New Owner- 1st Dozen Questions

Pokey

New Member
Hail all,

I just acquired an abandoned Capri 14.2.
SeaMonkeyDayOne.jpg

It hasn’t been in the water for at least five years and was super dirty and moldy. But after a quick wash down, an inspection of the hull was very encouraging.
SeaMonkeyDay15.jpg

It has hardly any jell-coat cracks. Of course, she needs all her lines, halyards and standing rigging replaced. That’s not too complicated.

Unfortunately the boat has bottom paint, which needs to come off. But that’s just part of the deal.

If I can get the boat together, I’d like to start racing her in the SoCal area by June.

As with all newbs I’ve got a ton of questions. I’ve had the boat now for 2 days, so here’s my first dozen queries:

Any help would be appreciated.

1. How do you replace the cheek blocks on a Mod 2 boat?

2. I see that some people have switched their centerboard control to the Barney post. Why is this better than the double-sided, combing-mounted stock approach?

3. Is it practical to convert the mod 2 cuddy to a mod 3 full cuddy by installing a water-tight hatch?

4. My mod 2 (late 1993) does not have the wooden splash boards. It has plastic instead? Are there other mid-mod updates?

5. I need all new lines/halyards. Are the line lengths/diameters listed in the handbook accurate?

6. What is the best way for securing the mainsheet to the middle of the traveler line? Tying a loop in the traveler, rather than tying knots on either side of the attachment point would seem to be more secure. No?

7. The Quantum trim guide indicates that you should do away with the mainsheet purchase. Is this common practice? If so, what is the length of the mainsheet?

8. Spreader length: Why are there two versions (14” or 19”)? Is one better than the other?
9. Does someone have a diagram of the centerboard pivot? I want to remove the board to inspect and possibly fair it. Can someone give me a procedure for removing the centerboard?
10. What are the proper weights of the foils?

11. Any tips on turning the boat over in order to work on the bottom?

12. For the racers: Are there any rigging mods/tricks that you’d care to share?

Thanks,

Pokey
 
My 2 cents!

Pokey: 2. I like the double CB controls better than the single, guess the latter saved Catalina a few dollars. 5. Manual measurements are OK, you might want to compare with the old ones presently on the boat. Also, check out the forestay and shrouds closely, and replace if necessary. And that especially includes all attachment points. 6. Either way is OK, though knots might let you get boom closer to boat's center., without pulling the boom down too far. 7. Single purchase for light and moderate winds, double for above about 15 mph. 9. Removing CB is simple, remove, the control lines and just remove the 4 screws holding the stainless plate, and lift.

Looks like a good boat, need also hiking straps, and probably a new bungee to hold the forward straps. For racing, why would you want to modify the cuddy? Less is more sometimes. RK
 
I replace all lines on my mod 3 Capri at the beginning of last summer. After a lot of sleuthing here on this forum and a little else, here's what I went with: (all from Annapolis Performance Sailing -- check their site for the manufacturer names)

1. Main halyard -- 42' Crystalyne, 3/16" (blue) -- note: this replaced Vectrus 12, 1/8", that I bought originally, but it was too small for me, but others love it.

2. Cunningham -- 6' New Swift, 6.5 mm (~1/4") (navy/beige)

3. Main outhaul -- 10' New Swift, 5 mm (~3/16") (red/gray)

4. Jib halyard (upper) -- 15' Vectrus 12, 1/8" (green)

5. Jib halyard (lower) -- 15' Crystalyne, 3/16" (green)

6. Main sheet -- 35' New Swift, 8 mm (~5/16") (blue/yellow)

7. Jib sheet -- 38' Swiftcord, 8 mm (5/16") (green)

8. Traveler -- 12' Conception, 1/4" (yellow)

9. Boom vang -- 10' Swiftcord, 6 mm (~1/4") gray

FYI, I've extended my traveler as suggested on this forum to ~28" above the transom; used the "two knots" approach. For me, this still leaves a bit too much "play", but I liked it better than looping around the block and knotting.

Be sure to move those jib cars to their full forward position.

Other things I've added: tiller tamer, BoomKicker, Hobie Baby Bob mast float, stainless steel rivets on the spreader (Btw: the 19" ones are the better for our rig) and on the boom vang padeye and stay and shroud tangs, screwed the tiller into its aluminum housing so it couldn't move fore and aft, and replaced all the plastic clam cleats with aluminum.

Get yourself a new drain plug.

That's all for now! Enjoy you new Capri!

-- Ed
 
RK and Ed,

Thanks for the responses.

2. I think I'll keep the CB setup like it is. Only downside I see is that I'll need to somehow get inside and change the cheek block (mine are chipped). And the extra line is the cockpit is nothing. I'm used to much, much more.

5. Wow! those line lengths and diameters are just what I was looking for. Will be using all hitech line you like called out and was wondering about the diameters of the halyards. Always a diameter question going from dacron to Vectran or Dyneema

And just for reference: I got a quote for shrouds and forestay from Catalina yesterday... $49 and $18 respectively. That means that replacing all the wire will cost less than $75. Truly amazing. The forestay and tuffluff alone on my old (sale closes a week from Sat) boat costs well over a grand.

The hiking straps quoted from Catalina were $111. I noticed that Catalina Direct quoted old and new style straps. Are these interchangeable, or will my 1993 vintage boat be stuck with the old ones?

I haven't dropped the mast yet. Sounds like I need to check all the rivets and tangs, etc. Will get to that in the next week or so.

Regarding the spreaders, were the 14" originally standard and then they changed them to 19". What is the history?

Thanks, and there are still plenty of unanswered questions, so please jump in!
 
FYI, I just got off the phone with Catalina Direct: the shrouds (J8011) are $84.10 and the forestay (J1423) is $53.25. They now come with a fork end so you don't need to replace the mast tangs.

Apparently your lower prices were for the older shrouds and forestay that have the loop ends.
 
I guess if it's too good to be true, it usually is.

That's BS for Catalina to sell shrouds with an eye at the top, since there's no way to connect them to the tang, short of adding an additional shackle of some kind, which then throws off the length.

Maybe you need to order them with the tang connected and plan to re-rivet them.

I will call them tomorrow and get clarification.

Anyway, thanks for the tip. I noticed that Catalina Direct has padded hiking straps. Has anyone tried these?

Regarding the traveler... Would it be practical, or within the class rules, to make a traveler that consists of two pieces of spectra connected by a ring, like an upside down spinnaker pole foreguy bridle? If you tie the mainsheet directly to the ring, couldn't the boom be sucked down all the way to centerline?
 
Length of newfangled shrouds

I removed my tangs and had the shrouds fabricated with them locally so I was able to use the old tangs. It was not a hard process, and I was glad to remove and inspect the mast/tang interface to make sure that corrosion wasn't eatin' stuff up. The local rigging shop gave me some special plastic that they put between the stainless steel hardware and mast to help stave of the dissimilar metal electrolysis. Locktite on the fasteners and plenty of marine caulk used also on their recommendation.

I am wondering if the newer version with forks referenced two posts back might not have the overall length adjusted to factor in the addition of the fork hardware?? So far, Catalina has been great from my experience. Here's hopin'...

jim / so. fla. / toshita 1857
 
Talked with Catalina Yachts this morning. They confirmed what Ross told me, that the shrouds and forestay mentioned above include the tangs.

And when you think about it, Catalina's price is make sense: the wire costs about $0.64/foot, the tang, less than $20, and about 1/2 of labor)

Jim, were your tangs originally fastened to the mast with screws or rivets? And you used screws to re-fasten them?
 
Pokey --

Forestay tang has three rivets, the sidestays share two through bolts with nyloc nuts. With the plastic sheathing beneath all three. 9 months and not enough sails later there is no loosening.

I used aluminum rivets because the mast is Al and I wanted the stainless/Al interface on the outside where I could monitor it for corrosion. It left the factory that way and after 23 years (with much saltwater sailing and a capsize or two reported by the p.o.) the factory rivets were still holding tight. There was no more corrosion (my mast has the pox) under the tangs than anywhere else.

All rigging needs to be checked regularly. Last night I discovered one of the wires extending from a crimp on my vang pennant had worked it's way to a 90 degree straight out protrusion right through the heavy plastic wrap covering the crimps. Can't figure out how that could even happen, the whole area was still encased by the wrap, but it was a good chance to check it for soundness.
 
My shrouds were attached to the mast with stainless steel screws, and yes I have found them to work themselves loose before. I like the idea of using through-bolts with nylon lockers. I would rivet but when I store the boat for the winter I take the spreaders off and store the stays. I replaced the standing rigging after I stepped my mast and had to cut about four inches from the base of the mast. I brought my old stays to a local sail boat repair shop and they made new ones slightly shorter, and also slightly thicker more quality cable, they reused my old tangs and built me the new ones for a price comparable to that Catalina charges. After having to repair the mast step area from the damage caused when my stay broke (caused by a hard accidental jibe) I wish that I replaced the standing rigging before my mast fell and ripped that bracket right out of the deck of the boat. So my two cents, preventative maintenance numero uno, replace standing rigging, and make sure it is securely fastened to the mast.

When I got my boat the purchase was taken off of the boom, I sailed the boat this way for about half the summer and then decided to buy an additional block and set it up the way the diagrams show. I am happy to find that I am not the only one who has sailed it with less purchase for when I discovered that I was missing a block I could not help but feel I had put unnecessary stress on the rig (I think the boom-vang took some) by sailing that way. The difference that I noticed with additional purchase is the responsiveness to the wind. For beginning to learn to sail the boat it seemed more forgiving with less purchase as the sail can be dumped much more quickly when needed. I have found that when using full purchase the boom will swing much less, this can make for more exciting sailing just be ready to hike a bit.
 
Thanks for the info everyone.

But I'm still confused as to why there are two different sizes of spreader? Any insight?
 

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