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I have blistered finish appearing on the cabin sole just outboard of the base of the companionway ladder on the stbd side.  2006 Mk II.  What is under the plywood?  A yard is telling me that the wood in this area is screwed and maybe glued in place directly on the fiberglass liner (in other words, is overlaying a sheet of fiberglass).  Is this true?  I had assumed that there were stringers and some space under there.
Thanks in advance for any responses!
Wayne

Does anyone have an easy way to reduce water pressure throughout the boat, other than installing a pressure regulator of some sort?  I'm assuming that the pressure pump has a factory pre set?
I'm thinking that less pressure = less flow = the supply lasting longer . . .

Catalina Yachts web site:  The 350 is gone, replace by the 355.  The 320 MkII is still there.

Twice now my reverse polarity warning light has come on while plugged in at my berth.  In both cases turning power off and then back on made the red light go away.  I have occupied the same berth for three years; don't know of any changes in the marina's electrical system,  nor to my boat's 110 system.
Any ideas and advice will be greatly appreciated!

I'm thinking of either extending my outside track a couple of feet forward, or mounting a padeye a couple of feet forward of my existing track.  Anybody know if there is any wood core in this area, or if it is solid fiberglass?
Thanks.

Anybody have a picture or description of how you sealed off the stern lazarettes from water and vibration?

Does the owner of sail #1691 follow this board?  Check out the picture on 'Lectronic Lattitude of 1691 lookin' good off Angel Island in SF Bay . . .

http://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/LectronicLat.lasso

Scroll down a bit to the 'Hey sailor' article . . .


For you non-bay folks, yesterday was a little wild and wooly in the wind department . . . Maydays coming in all afternoon for capsized boats (small race boats).  Scroll on down to another article about one flipping near Alcatraz.  Sure was glad I was on my 34, enjoying fast sailing in the brisk wind!

I'm going to need to rebuild or replace my head; I'm thinking of going with a household size electric flush replacement.
Any comments and advice?  Make sense, or better to stick with manual?

Last weekend I realized why my steering was squeaking so much--I forgot to grease the wheel this spring when I was checking and oiling the steering stuff 'down below'.  I'll be rectifying this Friday morning, but I've never greased my wheel before, so:

1.  Am I OK using the same general purpose marine grade grease that I used on my windlass (and which I have on hand)?

2.  Anything to watch out for?  Specifically, when I pull off my wheel  and start spreading grease is there anything that I should keep grease away from (keep dry).

Thanks in advance.  As always, advice is greatly appreciated!

Wayne

Hello.

I ordered a set of adjustable cars from Garhauer at Strictly Sail Oakland.  They arrived today, and I have a couple of questions.

I'm assuming that the short section of track (with a label saying that the track is to keep bearings in place) is meant to be thrown away after sliding the movable/adjustable car onto my track.  Am I right?

I have a 110% jib, which for a fully closed leech means I have my car all the way forward on my track.  When I do furl my jib a bit I wish I had a longer track, as I can't move my lead forward (but hey if I'm rolling up any of my genoa it means there is really LOTS of wind anyway).  It looks to me like between mounting the forward blocks onto my track and the longer car I'm going to be losing a foot or so of usable track.  Does it make sense to mount the extra foot of track Garhauer provided?  Basically butt joint in front of my factory track?

Has anybody 'added on' to lengthen their track?  Does it work smoothly, or does the car sometimes catch at the joint?

Thanks in advance for responses!

Wayne

Anybody know what make the faucet is in the head of a 2006?  I'd like to replace my 'flood' type nozzle with a 'spray fan' type.  I know I can call Catalina tomorrow . . .

Does anyone know the rough difference in wind speed between the tops of our masts and the water surface?

I came across a reference a few months ago to a 'reaching pole' or a 'reaching strut'.  Are these just terms for a whisker pole?  Or are they a different entity?
Thanks for any responses!

Is the white plastic box hanging from the ceiling at the rear of the aft cabin  and located directly below the steering pedestal for access to the steering quadrant wires and pulleys?  Is it easy to remove and replace?
I want to inspect and oil my steering stuff, and I've installed dividers separating my aft lockers from the steering area.  Plus, standing on my head has never been one of my skills . . .
Thanks for any answers.

I have in mast furling, and no matter what I have tried I get wrinkles when putting my sail away.  I have a loose main sheet, release the vang (and make sure the line is loose).  Light back pressure on the outhaul while cranking.  I've tried head to wind, 20-30 degrees off the wind.  Even tried downwind.  The dealier said 'haul up on the downhaul--get it a couple of feet up off the top of the dodger'.  Tried that, same thing.  It seems to me that the wrinkles start happening when the baggy part of the sail is going into the mast (the first 3 or 4 feet go in nice and smooth, then the wrinkles start to appear).  Wrinkles are in the bottom 8 feet of sail.  I also notice that the foot of the sail is slowly creeping upward on the roll as I furl.
Any advice appreciated!!!

On my way back to my slip this afternoon I started getting a 'chirp' or squeak from my steering quadrant.  We were in a hurry to get home, so I skipped hanging upside down in a locker to check it out.  Is there any kind of greasing or oiling I'm supposed to be doing as a regular maintenance thing?
Thanks for advice!

Hi.
I'm evaluating the possibility of adding a second headsail furler--one I could use for a 'code zero' type cruising chute.  I know this is done frequently on larger boats, why not on a 34?
I already have the spinnaker which I tie onto the bow 'roller' and there is room there for another furler drum to fit.  I would need a second headstay.  Anyone have any thoughts about space 'up top'?  Or how to configure an attachment point at the top of the mast?  Anyone seen something like this done?
Any comments appreciated!

My wind speed gage is not accurate.  If I remember my instruction manual there is a method of calibrating or adjusting the readout.  Is there any way of getting an objective measurement of the real wind speed?  It seems to me that to adjust to an accurate reading one needs to know what reality is at the moment that one is calibrating.
Any advice appreciated!

I have a new (less than a year old) ST60 knotmeter that has been working like a champ until a couple of outings ago.  I keep it out of the hull when not in use--installing it when I use the boat, about every other week.  It is now beginning its day really, really slowly--hardly registering any speed at all.  Over the course of a couple of hours or so it gradually gets better and better until by the end of the day it is reporting accurately.  Is there some type of maintenance I'm unaware of?  If almost acts like the paddlewheel is sticking.  Were it above water I'd be thinking about some WD40.
Any thoughts greatly appreciated!

Hi. 
Can anybody give me a rough guestimate of speed difference between using the inboard genoa tracks vs the outboard tracks when broad reaching?  I realize it isn't a set amount (depends on wind, waves, etc, etc, etc).  But lets say making a speed of 5 knots on the inboard tracks what increase might be expected by switching to the outboard tracks?
Thanks for any replies!

One of my rope clutches (Lewmar?)--the one for the jib halyard--doesn't want to clamp down.  Unless I stick my finger on top of the 'hammer' and push down it lets about a foot of line pass before finally 'grabbing'.  My boat is less than a year old.  I was told that I should spray some WD40 into it.  I'd sure appreciate some second opinions before I get out my spray can!
Thanks for your responses!
Actually, I'm having to tension both my jib and main halyards fairly often.  I know that the lines will stretch some, but don't they eventually reach a point that they're about 'stretched out'?  I'm wondering if my lines are slipping--haven't marked to check that possibility yet.

I'm needing to install a few clips to the bottom of my stern lockers (I'm going to store some stuff in them, and want to install a vertical lattice grill to keep things away from the steering).  I'm assuming that putting any kind of screw into the hull is a really, really bad idea, but thought I'd confirm my assumptions before starting to glass some tabs into place.  Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

I need to get a cockpit light.  I'm thinking of heading to a local auto parts store and getting something I can either hang on the end of the boom or 'tie' on with a Velcro strap around the boom (I have a loose footed sail).   
Has anybody out there seen or done something really great to provide some light in the cockpit?

I'm thinking of moving my coolant recovery tank from the factory location in the port locker to inside the engine compartment.  It seems to me that  A: Its current location in the locker leaves it vulnerable to damage when the boat is rockin' and rollin' and B: It would be lots easier to do a quick oil-belt-coolant check when all are together.  Is there a reason I'm not thinking of for it being in the cockpit locker?  Any thoughts would be appreciated!

What diameter whisker pole are people using out there?  I'm planning to get one, and am wondering if I need to go with a very heavy duty (2" diameter), or if a lighter pole will get the job done just fine.  My boat is in San Francisco Bay; might do an occasional coastal short hop; no really heavy duty cruising.  I've jury rigged my aluminum telescoping boat hook pole into a makeshift whisker pole on occasion and it seemed to work just fine (if a little short).  I'm thinking something pretty light should work just fine.
I appreciate the input!
Wayne

I went the registered vessel route with my boat, and now I need to permanently mount my newly aquired number somewhere on the inside of the hull.  I am thinking of putting it inside the compartment in the head that accesses the thru hulls.  I assume that the fiberglass to which the hose loops are mounted is the inside of the hull (not part of a liner).  Any comments or advice re this plan?
Thanks for your comments!
Wayne

This weekend I had a second hose blow off a fitting of my pressurized water system on my two month old boat.  I know this is a much-mentioned problem on new boats.  I spent about an hour with a ratchet going through and snugging all the hose clamps I could find, including one that was completely loose (as in no effort ever made to tighten.  Fortunately, it was on the suction side of the shower sump  pump).  I have a couple of questions.

1.  I know I should check out my fuel tank fittings.  Do I need to disassemble my aft cabin to do this, or is there an easier way?  I started to remove the port side wooden panel (footboard?); found that I evidently needed to remove the rear panel also, and am unsure if I need to also remove the white cover over the steering mechanism.  Please tell me there is an easier way to make such a simple inspection!!!!

2.  Are there any other things that I should be checking on?  Workmanship shortcomings that Catalinas are particularly prone to?  I already know about the sticky hatch slider (mine sticks when cold) and coolant level going down (mine is fine).

Thanks for the advice.  And I'd like to add my appreciation for how much I have learned over the past months just 'lurking' and reading posts.  The information I have gleaned has made 'settling in' on my new boat so much easier!

I noticed this weekend that when bringing my delta anchor back aboard that the shank rammed into the bottom of the roller furler drum.  I remember some discussion of this, but forget what solution, if any, others had come up with.
Thanks in advance for your responses!

Hello.  I'm new to the board, having just purchased a new 34, hull #1762.  I am having a couple of problems with the Raymarine 60 series instruments.  I am talking to the Raymarine factory folks, but I would appreciate some experienced feedback.

1.  Depth sounder periodically reads really shallow.  I have an offset programed to account for the keel and a little over a foot of insurance, but I think this offset is irrelevant.  Five or six times during a roughly 6 hour sail the instrument will read two or three feet of water under my keel.  This has happened in shipping chanels, in areas of 30-40' of water, and a couple of times in areas of over 100' of water (I have checked my depth against my chartplotter).  When it happens, depth doesn't just jump from, for instance, 100' to 2'--it seems to work its way up in stages (20', 12', 8',5',2') and likewise works its way back down to the correct depth.  Raymarine is telling me that it might be picking up wood or other debris floating below the surface (that would make it about 8' deep).  I am sailing in San Francisco Bay, and we have had a very wet spring with some flooding and debris being carried downstream by the rivers flowing into the Bay, but I'm pretty skeptical of this explanation.  Seems to me that if the sounder 'saw' and object, it would go back to correct depth immediately after clearing it--not 'stairstepping' its way up and down.  And yes, we have joked aboard about an amorous whale . . .  Anybody have any thoughts or advice for me?  I'm sure depth sounders give occasional bad readings, but I've never noticed anything to this degree on other boats.

2.  Windpointer needle points off about 30 degrees from the masthead fly most of the time; sometimes points really off (as in downwind when we are sailing upwind.  Windspeed is flaky, too (sometimes like -10 kts).  I have tried user calibrating, and thought I had it solved, but within half an hour it has gone back to being eratic.  Any thoughts?

And yes, I am pushing these problems hard with my dealer.

Thanks in advance for any advice!  Oh, yea--I almost forgot to mention that I LOVE THE WAY THE BOAT SAILS!

Wayne