Mast Length
I just measured my mast on
Saturday. It's 42' 1".
Gary Luisi
One Shot... #0978
Mast Gate
Replacement Part
One of the little knurled knobs that hold my mast track gate in
place has come apart. I intend to replace
it with a suitable screw, but the threads don't match anything at West
Marine. Does anyone know the specs?
I had the same problem a few years ago. I ordered a set from McMaster-Carr. Here's the part number and description from
their web page:http://www.mcmaster.com/ 92558A120 Metric 18-8 SS Knurled Head Shldr Thumb Screw M4 Size, 12mm Length, 16mm Head Dia, 3.5mm Head H $ 5.50 Each
Ray Durand
C320 #822
Mast Base Blocks
The 320 mast base blocks
aren't listed in Garhauer's catalog, but they have
them. Give the a phone call and tell them what you
need. The whole block, mast stud and nut is about $23 including shipping.
Installation is simple: slide the nut into a slot on the side of the mast step,
center it under the hole with a small screwdriver and screw in the stud.
Walter
Here are a few general tips
these mast step blocks.
* The block studs are
Stainless, and the mast step is Aluminum.
When you install them, you'd be wise to
grease them with a
corrosion
prevention goo of some kind.
A friend with a C380 didn't do this, and
several of them are effectively welded in place, and since they aren't lined up
fair, the blocks and studs are stressed and bent now... I suspect it'll be quite a job to get the
studs out now, and the boat is only 3 years old.
* When you're screwing in
the studs, don't tighten them down all the way.
Back them off 1/4 or 1/2 turn.
They need to swivel a little so that they can provide a fair lead
without stressing the block sideways.
* Those in the sun belt who don't haul their boats
might want to pull them once or twice a year to ensure that they aren't
corroding in place. I pull mine off
each winter (just to clean and lube the blocks, studs and nuts.)
I'll post a few pics on the website if anyone's interested, showing the
results of not doing these things when I get my Digi-Cam
back...
-Jeff
Mast Tuning
This was in an article
submitted by Mark Yeager, which is still posted on the C320 association
page. This link should get you directly
there. (It's in the technical articles list).
He insists on using both PT-2 & PT-3 Loos
gauges, which will set you back between $200 & $300, depending on the
vendor. I used Online Marine (onlinemarine.com)
and paid <$200 for both.
I have dialed in his numbers
this spring but haven't launched and tried them out. I'd appreciate feedback from anybody who has.
http://www.catalina320.org/article.php?story=20040828173431380
Art Spector
Tim Campbell
<tim@isylum.org> wrote:
i think I recall a thread
about needing two gauges to cross-check.
I only have a single Loos gauge (PT-3). They roughly run about $150.
The PT-3 is will accommodate
all sizes of cable on the 320. Other
models won’t accommodate the larger gauge cables such as the lower
shrouds.
True.
Mark Yeager mentioned that
the PT-3 gauge would fit the all of the shrouds on the C-320. The problem is that the tension on the
smaller shrouds is below the limit of detection of the PT-3 gauge. That is where he specifies both the PT-2 and
the PT-3 gauge.
As for the
"Professional" gauge, historically, there has been little or no
agreement between the measurements obtained between the PT-2 and PT-3 gauges
and the "Professional" gauge.
Since Mark determined his tensions using the PT series of gauges, you
would need that type of gauge to reproduce his set-up.
Although the sun has been
shining recently, and the snow is all gone, I haven't been able to attack the
Alchemist and modify my set-up to match Mark's recommendations. After a two day seminar / class on Judging
this weekend, (and after rendering unto Caeser), I
should be able to attack the Alchemist next week and make the recommended
changes.
Steve
Alchemist #909
**************************************************************
Don't forget that the reason
for the gauges is to get the rigging tensioned to roughly 10% of it's breaking strength.
Brion Toss explains in detail why
this is important, but essentially, nothing damages/weakens rigging faster than
shock loading the wire. When the
rigging is too loose, the following happens:
You tack, wind fills the
sail, mast moves to leeward and the windward shrouds get taught, and the
leeward shrouds can go slack. When the
wind reverses, the slack shrouds get pulled from slack to tight.
This kills the wire. You want to try to avoid that stress on
them, and by keeping them fairly tight, there's much less shock loading
happening.
For those using a backstay
adjuster, the lower forwards might have to be left a little looser to
accommodate the increased rake added by the adjuster.
That's basically how I
understand it. I'm not saying I'm right
or have factored in everything. Perhaps
there's more to the equation for us cruisers.
-Jeff
Robert E. Sloat <resloat@comcast.net> wrote:
At a Strictly Sail show here
in
Their technique only
requires a 2 meter long stick and a measuring tool with precision around1/32
inch. I use a low end Craftsman vernier caliper. You also have to deal with conversion of
metrics to inches (25.4 mm/inch and 1000mm/meter). I am a tool freak, but
decided to use their method instead of buying the gauges.
It is all explained in the
above booklet
This method of loading the cap stays coupled with Yeager's
tuning article from Mainsheet on the other shrouds are what I use on Hull 894.
I was at the same Selden
seminar in
Stan
"Our Little
Amusement" #744
Standing Rigging
Cap stays (uppers) (D3) 5/16”
Forward and aft lower stays
(D1’s) ¼”
Intermediate stays (D2) ¼”
Backstay ¼”
Forestay 5/16” All are 1x19 SS wire