ChrisR

Thanks everyone for your help. It looks like I have a little work to do, but I'm sure I'll be back with more questions!

Thanks for your replies! The uphill should be easy enough to rig. Your pictures were very helpful. I'll have to do a little bit more research into options for the mast, but suspect that ordering a kit from B&B will be the most convenient way of solving this problem. My current masts are heavy enough that they prevent me from sailing alone, so it is a problem that I would like to solve sooner than later. I imagine that I'll also have to make adjustments to the mast steps as the current masts have 2.75" OD bases, and I believe the mast kit is sold with a 2.5" OD base. One problem at a time... I have another question around reefing. I think that I understand how everything needs to be rigged, but am a little bit unclear on the downhaul adjustments. Do I need to re-hook the sail downhaul to the new lowest grommet of the sail when reefed, or is there a way to rig a line that will accomplish the same thing without having to go to the main mast to manually move the hook? I'm referring to the reefing setup shown here.

Hi everyone! I bought a used CS17 earlier this summer, and have been having a great time sailing and getting to know it. I'm relatively new to sailing and previously only have experience with a Hobie Adventure Island, so please excuse me if I ask obvious questions. I have quite a few questions, but will start with the two that have been bugging me the most so far. 1. I don't really have anything to compare them against, but the masts that came with the boat feel like they are too heavy. In addition to being difficult to step, they make the boat feel "tippy" especially at rest. The main weighs 31.2 lbs. and the mizzen weighs 31.6 lbs (rigged with sail track, cleats halyard, etc). They are both one piece aluminum poles and taper on the top third. I think they may have been intended to be flagpoles. Are these masts too heavy? What do the masts from the mast kit weigh? It seems like most people use aluminum masts. Are there other options, or is there a reason for the popularity of aluminum? 2. The rudder has a downhaul line, but no up haul. Is rigging one as simple as drilling a hole in the rudder blade and running it up along the top of the tiller, or is there a more appropriate way to rig one? Thanks for your help! As I mentioned, I am learning and would love any pointers or suggestions that you may have for learning how to best use this fun little boat. I'm in Tampa, FL. If there is anyone nearby that would like to let me bug them with a million questions for a couple of hours, I would love to meet up.