My lines for the main halyard lead back to cockpit and raising the mainsail from there is very difficult. At first I thought the the mainsail track must be dirty, so I cleaned and lubricated. No solution there.
So it has to be the mechanics of the angles leading through the deck blocks. If a crew member stands by the mast and assists the raising with bare hands the main sail raises like a charm, with the last bit of tighten accomplished by the halyard winch. Any solutions to this out there to make it less effort from the cockpit??
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Mark Holzmann
"Hawkwind"
Sail #1246
Rose City Yacht Club-Portland OR
I don't know what year you have or the condition of your blocks. I have a 1999 and have no problem raising the main up to the last foot or two without winching. Maybe you need to clean or replace a block or two.
Gene Foraker
Sandusky Yacht Club
Sandusky, OH
1999 C36 #1786
Gypsy Wagon
How hard is the hoist at the mast?
Basically my halyard exits the mast and goes down to a block on the mast partner than turns to an organizer deck block on starboard side goes into lead under traveler to the rope clutch and into the cockpit. Just like Gene I can raise mine except for the last foot or so without the winch....she doesn't like to do that stuff anyway!
I'm wondering if your rope clutch is giving you a problem or it is a pulley that does not turn
Gary Bain
S/V "Gone With The Wind"
Catalina 36', Hull #: 1056, Year: 1990, Engine: M-35
Standard Rig
Moored: Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Home: Auburn, Maine
When not shackled to the sail. Does the main halyard slide easily thru blocks, clutch, organizer?
Rob Kibler
s/v "Meander"
2003 C36 MKII #2124
on rare occasions, my main halyard block (pulley) at the bottom of the mast gets "cocked" sideways otherwise out of line with the halyard. This results in conditions as you have encountered. I just go up on the deck and reposition it and then works fine. I too am able to raise the main from the cockpit without the winch until the last four feet or so.
Steven Jones
C36/375IA FaceBook group administrator
C36/375IA Jib Sheet Editor 2012
Seal Beach, CA, USA
C36 #2164 Maléna 2003 Mk-II SRig/FullK, Long Beach, CA
stevenjones21@gmail.com
Sorry for the lack of clarity. My boat is a 1992 Mk 1 walk through transom. I have owned the boat since new and its never been easy. I will check all of your suggestions and report back!!
Mark Holzmann
"Hawkwind"
Sail #1246
Rose City Yacht Club-Portland OR
What's the condition of the track and slugs? When you're dropping the sail does gravity alone let it fall rapidly?
Larry Brandt
S/V High Flight #2109
Pacific Northwest, PDX-based
2002 C-36 mkII SR/FK M35B
How thick is your halyard?
When I bought my MK1 the PO had installed an oversized halyard and I had that same problem. After reading some forum posts here, I switched to the correct size line and now it goes up easily. Before I always had to raise it with a winch from the cockpit. Now I can raise it by hand from the cockpit.
Ben Ethridge
Miami, FL
1984 MK1 Hull# 263
What is the correct size?
Bill Miller
S/V Lorraine
Pacific Northwest,Sound Sound
Grapeview,Wa
1990 Mk1
Check the boom vang. It should be loose in order to raise the main. Also the halyard should be connected to the sail head and on the opening that is close to the mast.
The topping lift should be taught and be raising the boom a bit.
Sail La Vie 1999 Catalina 36 MKII, M35B-17031, Coyote Point, San Mateo, CA
About Sail La Vie
I check on this. Vang probably needs relief. Correct diameter halyard and track and slugs allow sail to drop freely save the last 4 feet.
Mark Holzmann
"Hawkwind"
Sail #1246
Rose City Yacht Club-Portland OR
Thanks Ben for the info about your PO putting on too big of line I called Catalina and found the right size for a Mk1 is 3/8 and when I measured mine it is 1/2 I will get new line and hope it goes up and down better
Bill Miller
S/V Lorraine
Pacific Northwest,Sound Sound
Grapeview,Wa
1990 Mk1
Even with the correct dimension halyards (3/8), I never could raise the main easily from the cockpit, and basically had to raise it at the mast (a prior owner had installed another winch there). I never liked having to go forward to do this, particularly when it gets lumpy out there....
A couple of years ago, as part of a larger off-season project to revamp the control lines on our Mk1, I replaced the turning blocks on the deck with newer Garhauer pulleys (fit the original blocks) and relocated them aft somewhat to reduce the turning angles. Pictures showing the new locations (and the old) are in the following post:
https://www.catalina36.org/comment/55992#comment-55992
I now find I can generally pull the main by hand up to about the last foot or half foot before having to winch the last bit. Very much appreciated improvement -- particularly when solo-ing and reefing.
Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY
Matthew
When you replaced the turning blocks do you just unscrew the screw that goes thru the block to take them off ?
Bill Miller
S/V Lorraine
Pacific Northwest,Sound Sound
Grapeview,Wa
1990 Mk1
As I recall, yes. But as I said I also moved them aft so as to reduce the turning angles.
Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY
Wow, a lot of retro fitting but I am sure it works fantastic. Thanks for the indepth response.
Mark Holzmann
"Hawkwind"
Sail #1246
Rose City Yacht Club-Portland OR
WOW, I just went out this weekend sailing for the first time after putting on the right size of line and it went from having to use the wench all the way up and hard to do to just pulling all the way to about 1 foot I love this forum
Bill Miller
S/V Lorraine
Pacific Northwest,Sound Sound
Grapeview,Wa
1990 Mk1
What are your slugs made of? I originally had the plastic slugs, but due to age they started breaking. So I replaced them all with metal slugs. Bad idea. They would jam in the track much more easily. Ended up having to replace my main anyway as it had given up the ghost, and bought a slightly used one off of another member, which had the old plastic slugs. They slide MUCH easier than the metal ones, at least in my experience. I alsp spray McLube Sailkote in my track every other time I go out to aid in the sliding of the slugs. I sail solo often and have no trouble raising from the cockpit.
Phil L
Southern Cross
Channel Islands, CA
C36MKI #400
I went with the strong track system which has stainless slugs on the out side of the track 1100$. this helped but getting the right size line made the biggest improvement
Bill Miller
S/V Lorraine
Pacific Northwest,Sound Sound
Grapeview,Wa
1990 Mk1