The sail track gates are almost a must-have
for easy reefing, especially if the reefing lines are led aft. On our old C25 I never put the gates in because the reefing lines weren't led aft. I'd drop the halyard to a pre-designated marked spot from the cockpit, far enough to get the cringle down just below the hook, and hop onto the cabintop. Only after I took the sail track stop out and dropped two or three slugs out of the track could I put the cringle onto the tack hook and then pull in the clew with the reefing line which was led along the starboard side of the boom. Then I'd re-raise the halyard from the cockpit. To un-reef, I'd do that backwards. With the mast gates (which were originally made by a great guy named Joe from Texas many years ago for C22s as I recall) you can run the lines back or use the old way with less fuss and mess. There's the other way to do it where there is a line tied around the bottom few slugs which allows them to drop out of the way without the mast gate and leaving the track stop in place. I saw it mentioned here within the last six months, but I'll be danged if I can remember the name of the device (simple lines run through the bottom slugs for reefing). Either way (gates or lines) you can reef from the cockpit without the slugs falling out, and also able to re-raise the sail without going forward again. The mast gates, as I recall, are pretty easy to deal with. The C25 website guys'll explain it all, and they have improved their search engine recently, so you may want to try there, unless your C27 Association website is good for it, too. (C25 'site: http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=3) The spreaders were originally discussed and probably initiated and designed by the C30 guys, since the early boats had wooden ones, and their website should answer those questions. www.catalina30.com -- why .com, I dunno. As far as general installation, heck if someone else who owns a Catalina can do it, so can you!
[Nice to see you "over here."]
