Mast Tuning A Catalina 25

The Technical Manuals were produced over a period encompassing the 1970s, 1980s and
1990s. As such, solicitations for updates are no longer being accepted, and the manuals are
offered to Association Members as a courtesy by the Catalina 25/250 National Association.
Special thanks go to Bill Holcomb for making these copies available for our use.
The 2004 – 2005 Officers
Catalina 25/250 National Association
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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Mast Base Organizer
Skippers who want to modify their halyards and other lines so that
all (or some) are lead from the mast base back on the cabin top for
single handed sailing and for ease of handling often use stainless steel
plates with attachment holes for shackling blocks. Two sources of these
plates are:
M&E Supply Company 1-800-541-6501
And
Bill Henshaw 111-SW 16 St, Southport, NC 28465-7308
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Bill Holcomb wrote the following article on behalf of Mike Leyden and
other skippers thinking about changing their swing keel to the new wing
keel.
Mike Leyden's Wing Keel Installation by Bill Holcomb
During his fall haul-out, Mike Leyden didn't get his Catalina 25s
keel fully retracted before the boat settled onto the trailer. The
crunching sound that came from the keel trunk as the boat settled was
alarming to say the least. Mike assessed the damage and found that the
cable attachment fitting on the keel end of the cable had "flopped over"
rather than finding its way into the cable hole. The resulting damage to
the keel trunk was enough to convince Mike that he wanted to change to
the wing keel by using the retro-fit option that is offered by Catalina.
Mike and I made plans to install the new wing keel "sometime" in the
spring. And, on the weekend of March 26/27 we did just that. What follows
are some thoughts that Mike and I have following the installation:
First of all, Mike had an almost perfect facility to do the work in.
He works at a medium sized machine shop that has several overhead cranes.
These cranes made moving keels and lifting the boat much easier than
would have been otherwise possible. The cranes also made positioning the
boat over the keel trunk (and the holes we'd drilled) very easy. The boat
could be moved a little ahead, or to the right, or a little down at the
bow, etc.
The arrangement that Mike devised was to use two overhead cranes,
one to lift the forward part of the boat and the other to lift the aft
half. He prepared a nine foot long "spreader" bar to keep the 4 inch
nylon straps from exerting too much pressure against the sides of the
boat, and also fashioned two connecting straps to keep the lifting straps
from slipping toward either end of the boat.
Second, after you've received the keel, bolt hole template, resin,
fiber-fil, etc.; think, think, think. What are the steps that you expect
to go through, and in what order. Things like:
A - Bracing the old keel so that it won't "flop" over.
B - How will you lift the boat off of the old keel. You need to be
able to lift the boat up about two and a half feet altogether.
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C - Where will you put the old keel, and how will you get it there
after it's been unbolted from the boat.
D - How will you get the new wing keel under the boat.
E - Do you have a long enough drill bit to drill the six 3/4 inch
holes for the keel bolts. And, do you have a long 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch
drill bit to drill a pilot hole and second hole before you drill the 3/4
inch final hole.
F - Do you have a method for "sanding" off all of the old bottom
paint that has been painted on the bottom of the boat and in the keel
trunk. This was the hardest single job in the whole process for us.
G - How will you make sure that the boat is lowered onto the keel
bolts without a "near miss" and subsequent damage.
H - How will you stir the fiber-fil (the bedding compound that makes
a water-tight seal between the keel and boat) and its hardener. The
fiber-fil has the consistency of green tooth paste and needs to be
thoroughly mixed with hardener to set up correctly.
I - What kind of hole in the cabin floor will you cut and how will
you cut the holes so that you will be able to put the washers and nuts on
the keel bolts. And, of course, how will you want to finish the hole in
the cabin floor after the keel is bolted to the bottom.
J - How will you "fair" the junction between the flange on the wing
keel and the bottom of the boat. What do you want this part of the boat
to look like when you're through.
K - Will you need to drill new holes in the trailer bunks support
pieces to accommodate the taller keel.
Well, you can see that the 5 "P's" (Prior Planning Prevents Poor
Performance) really come into play with this project.
For us, everything went pretty smoothly. With the two cranes ready,
Mike unbolted the old keel hangers. The keel was resting on the trailer
in its normal "travel" position. Mike had also made an extra brace to
keep the keel from flopping, and had already removed the keel cable winch
from inside the boat. We then lifted the boat straight up about a foot or
so. Mike pulled the keel cable out of the hole and we used a forklift
with a ball on one fork to move the trailer forward and out from under
the boat. We now used a boom-crane to lift the old keel off of the
trailer, and then positioned the trailer back under the boat.
One little surprise that we had when we lifted the boat off of the
old keel was that we had not gotten the slings just right and the boat
tilted a bit when lifted. When we lowered the boat back onto the bunks to
sand the bottom, it was necessary to re-position the slings so that the
boat would lift straight up and not tilt. This took a couple of tries
lifting the boat off of the bunks to get the slings just right.
Now Mike loaded the old swing keel onto the forks of the fork lift
and we took the keel out into the yard and deposited it on a couple of 6
X 6s. Mike says that if anyone wants the keel that you can have it for
free if you pay the freight to haul it home to you. It's in very good
condition.
Back inside, we lowered the boat and began the work of "sanding" the
bottom paint from the keel trunk and from about six inches of the boats
bottom around the keel trunk. As I said, this was the toughest single
job. To sand the inside of the keel trunk Mike used a circular "Scotch24
brite" type of pad that rotated on the end of a 1/4" die grinder. He wore
out eight or nine of these. A circular sanding pad for a 4" sander with
6" discs (without a backing pad so the disc would flex) was used for the
boats bottom. We had thought that 80 grit paper would be more than
enough, but quickly found that the 10 or so layers of bottom paint were
so tough that 24 grit was all that would really do the job. Boy were we a
mess, especially Mike.
Throughout the sanding operation both of us wore respirators. The
little white cloth masks would not have been enough with all of the fine
dust that the bottom paint made.
When the sanding was done, we cleaned off the sanded areas with an
air nozzle and then with acetone.
Now it was time to mark and then drill the bolt holes. We used the
template that Catalina supplied. It is a fiberglass template that comes
fitted to the new keel and has the bolt holes in just the right position.
The template has a hump that fits into the keel cable hole. This anchors
the template and makes marking and drilling the keel bolt holes an easy
job if your drill bits are long enough. Mike ran the drill while I lined
him up vertically from the side of the boat. The 1/4 inch drill bit was
long enough to drill through both the top of the keel trunk and through
the cabin floor. That way, we could see just where in the cabin the floor
needed to be removed. Once the 1/4 inch pilot holes were in, we drilled
the holes out to the recommended 3/4 inch size. This done, we both got
inside the cabin and used a hole saw to cut holes in the floor over the
bolt holes. Mike has a dinette model, so two of the holes were under the
aft seat.
One surprise that we had at this point was that the fourth hole aft
was too close to the forward side of the aft seat. This meant that we had
to use a jig-saw to cut an opening for the hole-saw.
It was time now to get the wing keel on the trailer. But, before we
did this, Mike welded a 6 inch piece of channel to the trailer as a pad
for the keel to rest on. This piece extended over the three cross members
on the trailer and, of course, was centered. A boom crane lifted the new
keel into place on the trailer and we then lifted the boat high enough to
"clear" the keel bolts, and positioned the trailer under the boat again.
We used the two overhead cranes to move the boat into just the right
position.
To make sure that we had the keel holes in the correct places, we
now lowered the boat onto the keel. I got into the boat so that I could
look down through the keel bolt holes and "line things up". This worked
really well as Mike could use the cranes or simply push a little on the
outside of the boat to get things just right.
We used the keel bolt furthest aft as the guide. Once this bolt was
in its hole, the front of the boat was lowered a bit more and all of the
holes had bolts in them. No clunking, cracking, or breaking. Everything
was just perfect. Mike, using the cranes, now lifted the boat straight up
off of the new keel.
The bedding compound that Catalina had sent was next. This was 3/4
gallon of a toothpaste like fiberglass and resin mixture that needed to
have hardener mixed in. Mike had made a steel paddle that he could attach
to a 1/2" impact wrench that made stirring the mixture possible. I'm not
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sure what you would do to stir by hand. The stuff is awfully thick, and
you only have about a half an hour to mix and apply the mixture. We used
plastic spatulas to spread the mixture on the upper surface of the flange
on the keel and all over the part of the keel that would fit into the
keel trunk.
I got back into the boat and again guided the lowering of the boat
back onto the keel bolts. We again used the aft bolt as the primary
guide. When the boat had been lowered down to the flange, I put the
backing washers, lock washers, and nuts onto the keel bolts and tightened
them down tight. The excess bedding compound "squooked" out at the flange
to boat joint and we cleaned this excess up with the plastic spatulas.
All of this took about 5 1/2 hours of actual doing. We ate lunch and
had a couple cups of coffee too, so spent about 7 hours getting this far,
and we left the boat to let the bedding compound harden overnight.
The next morning, the bedding compound had hardened about 60 or 70%
so we decided to leave things alone. But we did have a couple of jobs
that could be done while we waited. The bunks and bow support on the
trailer needed to be adjusted to fit the greater draft of the wing keel
(the boat was still being supported by its slings and the overhead
cranes). When the bunks and bow stand were adjusted, we lowered the
slings enough to take them off and the boat sat perfectly on the trailer.
Due to the cool weather, the bedding compound had not hardened
completely. We decided to allow it to finish hardening and made plans to
fair the joint between the flange and the bottom of the boat on the next
Saturday.
There were a couple jobs that needed attention that morning. We
adjusted the bunks on the trailer to fit the taller configuration of the
wing keel, as well as adjusting the launching guides at the back of the
trailer. The bow winch stand also needed to be moved to fit. All of these
jobs were completed in an hour or so. Mike took the boat home on the
trailer.
The following Saturday morning I met Mike at his house and we
decided to try fiberglassing the joint between the hull and the new keel.
The lip was about 1/4 inch tall, so we cut some fiberglass into 1 inch
wide strips and attached it with resin to make a fill. Next we used 4
inch wide fiberglass to bridge the area from the hull to the keel.
Unfortunately, gravity began to come into play and the whole "mess" (and
it turned into a real mess) began falling and pealing off the bottom. It
was just impossible to get everything to stick, and we made the decision
to clean up what was left and simply fair the flange itself by grinding.
Mike did this during the next week and then epoxy sealed the whole hull
to flange area.
Mike faired the flange to hull area by first grinding the flange
down as close to the hull as he could. There was still a lip so epoxy
putty was used to build up the hull and create a smooth radius transition
all around the flange. A little light sanding made the flange to hull
joint look just right. Mike sealed the area with epoxy paint and then
finished the job by painting the new keel and bottom with new antifouling
paint.
All in all, the job went pretty well. But having the right facility
and planning the job out ahead of time probably meant the difference
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between our success and a real disaster of lost time and reworking
mistakes.
The boat is in the water now and Mike reports that she feels much
more stable....She "tracks" better and doesn't heel as quickly. And, Mike
feels that she is now more particular as to the balance between mainsail
and foresail.
(Mainsheet Vol 12, No 4. November 1994
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Mast Tuning A Catalina 25
By Bill Holcomb
Basic Concept
Over the past several years, there have been many inquiries in both
the Mainsheet magazine and on the C25/C250 website regarding the proper
way to tune the mast on a Catalina 25. Here’s a step-by-step method to
get your mast tuned properly and keep it that way.
The basic idea of mast tuning is to adjust the standing rigging (the
stays and shrouds) in such a way so as to make sure that the mast is
vertical with regard to its starboard/port relationship and raked forward
or aft in such a way that proper feel on the helm is achieved. From a
practical point of view, the mast will usually be straight up when the
boat is floating on her lines.
What You’re Working With
The Catalina 25 has eight wires that support the mast and make up
the standing rigging. These eight wires are:
The Forestay
The Backstay
The Two Upper Shrouds
The Two Forward Lower Shrouds
The Two Aft Lower Shrouds
Marine eyes (swaged to the wires) attach these shrouds and stays to
fittings on the mast with clevis pins. The clevis pins are secured with
cotter pins or split rings. Turnbuckles attach the shrouds and stays to
fittings (chainplates and stem fitting) at the stem, transom, and sides
of the boat. Turnbuckles are rigging screws that have a barrel in the
middle of two screw in bolts. One bolt end has left handed threads while
the other has right-handed threads. By turning the barrel, the tension
on the wire can be increased or decreased.
Safety & Inspecting
It is very dangerous (not to mention expensive) to have your mast
collapse. The mast is relatively heavy, hard and can do considerable
damage to anything it hits while falling. For this reason, it is
important to inspect the standing rigging at least annually. Make sure
that the shrouds and stays don’t have any little broken wires or rust.
Insure that all clevis pins are secured with either cotter pins or split
rings. Never use kinked wires or bent turnbuckles. Replace immediately
any shrouds or stays that show bent, broken, or cracked swaged fittings.
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How long does rigging last? That depends on how often the boat is
used; if the boat is raced, cruised or only day-sailed; how often the
boat is trailered; if the boat is stored outside during freezing weather;
and many other factors. Sometimes standing rigging will last many years.
Other times, a turnbuckle bolt will become bent the first time the mast
is raised and will need to be replaced immediately for safety sake. At
the very least though, the standing rigging needs to be completely
inspected annually and any part of the rig that is not 100% needs to be
immediately replaced before going out again.
Relative Tensions
Like everything that has to do with sailboats, compromise and
judgement are important factors when you are tuning your rig. Some
sailors don’t want to “over-tension” the rig; others want to make sure
that the rig is very tight; and there are lots of folks who fall
somewhere in between these extremes. However, the relative tension
between the shrouds and stays are as follows:
Forestay and Backstay have the greatest tension
Upper Shrouds have nearly as much tension as the forestay and
backstay
Forward Lower Shrouds have less tension than uppers, but more
tension than Aft Lower Shrouds
OK, let’s get started with the mast raised and all of the shrouds and
stays loosely adjusted Start At the Dock:
Step One – Forestay/Backstay
Rake or Not Rake Is The First Question – Raking the mast (tipping it
forward of aft from vertical) will directly influence the feel of the
helm. Generally, raking the mast aft increases weather helm while raking
the mast forward reduces weather helm and can lead to lee helm. Most
sailors like a little bit of weather helm for the “feel” this give while
steering. Too much weather helm though makes steering the boat difficult
and can quickly tire out the boat steerer.
Adjust the Forestay and Backstay – Start by using your main
halyard’s headboard shackle to make a plumb bob. Shackle the headboard
shackle to a large wrench or crescent wrench. Set the halyard so that
the headboard shackle/plumb-bob is at the level that the boom gooseneck
will be while sailing. If you want the mast straight up and down, adjust
the turnbuckles on the forestay and backstay until the plumb-bob is just
touching the back of the mast. If you want the mast raked aft a couple
inches, loosen the turnbuckle on the forestay and tighten the turnbuckle
on the backstay until the plumb bob is the desired distance aft of the
mast.
Once the desired amount of mast rake has been set, tighten the
turnbuckles on both forestay and backstay one turn at a time until the
amount of tension you want is “dialed in”. Remember that these two wires
need to have the greatest tension; so, make sure that these two wires
have considerable tension. I know that this is vague, but each
rigger/skipper will have a different “feel” for this tension. Check
other boats where you sail by pulling on their forestays. Racers will
often have much more tension than daysailers.
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Loos
available
can check
the wires
Gauge – There are shroud/stay tension adjustment gauges
that will give you a numerical method to adjust the wires. You
with others to see if your tensions are greater on less than
you are comparing to.
Step Two – Upper Shrouds
The Kerf is the slot in the back of the mast. Your mainsail’s bolt
rope or slugs fit into the kerf so that the mainsail’s luff is fully
supported by the mast. By looking up the kerf you can see if the mast is
bending – either bowing or bending in an “S” - curve.
Adjust the Upper Shrouds to insure that the mast is straight up with
respect to tipping either to port or starboard (left or right). The easy
way to do this is to tape a steel tape measure to your main halyard’s
headboard shackle. Hoist the halyard and extend the tape measure aloft.
You can now measure the distance from the masthead to the toe-rail
outside the upper shroud chainplate with the tape measure. Adjust the
turnbuckles so that you get the same measurement to both sides of the
boat.
Now tension both turnbuckles so that you end up with the mast
straight up and nearly as much tension on the upper shrouds as you have
on the forestay/backstay. Turn the turnbuckle barrels either one or ½
turn at a time until you get the tension you want.
Step Three – Forward Lowers
Two Considerations that you have now are Is The Kerf Bent and Do You
Want To Pre-Bend The Mast.
Look up the Kerf to determine if the mast is bent, bowed or in an
“S”-curve. Usually, there will be a bow, if anything. If you see one,
increase the tension on one of the forward lower shrouds until the bow
has been straightened out. Tension the opposite side now to balance the
previously tensioned forward lower shroud. At this point, the mast
should be raked the amount that you want and exactly straight up and down
with relation to a starboard/port lean.
The reason that you might want to have “pre-bend” in the mast has to
do with the amount of draft your mainsail has. Another way to look at
this is – If your sails are old and “full” as opposed to newer and
relatively “flat”, you might want to pre-bend the mast forward in the
middle so that some of the fullness is pulled out for better upwind
pointing.
If you decide to Pre-Bend the mast all you have to do is increase
the tension on both forward lower shroud turnbuckles until two or three
inches of bend is pulled into the middle of the mast. When you are done
with this, your mast will be bowed forward in the middle and when you
hoist your mainsail, it will be flatter than before and you’ll notice
that you can sail higher on the wind than before. Make sure that you
sight up the mast as you pre-bend it to make sure that you aren’t getting
an “S” or a bow left-right.
Step Four – Aft Lowers
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The Aft Lowers balance the forward lowers, fine-tune the rig, and
give additional support to the mast. All you need to do with the aft
lowers is tighten the turnbuckles about one turn past “finger-tight”.
Sight up the kerf to make sure that the mast is still straight.
With these steps complete at the dock, it’s time to set sail and
make your final adjustments.
Go Sailing Step Five – Fine Tuning
Fine tuning the Rig is fairly easy. On a day with moderate breezes
in the 8 to 12 knot range sail the boat on a series of upwind tacks.
What your are looking for is a couple of things:
That there isn’t too much slack in the leeward (downwind) shrouds
That the jib luff doesn’t sag more that a few inches in the puffs
That the kerf stays straight on both starboard and port tacks.
Adjust the shroud turnbuckles to fine tune the standing rigging.
Remember that it’s OK to have a little bit of slack in the leeward
shrouds.
Step Six – Securing the Turnbuckles
When you get back to the dock, it’s time to Recheck the Tensions and
the Alignment of the mast. First, check that the relationship in
tensions between the forestay/backstay and upper shrouds is still about
the same. The forestay/backstay should still be slightly tighter than
the uppers. Next, secure your tape measure to your main halyard again
and hoist the tape aloft so that you can measure the distance from
masthead to toe-rails again. The measurement should be the same to both
starboard and port toe-rails. Sight up the kerf again and make sure that
the kerf forms a straight line. Make the appropriate adjustments to the
turnbuckles.
When everything is set, you will want to Secure the Turnbuckles so
that they won’t back themselves off and loosen the rigging. With closed
barrel style turnbuckles, there is a locking nut on both bolts. Turn
these nuts down to the barrel and use a small wrench to secure the nuts
against the barrel tightly. With open style turnbuckles; use cotter
pins, split rings, or seizing wire through the little holes in the bolt
ends that you can see in the openings of the barrel. The cotter pins,
split rings, or seizing wire will prevent the bolts from turning just
like the locking nuts on the closed barrel style.
Later
Step Seven – Check the System
Over time, there is every chance that your rig will loosen somewhat.
This may be due to sailing in strong winds, or to changes in temperature,
or combinations of other factors. At any rate, you will want to
periodically check your standing rigging from time to time (at least
annually) for tension and condition. Make your checks of the system both
while at the dock and while sailing.
As your sails age and get fuller, you may want to pre-bend the mast
(or pre-bend it more than you already have). This will help your upwind
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pointing ability and will decrease the amount of heel your boat develops
in stronger breezes (you won’t have to reef as soon).
As your sails age, you may feel as if your boat is developing more
weather helm. If you’ve raked your mast aft, it may be time to adjust
the rake forward so that the mast is straight up instead of raked.
The combination of pre-band and mast rake can change the weather
helm feel of the boat; the boat’s pointing ability, and the boat’s speed
and efficiency through the water. So, don’t forget to check the standing
rig from time to time.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Let’s Go Cruising
For most of us voyaging across the sea is out of the question as a part
of our sailing experience.
Most of us, however, are quite capable of
taking weekend trips or spend a one or two week vacation aboard, sailing
in protected waters.
This often means cruising from destination to
destination during the day and mooring or anchoring the boat at the end
of the day in some new place.
Trips like this can easily be handled on
boats of nearly any size.
Your need for comfort will determine what size boat you will want
for this kind of sailing.
camp-outs.
Many people go out on daysailors for weekend
They stuff their clothes, tents, sleeping bags and food into
plastic garbage bags; tie the bags in the cockpits of small daysailors or
on the trampolines of catamarans; and head out for a planned campsite.
If you're not into tent camping, you will probably want a boat with
a cabin that contains sleeping accommodations, a bathroom, and cooking
facility on board.
While there are some sailboats as small as 16 feet
that have cabins, you are more likely to find minimum accommodations on
sailboats from 21 to 28 feet.
Some models have "pop-tops" that raise up
with an enclosure that offer standing headroom of 6 feet or more.
Cruising on this kind of sailboat is more like camping with a nice camper
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or camp trailer.
It is certainly more comfortable than tent camping, but
still not the "Ritz".
If you really want and "need" more comfort still, but don't have the
cash to buy a 30 footer, there's always the option to charter (rent) a
larger boat for your vacation.
Many of the larger sailboats have hot and
cold water systems, showers, ovens, TV's, and other luxuries not found on
smaller boats.
For many the thought of trailoring their sailboat cross country is
inhibiting and prevents them from enjoying new anchorages and towns.
For
these folks, chartering is a great option, even if they rent the same
size boat as they normally sail on.
Before You Go
General Maintenance
Before you take your boat away from the dock, even for a short
daysail, she should be in condition to weather whatever may come your
way.
On longer trips, proper maintenance is even more important because
you may be considerable distance from help and the need to be self
sufficient may be very important.
Some of the general maintenance items you need to be attentive to
are:
1.
Make sure that holes, and chaffed spots on the sails are
repaired.
If they are left, they can cause complete sail failure if
the wind blows strongly.
2.
Replace ropes (lines) that are showing considerable wear.
If
there are chaffed places on the lines, they can break when under
strain.
This could happen while sailing, at anchor, or even tied to
a dock.
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3.
Inspect the wires of the boats rigging.
If you find any that
have broken strands (meat hooks), replace it immediately.
There are
two reasons for this:
First, the broken ends that stick out from the wire can catch your
skin and cause really nasty cuts.
and, Second, the broken strand truly weakens the wire.
The broken
wire is dangerous since it will fail when you most need it to be
sound.
Broken masts, torn sails, and other significant damage can
happen when broken wires are not replaced immediately.
4.
Inspect the terminals at the ends of all of the wire rigging.
If you notice any hair-line cracks in the terminals, they need
replacing immediately.
Rust on these stainless steel terminals also
carry the same replacement need.
Like the broken strands, these
pieces will fail without warning.
5.
Check the shackles and other fasteners to make sure that they
are tightened snugly.
6.
If your boat has winches, grease them properly each year.
is not a difficult job to do.
This
It will take a bit of time (an hour
or so for a pair of winches) and will insure that the winches work
properly and last for the life of the boat.
7.
Once or twice each year, wax the topsides (the hull and cabin)
of the boat with a good all weather wax.
This will help keep the
oxidation in check and make your boat look nice too.
maintenance goes for your woodwork.
Similar
Once or twice each year apply
one of the preserving liquids (teak oil, varnish, etc.) to seal the
wood and keep out the dirt.
There are many good liquids for this
ranging from oils to synthetic preservatives.
job.
All seem to do a good
Some have a matt finish, while others are glossy.
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8.
To prevent the growth of marine plants and animals on the bottom
of your boat, you will want to clean the bottom frequently or have
an anti-fouling bottom paint applied to the bottom.
The bottom
paint needs to be re-done more often in salt water than in fresh.
Your local marina staff will be able to give you advice regarding
bottom painting.
Of course, anti-fouling paint is poison and should be treated as
such.
If you do the job yourself, take all of the precautions
recommended by the paint manufacturer as well as the advice given to
you by the persons selling you the paint.
9.
Don't cut corners here!
Part of your general maintenance should include having on hand
some spare parts and tools.
The larger and more complicated your
boat is, the more elaborate the tools and the more extensive the
spare parts.
Some of the basic tools you will want to have on board include: a
good sharp knife; a screw driver for both flat and phillips screws;
and a couple small adjustable wrenches.
Some of the basic spare parts you will want to have on board
include:
shackles to replace those in use on your boat; clevis pins
to replace those in use on your boat; sail repair tape and antichafe tape; some 1/8 inch light line; and perhaps some replacement
line the size of your sheets or halyards.
SETTING YOUR BOAT UP FOR YOUR CRUISE
There are several things that you will want to have on your boat to
make cruising safe and enjoyable, even if the weather turns against you.
These items make sail handling easier; let you safely anchor out if you
have to; and help you find your destination and then get home without
allot of guess work.
Most of these items do not come as standard gear
34
from the manufacturer, and need to be purchased as additional equipment
later.
TheTopping Lift
Unfortunately, most sailboats do not have a useable Topping Lift
that will assist you while raising and lowering your mainsail.
Instead,
many sailboats come from the factory with a little "snotter" line and
hook hanging from the backstay.
This "snotter" can be used to hold the
boom out of the cockpit when the boat is at anchor or at the dock, but
clearly is not a Topping Lift - no matter what the manufacturer calls it.
The function of a Topping Lift is to allow the boom to swing left
and right while the sail is being hoisted or lowered.
The boom is held
up out of the cockpit so that the sail can spill wind by acting like a
flag.
There are several obvious advantages to this arrangement:
35
1.
If a gust of wind hits the sail from the side, the sail will
spill the wind instead of trying to tip the boat over.
2.
The boom is held away from the boat and crew so that its
gyrations do not damage either the boat or the crew.
A boom
"flogging" around the cabin top or cockpit does nothing to instill
the crew's confidence in the skipper.
3.
The use of the Topping Lift makes reefing the mainsail much
easier, and a quicker job.
There are several ways to rig a Topping Lift:
1.
A 1/4 inch line or 1/8 inch wire can be attached to the top of
the mast and lead to the aft end of the boom.
The boom end of the
lift can have a hook on it so that when the sail is raised, the lift
can be disconnected to allow for better sail shape.
or 2.
The above arrangement can be lead through a pulley at the end
of the boom, and then forward to a cleat mounted on the boom..
This
system allows you to release tension on the lift while sailing, and
then easily snug up the lift when you decide it's time to lower the
mainsail.
or 3.
The end of the line can be fixed to the aft end of the boom,
then lead through a pulley at the mast head, and then down the mast
to a cleat near the boom gooseneck fitting, where the boom fits to
the mast.
There are other variations on this theme, but the important idea is
that you will be able to raise and lower the mainsail without the sail
either trying to tip you over or beating up on the crew and the boat.
Reef Points and "Jiffy" Reefing
Earlier, we saw that there were reinforced holes in the mainsail
approximately 4 feet above the foot of the sail.
These holes are the
36
reef points; and there should be one hole near the luff of the mainsail
and another near the leech; there are then intermediate holes in the sail
between these two primary reef points.
On very small sailboats, you
might elect to only have the primary points and forget about the
intermediate holes.
The idea of the reef points is that you can tie the reef points to
the boom and only hoist the mainsail partially.
This will reduce the
total size of the mainsail that the wind is working on and this will
reduce the "tipping" energy that the sail imparts on the boat.
From the
practical side of things, this means that you only need one mainsail
while you may have several different sizes of jib sails.
The reef points
allow you to adjust the size of the mainsail depending on the wind's
strength.
Often, reefing the mainsail takes place after you have been sailing
for awhile.
You may notice that the boat is tipping (heeling) more than
you like; or you may see other boats upwind of you suddenly heeling in
stronger wind; or you may observe an increase in the number of white
capped waves; or the boat may have become physically harder to steer.
If
any one or a combination of these happen, you'll want to reef the
mainsail.
Reefing is usually easier and faster than changing the jibsail
to a smaller size.
To make reefing easier, many skippers have installed "jiffy reefing
gear".
This gear is made up of a couple of lines, pulleys, and cleats
that are permanently set up.
There are several different variations, but
the most common rig is to have the following:1.
A 1/4 inch line secured
to the mast by an "eye strap" at the level of the boom gooseneck.
This
line is lead up through the luff reef point then back down to a cleat on
the mast near the main halyard cleat.
37
2.
A 1/4 inch line is secured to the boom by an eye strap on the same
side as the eye strap on the mast.
the boom on the opposite side.
clew corner of the mainsail.
There is a "cheek block" mounted on
Both of these will be located near the
The line is lead from the eye strap up
through the leech reef point, back down through the cheek block, then
forward to a cleat near the boom gooseneck.
Reefing the mainsail now becomes a much easier task.
When you've
decided that it's time to reef do the following:
1.
Snug up the topping lift so that the boom is supported.
2.
Lower the mainsail approximately the distance from the boom to
the reef points.
Many skippers mark the main halyard to show this
distance.
3.
Tighten up the luff reefing line and secure it to its cleat.
4.
Tighten up the leech reefing line and secure it to its cleat.
5.
Adjust the main halyard to tension the luff of the mainsail.
6.
Release the tension on the topping lift.
38
At this point, you're reefed and the boat will not tip so far in the
gusts, and you will probably sail faster through the water.
most racers will say, "Flat is fast."
Remember
If you want to make the job a bit
tidier, you can tie light lines through the intermediate reef holes and
around the boom.
This gathers the sail close to the boom making the job
look neater and allows you to see forward easier.
Anchors
Sooner or later, you'll want to anchor your boat for the night.
This may be because you've planned your trip to arrive at a destination
that has neither docks nor moorings available.
Or, you may have had a
tough sail in deteriorating conditions and you need to rest before going
on.
There are many other reasons as well.
In any case, you will want to
make sure that your anchor and its related equipment (ground tackle) is
ready to use.
You (and your crew) really won't enjoy drifting around a
potential anchorage in bad weather and descending night, while you try to
find and set up your anchoring system.
Your anchoring system includes:
your anchor, a length of chain, the
anchor rope, and two shackles to attach everything together.
needs to be sized to your boat.
The anchor
The following are some suggested anchor
to boat sizes:
Anchor Type
18
Danforth |
Bruce
CQR
|
Boat Length
20 22 24 26
8 lb
|
| 11 lb
25 lb
Chain Size
|
25% to 100% of
boat length
28 feet
13 lb
| 16.5 lb
|
1/4 inch
|
|
|
3/8 inch
Rope Size | 3/8"X200' | 7/16"X200'|
39
Anchoring
The more often that you sail, the more likely that you will begin
spending "nights on the hook".
And, the more often that you anchor your
boat, the more likely that you will have "adventures" in the middle of
the night.
Usually, these adventures have little long term affect on
your sailing.
The important thing to remember when anchoring is that
there are a few basic rules to follow, such as:
1.
As hard as it is to believe, make sure that the anchor is
securely shackled to the rest of the ground tackle before you toss
it over the side.
2.
Equally hard to believe is to insure that the other end of the
anchor rode is securely tied to the boat somewhere.
3.
Be sure to let out enough anchor line to insure that the
anchoring system will hold you at high tide where you want to stay
overnight.
Waking up tomorrow morning to find that "the island has
sunk during the night" is not the kind of adventure that most of us
want before breakfast.
and 4.
Make sure you'll have enough water under you at low tide.
We have already said that the anchor system consists of the anchor,
a length of chain, and the anchor rope.
Each piece is securely shackled
to the next, and most of us like to make sure that the shackle bolt does
not turn itself out by using a wire to hold the bolt from turning.
The type of anchor, the length of chain, and the size and length of
the rope are all decisions that will vary from skipper to skipper and
sailing area to sailing area.
In general, you can ask other sailors in
your area what kind of anchor they use and prefer.
that a Danforth style is the most popular.
You'll probably find
Danforth anchors are
40
relatively easy to stow and have acceptable holding power, pound for
pound.
Instead of weight, the Danforth anchor uses its ability to dig
into the bottom to hold your boat.
The length of chain provided in many
"safety & equipment kits" is often about six feet.
This is OK for most
purposes; but if you have had a high wind or storm adventure, you have
probably increased the length of chain any where from 1/2 your boat's
length on up to equal to your boat's length.
opted for 100% chain with no rope at all.
Some skippers have even
Of course, this will give you
the best holding power and shock absorption; but, it is a chore to weigh
the anchor when you want to leave, and is quite a heavy bit of ballast
while sailing.
Many sailors have a rule of thumb regarding the amount of anchor
rope to set out when anchoring.
The rule depends on the expected wind:
Light breezes - Depth of water times four
41
Moderate breezes - Depth of water times seven
Stormy conditions - Depth of water times ten
This means that if you anchor in twenty feet of water, you will want to
deploy 80 feet of anchor line in light breezes, and possibly more than
200 feet if stormy conditions are expected.
Some skippers will deploy
two anchors for stormy conditions for extra holding power.
These are
usually set out at about a 90 degree angle to each other.
Maps and Charts
Even if you are thoroughly familiar with your sailing area, you will
probably want to have a good map, or better yet, a nautical chart of your
sailing "grounds".
A nautical chart is a map that has been specially
prepared for navigation.
It has little detail regarding the land, but
great detail regarding the water.
The depths are shown frequently, both
longitude and latitude scales are shown on the edges, navigation aids are
shown and described with a "light list" code, and the compass rose (a
picture of compass points showing both geographic and magnetic
directions) are always included.
Maps, on the other hand, show detail of
the land and only the major features of the water.
And, maps are a poor
second choice if a nautical chart exists for the area you will be sailing
in.
Planning Your Trip
Just like camping, your success and happiness are often directly
proportional to the planning that is done before you leave.
First, you need to decide where to go.
Your chart will help you
identify a primary (first choice) destination, as well as secondary
or intermediate areas to use if the weather turns bad or you decide
42
that your first choice is too far away.
Remember that sailing is
supposed to be fun, not some kind of marathon.
If you make cruising
too tough, your crew may not want to participate in a second trip.
Second, give a copy of your plans to someone ashore.
Write out your
plans including when you plan to be home and your backup plans.
Third, if the weather gets bad while you're still out, find a secure
place (marina or anchorage) and "stay put" until the weather
improves.
It's always better to err on the side of prudence.
Your
crew will appreciate your good sense, and you will have a far better
story to tell.
Most potential crew members will accept your
description of the time spent in a secluded cove as a great,
possibly romantic, decision.
They may decide you're too "bold" if
you describe a tough passage with decks awash, waves breaking over
the bow and your crew seasick below.
Fourth, bring along clothing as if you were going on a high mountain
campout.
Light clothing for nice weather, and warmer layers for
evenings and cooler weather.
There's a 50/50 chance that you'll
have rain at some time during your cruise.
The best advice for rain
is to have good foul weather gear including sea boots and a
sou'wester.
This waterproof clothing will help keep you dry even in
a southeast Alaska downpour.
The plastic or rubberized (read that
as "cheap") rain gear simply will not be adequate.
You might as
well save money and use a garbage bag rather than buy the
inexpensive stuff.
Lifejackets
Nearly everyone likes sailing.
But nobody likes an unexpected swim.
Someone falling overboard is very dangerous.
Remember that if your boat
43
is sailing along at six knots, you're traveling 600 feet per minute....If
someone falls overboard, they will be two football fields away in 60
seconds!!
And, you will be looking for something resembling a honeydew
melon in the whitecaps that far away.
Final point, few people fall off
your boat on a nice day.
Because of this, you need to have some firm rules regarding windy
days, night sailing and other conditions that you feel are more dangerous
than normal sailing.
One of your rules must include "lifejackets".
Personal floatation devices (PFD's) come in a variety of types, but
suffice it to say that everyone on board needs to have a personal
"lifejacket" that fits properly.
The somewhat uncomfortable to wear
orange PFD's are your best protection if you fall overboard.
do the best job of keeping you afloat - period.
They will
The big problem is that
they're not comfortable to wear, so many people leave them in lockers or
under seats and don't have them on when they fall off the boat.
The
"lifejacket" that you're not wearing cannot keep you afloat.
If you're one of the vast majority of people who won't wear one of
the orange PFD's, you should purchase a PFD that has been designed for
canoeing and kayaking, or one of the new inflatable PFD’s.
These come in
designer colors, are lightweight and comfortable to wear, and are almost
as good as the orange style (that you won't wear).
These lightweight
PFD's feel almost like a "down" vest or pair of suspenders, and do not
restrict you movements while sailing.
purchase the correct size.
It is important, though, that you
To do this, you need to put on the PFD in the
store and stand, sit and crawl around with it on.
If the PFD "rides up"
or is not comfortable, it's the wrong size - select another size.
Of course, all children should have their own, properly sized,
"lifejackets"; and they need to wear it at all times when on deck.
The
44
problem is that the kids will follow your lead.
If you refuse to wear
your PFD they will likely "forget" to wear theirs.
A piece of gear that might be used instead of a PFD for members of
the crew who are moving around on deck is the safety harness and
jacklines.
the deck.
This gear keeps you attached to the boat even if you fall off
It consists of a harness much like a parachute harness, made
of nylon webbing and heavy clasps.
A lanyard about six feet long
attaches to the harness at one end and to the boat with the other end.
And, the best method of attachment to the boat is a jackline that runs on
deck from bow to stern on both sides of the boat.
Jacklines may be made
of strong nylon webbing, 1/2 inch rope, or 3/16" cable that is attached
securely to the boat at both ends.
The lanyard is fastened to the
jackline with a strong metal clip so that the crew member can move
forward and aft easily while being "hooked" to the boat at all times.
Again, you need to establish firm rules for the use of "lifejackets"
and safety harnesses.
Some basic rules might include (but are not
limited to):
EVERYONE ON DECK WEARS ONE OR THE OTHER IF
1.
The mainsail is reefed.
2.
At night.
3.
A small jib or storm jib is in use.
4.
Either the skipper or the crew is concerned about the conditions
forecast for later in the day.
5.
You can see a storm approaching.
6. If you're sailing in fog.
7.
Or any time you are concerned about the safety of the boat or
anyone on board.
45
Man Overboard (MOB)
The two problems with having a person fall off of the boat are:
Getting the crew member back to the boat; and then, getting the crew
member back on board.
Remember that you could be approximately two
football fields away from the overboard crew in only a minute; and
will probably be very difficult to see that person in the water.
it
For
that reason, the best thinking is that You Must Stop The Boat
Immediately!
The easiest way to do this is to turn the boat in as tight
a circle (all the way around) as possible.
You will want to practice
this maneuver several times so that you will know how quickly your boat
spins around.
It will turn faster than you expect, and one of the
dangers is that you will run over the overboard crew.
You will find that
the boat has almost no speed after the "spin" and that you are close to
your crew.
You can now head up into the wind to stop completely.
There are several factors that make getting the crew back aboard
difficult:
Their size & weight; if they're injured; how cold the water
is; how stormy it is; if it's night;, if you have a "swim ladder" or open
transom; your strength; etc.
You need to think about and plan how you
will rescue the overboard crew.
Trying to figure it out as it happens
often turns into a disaster for all concerned.
A new method for getting the victim back aboard is the LifeSling.
This is a floating “collar” that the MOB can slip on while in the water.
The LifeSling is attached to the boat with a length of “poly” line that
you will use to bring the MOB to the boat.
A block and tackle (like your
main sheet or boom vang) can be attached to a halyard and to the
LifeSling allowing you to use the mechanical advantage of the pulleys to
bring the victim aboard.
46
Hypothermia
Hypothermia, we used to call this exposure, can often happen to a
MOB.
The wind and water chills the body core and causes the person to
have inhibited blood flow to arms, legs, and head. You need to treat
hypothermia quickly.
Get the person out of their wet clothing and into a
dry, warm sleeping bag if possible.
Warm the person up slowly, if
possible get into the sleeping bag with the person.
Do not give the
person either hot drinks or any kind of alcoholic drink.
possible, get the person to a medical facility.
And, as soon as
Even though the victim
says he’s OK, get them checked by a medical professional.
A hypothermic
person cannot tell if they’re OK or not.
Hypothermia can also happen to you or your crew even though no one
has fallen overboard.
If you're wet, if the wind chill makes you shiver
uncontrollably, if clear thinking becomes difficult, if speaking is not
clear - then you may be into the grips of hypothermia.
actions to warm up and stay warm.
Take appropriate
Watch your crew mates for signs of
hypothermia and take immediate action if you suspect anything.
SeaSickness
Some people never seem to get sea sick.
motion on the dock.
Others have trouble with
Most of us fall somewhere in between.
But, nobody
wants to be sea-sick; and there are several effective ways that you can
minimize the chances of getting sea-sick.
like "Dramamine" are readily available.
prevent being sea-sick.
people fall asleep.
Over-the-counter medicines
They work for most people to
The side affect of these medicines is that many
You aren't sea-sick, but you don't have any fun
being asleep either.
47
There are also prescription drugs like "scopolamine" that your
doctor can prescribe for you that work well.
administered with a Band-Aid type of patch.
through your skin.
These are often
The medicine is absorbed
These work quite well with few side affects other
than perhaps a dry mouth sensation.
There are wrist bands that contain little balls that will press
against "accu-pressure" points on your wrist.
Some people swear by these
as working perfectly in all weather.
No matter what method you use, you will want to begin application
before you are sick.
"After the fact" just doesn't seem to work, so plan
ahead.
Food
For most of us, food is not only necessary, it is part of our social
make-up.
When you are cruising, it is important to plan your meals in
advance: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Snacks.
Most of us like to make
sure that two out of every three meals is a hot meal.
This usually means
Breakfast and Dinner in most cases - you'll want to decide this for
yourself.
Preparing meals on your sailboat should not be markedly different
from preparing meals at home.
The biggest difference should be that you
won't have an oven on the boat, so you have to rely on "stove top"
techniques.
A good attitude is that if it can be cooked at home on the
range top, it can be cooked on the boat.
Many camping stores stock
terrific meals (not just freeze dried) that don't take up much space and
cook by using boiling water - not too tough.
sell an implement called a "Camp Baker".
Camping stores also often
This gridlike unit is placed in
a deep pan, with water almost up to the units top.
With it you can bake
48
bread, cook stews, and perform a variety of other cooking jobs in much
the same fashion as if you had a small oven.
The main thing to remember is that you don't have to change your
eating habits just because you're on the boat.
Right of Way Rules
For most of us, sailing is just for fun.
And, in general,
sailboats have the right of way with respect to power boats.
are important exceptions though.
1.
There
Some of these are:
If your motor is on, you're a powerboat; and have no special
rights over "powerboats".
2.
If the power boat is a large commercial or military vessel, you
give up your right of way.
3.
Tugboats with a tow have the right of way over you.
4.
You have to "give way" to anyone fishing with nets (fishermen
who are trolling with lines and hooks don’t have the right of way –
but may not know that).
5.
If you as the sailboat are catching up to (overtaking) a
powerboat, he has the right of way.
6.
If you obviously have better maneuverability, then the powerboat
has the right of way.
And, the last is the key.
If you can avoid the collision, you
should; and you may be legally bound to avoid it as well.
Remember that
you could have had all of the right of way in the world; but if your
sailboat has a big hole in it (or worse has sunk), you're having a rotten
day.
When we look at the right of way rules for sailboats only, there are
three situations that are considered:
1.
If both sailors are on the same tack with regard to the wind.
49
2.
and
If the sailors are on opposite tack.
3.
If one sailor is overtaking another from clear astern.
The rules are as follows:
1.
If the sailors are on opposite tacks, then the sailor who is on
a Starboard Tack has the right of way.
Your tack is determined by
the side of you boat which is to windward (up wind).
If the wind is
blowing over the right hand side of your boat first, you are said to
be on a Starboard Tack.
If the wind, on the other hand, is blowing
over the left side of your boat before it gets to the sail, you're
on a Port Tack.
To determine relative tacks, you need to first
determine which tack you're on, and then decide which tack the other
sailor is on.
2.
This takes a bit of practice, so practice often.
If both sailors are on the same tack, then the down wind
(leeward – usually pronounced “lew’rd) sailor has the right of way.
50
This is because the windward boat is able to obstruct (blanket) the
wind from the leeward boat.
The leeward boat is not able to sail as
effectively, so the windward boat has the best ability to avoid any
collision.
3.
The rule for overtaking another sailor is the same as with the
powerboats.
If you are catching up to another sailor, you must turn
so as to avoid running him over.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From Snickerdoodle’s Galley
Bill’s Scrambled Eggs
1. Fry some sausage or bacon in a medium frying pan. I like a wellseasoned cast iron one.
2. Slice a little onion and sauté’ it in the grease. When tender, take
the onion out of the frying pan and save till later with the meat.
3. Fry some frozen hash-brown potatoes using the remaining bacon grease.
I like tater tots the best for this. Season with lemon-pepper,
stirring often as the potatoes cook.
4. Meantime, dice the cooked meat and onion and combine with 1 ½ eggs per
serving. Mix in a little milk or cream, and a little blue cheese salad
dressing if you have some.
5. Leave the potatoes in the pan when done and add the onions, eggs, meat,
etc. Grate in some cheese of choice (I like cheddar or sometimes
Velveeta). Stir often turning mixture over from bottom to top. Cook
until your desired consistency is reached and serve.
6. I like this one with bakery sweet-rolls.
Easy Spaghetti
1. Boil the noodles from some “Top Ramon” or similar soup mix in a small
pot. Do not mix in the soup flavoring. These noodles cook faster than
regular noodles and are already bite sized.
2. If you like sausage, boil your sausage with the noodles.
3. When the noodles are tender, drain off the water. Then mix in some
“Newman’s” spaghetti sauce (or similar sauce). I like the thicker
one’s, but the choice is yours.
4. Cheese to taste and serve with some French bread, garlic butter, and
your favorite red wine.
5. This is really fast and easy.
Special Fried Steak
1. Yes, you can fry steak and it will taste fantastic. I like those
little round steaks that are held together with a string or the smaller
51
sized tenderloins. You can fry four in a medium sized fry pan. If you
can find a frying pan with a raised grid – even better.
2. Place steaks in the fry-pan with the flame at medium high. Immediately
sprinkle with:
A little soy sauce (or Jim Beam whiskey)
A little Worcestershire sauce
Some garlic pepper
Some lemon pepper
(No salt)
3. Fry on one side for 3 to 4 minutes. Then flip and re-sprinkle with the
above items. Fry for another 3 to 4 minutes. Steaks will be about
medium done.
4. Serve with some French bread and a quick salad (Kathy likes the “boxed”
pasta salads). Or maybe some boiled veggie’s if you like - but
remember to keep it simple. And some wine of choice.
INCREDIBLE DESERT!!!
Strawberries Coeur d’Crem
1. Slice fresh strawberries and place in individual serving bowls
2. Have ready equal amounts of:
Whipping cream
Sour cream
Soft Philly cream cheese
3. Whip whipping cream with a little sugar until firm.
4. Mix in sour cream and cream cheese. Mix until you have a smooth
somewhat thick white sauce.
5. Pour over strawberries and serve. You won’t believe it!!
Other fruits may be used in season.
Strawberries Romanoff
Ingredients:
Enough strawberries to serve nice portions to each person aboard.
Heavy sweet whipping cream
Gran Marnier Liqueur
1.
2.
3.
4.
Slice fresh strawberries and place in individual serving bowls.
Whip whipping cream with a little sugar until firm peaks form.
Mix into whipped cream 1 teaspoon of Gran Marnier per serving.
“Top” the strawberries with the ‘spiked’ whipped cream and serve.
Other fruits may be substituted.
Fried Fruit Salad
Ingredients:
Apple
Pineapple
Banana
Blue-berries
Juice of 1 Lime
Fresh mint
Butter
However, I like strawberries the best.
52
Gran Marnier
Use enough fruit to provide 2 to 6 servings
Everything is fried (covered) on the stove top in the following order:
Melt a couple pats of butter in the fry pan in medium high heat;
Fry the apple(s) for three (3) minutes;
Add pineapple and fry for three (3) minutes (remember covered);
Add bananas and fry for two to three minutes;
Add juice of one lime and a couple tablespoons of Gran Marnier;
Add blue-berries and fry for three or four minutes ( the blueberries
will begin to “bleed” juice into the fruit mix);
Add a little mint (only to taste if you like mint flavor);
Serve warm.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Weather Sayings for Sailors
When the mist takes to the open sea,
Fair weather, shipmate, it will be;
But when the mist rolls o're the land,
The rain comes pouring off the sand.
North - stormy - stormy and bold,
East - steady - frost and cold,
South - rain - with troubled sea,
West - squalls - and helm's a-lee.
Barometer
Barometer
Barometer
Barometer
high - heave short and away,
low - let the mudhook stay;
shifting - reef tackles prepare,
steady - set sails without fear.
At sea with a low and falling glass,
The green hand sleeps like a careless ass;
But only when it is high and rising,
Will slumber trouble a careful wise one.
The hollow winds begin to blow,
The clouds look black, the glass is low;
Last night the sun went pale to bed,
The moon in haloes hid her head.
Look out, my lads, a wicked gale,
With heavy rain, will soon assail.
When rain comes before the wind,
Look out, and well your topsail mind;
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But when the wind comes before the rain,
Then hoist your topsails up again.
When the clouds spread like a feather,
Mariner look for fair good weather.
Red in the east I like the least,
Red in the west I like the best.
When rise begins after low,
Squalls expect, and a clear blow.
Long foretold, long to last,
Short notice, soon past.
Mare's tails, leave scanty sails.
A rainbow in the
It is a sailor's
But a rainbow at
It is a sailor's
morning
warning;
night
delight.
When the glass falls low,
Prepare for a blow;
When the glass rises high,
Let the light duck fly.
Mugshot grey and dawn sky red
Clap on your hat or you'll wet your head.
If woolly fleeces deck the heavenly way,
Be sure no rain will mar a summer's day.
When mist takes to the open sea,
Fine weather, shipmate, it will be.
Heavy dews in hot weather
Foretell fair weather.
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If the wind be northeast three days without rain,
Eight days will pass before south again.
No dew after sun,
Fine weather's on the run.
If red the sun begins his race,
Be sure the rain will fall apace.
A rainbow to windward,
Foul falls the day.
If clouds look as if scratched by a hen,
Get ready to reef your topsails then.
If the sun goes pale to bed
'Twill rain tomorrow, so 'tis said.
When the win shifts against the sun,
Trust it not for back it will run.
When
Rain
When
Look
the dew is on the grass
will never come to pass.
grass is dry at morning light
for rain before the night.
North winds send hail,
South winds bring rain.
East winds we bewail,
West winds blow amain.
Northeast is to cold,
Southeast not too warm.
Northwest is to bold,
Southwest blows no harm.
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Catalina 25 National Association
Constitution & By-Laws
The latest National Association and By-Laws, along with many other valuable documents
and items can be located at the National Association website:
www.catalina25-250.org
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