Category Archives: Mainsheet

Mainsheet Articles

2008, Electronics, Mainsheet, Repair/Replace/Maintain, Reviews, Sailing

XM Satellite Marine Weather

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XM Satellite Marine Weather
Steve Dublin
May, 2008
Hull #: C380

The following article is from Steve Dublin famous for his 380’s ocean racing and Mainsheet front cover – Warren

About six months ago, I upgraded the GPS/Chartplotter on my Catalina C-380 “Caretta” to a Garmin model 3206. The new chartplotter was mounted in the cockpit on the pedestal guard. It was networked to Garmin’s GDL 30A XM satellite marine weather receiver, which I installed below deck by the distribution panel. The installation process was very straightforward once I learned how to splice an ethernet connection. The watertight ethernet connectors are too large to snake down a pedestal guard tube.

However, Garmin sells a separate connector kit. This allows you to cut off one connector, snake the wire through the tube, and remake a watertight connection. The weather receiver has its own mushroom-type antenna that I mounted on the hoop

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2008, Customizations, Dinghy Davits, Mainsheet, Repair/Replace/Maintain, Stainless

Caution- Davit Stress Corrosion

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Caution- Davit Stress Corrosion
Richard Herbst
February, 2008 Hull #: C380 #93

According to Keith at Kato Marine (katomarine.com, 410-269-1218), earlier models of their davits were built using 304 stainless steel (including early 1998 when my boat, hull #93, was built). If they are continually stress-loaded (i.e., carry the dinghy all the time on the davits) while used in the tropics or similar climate, they may develop stress corrosion (i.e., cracking) of welded joints. If stress corrosion is evident, his advice is to have a qualified welder re-weld it and, in addition, add a gusset (about 1-inch triangular piece of filler metal) on each side of the broken weld. The gussets provide extra insurance against joint failure; it is impossible to know what is going inside the tubes by way of additional deterioration. For the same reason, Kato also suggested not drilling holes in the davits [eg: for wiring].

My

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2008, Mainsheet, Mast, Repair/Replace/Maintain, Rig, Sailing, Stories

Eliminating Dismasting Possibility

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Eliminating Dismasting Possibility
Warren Elliott
August, 2008
Hull #: 44

Simple Repair Eliminates Dismasting Possibility

I don’t mean to worry our C380 captains–the chances are pretty remote for a dismasting–but one of our fleet did suffer this “fate”, so I thought some relevant info would be helpful to at least a few of our members.

The particular unhappy event took place with winds gusting to 30+ kts. Before departure, the rig appeared normal per the captain’s brief check. Early conditions had winds in the low 20’s, so the C380, which had a Z-Spar tall rig, was reefed accordingly. Just after coming about, the mast folded to port/aft about 10 feet above the deck. Luckily, no one was hurt.

Subsequent inspection revealed all stays, shrouds & chainplates to be intact, with no obvious fault. It was noted that a lower-spreader tip had been dislodged, and was “hanging” in the now-loose rigging.

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2008, Customizations, Dinghy Davits

Davits Alternative – Weaver Davits

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Davits Alternative
Craig Spear

February, 2008 Hull #: C-380 #273

A much simpler and much less expensive alternative are “Weaver” davits, whose description is included here to present a more complete picture of dingy storage. For a much more detailed description, refer to our section in the November 2005 Mainsheet; that article is also included on our Tech CD. –Warren

I installed the eyes that attach to the side of my inflatable (RIB). The other half of the system is a pair of hooks that are mounted on the stern of my C380, just below the swim platform. To raise the dingy, first maneuver it to attach the two eyes on the dink to the hooks; then pull a line attached to the far side of the dingy, rotating it into the vertical plane with the bow and stern athwartships. (See Davits photo).

The advantages include much less weight

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2008, Customizations, Sailing

“Noodles” Stop Wave Slapping

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“Noodles” Stop Wave Slapping
Bill Weaver
May, 2008
Hull #: C380 # 54

 My wife and I have sailed our C380 on Lake Michigan since it was delivered to us new in early 1997. Since I retired two years ago, we’ve logged about 1,000 miles over several weeks each of the two summers.

There are few things that annoy us about our C380, the main one being water slapping noise in the stern cabin. It seems that we too often end up with an aft wind, causing small ripplets or larger waves to slap against the hull. We’ve solved this problem by using swimming “noodles”. We string two noodles onto a line and secure it to the stern cleats or to the stern rail. One seems to work well if there are only small ripplets; otherwise two will usually do the trick. The photo shows our boat after a rough

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2008, Mainsheet, Repair/Replace/Maintain, Water

More on Anti-Siphon Valves

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More on Anti-Siphon Valves
Warren Elliott

February, 2008 Hull #: C380 #44

Although there is more than one of these devices on our boats, the anti-siphon valve for our engine is very important, as discussed in the previous few Mainsheet issues. If it fails in the closed position, water is likely to back up into the exhaust manifold and damage the engine. At least one of our C380s engines was badly damaged this way, and more engines out there may be in trouble.

In case some of you are not aware of this device, it’s mounted on the forward side of the bulkhead just above the engine. See our section of the May 2007 Mainsheet for the original article on this subject, including photos.

 

In the previous [November] issue, it was concluded that the best way to monitor the valve’s operation [engine off] was by inserting a small screwdriver,

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2007, Customizations, Mainsheet, Port Lights, Repair/Replace/Maintain

Portlight Replacement

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Port light Replacement
Don and Linda Rooker
May, 2007
Hull #: C380 #157

Don and Linda Rooker, who sail “Jolly Mon”, in the Pickwick Lake/ Tennessee River region of North East Mississippi, felt that the crazing on their original portlghts was too much and decided to go for stainless-steel framed units. So, thought I’d insert their photo here, as a different approach [See Photo]. As their new portlights, made by New Found Metal [.com], have tempered glass, no more crazing. Most of the fleet, including Admiral Jeanne and I, continue to shy away from glass on board. Perhaps a few have wine glasses carefully stowed?? But tempered glass is pretty strong.

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2007, Customizations, Drains

Drain for Swim Platform

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DRAIN FOR SWIM PLATFORM
Warren Elliott
Feb, 2007 Hull #: 44

Are you tired of that small pool of often dirty water that accumulates on the swim  platform of your otherwise beautiful boat?? Well, help is at hand!!
I was surprised– almost shocked– to recently learn, via our Sailnet email  discussion group, that many of our fleet do not have this simple, worthwhile device  which eliminates water accumulations on the swim platform!!. How can this be?? It’s  now taken at least two, maybe three happy hours for this info to sink into my brain and  for me to do something about it! So you know that the value/$ of this upgrade must be  high: at least semi-infinite!! In other words, this clearly worthwhile upgrade can be done  for almost nothing!!

Picture, if you will, a brass tube, maybe 3/8″ diameter and 2″ long, flared at one  end. What could be

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2007, Mainsheet, Port Lights, Repair/Replace/Maintain

More on Portlight Leaks

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More on Portlight Leaks
Richard Herbst
August, 2007
Hull #: C380 #93

Last month’s [May 07] article on repairing portlight leaks omitted one source of a leak that is very easy to fix. On my boat (C380, S/N 93), the 2-horizontal seams in the Lewmar portlight’s frame is a primary source of leakage and the fix is really simple. My boat had been in the Gulf area for many years with the result that sunlight beat these seams to death. To fix, just run a bead of sealant across each seam and the leak stops (see photo).

Note that the portlight frame is hollow, so after sealing the seams, you may have to take a brisk sail to heel and spill the residual water out of the already present holes in the lower part of the frame. Before starting, put a towel there to catch the water.[Suggest removing trim ring;

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2007, Mainsheet, Repair/Replace/Maintain, Rig

Baby Stay on Early C387’s

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Baby Stay on Early C387’s
Warren Elliott

Feb, 2007 Hull #: 44

 For C387 captains with the baby-stay configuration [hulls #1-60+], a few of you have reported, on our Sailnet email discussion group, a bit of damage to the baby-stay tie points in the forward cabin. These have been- or are in process of- repair. Please note that various conditions can put excessive strain along the baby stay, just as they can on any stay or shroud.

I suggest checking the at-rest rig tensions, especially on both the baby stay and forestay; over tensioning the former and under tensioning the latter can be problematic. A “Loos” gauge or equivalent may help you get the best set-up. The forestay should be moderately tight; some riggers suggest the tension be set as tight as 10% of breaking strength, which is about 1000 lbs. If a back-stay tensioner is installed, know your stay

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