Gooseneck/Mast Slot on '78 CD 25 Question

[Dasein]

The gooseneck on my '78 CD25 sits in the mast slot and is free to travel quite a distance (6-8 inches) vertically between a clevis pin at the top and the end of the mast slot at the bottom. It has a line attached that looks to attach to the tack of the main sail. Is the boom raised and lowered with the mainsail? since it seems to be dependent upon the tack (halyard tension). Never seen this before. Is this a unique downhaul setup? Picture is a bit confusing as the mast is on the deck and another line/wire block is directly behind the subject.

gooseneck.jpg

Thanks for any insight.

[Jim Davis]

What I did on my 25 and other boats with a similar gooseneck is to hoist the main all the way up and bely the halyard. Then push the boom down until you get the desired tension and bely the downhaul. The ring should be on the bottom of the gooseneck.

[s2sailorlis]

My CD 22 has the same setup. I preset the downhaul so I can get a full hoist with good tension on the luff, not so tight as to induce wrinkles on the leech but just enough to show a minor amount of luff wrinkle. I use my Cunningham for fine tune adjustment.

Note that I have a cleat mounted in the sail track below the gooseneck to keep it secure. (Allowing a preset as I mentioned above..)I

EDIT: You have a reef hook with a line running thru it, I have never seen that before. It's usually riveted to the mast or boom so you can secure the new tack when the main is reefed. Not sure why a line is running thru it as I don't think it's designed for use in that manner...

[Dasein]

Thanks for the replies. Looking at it again, that probably is a misplaced reef hook.

[Keith]

I think the reef hook should be mounted to the goose neck bolt as well. I'd mount it to the top side and it looks like you will need a slightly longer bolt to accommodate the thickness of the mounting section of the reef hook.

Keith

[Dasein]

Good idea Keith! I might even replace the hook with a double sided one, to potentially lessen frustration when the wind builds. I also see some examples of people adding steel o-rings on webbing through the reef grommet on the luff. Anything to simplify and quicken reefing.

reef.jpg

[Astronomertoo]

Gentlemen, and women...
I have a related favor to ask of those of you with an old style CD25, and looking at these pictures.
My 1975 project will not be in the water anytime soon, but after looking at the shared pics here of the gooseneck area, I have questions about how mine is going to work, when I do get it together. My boat came as kind of a basket case, and I have had several sailboats previously but feel I may be missing some parts on this one. And where might I buy any missing boom/mast connection parts that are specific to the old 25s with the small masts and booms (Not the later 25D)? In fact, if anyone is willing, I might not be the only one who would love to see how a sail rigged working CD25 is connected with all the boom to mast gooseneck parts, cunningham, the sail slot stopper, and mainsail boom outhaul is attached. A few pics would be worth a thousand words, preferably here, but by email if necessary.
Thanks to all,
BobC
Moon Shine

[Jim Walsh]

Good idea Keith! I might even replace the hook with a double sided one, to potentially lessen frustration when the wind builds. I also see some examples of people adding steel o-rings on webbing through the reef grommet on the luff. Anything to simplify and quicken reefing.

reef.jpg

I use what sailmakers refer to as "earrings" at the tack of my first and second reefs. I find them very handy. I also have oversized tack hooks on my gooseneck to simplify putting a reef in. I have a picture showing the earrings but I couldn't find a close-up of my tack hooks. I find the larger tack hooks easier to work with when the **** hits the fan.

[Dasein]

Thanks Jim. Yeah, I think the steel o-rings on webbing is an economical post-sailmaker version of your preferred "earrings". Now, after reading Bob's post, I am also curious of how the boom is held aloft when the sail is down (or while putting in a reef). Does the CD25 have a masthead topping lift? If not, how hard is it to install one, as I don't like having the boom drop into the cockpit when wind builds, nor do I ever like attaching a "pigtail" to the backstay (for safety reasons). The mast is currently down, so it is opportune time to install an alternative. Thanks.

[Dasein]

BobC, here is a basic parts list/position of parts as they are on my 78 CD25 at the gooseneck. I cannot verify these are the original parts, but they look to be the same. Note that one of the goosenecks has a ring for attaching a downhaul. Currently my boat has a cotter pin in lieu of the stop at point B, but I think this is a recipe for bloodletting. Also, if your mainsail doesn't have slugs along the luff, you would never use a stop at point A. I'll take a closer look at manufacturer when I get down to the boat. Hope this helps.

gooseneck.jpg