most of the interior wood out. I left the bulkheads, the nav base and the clothes locker shell installed. All the drawers, doors, fiddles, teak runners, access panels, head door, dining room table, galley counter, head counter, etc. out.

I took them home (around November) and spent the entire winter sanding and refinishing.

For all the wood, I started with 80 or 100 grit on a GOOD orbital sander and moved up to 150. I then hand sanded everything again with 200 and then 320 grit. That took a good month of nights and weekends.

After it was all done, I applied a coat of teak oil and let dry a few days. I don't really know if this is necsasary or if the oil affects the ability of the varnish to bind with the wood, but I have beend doing this on 2 different boats, one in mahogany and this one in teak and have had no problems. Others may not agree...

For the interior wood, I used MinWax Gloss Spar Finish. It's in a green can from Home Depot. I bought it in a quart can. Since the wood sees very little sun, this finish works great.

On the first pass I added an equal amount of thinner to the varnish. Using foam brushes, I would coat the sanded wood, since it's 50% thinner, it would soak in very quickly. Don't worry about runs. About 30-45 minutes later, I would add another coat, don't bother sanding, since it's so thinned out, it soaks right in.

24 hours later I would resand with 320 grit or 0000 steel wool. I would coat again with a bit less thinner. Still thin, use best judgement. I could still do 2 coats with about 30-40 minutes between.

From that point on, I would pour varnish in cup (4-5 ozs) and add about a capfull of thinner to it. I never worry about runs, because you can always sand away the next day. I would do about 8-9 coats figuring the first 4 were pretty thin.

For the exterior wood, the same process, but I used a variety of varnishes. I used Epifanes most of the time, always the 1 component system. But Epifanes is so darn expensive. There was another exterior spar finish that Home Deport sold, but they discontinued it. I don't remember the brand.

My feeling was that I wanted something a bit more agressive for the exterior.
It has lasted 2 summers. I will have to do some light sanding of the teak hand rails this spring. I took the panels home with me and they only need some light 320 grit sanding, I'll probably add 3 or 4 new coats and they should be just fine.

In my opinion, the sanding is the key. Once the wood is bare and baby butt smooth from 320 grit sanding, you could finish it with mud and it will look great. Remember you can always sand away any mistakes the next day once you start slapping on the varnish!

Here's to a smelly home and constantly stained hands!

Chris
 

igor

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Sep 25, 2008
36
Catalina 30 Baltimore
I am salivating and my hands are shaking as I read this. Heading to home depot tomorrow! Thanks!
 

jrowan

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Mar 5, 2011
1,294
O'Day 35 Severn River, Mobjack Bay, Va.
I agree about your brightwork, looks good. Food for thought: I recently sold my 28' S2 racer which already had all the lines led aft as is so popular (ahead of it time for 1980) but U still have to go up to the cabintop to connect the halyard to the mainsail head, and to take off the mainsail cover, AND to remove the sail ties, etc. Then when U lower the main U still have to flake the sail & tie it up again, unless your gonna spend the time & money for lazyjacks. So what really is the point of going to the trouble to lead lines aft, when U still have to go up? ps. When your halyards are run through the exxtra blocks ther is a lot of extra chafe and resistance, which equates to halyard wear. I found that single speed Lewmars are not enough power, so better get a big winch! I've always preferred the direct torque U get with the winch on the mast. After having lines led aft, I wouldn't bother to do it again.
 
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