CP-23 Rigging

[Sealeggs]

As I mentioned in my previous post, I just purchased a "new" CP-23. I say new because it has never been commissioned. The poor fellow that ordered it from Hutchins passed away before he took possession of it. When I purchased it from the dealer all rigging and spars were still in plastic - it has never been in the water or even rigged.
As has been mentioned on this forum before, Hutchins provides minimal if any details on how to rig the boat.
Can someone please post some pictures on how the boom and mainsail are rigged?  I have lines with tags marked "outhaul", "downhaul" and "reefing", but have no idea how to properly rig them.
Also, a picture of the gooseneck secured in the mast would also be helpful.
Thank you for any assistance you can provide.

[bruce]

Hopefully an experienced 23 owner will be able to help, but you say you bought from "the dealer", presumably the Com-Pac dealer the unfortunate PO had worked with. They should help you set it up.

Contacting Com-Pac directly will likely be productive. In my experience, they are quick to resolve issues, especially with new boats. This isn't a warranty claim that might cost them money, or a problem caused by misuse or post-production mods. I expect they'd be quick to help, even if you're new to this and lack rigging experience.

[Sealeggs]

Thanks for your response, Bruce.

The previous owner lived in Florida and contracted the sale down there.  The boat never left the Hutchins boatyard.  Apparently, Hutchins contacted the dealer in NJ (their top sales dealer) to see if he was interested in selling the boat.
The dealer is about 300 miles away from me, so asking for his assistance isn't realistic.  Although the boat was new (never in the water, registered or commissioned), it is considered "used" because it was originally titled in the previous owner's name.

I was hoping someone in this group could help out, as I think a couple of pictures is all the help I would need.

It is just baffling to me that Hutchins doesn't provide rigging diagrams for their boats.

Thanks again -
Dave

[bruce]

While I agree that the owner's manuals I've seen from Com-Pac are generally lacking, I expect they would be quick to provide helpful photos if asked.

[Sealeggs]

Yep, Bruce, you were right. I contacted Hutchins and they e-mailed me the rigging diagrams. Apparently, the manual that came with the boat is missing some pages, so they are sending me a new copy.

[bruce]

Excellent. I hope they do upgrade their manuals, but they are usually quick to respond to questions about the boats, new or old.

Now approach them respectfully and collegially with what you think is a well-considered way to improve on a known issue and stand back...they don't take that well!

[brackish]

All kinds of questions come to mind.  Are you going to rig/commission it and leave it in the water or are you going to treat it as a trailer sailor setting it up each time you use it?  Recommendations would be different.  With the latter if you are by yourself, you need a good mast raising system.(DIY section of this forum, second page, go to Tim Gardners revision of my system) Do you have a furler with the boat and is it a CDI?  If so consider using the second block on the masthead for a topping lift, the boat only comes with a backstay pigtail to hold the boom up and that's really not practical in many situaions.  If you want to know specific details, i.e. how does the boom attach to the mast?, or how do you reeve the mainsheet? ask and I'll send pictures and dialog of what you need to know. 

The manual, unless they changed it from my 2005, is not very good with regard to details.

[Sealeggs]

Thanks for the response Brackish.
The boat will be on a slip for the season.
The boat actually came with the manufacturer's mast raising system. Although I had the boatyard step the mast.
Yes, it has the CDI furler. I like your idea of using the spare halyard as a topping lift.
Pictures of the gooseneck to boom attachment and reefing setup would be awesome. The dealer sent me some pictures of a 23 at his marina, but it is not rigged properly. The owner has the outhaul awkwardly running through the reefing block - so, I cannot rely on those pictures.
Hutchins indicated the boom "floats" and is tensioned by the downhaul. But, what happens to the boom when you relieve the halyard tension to reef? Does it drop until you attach the luff reefing point to the hook on the boom and then tension the halyard?
When I contacted Hutchins, they sent me four illustrations marked figures 15, 17, 18a and 19. They indicated the drawings came from the manual -also known as the owner's handbook. The manual that came from them with the boat did not have any drawings at all. I wonder if the person in charge of printing the manual didn't copy and print two-sided? There are no page numbers, so it's difficult to tell.
Anyway, thanks for your response Brackish.

[Cpy23ecl]

When I owned a 23 I used one of these in the mast track below the boom gooseneck to prevent the boom from dropping to far at the mast

https://www.sailrite.com/Sail-Track-Stop-Round

Fred

[brackish]

Don't have a pic handy of boom gooseneck rig, but have some stock photos of my hardware.  It is made of of two components.  the first is this device where you attach your mainsail luff clew and the hook is for reefing.



the second component has the ring for the downhaul and you should have a cleat at the base of your mast.  I also use a sailstop to hold the boom up when dropping the sail for reefing or flaking.



those two components are attached together to make up the gooseneck assembly.

I don't use a sail stop for actually holding up the sail, got tired of dropping and losing them so I did this.  Components came from grainger I think but this works much better, easier and quicker to pull when reefing and you can't lose it.  drill holes at slight angle down just above the gate area.



Yes topping lift is necessary particularly if you are single handling. trying to straddle the cockpit seats and clip the pigtail in a rocking and rolling sea is not too good. even with help it is hard to do in certain situations.  I had a two line clutch and used that for the topping lift lift since you don't need a jib halyard for with a CDI furler.

the factory mast raising system not so good, uses the trailer winch I think, mine is all inclusive on the boat, can be done with one person easily, can be done on the water which is how I normally do it.  I launch the boat first mast down, then put it up with the system.

Ask if questions, good luck with your boat

[brackish]

And one of these days, I'll figure out why my pictures post twice.

[Sealeggs]

Thanks Brackish - Very helpful information and pics.

They must have modified the mast raising system over the years.  The one that came with the boat is self-contained.  The pole slides into a socket at the base of the mast and has a block and tackle setup that gets lashed to the forward mooring cleat. I need to lash mine to the anchor roller since my boat came with a windless and doesn't have a forward mooring cleat. The setup also comes with stabilizer lines that stabilizes to the uppers at the height of the lifeline.

I tried this setup while the boat was still in my driveway and got the mast to about 45 degrees before I stopped. I didn't like the way the foot of the mast seemed to be digging into the mast step as it pivoted up. It seemed like there was too much pressure pushing down on the aft side of the mast base into the step. So, I lowered it and had the marina step the mast instead. 

[brackish]

Yes, the old factory system used a very heavy steel pole that fit into a socket on the trailer.  I pitched all of that.

Yes, the geometry of the step and mast will cause it to dig or bind in the initial stages of lift.  Mine was already bent and cracking after just a few lifts.  I reinforced the area like this with a piece of solid surface countertop material.



I've thought about this as an alternative, it is easier to use not feeding a bolt through but I've got my vang collar attached that bolt. I also think it would not touch the bottom of the step with this type. It does fit that mast extrusion.

[Sealeggs]

So, it looks like my suspicions about the stress on the base of the mast were correct?

Here is a picture of the Hutchins mast raising system.  But, again, there is a lot of stress placed on the base of the mast and mast step with the force of the gin pole straight down.

Thanks for your insight, Brackish.

[pcvivavt]

Brackish:  Where did you find the first component you highlighted in post #9 of this thread?  If you got it from the Hutchins parts catalog, do you not the parts number as I can't locate it in the catalog/parts list.  My "new to me" 1980 CP 23 did not have that piece and I've been using a simple coupler pink and reefing hook which is less than optimal.