Rigging Horizon Cat

[Tom V]

Have been sailing this wonderful  boat for 3 years and totally enjoy it. My questions are:
1.  Should the throat halyard go threw the bail on the mast, and should the bail be tight so it does not put pressure or catch the halyard.
2.  How often or when should the fore stay and shrouds be replaced?
3.  When reefing the sail how do you keep the tack grommet on the tac hook on the boom?

I hope I used the right terms still learning?

[mrb]

Tom,

I can't help you with question 1 and 3 and hesitate to recommend a time limit on changing standing rigging.  However I suggest you inspect that rigging often for such things as broken stands of wire, discolored wire where it enters pressed fittings such as where it enters the turn buckles. Look for bends or cracks in turnbuckles and related parts. If you find any of these problems I would replace the rigging.  The one thing you don't want to do is wait for something to fail before replacing it.  Hope this helps.  Melvin

[harrys]

I modified my HC by adding a jiffy reef to the luff along with the one already on the leach.  I mounted an eye strap on one side of the boom as far forward as possible.  I run a line from the eye strap up thru the reefing grommet and down to a cheek block that I mounted opposite to the eye strap.  I laid the line along the boom back to a cleat near the cockpit so that I can now reef and shake it out without leaving the safety of the cockpit.