[C320-list] Boom Repairs for C320

Sat Apr 28 17:39:34 PDT 2018

Correct on both counts based on my experience. That is , the factory shuttle block is not high end, and it is easily removed from the aft end of the boom without unriveting the end fitting. 

Scott

> On Apr 28, 2018, at 1:52 PM, Doug Treff <doug at treff.us> wrote:
> 
> 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
>>>> 
>> 