On my 2013 Sunday Cat it's a bit tricky to get the gaff and boom through the hinge while raising the sail, and similarly difficult to get it through when lowering the sail. Since I keep the boat at a mooring and don't have to lower the mast I'm wondering whether I should stow the boom, sail and gaff slightly above the hinge so I never have to pass through it? If so I suppose I could use that long pin through the hinge to keep it from sliding down. Does anyone else do that?
I suppose you could, just don't forget when it comes time to drop the mast.
The gaff and boom slides shouldn't be hanging up. Com-Pac shipped the slides heavily greased. Many focus on the sail slugs which don't need the grease and clean the track and just use a light spray lubricant. That could contribute to your problem, the SS slides in the aluminum track do better greased.
My first guess would be that the track was damaged at the hinge when a PO didn't get the spars and sail on the stub before dropping the mast. If the track isn't smoothly continuous at the hinge as it should be the slides could catch. Again, a photo would help.
I keep our SunCat in a slip for the summer season and the boom never goes below the hinge until we haul out. I have a bolt through the mast hinge that keeps the boom essentially at the hinge, and take care to make sure everything is below the hinge when we drop the mast in the fall. There is minor damage to the track, no doubt from at least one careless time the mast was dropped.
Hi Jim,
Thanks for the reply. It makes sense to me to keep everything above the hinge for the season so the slides never have to pass through the hinge while raising or lowering the sail. On a related note, I was told that the purpose of the long pin was to keep everything below the hinge when folding the mast, but it seems like it could be equally good for keeping things above the hinge for non-trailering use. Is there any reason you used a bolt and not the long pin?
The long pin tends to slide out of position; the bolt with a locking (nylon) nut stays put.
Dangling on the lanyard along the mast stub below the hinge, as intended, my long pin snagged the sail as it went up a couple of times. First time it landed in the cockpit, the second time it went over the side. I made a new pin without the big loop and a holster that worked better, but if you don't need the pin to be easily inserted/removed frequently +1 for Jim's bolt.
I keep my Suncat in a slip most of the time. While berthed, I keep the gaff and boom above mast stub using the pin. It makes it easier to get in and out of the cabin and to put the sail cover on. It allows me to have the bimini top up and makes for better visibility when motoring out of the marina. You have to remember to remove the pin before raising the sail or you can't tension the downhaul. I stow the pin inside the stainless steel bracket holding the bow lights to the mast. The gap in the loop of the pin allows the edge of the bracket to slip in. My boom and gaff will slide easily into the mast step for trailering. You must have them both below the tabernacle before lowering the mast. That is the intended purpose of the pin. Be sure to have the loop that's welded to the slide below also.