Removing foresail-stowing for winter

SpeedAgent · #1 (**permalink**) 12-08-2008

Hello,

I have recently purchased a '77 Catalina 27' and I am in the process of doing standard maintenance and caring for it during the winter months. I have done a lot of deck sealing just this weekend and my next concern is stowing the foresail and possibly the Harken roller furling.

First question is - how do I remove the foresail? I don't yet know how to sail and have not been tought how to use the rigging on my boat, but I don't want to leave the sail out all winter long if I don't have to. The sail is on a Harken MKIII roller furling and I would also like advice on what to cover this with to keep it out of the elements.

Second questions - can sails be cleaned at home or should they only be cleaned by professionals?

Third question - is there a solvent you can use on the metal deck plates to clean them of old sealant? I have both a white and a clear sealant that I am trying to remove on most of the plates.

Thanks in advance for the advice and instruction,

Chris

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 12-08-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpeedAgent

Hello,

I have recently purchased a '77 Catalina 27' and I am in the process of doing standard maintenance and caring for it during the winter months. I have done a lot of deck sealing just this weekend and my next concern is stowing the foresail and possibly the Harken roller furling.

First question is - how do I remove the foresail? I don't yet know how to sail and have not been tought how to use the rigging on my boat, but I don't want to leave the sail out all winter long if I don't have to. The sail is on a Harken MKIII roller furling and I would also like advice on what to cover this with to keep it out of the elements.

Lower the halyard, and pull the sail down. The luff should have a wire "bolt rope" that is fed into the foil on the Harken furler. Unclip the tack and head of the sail from the furler and halyard swivel, untie the sheets from the clew, and flake it.

Quote:

Second questions - can sails be cleaned at home or should they only be cleaned by professionals?

Yes, there have been about a half-dozen threads on this in the last two months... use google to search for them. The in-house search function is very basic and usually blows chunks.

BTW, you really should read the POST in my signature, since it has information on how to search sailnet's forums using google among other things and was written for N00bs to help them get more out of sailnet.

Quote:

Third question - is there a solvent you can use on the metal deck plates to clean them of old sealant? I have both a white and a clear sealant that I am trying to remove on most of the plates.

Thanks in advance for the advice and instruction,

Chris

Depends on the sealant...but in most cases no, you need to use a razor in most cases.

SpeedAgent · #3 (**permalink**) 12-08-2008

Question #1- Totally did not understand any of what you said. I'm just learning the language.

questions #2- totally understand-the serach here was confusing. Just wanted to hear from others here.

Question #3- bummer. I did scrape the plates when I did it this weekend, but I was hoping there might be something better. The clear stuff is more difficult since it is so pliable. Just pushed all over the place instead of eventually breaking off.

Thanks for the reply.

Chris

dealweb · #4 (**permalink**) 12-08-2008

SpeedAgent.

Try looking at this pic for the parts of sail for saildog's answer on question #1:

http://www.mum.edu/images_exss/saili...il/lesson1.jpg

retclt · #5 (**permalink**) 12-08-2008

My best advice would be . . . . . . . head to the nearest Marine store and browse the books. Don Casey has really good stuff. Number one . . . learn the parts of the boat. Don’t be embarrassed to ask questions around the dock. Taking a basic sailing course and at least the ASA or US Sailing Keelboat would be a great start. I highly recommend it.

You have a great boat! I love those Catalina 27’s! Enjoy!!!

SpeedAgent · #6 (**permalink**) 12-08-2008

Thanks- I love the boat and it is in fantastic shape, thus the urgency to get the deck sealed and keep the gear in good shape. I have a basic sailing book, just haven't had the time to crack it open.

there is a sailing school located in our marina and I am scheduling a class after my December/January schedule lightens up. Wed of this week through January 31 are going to be crazy busy so I want to get everything I can off the boat this week.

Thanks again for the replies. I would ask folks on the dock, but it was 32 degrees there on Saturday and I saw one other person.

Chris

WouldaShoulda · #7 (**permalink**) 12-08-2008

I dowloaded instructions from the maker of my furler, CDI.

Does Harken have this info available on-line??

sailingdog · #8 (**permalink**) 12-08-2008

Highly recommend you go out and buy Dave Seidman's The Complete Sailor. It's about $15 at most big book stores.

The Halyard is the line that goes up the mast and comes down to attach to the top point of the sail, called the head of the sail, and is used to raise or hoist the sail.

The Luff of the sail is the forward edge of the sail. In the case of a head sail, the portion attached to the forestay or furling unit. The rear edge of the sail is known as the Leech, and the bottom is the FOOT

The Tack of the sail is the forward most lower corner of the sail, where the luff and the foot of the sail meet. The Clew is the corner of the sail where the foot and the leech meet, where the sheets are attached to the headsail.

Sheets are the lines that run back to the cockpit and are used for controlling the sail.

badsanta · #9 (**permalink**) 12-08-2008

Your deck sealing should be under the deck plate and not just around the edges. This is not a house and not done the same way. agree, get the book.

SpeedAgent · #10 (**permalink**) 12-08-2008

Yep, all deck plates were pulled up. That's why I was asking about maybe a solvent or something to help remove the old sealant-it isn't really easy to get underneath the plate with less than 1" of clearance.