Hi- We just bought a used 2005 Horizon Cat. Very excited to rig it, but am struggling with the pile of lines we inherited. Does anyone have a diagram of how to rig the boat? I have a list of lines, their colour fleck and use, but am not sure where to attach what. Any suggestions?
thx!
Maybe someone has one near where you live. Where are you located? My new boat will be delivered in a few weeks, and can certainly get you any rigging diagrams you need then, but you prob want to get it done sooner.
Rob
sbgolden,
I wish I were closer to lend a hand.
Rigging a Catboat is really quite easy. Since you have a list identifying each running rigging line, recommend you go to the Com-Pac Web Site or GOOGLE "Horizon Cat Sail Plan" and check out a diagram of a sail plan. This should help you rig the more complex line for the longer Peak Halyard on gaff and mast. The throat halyard is an easy purchase from base of mast then around a block aloft then to the gaff gooseneck fitting.
Here is a diagram to get you started.
capt_nemo
(http://www.gisails.com/images/boatpics2/boat_21_9.jpg)
I was able to rig everything except the reef line and downhaul--not sure how to do that- any suggestions?
Downhaul attaches to the eye on the bottom of the boom Gooseneck, down to the turning block at the base of the mast, back to the line stopper on the port side. Reefing line attaches to the padeye on aft end of boom, through the reef cringle on the luff, down to the turning block on boom, forward to the cleat on the side of the boom.
Thanks for your help Craig- would be awesome if you had a photo of the downhaul and reefing line. I'm new to sailing and am not sure if I need to purchase any additional blocks for the downhaul and reefing lines. A picture is worth a thousand words!
Quote from: rbh1515 on April 08, 2015, 09:00:44 PM
Maybe someone has one near where you live. Where are you located? My new boat will be delivered in a few weeks, and can certainly get you any rigging diagrams you need then, but you prob want to get it done sooner.
Rob
I live in Vancouver BC...I don't think there are any other Horizon Cat owners on the West Coast...Enjoy your new boat- would love to see any diagrams you are provided. We bought a used boat so didn't get much material with it.
You should not need any extra hardware. There should be a block near the base of the mast on the port side for the downhaul. Line goes through that block, through the double block on the cabin top and then through the spinlock line stopper on the rear of the cabin portside. Don't have a good pic to post but is pretty straightforward routing
Thanks- I get the part about going back to the cockpit, but not sure what to do at the sail end....Do I need a hook to go through the grommet on the sail or just loop it through? Where does the end that goes through the sail attach?
http://goo.gl/qepSrr
http://home.comcast.net/~ragenpl/nacra/downhaul_02.jpg
Same questions with the reefing line. Am just not sure if you need two separate lines- one for the leech and one for the luff or if you can do it with one line...
Sorry for the basic questions- it's hard to find a simple diagram online.
Thanks for your help!!
Shira
There is an eye on the bottom of the boom gooseneck. Tie the end of the downhaul to it with a bowline knot.and then run it back to the spinlock. When reefing, the grommet on the luff(luff reef cringle) on the sail is attached to a hook on the starboard side of the mast,shortening the luff. Run the rear reefing line from the padeye on the rear of the boom up through the grommet(leech reef cringle) on the leech of the sail, down and through the small turning block at the rear of the boom and forward to the cleat. To reef, hook the grommet on the luff over the hook on the portside of the mast, pull the leech reefing line until the grommet is pulled against the boom and cleat it off. Once that is done, rehoist the sail until the luff is taut and you are done. The set of grommets(reef points) running parallel to the boom are used to tie up the folds of the reefed sail with short lengths of line. Doing so will improve the shape of the sail when reefed. The reef points should be pulled as tight as possible. The downhaul is used to put more tension on the luff. Sail adjustment in various conditions is the next chapter! LOL Hope this has been helpful Shira. Don't be shy about asking questions! We have all been there!
Quote from: sbgolden on April 13, 2015, 05:07:49 PM
I live in Vancouver BC...I don't think there are any other Horizon Cat owners on the West Coast...Enjoy your new boat- would love to see any diagrams you are provided. We bought a used boat so didn't get much material with it.
I just purchased a 2007 HC and will have it on Flathead Lake in MT most of the time. However, I sailed out of Blaine WA for many years on boats I have since sold. I will pry. bring this HC to the San Juans and Gulf Islands for some of the time. Also, there is a fellow in Portland OR who has a 2008 HC that he plans to bring to the San Juans. Just so you know that there will be a few around.
Hi- We've almost got our Cat rigged and ready to sail. We hoisted the sail and noticed that the side stays are super loose. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to tune the mast? I have no idea how tight the stays need to be and how to ensure that they are equally tight. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
thx
Stays should be adjusted so that when the mast is up it should take firm pressure(just short of painful) to close the forestay toggle. Other than that just make sure the mast is plumb and not curved toward one side or the other.The lee shroud is always loose. That's it! No fancy tuning required. Have fun!
Hi Craig- thanks for the tip. Just wondering how loose is loose for the lee stay. Ours was swing around quite a bit.
Thx
sbgolden,
Strongly echo Craig's comment regarding "firm pressure" to close the quick-release lever on the forestay. Just be careful when releasing the lever to avoid injury to hand or fingers. It is that marvelous forestay lever that we all appreciate so much that controls the initial tension on the shrouds which is OK for normal use and frequent trailering. Only if the boat were to stay in the water for a considerable length of time, or be used for long distance cruising, especially offshore, would I consider tightening the shroud turnbuckles a bit more.
Even with the "firm pressure" adjustment, when hard on the wind the leeward shroud will be a little loose. As long as it is not "super loose" and dancing around. I've seen a few that made me cringe at the sight.
capt_nemo
Hi-Just another rigging question. I adjusted the stays on my HC but while sailing noticed that the mast bows quite a bit to leeward (whatever tack I'm on). Is this normal/safe? Should I loosen/tighten the stays?
As posted previously, the stay tension should be adjusted so that closing the toggle is just short of or at the low end of painful. At that tension you are fine. This is a gaff rig and unlike some sloop rigs, the mast does not have to be on the verge of being driven through the mast step to function efficiently. A little bow is normal. Relax and enjoy!