I have a '79 25' Cat purchased a few years ago. I do not know the history of the standing rigging. It appears in good shape (no frays, splits, rust, etc...). A couple of the bottom turn screws (lower side) above the chain plates are slightly twisted. I replaced a couple of more twisted ones this spring. When I did the dealer recommended changing rigging every 10 years. How often should you replace the standing rig? It is showing no signs of stress (other than some slighly bent lower screws at the turn buckle, assume from previous lowering/raising of mast).
- Status
broken line
I have an 81 C22 that had all original rigging when I bought her a year ago. It looked a lot like how you descibe yours to be - no obvious problems with some bent turnbuckles. I had one of the side shrouds snap half way up during a hard blow last summer. Scared the heck out of me and I replaced the entire rigging this spring just to eady my mind. I think it is worth the money to make sure it's not the forestay that goes! Glad I did. Good luck
I have an 81 C22 that had all original rigging when I bought her a year ago. It looked a lot like how you descibe yours to be - no obvious problems with some bent turnbuckles. I had one of the side shrouds snap half way up during a hard blow last summer. Scared the heck out of me and I replaced the entire rigging this spring just to eady my mind. I think it is worth the money to make sure it's not the forestay that goes! Glad I did. Good luck
We had a 1981 Catalina 25 for 11 years (to 1998). In 1995 a dockmate on his Islander Bahama 24 lost his forestay in the middle of a very windy San Francisco Bay. I had been "meaning" to get around to replacing my then 14 year old standing rigging, "someday." I brought the boat in the very next day. When the rigger was taking off (or trying to remove) the backstay closed turnbuckle, it just snapped right in two. He said, "Good thing you brought it in instead of going sailing." It's like reefing, if you think you should, you better do it. Also, if your 1979 C25 has those closed turnbuckles, remove them and replace with open body turnbuckles. There's lots of information on this and other websites that says the closed body ones are trouble. Basic idea is they trap water where you least want it to be standing. You also don't know how much thread is left, and are dependent on lock washers, which also hold water and create crevice corrosion.
Thanks
Stu/Steve, Thanks. I'll be changing the rigging this year. As suggested, did some checking on the open vs. closed turn buckles (mine are currently the older closed ones), will be sure to use the open ones when re-rigging this fall. Thanks again guys! Kevin
Stu/Steve, Thanks. I'll be changing the rigging this year. As suggested, did some checking on the open vs. closed turn buckles (mine are currently the older closed ones), will be sure to use the open ones when re-rigging this fall. Thanks again guys! Kevin
- Status