Replace Shrouds?

DaveM

Charlabud #623
When should I replace the shrouds? My boat is older (#624), I bought it this summer and suspect the shrouds are original. They are coated except they are wired to the spreader. They've worked fine all summer, but I assume I will have to make the change evetually.

I am a little intimidated about removing the shouds and would appreciate any advice.

DaveM of Dallas
 
Replacing them is not hard at all and you can get them through Catalina Direct.

Ask yourself this: Would I rather replace them now, or deal with them when they break out on the water?

(I had to deal with mine when they broke out on the water, it was not fun).
 
"New standing rigging is the best insurance a new sailboat owner can buy."

Following this age-old advice has saved sailors countless dollars and probably a few lives over the years.

And since the shrouds are so inexpensive on the Capri, there's just no reason not to buy a new forestay and set of shrouds.

The real question is, should I go to Catalina Yachts or Catalina Direct?

The CD shrouds and forestay are slightly different than the originals. They do not include the tang that is screwed into the mast. You will need to cut your existing shrouds off with a hacksaw and then attach the new shrouds to the old tangs. This may make the CD shrouds a good option if the screws on your tang are frozen or stripped. But I'd be concerned if I couldn't unscrew my tangs and inspect the mast/tang interface. If the screws are frozen in place, they’re probably corroded and weakened, and should be replaced anyway.

The other difference is that the CD shrouds are not covered with plastic, which is a good thing for a couple of reasons. They're easier to inspect and create slightly less wind resistance. Also, CD's upper fittings are simmilar to what are used on larger boats and better (stronger) than the swedges that come from CY.

And finally, there's a price difference. Two shrouds and a forestay from CD will cost you $84.10 and $53.25, respectively, plus shipping. These same parts, including the tangs, from CY will cost you $53 and $20 respectively plus freight, which is less than CD charges.

In summary, if money is no object or you're real serious about racing, and have a hacksaw, I'd say, buy the CD standing rigging, but still replace the tang screws and reseal them with BLUE Loctite. Otherwise save the cash and go with OEM parts.

semi-related rant...

Recently priced several C14.2 items at CD and all were more expensive than at CY. And even when their prices were similar, CD's freight charges were higher.
 

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