Jake says it best in that, you need to "hook up" with some other catsailors to get information on this subject. Talking about it just does not get all the needed information across because there are many, very minor variations in circumstances that seem to have large effects on the behavior of the hook and ring systems.

Some of the cats I've had worked easier than others. On my present boat I was having the occasional resistance to un-hooking. That did not sit very well with me because I was setting up a reefing system and did not ever want to find myself unable to hook it while being overblown in the ocean.

To remedy this I installed a small bungie on my hook that attaches to the top of my sail, a few inches aft of the ring. This maintains aft-ward pressure on the ring to ensure an easy release as soon as the ring is slightly raised.

To engage the hook I need only to maintain tension on the halyard while pulling down on the sail luff. Once it is hooked, the bungie is not tight or strong enough to pull the hook back off of the hook crook.

GARY