[C320-list] Mainsail Hard to Raise/Lower

[Henderson, David]

Bob, Since my last post on this problem I have been mired in a lot of
delays and back and forth between the broker that sold me the boat,
Charleston Spar, and Charleston Spar's rigger here in Greater Boston (he
is not officially a CS dealer, but he is the rigger that CS called to go
inspect my rig).  

As luck would have it, due to miscommunication at my yard, my boat was
shrink wrapped the day before the rigger arrived, so he couldn't go up
the mast.  I was not present for this inspection and so without my
permission to break the shrink wrap, and without benefit of an up close
inspection, the rigger had little to offer but a theory about the cause.
He noted that my spreaders are welded onto the mast with a heavy weld (a
practice I've learned CS terminated in 8/05 according to CS; switching
to bolted on spreaders thereafter).  CS's rigger suggested that the
welds involve a raised bead or backing plate of some sort on the inside
surface of the mast cavity and the swivels sometimes hang up on these
raised surfaces.  The solution is to file down the wheel on the top of
the swivel, and that may solve the problem.

Unfortunately, the rigger's theory doesn't account for the fact that I
witnessed measurable narrowing of the slot in the mast at the location
of both spreaders.  Nor does his theory explain the fact that this
problem has gotten progressively worse at the end of each sailing
season.  Both of these observations suggest that the mast is bending
inward from the load on the spreaders.  When I pointed out these
observations to the rigger in a phone conversation last week, he didn't
disagree and he did agree to come back and meet me at the boat so I can
break the shrink wrap and let him go aloft for a closer look.  But due
to busy schedules, this will not take place until sometime next week at
the earliest.     

So stay tuned.  I have not given up, and I am not imagining the
narrowing of the slot in my mast.  This rig has not been abused in any
way.  If anything, it has seen light use during its first four seasons
of existence.

I will report back after the rigger returns.

Dave Henderson
Dottie B  #1049

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Message: 3
Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:12:32 -0400
From: Robert Seastream <robert.seastream at comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Mainsail Hard to Raise/Lower...update
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Message-ID: <E2FC3BF4-7AB4-437B-A81E-4BE1CC5BA932 at comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; format=flowed;
	delsp=yes

All:

I just got back from the boat.  I removed the mainsail and attached a  
messenger halyard to the swivel for testing purposes.  I've confirmed  
that the swivel binds as it passes through the lower spreaders.   
Bummer.  Now, I've got to contact Charleston Spars, and my insurance  
carrier (BoatUS).  I'd contact Catalina as well, but it's a model year  
2002, well out of warranty.  As such, I don't see where Catalina bears  
any responsibility, but am exceedingly interested in what Charleston  
might have to say.

My preference would be to replace it without roller furling of any  
kind, for sailing performance and simplicity reasons.  Second choice  
would be boom furling, third, mast furling.  Since my mainsail was  
likely cut/designed with in mast furling in mind, (and I doubt my  
insurance carrier would replace the main on my whims), it looks like  
another in mast furler.  It remains to be seen whether it's replaced  
with another Charleston spar, or some other manufacturer.  My  
insurance carrier could also tell me to get lost.  Sigh.

Bob Seastream
Intuition # 906