Why not just contact Catalina Direct and get a new, adjustable connection? I replaced mine a couple years ago. I think it was $70. My boom rides in the sail slide track. This allows you to raise the boom to various different heights, or to use a down-haul to tighten the luff. I have an '85.
Bob Mann Windcatcher > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:catalina27- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jeffery L. Sheler > Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2006 5:12 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: catalina27-talk: boom connection > > OK, so I decided to raise the boom about 7 inches on the mast to allow > more > headroom in the cockpit and possibly make room for a bimini some day. (I > have 10 to 12 inches leeway at the top of the mast when the mainsail is > fully raised.) I disconnected the boom by pulling the pin at the > gooseneck, > and with some difficulty removed four bolts that fasten the bracket to the > mast. In the process, I stripped one bolt and had to drill it out, which > also ruined the threads on the receiving end of the bracket. (The bolts > screw into the bracket and pass on through holes drilled into the mast, > which also have a slight thread.) I drilled new holes into the mast at the > new location 7 inches up and tried to cut new threads in the ruined hole > in > the bracket, but failed. (My threading tool broke off in the hole. Did I > mention I'm not real handy?) Next, I ruined another hole when a second > bolt > got jammed and the head stripped, and I had to drill IT out. (I remained > remarkably cool through all of this.) > > So let's summarize: I now have two working bolts out of four holding the > connecting bracket to the mast at the new location. The good news is the > two working bolts are the topmost and bottommost bolts. And the connection > set-up consists of an outer bracket through which the bolts pass and an > inner bracket with threads that sits in the sail track. When the bolts are > tightened the two brackets are pressed together pinching against the lip > of > the sail track. The fact that the bolts pass on through both brackets into > the mast itself also gives added adhesion, at least as far as vertical > movement is concerned. > > SO MY QUESTION IS.... am I screwed having only two bolts holding the > gooseneck connection brackets to the mast? Isn't most of the pressure at > that point vertical pressure? If so, it seems that two bolts might be > sufficient. If not, and if I need to have four bolts securing it, it seems > that my options are: 1) re-drilling and re-threading the two bad holes > (remember my track record on that is not good), or getting a new inner > connecting bracket (the one that goes inside the track, with threads). If > that's what I must do, does anyone know where I can get one? (Mine is an > 89 > C27 Tall Rig). > > Sorry for the long post, and thanks for any helpful suggestions anyone > might care to offer. > > > Jeff Sheler > s/v Windsome > C27TR #6594 > Hampton, VA
