Sorting out my Picnic Cat

[Rick James]

Good day all,
I purchased a used PC from a fellow in New Brunswick and towed her home to Cape Breton. This will be my first catboat after having owned three different Bermuda rigs. I have yet to launch her because the weather has not been cooperative. Ideally for a first sail to check all equipment, I would like 10 kph with gusts less than 20 kph, but it has been blowing more than twice that.

The upper and lower sail tracks at the tabernacle have been split away for 3 to 4 inches but on the starboard side only. I have read that this is what occurs when you attempt to lower the mast without dropping the boom and gaff below the hinge. After contacting the manufacturer about replacement parts, they offered to sell me some stainless steel tangs (1.5 to 2 inches wide by what ever length you need)which are meant to be screwed into the mast and overlap the damaged sail track. Has anyone here done this repair? Would it be possible to weld the sail track back in place?

The previous owner stated that she does take on some water if left out for more than a couple of days. This did not concern me too much as I intend to only trailer sail for a few hours at a time. I suspect that the centerboard pivot bolt is the culprit and new seals are in order.

She was a Bimini that can not be used if the boom is resting in the gallows. I consider this a serious flaw that may be solved with lazy jacks doubling as topping lifts. Has anyone here seen or thought of this?

Good to have a place to share our trials and tribulations,
Rick James
Cape Breton Island

[Robustoma]

I had the same problem with the sail track on the mast. I brought it to a local aluminum welder who fixed it, albeit with a less than beautiful fix.  I wasn't aware of the part you are referring to,and was quoted $600 for a,new mast without fittings if the weld didn't hold.  Only sailed with the weld once but so far so good.

[CaptRon28]

I've got a similar problem with the mast track on my Horizon. The portion of the track near the hinge tends to wear more than the rest. I don't think it was caused by lowering the stick with the boom and gaf above the hinge. That action would probably produce significantly more damage than this.

One thing I do now, after the mast is up,  is to raise the boom and gaf slides above the hinge and then pin them there. They stay there until the mast comes down - could be that day or in 3 months. ComPac would probably not approve of this, but it does help getting these two steel slides above the hinge area where the problem is. It also get me some more height in the cockpit. A topping lift could then hold the boom above the bimini. A topping lift without pinning the boom would have to hold the whole thing up.