Gerry Sheehan
Olympia, WA
Boat Name: Windward
Model/Year: 1986
Hull No. 13812
Hailing Port: Olympia, WA |
 02/01/2004 3:10 PM Pacific Time
Last year there was a discussion about mast gates but I figured I would never go sailing alone so I didn't worry about it. Alas, I found that I wanted to go sailing more that most of my crew and I need to reconfigure my boat to single hand it. Long story short, can you get mast gates from CD or do I need to get them custome made some place.
...Gerry Sheehan |
Boat Name:
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02/02/2004 4:58 AM Pacific Time
Try this web page. It has a picture and a description.
http://www.catalina22.org/techtips/mastgate.htm
Hope it helps.
Tony Carlisle
Jackson, MS |
Bayard Gross
Greenwich, CT
Boat Name: Baby Blue
Model/Year: 1981
Hull No. 9911
Hailing Port: Greenwich, CT |
02/03/2004 4:37 PM Pacific Time
Why would you need mast gates for single handling?
What you require is just a sail stop placed into the sail groove just above the wider slot where the slugs (or slides) enter that then holds up the sail just below the bottom sail slug.
However, you may wish to have some fashion for reefing, in which case the use of a jack line on the main sail is far preferable to mast gates.
For some descriptive pictures on just what a jack line is and how you may be able to set one up on your own rig, please look at the picture of the jack line on Catalina Direct sails at this web site and also refer to the jack line in the Catalina 22 Technical manual available from the C-22 National Sailing Association.
As both these references with leave much missing, you will also need to get some more information from library books. (I feel that the jack line diagram in the C-22 technical manual does not show the standard simple sail slugs of a C-22. The sail slugs demonstrated, I think are more similar to a Harken Bat Car system and as such are confusing to relate to a C-22's more simple sail slugs. However, this excellent article does provide the general idea behind a jack line.) (The Catalina Direct picture only shows one view from one side of the sail, but this is not supposed to be a technical picture.
I put a jack line onto my main sail, but it is an abbreviated one that terminates at the first sail slug. It is not a traditional jack line per se, but it does work. I avoided the problems of having the jack line and tack reefing line getting hung up on the sail stop by replacing the sail stop with a small cylinder cut from 3/8 inch aluminum rod that is tapped to accept a #10 screw. I screw down on this screw and I then have a sail stop with a smooth small head that the jack line and tack reefing line easily ride over.
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Alan Greer
Imperial, Mo.
Boat Name:
Model/Year: 1970 Catalina 22
Hull No. 130
Hailing Port: St. Louis, Mo. |
03/14/2004 9:17 AM Pacific Time
To have or to have not, that is the question. Personally, I love 'em...I made mine out of simple aluminum obtained at the hardware store which is used under an entry way, although I can't remember what you call it, maybe carpet track? Anyway, it cost me no more than a few dollars and some change. Single handed sailing is a lot easier to manage now since I don't have to leave the cockpit to raise and lower the main sail. |
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03/15/2004 8:21 AM Pacific Time
I agree. I used the website above to fashion my own mast gates out of aluminum carpet edging, just as Alan did. The entire job took less than 30 minutes, drill, tap, screw, done. I use double line reefing but it still makes a difference becuase all you have to do it reset the Halyard to the desired length, then tighten the forward reefing line. No pulling slugs out. Also, the slugs drop further when the sail is down, making putting the sailcover on easier.
What i like about mast gates is their simplicity and lack of any technical knowledge. I didn't have to go read anything. The website above will teach you everything you'll ever need to know. |
Hal Breuninger
Mantoloking Shores, NJ
Boat Name: Seabear
Model/Year: Cat 22 1977
Hull No. 7837
Hailing Port: |
08/15/2007 9:49 AM Pacific Time
Alan - i know this post is old, but do you have a picture of the fabricated mast gates that you made? Thanks
Hal |
