We Sail our Cat for the first Time post refit

[Catamoron]

Check out our family hoisting the sails for the first time. After a long year of renovation, we finally get to enjoy a beautiful day of sailing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJZJKrkqORQ

[travellerw]

In case you ever wonder if people are watching your stuff... I'm out here... Watching.. Always watching.....

[dpddj]

Ease those lazy jacks, me hardy!

[2Hulls]

Kevin - I'm the person who offered suggestions to you on YouTube regarding your mainsail outhaul. I hope these were helpful. If you still are confused about it, this is a good place to get additional help.

Also, cleaning the paddle wheel can usually be done from inside if you prefer or if it's not practical to snorkel to do it. Most can be pulled into the boat and have a check valve/flapper to limit the water coming in while you insert a plug provided just for this purpose that came with the instrument. Find the plug first.

2 Hulls Dave

[Catamoron]

2Hulls - we are working on it...we did do what you suggested and we had a little trouble ...but as I was just explaining it to my son, we stumbled on the solution: when we secured it to the boom, the back of the sail would not tighten up...but we think its because we need to raise the boom to match - we will try again next sail.

dpddj - will do...didn't really know to release them down...should we let them hang down, or just bring them down to the boom area?

travellerw - now I'm a little creaped out...I need to go pull the curtains - you may not want to know what goes on in here! ha ha

Thanks for the replies...and keep watching, more to come.

[2Hulls]

Originally Posted by Catamoron

2Hulls - we are working on it...we did do what you suggested and we had a little trouble ...but as I was just explaining it to my son, we stumbled on the solution: when we secured it to the boom, the back of the sail would not tighten up...but we think its because we need to raise the boom to match - we will try again next sail.

Actually, you need to lower the boom. The boom will raise with the sail as it gets to full hoist, unless you have a reef in, then it will still raise with the sail as you approach that reef point going up.

If the back (leech) of the sail does not tighten up it's because you have the topping lift too tight (boom too high with the sail down). The topping lift is the line from the end of the boom to the top of the mast that holds up the boom when the sail is not up.

This varies from boat to boat, but before you raise the main the next time, see where your topping lift is set. With the main down, it will be holding up the weight of the boom and main and the boom should be as low as possible without resting on the bimini. Give yourself a few inches of margin. Mark this point on the topping lift line at some convenient reference point so you can return to it later before you lower the main. A Sharpie pen works well for this. This way, when you lower the main the topping lift will take the weight of the boom and main before it crashes onto your bimini.

With the sail up, loosen the topping lift until it is just slack if you need to. It likely will be slack anyway because the boom should now be higher than it was when the sail was down - the sail is holding it up. If the topping lift tightens as you sheet in the main, loosen it some more. Normally, the topping lift should not be carrying any load when the main is up and working.

All this assumes you have the right sail on the boat. Report back if you cannot get the leech tight before the boom lowers to the bimini.

2 Hulls Dave

[dpddj]

Not sure how your jacks are rigged. On mine the top lines go up, over a sheave and exit at the base of the mast. When I am ready to raise the main, I loosen the jacks and pull/tie them forward, so the sail battens don't fetch up in the jacks while raising the sail. I then pull the jacks back up but let them sag so they don't hold tight against the main. I snug them just before dropping the main.
I am sure there are a lot of different techniques used and I'd be interested in seeing some of those. I often sail by myself and this works for me, using autopilot to stay headed into the wind while raising/lowering the main.
A long time ago I learned that if I eased the main sheet prior to raising the main, the last few yards going up was a lot easier.
I'm still learning - every day I go out.
Have fun.

[Sand crab]

Kevin, you should put the boat make and model in your signature and/or details by your name. And on the YouTube vids too.
It's an FP Venezia 42 if any of the members were wondering.

Nice work.

[44'cruisingcat]

Good work! Enjoy!

[mlucasparris]

Love your videos. What is your backstory? I couldn't seem to find anything on YouTube.

As a newbie, I find it frustrating that Catamarans are called 'Cats' as there are also Cat-Boats that are called 'Cats'. Everyone does it, nothing can be changed - just a point of conversation. I've been looking for information on the WylieCat 30 which isn't a Catamaran but a Cat-Rigged sailboat. I'm very interested in these boats so trying to sort out search listings from catamarans and catboats can be a pain.

Anyway, love the videos and enjoy your watching your journey.

[avid]

Originally Posted by mlucasparris

Love your videos. What is your backstory? I couldn't seem to find anything on YouTube.

See this problem all the time with Sail blogs and You Tube channels. I keep wondering, how did they start sailing, how did they come to own boat, what are the backgrounds of the owners. I liked how this particular channel recommended viewing their introduction video first. Excellent plan but I was hoping for some background information there.

By the way Catamoron, that was a really tough go with your wife's foot. The experience was really gruesome, frightening episode. I trust she is fully recovered now?

[travellerw]

They have a great blog that gives most of their back story and much more details on the refit. He is also super candid about his expenses and costs which has been incredibly helpful for me.

http://www.catchinrays.net/

One question.. What were your hard fees in key West? Why are your slip fees now? Just wondering as I heard key West is insanely expensive.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Catamoron]

Ok...well, we're stuck here at anchor off Key Largo next to Rodriquez Key as we wait on a starter. We've been doing not much of nothing since we've got here and its been great. We've gone on a beer run (well, it was a beer "walk") about 1/2 mile down the road. Taken the dinghy out for multiple fun runs. Fished a little, watched the stars a little, and just generally enjoyed being on the hook and enjoying each other's company and not having to work - at anchor, you don't have to pay anybody rent!!

So, we do get long distance internet here as we are only .3 miles off shore. But didn't know I had so many people commenting on the post. But anyway, yeah, it surprises me that somebody can't find my backstory - the YouTube channel has my blog link at the lower right hand corner along with our Facebook link.

Also, I have had a few people asking me about the cost of the refit - and while the blog posting I did awhile back is pretty accurate, it has changed some since that posting with a little more features and stuff added. I estimate that we probably have about $170k- $175k in it at this point - pretty good I think for a pretty renovated catamaran.

But as far as the costs to keep it in Key West - here's what we were paying:
At the boatyard it was $13.50 per foot + a $150 live-aboard fee - worked out to about $757 per month to live in the yard on my boat.

The marina is a little different - at Stock Island Marina they initially charged me $23 per foot + a $100 live aboard fee - worked out to about $1066 per month to live aboard in a bad ass marina. But the catch is they were going up on their prices in December or Janurary and I never did get a straight answer to exactly what is was going up to. Some people said it was going up to $35 per foot and another said $25 per foot - but I don't know. Also, at the marina the electricity is metered - so account for that.

Oh, and the last thing on Tami's foot - it is absolutely not recovered at all - she actually still has a spot on her Achilles that still doesn't have skin - it is so small though as it is almost healed. The problem is the pain and its pretty much unrelenting. We may have been better off not saving it....but such is life...we still laid on the trampoline tonight, admired the stars, drank a beer, and talked about how lucky we are.

[avid]

Originally Posted by Catamoron

Oh, and the last thing on Tami's foot - it is absolutely not recovered at all - she actually still has a spot on her Achilles that still doesn't have skin - it is so small though as it is almost healed.

My neighbor had a motorcycle accident in Baja. By the time they made it to Cabo San Lucas his heel and achilles were severely infected. After surgery in Cabo and flying home he allowed the local wound clinic to attempt to heal the open wound over his achilles. I finally convinced him to go to the OHSU wound clinic. After their treatment it was better in a month after suffering for 8 months. It is a very difficult part of the body to heal. Tell her to hang in there given time this all could be a distant memory.

[chad.lawie]

Nice video and editing!