CATBOAT GUIDE and SAILING MANUAL Collected from Web sites, articles, manuals, and forum postings Compiled and edited by: Edward Steinfeld What I dream about. What fits my need best. ii Picnic cat by Com-Pac What I can trailer. Fisher Cat by Howard Boats iii Contents CATBOAT THESIS ...................................................................................................................1 A BRIEF HISTORY OF CATBOATS .....................................................................................3 MOORING AND DOCKING ...................................................................................................4 Docking ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Docking and Mooring ............................................................................................................................................................. 5 Docking Lessons ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6 DOCKING OUTBOARD-POWERED SMALL SAILBOATS ..............................................9 Approaching the Dock ........................................................................................................................................................... 9 Angling the Boat Properly and Coming to a Stop ........................................................................................................ 9 Turn the Rudder, Turn the Engine .................................................................................................................................. 10 MENGER CAT 19 OWNER'S MANUAL ............................................................................. 11 Stepping and Lowering the Tabernacle Mast ............................................................................................................. 11 Trailer Procedure ................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Sailing Tips .............................................................................................................................................................................. 13 First Reef ............................................................................................................................................................................. 14 Second Reef ........................................................................................................................................................................ 15 TRIMMING THE SAIL .......................................................................................................... 16 How to get rid of Weather Helm?.................................................................................................................................... 16 Quick study guide.................................................................................................................................................................. 16 What I do to trim the sail is... .......................................................................................................................................... 17 Sail Trim .................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Short Peak Halyard Primer ................................................................................................................................................ 18 Catboat Sail Trim ................................................................................................................................................................... 19 How ‘deep throat’ can give better performance in a single-sail, gaff-rigged boat ................................................ 19 Angle of attack ................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Draft ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Twist ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Trimming to conditions ..................................................................................................................................................... 20 Points of sail ........................................................................................................................................................................ 20 ANCHORING .......................................................................................................................... 22 HEAVING-TO IN A CATBOAT ........................................................................................... 24 Family Cat ................................................................................................................................................................................ 24 Marshall Sanderling .............................................................................................................................................................. 24 Horizon Cat .............................................................................................................................................................................. 24 Sun Cat ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 RIGGING AND LAZY JACKS .............................................................................................. 26 Rigging Length of Line Chart - Sanderling .................................................................................................................. 26 Single Line Reefing ............................................................................................................................................................... 29 iv Description of Lazyjacks on Cat Nap.............................................................................................................................. 29 Another Sun Cat Lazy Jacks Installation ...................................................................................................................... 31 Still Another ............................................................................................................................................................................ 32 Homemade Lazy Jacks ........................................................................................................................................................ 33 Lazy Jacks (Picnic Cat) ....................................................................................................................................................... 35 Simple Lazy Jacks for a Sun Cat ...................................................................................................................................... 36 MODIFYING SUN CAT'S RIGGING ................................................................................. 37 Adding Lazy Jacks ................................................................................................................................................................. 40 Creating a Gaff Boom Downhaul ..................................................................................................................................... 40 Improving the Reefing System ........................................................................................................................................ 40 Making an Adjustable Outhaul ......................................................................................................................................... 41 John’s Changes ...................................................................................................................................................................... 41 MORE SUN CAT MODS ........................................................................................................ 42 SUN CAT UNDER BRIDGEDECK CABIN STORAGE ..................................................... 49 NEW SAIL FOR THE SUN CAT .......................................................................................... 53 SUN CAT WATER LEAK FIXES .......................................................................................... 54 MAST AND SAIL RAISING TIPS ...................................................................................... 56 Raising the Sail (Com-Pac) ................................................................................................................................................ 56 Raising the Mast (Sun Cat) ................................................................................................................................................ 56 Raising the Sail (Sun Cat) .................................................................................................................................................