[C320-list] Boom Repairs for C320

Sat Apr 28 10:52:27 PDT 2018

Art,

Mine was missing when I bought the boat.

It's free floating, and it's easy to send a new one in. I used a couple of ball bearing blocks shackled together. According to the Sparcraft rep, the one supplied with the boat is not all that great. I believe that it can be removed through the opening in the aft end of the boom.

--
Doug Treff
doug at treff.us

On Sat, Apr 28, 2018, at 8:49 AM, Arthur Miller wrote:
> Doug, and others that responded..... thanks.   When I get home and back 
> to the boat I will re-read all the advice and help provided.  
> One thing that isn't quite cleat is how one accesses ...replaces the 
> block in the boom.
> As I recall, Both ends are riveted on ????
> Art,   #680,  
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
> > On Apr 27, 2018, at 8:36 AM, Doug Treff <doug at treff.us> wrote:
> > 
> > Art,
> > 
> > Here is the system as designed by Catalina.
> > https://www.dropbox.com/s/x51aal4en0zufdn/C320_Reefing_Diagram.JPG?dl=0
> > 
> > The differences in my system are as follows:
> > 1. The aft reefing line, instead of being tied off inside the boom, is run out through a small hole in the end cap of the boom and tied off with a knot. You can see it in one of my photos. If you use the 5/16" line, it will fit through the hole just fine.
> > 
> > 2. At the aft reef point, instead of just running the reefing line through the grommet in the sail, I've attached a ball-bearing block to the sail. It makes things run more freely and with less friction.
> > 
> > 3. On the forward reef point, instead of the j-hook, I've attached a ball bearing block and ran the line back down the mast and tied off the bitter end at the base of the mast.
> > 
> > With the diagram above, the photos, and these details, you should be able to recreate my system if you desire.
> > 
> > --
> > Doug Treff
> > doug at treff.us
> > 
> >> On Fri, Apr 27, 2018, at 6:24 AM, millers1 at aol.com wrote:
> >> Doug,
> >> 
> >> 
> >> Thanks for the in-depth response and photos.   I hope to get to the boom 
> >> project before 
> >> launch, in early May.  
> >> I will also go back to the Association site and look more carefully for 
> >> info you 
> >> 
> >> noted below.
> >> Art
> >> 
> >> 
> >> 
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Doug Treff <doug at treff.us>
> >> To: c320-list <c320-list at lists.catalina320.com>
> >> Sent: Thu, Apr 26, 2018 6:39 pm
> >> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Boom Repairs for C320
> >> 
> >> Art,
> >> 
> >> I wrote this and shared with the group 5 years ago. It still works 
> >> great! I highly recommend. I have no recommendations on the outhaul line 
> >> except to use a plumber's snake to run it.
> >> 
> >> When we purchased September Song (Hull #350) last August, the previous 
> >> owner had not rigged any reefing system at all. After a few white 
> >> knuckle moments where the boat kept rounding up due to being 
> >> over-canvassed in high winds - we once rounded up so hard that the boat 
> >> tacked unexpectedly - I decided it was high time that I get the reefing 
> >> system sorted out.
> >> 
> >> While doing my research on the factory setup, I discovered that the OEM 
> >> supplied internal block inside the boom was nowhere to be found on the 
> >> boat. At that point, since I would be buying all new components, I 
> >> decided to compare all the different reefing systems out there on the 
> >> C320 site along with other single-line reefing systems that I found and 
> >> come up with something that is easy to operate and not terribly 
> >> expensive. One of the things that concerned me was that with the factory 
> >> arrangement, there was potential for a considerable amount of friction 
> >> because of the line sliding through the aft reef point.
> >> 
> >> The first order of business was to research the factory reefing system. 
> >> The Association web site was very useful in this regard. Not only do 
> >> they have a complete owners manual with diagrams of the factory setup, 
> >> there is also a chart containing the (almost) correct line lengths for 
> >> the factory system. I also searched the technical photos section of the 
> >> site and found Jeff Hare's interesting mod to the factory setup where he 
> >> added ball bearing blocks on the sail at the reef points to reduce friction.
> >> 
> >> While searching for a suitable replacement for the internal boom block, 
> >> I contacted Sparcraft-US (formerly Charleston Spar) who made the spars 
> >> for my boat. I spoke with Robert Quates, who has been with them for 
> >> nearly 30 years. One of the reefing arrangements that I had been 
> >> considering was a single line arrangement that I found on Sparcraft's 
> >> web site. It looked simpler than the Catalina arrangement because the 
> >> internal block was not used. I was actually leaning towards using that 
> >> arrangement when I called him. We had a very long and detailed 
> >> conversation and Robert provided me with some really good advice. It 
> >> turns out that he actually prefers the Catalina factory arrangement 
> >> because the floating block in the boom causes the sail to be pulled down 
> >> evenly as the reefing line is tightened. The problem with the single 
> >> line system on the Sparcraft site (without the floating block) is that 
> >> one reef point usually tightens first and then the other one tightens 
> >> up. This results in uneven pulling on the sail cloth and sometimes an 
> >> issue where things bind up and never pull up straight without someone 
> >> going up on deck to assist. That kind of defeats the purpose of the 
> >> single line system. When the wind pipes up, the safest place to be is 
> >> the cockpit.
> >> 
> >> Once he convinced me to go with the factory line routing, he recommended 
> >> some improvements to eliminate friction and make it work more smoothly.
> >> 
> >> First of all, he suggested that I NOT try to buy an exact replacement 
> >> for the internal boom block. Robert said that this block is only a 
> >> delrin sheave over a Stainless steel shaft with no bearings. Over time 
> >> these sheaves will bind and not spin freely, which adds friction to the 
> >> system. Robert suggested that I instead buy a couple of high quality 
> >> ball-bearing blocks - the non-swivel or locking type to reduce line 
> >> twist in the boom - and connect them end to end by their shackles. These 
> >> will perform the function of the missing OEM part while significantly 
> >> reducing friction. He also recommended that I add blocks at the fore and 
> >> aft reef points on the sail. These blocks should be the swivel type. 
> >> This turns out to be similar to Jeff Hare's arrangement that is found on 
> >> the association web site. The line routing is exactly like the owners 
> >> manual diagram except that I added a swivel block to the forward reef 
> >> point and secured the bitter end at the base of the mast. Because of 
> >> this, I added 6 feet to the factory specified length listed in the 
> >> rigging schedule in the owners manual.
> >> 
> >> Robert told me that with the addition of ball bearings in the boom, and 
> >> the additional purchase gained by adding a block on the forward reef 
> >> point, my reefing system will be nearly effortless. He was right! It 
> >> should be noted that Robert convinced me to do all this and actually 
> >> didn't earn a penny for Sparcraft. He's a great resource!
> >> 
> >> Now that I had the basic plan, it was time to collect the necessary 
> >> parts. A basic parts list follows:
> >> 
> >> Qty 4 - Harken 57MM Carbo Air block swivel P/N 2600
> >> Qty 1 - Suncor 1.25" Welded SS Ring PN: C0139-0630
> >> Qty 20 feet - Aft reefing line - 5/16 diameter low stretch
> >> Qty 60 feet - Forward reefing line - 5/16 diameter low stretch
> >> 
> >> First, I took two of the air blocks and locked their swivels so that 
> >> they would not twist the line inside the boom. I connected them end to 
> >> end by their shackles. This assembly replaces the OEM internal boom car 
> >> that is supplied with the C320. Since there was no reefing line rigged 
> >> in my boom at all, I used a metal plumbers tape to feed the forward reef 
> >> line from the gooseneck back to the aft end of the boom. Upon exiting 
> >> the boom, I took the end of the line and passed it through one of the 
> >> sheaves of my new "car" assembly. Next, I fed the aft line through the 
> >> other sheave on the car assembly, and routed it through the block that 
> >> was to hang on the aft reef point. I secured that block to the reef 
> >> point by passing its shackle through the port side of the aft reef 
> >> grommet in the sail and capturing the 1.25" SS ring on the starboard 
> >> side. This ring provides a way to connect the block to the sail with no 
> >> sharp edges. Ones that was done, the bitter ends of the line are made 
> >> fast. One of them is tied through the grommet below the reef point and 
> >> around the boom. The other end is passed through the small hole in the 
> >> aft end of the boom from the inside and made fast with a figure eight 
> >> knot. Finally, I routed the remaining end of the forward line back 
> >> through the boom with my plumbers snake once again, exiting the bottom 
> >> of the boom at the gooseneck. This forward line is routed up down trough 
> >> the block on the vang attachment and then up through the final swivel 
> >> block at the forward reef point and then passed down and tied off at the 
> >> base of the mast. The forward block cannot be attached to its reef point 
> >> with a SS ring because the stock sail from Catalina has a smaller 
> >> grommet in this reef point. I used a short length of reefing line, tied 
> >> in a knot on the back side of the sail and the block is tied to it. This 
> >> forward block arrangement is the only deviation from the routing of the 
> >> lines in the factory diagram.
> >> 
> >> When all this was done and I tested the system, the aft reef point was 
> >> not pulling down tight to the boom. After some experimentation, I untied 
> >> the end of the aft line and shortened it by about 2 feet. Once I did 
> >> this, it worked flawlessly. The only thing I can think is that adding 
> >> the extra block forward changed the dynamics of the system and required 
> >> some adjustment in the aft line to make up for it.
> >> 
> >> My main halyard is on the starboard side, so I routed the control end of 
> >> the reefing system to the port side so I could have both lines on a 
> >> winch at the same time if necessary.
> >> 
> >> My reefing procedure goes like this:
> >> 1. Ease main sheet so main is luffing
> >> 2. Lower main halyard until reef point comes down to the boom. I marked 
> >> the halyard with a black sharpie so I would know approximately how far 
> >> to lower it.
> >> 3. Move to port side and take up the slack in the reefing system. Cleat 
> >> off once tensioned.
> >> 4. Move back to halyard and tension as necessary.
> >> 5. Optionally tie off lines hanging in intermediary reef points to 
> >> bundle loose sail. Be careful not to tie them too tightly. They are not 
> >> meant to take wind loads, only bundle the sail. If tied too tightly, 
> >> they could rip from sail.
> >> 6. Trim main sheet and you're done!
> >> 
> >> This whole procedure can be done in about 2 minutes after a few practice 
> >> sessions.
> >> 
> >> Shaking out the reef is very similar. Luff the sail, then follow the 
> >> above steps in reverse order.
> >> 
> >> I am very pleased with the new system and the setup is quite effortless
> >> to operate. The use of ball bearing blocks everywhere has contributed 
> >> greatly to the system working so smoothly. I highly recommend looking at 
> >> this arrangement if you are unhappy with your current reefing setup.
> >> 
> >> Photos:
> >> Aft setup: https://www.dropbox.com/s/rwak1gxic3o9i1f/DSC_0015.JPG
> >> Aft closeup: https://www.dropbox.com/s/akrgxjytcokwbya/DSC_0017.JPG
> >> Aft reefed: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4gre3yxqilt1zgd/DSC_0020.JPG
> >> Forward lower: https://www.dropbox.com/s/tpfb40a0g9zy7a5/DSC_0018.JPG
> >> Forward upper: https://www.dropbox.com/s/rm4h0rzdaafauxi/DSC_0019.JPG
> >> Forward reefed: https://www.dropbox.com/s/gep5yk51fcmkasc/DSC_0021.JPG
> >> 
> >> --
> >> Doug Treff
> >> doug at treff.us
> >> 
> >>> On Thu, Apr 26, 2018, at 4:58 PM, millers1 at aol.com wrote:
> >>> I have a 2000, #680, non-furling Main Boom.
> >>> Looked on the discussion site, not much on the boom  and  the sketch 
> >>> supplied by Catalina 
> >>> is marginal....
> >>> Has anyone re-run the reef lines and out haul line in the boom???.... 
> >>> any sketches ??   
> >>> Thanks
> >>> Art
> >> 
> 