Topics

I have developed an annoying bit of a leak over time coming from my midships portside scupper.  Water  seems to come through whenever I wash the boat or it rains and seeps into the head and  into the small storage area there.  I have included a couple pics to show where I am talking about.  I had first thought the leak was due to a sanction leak but today I confirmed it is not.  Pau Hana has the toe rails installed to accommodate a midship cleat.  I had also thought the leak was coming from there but again, it is not.  What appears to be happening is at the scupper hole itself that discharges water overboard, water seeps through as it's discharging.  Of course I could plug the hole and prevent any water going through the small hole but then that does not really solve the problem.  I'm looking for solutions to seal up the inside of that weep hole. 
One thought that has come to mind is simply tape it up from the hull side of the hole and then inject epoxy inside the hole itself and let it seep in and set.  I could then re-drill the hole from the hull side.  That's my thought.  Any ideas? 

Replacing batteries on Pau Hana.  Has anyone used the US Battery 2200 XC   6V  232AH @ C20?  How do they compare to the Trojan T105 which I have onboard now.   It seems that Trojan has a production shortage at the moment.   

Doing a bit of a revamp of 'stuff' aboard Pau Hana.  I have over the years collected an array of tools, spare parts etc aboard and they have spread into several nooks and crannies aboard the boat. 
I'm wondering what everybody does for a tool and parts storage solution aboard your boat. 
Do you keep a tool bag?  or box.  What kind of inventory of parts do you keep?  Where do you store everything?  Do you keep tools and and such at home and bring them to the boat? 

For reference I have had a soft tool bag with a bunch of tools and the west marine Shipyard toolkit aboard full time.  I've always kept those stored under the ladder from the cockpit.  A favorite storage area for parts has been in plastic bins stored under the port settee.  and then a bunch of miscellaneous stuff in the V-berth hanging locker... see my problem?   
Curious to hear everyone's approaches to tool/parts storage solutions.   

I Figured I would give a post about the update to the update   
Earlier in the season I had a lot of mast work done to address my lingering sticky halyard issue.  In the end, as one thing led to another, I had the following items completed since I already had riggers at the top of the mast.

•   Windex that was corroded and had fallen off, replaced with a new one.
•   VHF Antenna was showing signs of fatigue and corrosion - replaced with new
•   Raymarine wind vane transducer replaced with new.
•   Mast head tri color and anchor lights changed to LED
•   New spreader boots installed.
•   Tide Strong Track installed

Of course all the mast work was happening to address the sticky halyard.  I had the Tide Strong Track installed, and, while it made a difference when we went out a few times, it still had something else happening... too much friction.  Riggers came again and re-run the halyard inside the mast in case there was a wrap inside.  In the end, the big discovery was the small divider plate between the main halyard sheave and the sheave on the port side.  The riggers were able to trim and adjust this plate to allow it not to come into contact and rubbing with the sheave and the halyard thereby decreasing the drag and the abrasion to the line.  Since that correction was done we have seen the most dramatic improvement in the ease of raising and lowering the main.  I've also taken to using Stu's technique of loosening up one side of the lazy jacks when leaving the marina and, when pointing into the wind to raise the main, I fall off slightly to the side that is loosened up so that the battens do not catch on the lazy jacks.  "Piece O Cake".  The Admiral loves the new set up in the ease of raising and lowering mainsail.   
As things have it... no good deed goes unpunished.  I was having a bit of a leak in my Gor packing gland around the shaft... I need to tighten it up.  But I discovered this leak because I had a small bit of salt water in the bilge under the water heater.  Diligently checking the bilge pump switch, I was dismayed to discover my switch was not working.  Some troubleshooting later and I discovered a corroded connection on the ground line.  (I'm learning that almost all electrical problems on the boat can likely be traced to a faulty ground)  I replaced this wire with new and reconnected using heat shrink double butt connections and some adhesive lined heat shrink tubing... should be good to go for a while now.  I did not want to embark on adjusting the packing gland without a solid feel for reliability on the bilge pump switch in case things went awry and I began to fill the bilge.
Finally... and still running through my list of overdue maintenance projects, I addressed the issue of the small leak at the base of the Jabsco electric marine toilet.  This problem perplexed me since I thought it would be easiest to simply replace the electric conversion kit that the PO had installed.  When I got to WM and looked at the price ($450) I quickly began to research other options.  I never liked the electric marine toilet due to the noise and the drain on the battery.  The Admiral didn't like the entire head assembly because it looked a little "tired".  Sooo... since I am a big believer in the K.I.S.S. concept.  This past weekend our local West Marine had their customer appreciation day and lots of goodies on sale.  Along with an unused gift card from Christmas I walked out the door with a new Jabsco twist n lock marine toilet and accompanying replacement hoses and hardware for about $100.  Installed the new head and it looks spiffy and clean.  Easy to maintain with one less system to worry about (The electric pump) and, I have an open spot on my 12V panel for something else if I want it.   

Cheers!   

Been lots of churn dockside for Pau Hana as of late. 
I've had riggers from Pacific Offshore Rigging come by and inspect the rig and to try and solve my Main Halyard "difficulty in raising" issue.  I also had the riggers come by to replace a Windex that needed replacing.
As with most maintenance issues, one thing led to another and soon I had replaced not only the Windex but also a new VHF antenna, along with my Raymarine wind transducer, and, while they were there some new spreader boots. 
The big change however (Inspired by Noah's recent post on Tide Strong Track) was the addition of installation of the The Strong Track.  It has definitely made raising and lowering the main a bit easier.  Not as easy as I was really hoping for but easier than before.  (I think I may start a separate post on this lingering issue to give more detail.)
Next items in the hopper are replacement of my batteries.  I am going to install 4 Trojan 105s and also a smaller 12v dedicated starting battery (recommendations?)
Finally... following up from a recent past post... I am ordering a Raritan PHII marine toilet to install and replace my Jabsco (Screaming Banshee that wakes the neighbors at night) Electric Head.

Time to Sail!   

The PO of Pau Hana had a Jabsco electric marine head installed.  I have never really liked it since it sounds like a screaming Banshee when it's used.  Today we noticed a bit of leakage at the base of the electric pump  and while I could probably get a repair kit or buy a new one, I think I would like to re-convert this electric head back to a manual head. 
Has anybody done this before?   I'm thinking that I may be able to buy the manual pump and simply replace with the electric and pull back the wires that are running to feed the current pump. 
Or... should I bite the bullet and rep[lace the entire head.  Any thought or ideas greatly appreciated as always.   

Apparently someone in our marina has been discharging and not using the pumpout!  Obviously a huge problem.  While the marina is trying to isolate and locate the offending boat they are requiring anyone with a marine head to affix a security seal to the valve while in the closed position similar to the one posted in the picture.  My question to the group is if anyone has attached a similar seal to your valve and what methods to use.  Unfortunately, my valve does not have a small hole in it to run the security seal through and around the base of the vale.  Has anyone ever drilled a small hole in the eh valve handle to accommodate a padlock or others securing mechanism? 
I have always kept it wrapped with wire so I could not accidental discharge, but for this compliance, I need to attach a security seal. 
Any ideas?  even after market solutions like a locking Collar or other method?

On another note;  WHO IN THE HELL DISCHARGES IN A MARINA!!!!     

The warm balmy weather for San Diego has had us diving off the back of Pau Hana these days for cool relief.  Increasingly, I and especially my wife find the original swim ladder to be a supreme PITA to board.  I ran across this:

https://www.clrmarine.com/Extend_Your_Step

Has anybody tried this?  Thoughts?  I am not desiring to weld and cut and extend the SS to build a permanent solution.  Just looking for something that I can toss in the lazerette when not in use and attach it quickly to swim. 
Any alternatives or suggestions?

I must be weird... No ... I know I'm weird.   
Her in SOCAL we don't get much rain, and when we do it makes it's way down the keel stepped mast into the bilge.  The past couple weeks we have finally got some good rains and I eagerly look forward to adding just a touch of some Tide liquid detergent to the fresh water in the bilge and cleaning and drying out the bilge sparkly clean and refreshed again. 
I know... weird huh?

My 1988 with an M25XP does not and has never had a temperature sensing alarm.  I was digging around and came accross an old thread that mentioned the aqualarm temperature switch.  It looks like this is a unit that mounts top the exterior of the manifold and can be wired into the existing oil pressure sender/alarm on the thermostat housing.
Has anyone tried this lately?  I would like to ad a temperature alarm to give me an audible indication of overheating instead of casually glancing at the instrument panel and going.. 
Is there a better fix or method?   

OK.. as noted in my engine overheating issue topic, I have now managed to spray the entire engine compartment with green coolant.  The existing insulation materiel is stained and was already in need of replacement. 
What are some choices out there for engine compartment sound and temperature insulation?  Looking for ideas.   

I have been thoroughly enjoying a warm summer and warm fall here in SOCAL.  A couple weeks ago, while coming back from a wonderful sail and approaching sunset, I had a sudden overheat issue.  I managed to limp back into port and observed the following symptoms during the overheat sail:
1.  Coolant steaming (later found that the thermostat butterfly valve had let some coolant out.
2.  I had plenty of raw water flow so no obstruction to the impeller.

After arriving back into the slip I have been steadily troubleshooting various causes for the overheating and I think I've eliminated the usual suspects.  Thus far I have verified and/or changed the following:
1.  Raw water strainer clear and no obstruction
2.  Removed and opened up HX.  Verified that all lines are clear.  (just cleaned it out in the spring)
3.  Changed out my oil after the overheat
4.  Flushed and changed and burped the coolant.
5.  changed hoses to the HX (Raw water and coolant)
6. Burped the coolant line to the hot water heater (per the tech wiki instructions
7.  Tested and verified that the thermostat is working properly. 

During the overheat the onset was sudden.  Although there was loss of coolant it was due to the butterfly valve on top of the thermostat housing and has since not leaked.  I have opened up the top of the coolant tank and watched for flow from the coolant pump after the thermostat is supposed to open up but no observable flow. 
I'm kind of at my wits end here.  The coolant pump has shown no signs of failure or weeping or making any noises but at this point it appears to be the last possible point of failure. 
As stated earlier, the onset of the failure was sudden.  No prior indications or noises.  It seems odd that the coolant pump would fail since I only have 1100 hours on the engine. 
Any ideas?  and...Although I have become very proficient in performing minor repairs and preventative maintenance, a water pump is making me pretty nervous. 
I would like to hear thoughts about possible causes of the overheating and any information about changing out the coolant pump (procedure tips and models number)

Anyway... Help!   I'm about to call in the engine guy and admit defeat.   

Continue to have a nagging problem with my HX and zincs. 
For a long time I have always felt that there was not enough room inside the HX for any zinc size that I bought.  I had the HX cleaned a couple years back and since then I would regularly change zincs. Each time It felt like I was hitting something.  This last weekend while trying to change it out I felt as though I may have "cross thread" the zinc nut.  I have pulled the HX to clean and service and get a good look at both, the threads and the zinc length/fit.
As  you can see in one phot the zinc you see is 1/2 thick and cut down to 1 inch and if screwed in completely would stop at the wall on the inside of the HX. 
Secondly,  I do think I may have cross thread and want to know if I can re-tap the threads in the HX.
Here's the details:
3" HX
11/16 zinc hex head bolt
3/8" zinc threads

Any suggestions or insights?   

I know this is a common topic and question but I am still a newbie in many respects. 
I am also fiercely independent and have a desire to control as many variable as I can when performing tasks as this.
I am going to need to go aloft to change a foredeck bulb, and eventually for many other reasons as well at some point in time.  I could easily hire or ask a favor of someone to go aloft to perform a task for me, but then I will never have a first hand observation or knowledge of the condition at hand. 
Also.. The Admiral does not feel confident in handling the winches with a heavy load on them (me).

Which brings me here... I am looking at purchasing the ATN Mastclimber.  (I know some have suggested purchasing ascenders at an outdoor store but I'm not comfortable with assembling the right parts).
What are your thoughts on the mastclimber and is it worth it?  I would use it with my own Bosn chair and my wife would take up slack on a secondary safety line when I go aloft. 

Thoughts and considerations welcome.   

http://www.atninc.com/atn-mastclimber-sailing-equipment.shtml 

Went to use my foredeck light this evening and found out it's burnt.   
Obviously I need a replacement and I've seen some post for MK II bulb replacements but I need a recommendation for the bulb on a MK I. 
I would really prefer to get an LED as well... and obviously USCG approved.
Any suggestions?   

I'm getting ready to play "Musical Chairs" at the marina with my slip assignment.  I have waited patiently to get a very desirable upwind slip and a longer finger pier.  Since I typically dock "bow in", my finger pier will be to my starboard side.  I have always prefered to tie up to the Port Side, largely because it makes it easier to run my shorepower cable.  Then again... boarding on the starboard side is bit less encumbered by the power ouitlet. So I'm a bit curious.. What is everyones preferences if you have any?  Feel free to offer the reason why you prefer one over another. 

Although my boat has been gently maintained over the years and much of the interior is original, some things simply begin to show their age.  One item that caught my attention was the yellowing of the opening port trim rings in the salon.  I know I could probably buy a replacement but I was looking for a project and also wanted to save some $.  (I had great results from the refinishing of my Dorade vents  http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6305.0.html  )  so I thought I would go ahead and try my luck on the trim rings.  I took each one off and thouroughly cleaned.  Then I removed the old and crusty little velcro strips that remained.  I then used the valspar Radiance Flat White spray paint to refinish.  I did 2 coats and they look fantastic!  I replaced the velcro strips with new and replaced the trim.  Easy refresh for under $10.00 ... That's my kind of project!   



http://www.valsparpaint.com/en/find-the-right-product/interior/spray-paint/radiance.html

After finally resolving my pesky leak of fresh water into the bilge, and re-establishing my good standing membership in the dry bilge club; I decided to take it a step further and give my dry and dusty, albeit dirty bilges a fresh coat of shiny white Interlux Bilgekote.  After some light prepping of the area, the results were amazing!  I still have to get the small bilge area furthest aft but I'm excited about the results.  So much so, I'm looking forward to painting some of the other "nether regions" of the boat that never see daylight.
 
My bilges were never too bad and at times will have a bit of water and get stained.  Regardless, I'm curious about what other bilges may look like so bring them on!!!
Show me your bilges .  

I'm replacing my Fresh Water lines that run from the galley aft to the head.  (I think I have traced my loss of pressure in my fresh water line to one of those 2 hoses)  The hoses run underneath the sole right at the point where the ladder comes into the salon into the cabin, then beside the engine and around to the head.  I thought I had access to the area underneath the sole but discovered that there is a solid fiberglass (resin) deck underneath with only a few weep holes.  I know I can easily run replacement hoses but my question is in wondering if anyone has ever cut some type of access hole into the solid deck beneath the sole.  I would really like to be able to reach into that area and clean some gunk that's built up and it would seem that it would make things a bit easier when replacing hoses going through this particular hard to reach area.  I do not in any way want to risk compromising the integrity of the structure.  Thoughts?   

Just when I opened my mouth and said I'll probably never use my spinnaker, the Admiral stepped in and said we should still give it a try.  (Am I lucky or what?   )
That being said, I started going through the motions to rig and fly the chute but noticed that the sliding car on the face of the mast was difficult to move.
Upon further inspection, I also noticed that a small block at the base of the mast whose bearings are, (were) plastic, had disentegrated and is hopelessly jammed and requiring replacement.  
Figuring it would be a quick fix, I find out that the block is attached to the mast with a rivet.  And to make matters worse, that rivet is almost at the seal of my mast boot.

My questions is:  what methods should I do to replace that block?  I'm thinking of drilling it out and then tapping it so I can replace the block with a stainless steel screw.

Thoughts and comments always welcome  

Went out for a nice sail today and lo and behold... for the first time... The jib line decided to decapitate my Dorade vent cowling.  I Really had become fond of that stupid thing after the restoration work I did to it. (See my previous post regarding dorades)  And... OBTW... Those things do not float worth a S#!t.

I need to find a single replacement.  I'm not certain however if I were to order the Catalina Direct replacement of that will satisfy what I have lost.  If you notice my picture I have attached, You will notice that I have (had) a slip ring that attached the vent to the base.  Does anybody have any suggestions what I should do?  Aesthetically... Pau Hana looks a little "One Eyed" right now and I am anxious to correct her condition. 



 

I went to a dinghy raftup yesterday afternoon.  The usual tiny boats were all gathered together including a couple SUP's and kayaks.  There was one boat however that definitely stuck out from the crowd.  This, I was to find out was a "Portland Pudgy".  The owner was quick to point out some characteristics of it and also noted the fact that it is a USCG approved life raft as well.  I had never seen or heard of this boat before and was quite smitten by it.  
It seems to me that it could make a wonderful dinghy and I may consider one in the future.  Has anyone else here had one with their C34 and what  are your experiences with them?  
I know I would certainly have to install davits.  

http://www.portlandpudgy.com/

I upgraded my deck organizers and now have a pair of the shaefer deck organizers that will accomodate 3 lines on each side.  Free for the asking...  Please pay shipping only. 

 I have had the nagging problem of having my water pressure pump coming on ever so infrequently.  Not a major problem but a simple annoyance since I know I have a small leak somewhere in my fresh water line. It's been coupled with the accompanying leak from the over pressure relief valve on the hot water heater.  I have replaced the check valve in the hot water line and have replaced some hoses.  I have secured down the fresh water fill caps and ensured my faucets are closed securely... and still my pump comes on intermitted.

And now the rest of the story....

Knowing that I have a small fresh water leak I knew I would have a little water in the bilge.  (I'm a dry bilge kinda guy and having any water in there drives me nuts).  Pulling up the boards in the cabin I looked down and saw what I thought to be more water than there should be.  Sticking my trusty finger into the water and giving it a taste I determined the water to be "slightly salty"     That changed things for me.  I opened up the engine compartment to take a look at my shaft packing gland and found the source of my saltwater leak; a small pool of water beneath the coupling.  The packing gland simply needs to be adjusted... easy fix.    Emptying the "garage" and removing the access boards I get in there with my trusty wrench and did the minor adjustment on the packing gland and no more leak.  I figured while I'm down there, and since I already have water pooled up, Now is a good time to check/replace my engine zinc... again... easy fix.  I back out the threaded nut holding the zinc and to my surprise... there was nothing else!    I thought perhaps the zinc had dissolved but knowing it hadn't been that long ago, I had a suspicion that the old zinc broke off inside the heat exchanger.  Figuring I would tackle that job next weekend, I started to replace the old zinc with a new one.  Unfortunately, the new zinc would not fit inside... sure enough; the old zinc was blocking the hole and would not allow the new zinc to fit inside.    At this point it's late in the afternoon and I could easily have simply replaced the threaded bolt and shut things up and went home... but it was nagging at me that the zinc was up there inside... tormenting me.    I knew what I had to do next.  I opened up the engine compartment and dug into the heat exchanger and removed the cover and gasket and sure enough there was my corroded zinc... taunting me!    I could feel it but I could not see it... That is one very difficult location to access.  After several failed attempts, I did my contortion act and crawled and twisted my way from the aft cabin so I could reach up with a screwdriver into the threaded hole and with another hand wiggle the zinc around with my finger.  Finally, like extracting a tooth... I had the little corroded zinc bit in my hand... Success!   I cut a new gasket and replaced the HX cover and inserted the new zinc in buttoned everything up.  I started the engine and let it run for a while as I checked for any signs of leaks from the HX gasket, zinc and the shaft packing gland.  All dry.    Finally after packing all of the contents back into the garage and cleaning up my mess, it was beer thirty.  
Feeling full with my success... It dawned on me...      I still hadn't fixed my freshwater leaking problem...  
Any ideas?

Today the Admiral and I were out for a nice sail.  The breeze was fresh and it was really a great day to be out on the water.  We were starting our last tack for the afternoon before returning back to the marina.  In the distance I noticed a small sailboat with 4 people in it enjoying their day sailing.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw what looked to be the same small sailboat capsizing.  Nothing really too startling since there are many small day sailors out on the bay in this particular area.  However, what I first thought to be a simple capsize turned out to be a fairly serious situation.  From the distance I could clearly see that this particular boat, although righted, had no mast!  She had been dismasted right before my eyes.  Knowing that this could be a serious situation the Admiral and I quickly doused our sails and started the engine and motored our way to the disabled vessel.  As we approached I was giving my wife (the Admiral) directions of my intentions and to also break out a tow line in the event we tow.  I had my handheld VHF with me at the helm so I knew that if I needed to get a call out for help, it would be no problem.  The first thing I asked as we got within hailing distance was if anyone was hurt.  I had seen the quickness of the capsize and knew instinctively that it could be a situation with injury.  Fortunately the skipper of the boat said that no one was injured.  He also had all the crew don their PFD's.  I circled from a distance since I could clearly see there was a great deal of lines, and cables around the boat in the water.  The skipper asked if we could contact the harbor Police for him.  However, seeing that there were no injuries and finding out that they were from a not too distant marina I volunteered to tow them back home. We had a line tossed over and made up to the stern cleat and began the slow tow back to their home.  We had a chance to chat for a little bit and founds out that the boat was a harbor 20 and that they had been sailing when the starboard shroud had snapped.  When that happened a wave had also hit them and with the wind, everything came down in a shambles.  We had a non-eventful motor back to their marina and the skipper was clearly grateful for the assist.  My wife and I were very thankful to have been there to render aid and assistance to another sailor in their time of need.  
This was really not a harrowing tale of high seas rescue but nevertheless, any situation on the water is amplified and sometimes bad things happen even in confined protected waters.  We were thankful for the knowledge that we possessed and the confidence we had in maneuvering the boat and handling her exactly the way needed to when we needed.  Many of the little drills we practiced all came into play when we needed to react quickly and instinctively.  Afterwards we talked about the various scenarios that could have taken place as we approached the injured vessel:
1.    There may have been injuries aboard.  We determined that the first thing we would have done was call the Coast Guard and bring the other vessel alongside so that we could offer First Aid till help arrived.
2.   The Harbor 20 is a fin keel boat.  This helped the skipper and crew to stay inside a stable, safe boat.  Otherwise the crew of the boat could have been in the water swimming.  In this case we were ready to through PFD's and life rings and have the ladder lowered.  
As it was, it was simply a tow back into homeport and sharing a bond and kinship with a fellow sailor.  When the skipper asked if he could repay me I only stated that "If you ever see me out there without my mast, just lend me a hand".  
Pau Hana had an excellent day out sailing today and my confidence and familiarity of all that is my Catalina 34 came from the helpful advice and tips that I have gained from this association and website.  My little C34 handled like a dream and was predictable and capable and behaved exactly like I knew she would!  

The Admiral and I have been spending more time on weekends and any other chance we get to stay the night on the boat.  We're really getting hooked with the comfort of the V Berth and amazingly relaxing general feel of the boat "on the hook and off the grid" (Wow!! I should trade Mark that last little line  )

However, the standard cushions have a tendency to become a bit too stiff in the night.  I had read the thread about cutting a memory foam topper to cut to fit and place under the cushions.  Costco had a great deal and we purchased a NovaFoam 3" Memory Gel (California King size  .  Unfortunately we do not have an electric knife as was mentioned to cut the memory foam to size.  

Has anyone had any success with another method?  Or am I resigned to get an electric knife.  

While my mast boot is watertight and does not need any attention, the aluminum base plate just below is in need of some paint. (Attached image).

Should I paint both, the base plate and the boot?  Or only the base plate.

Also what paint recommendations should I use.

As always... any advice is much appreciated.   

I've attached a photo to show my current configuration but here are the details.
I have the original clam cleat for my mainsheet directly next to the clutches for the halyard and spinnaker lines.  
I have a Garhauer Rigid Boom Vang
I measured my mainsheet and it appears to be 1/2" in diameter.

I would like to replace the clam cleat with either the spinlock PXR0810
https://www.spinlock.co.uk/en-US/cleats/pxr-cam-cleats/pxr-cam-cleat-for-precision-control-of-lines-8-10mm

Or the Spinlock PXR0810/T  
https://www.spinlock.co.uk/en-US/cleats/pxr-cam-cleats/pxr-cam-cleat-for-precision-control-of-lines-8-10mm-hole-centres-sames-as-traditional-cam-cleats

However it appears that the PO may have oversized the mainsheet.  Will either of these spinlock cleats work or should I also replace my Mainsheet down to a 3/8" first and then install the new camcleat?

Any other alternatives or suggestions always welcome.  

Seen lots of posts lately with folks updating and replacing various navigation lights.  I stumbled accross this today and thought I would pass it along for cautionary information.   


http://www.thelog.com/SNW/Article/Coast-Guard-Warns-Boaters-of-Improper-Nav-Light

Getting ready to replace the main halyard.  Looking around I ran accross the "Instant Line Estimator" through another forum (Catalina Owners). 
I did a quick check and it came up with the following:
3/8 Samson XLS double braid (green tracer)
whipped on one end and on the other an eyesplice with a Ronstan Headboard shackle (1/4")
105' of line  (seems about 15 short?)

$131.00  seems like a great deal but I'm wondering if anyone else has had experience with this particular vendor.

Hi all,

Not exactly a specific Catalina 34 question but since I do own a Catalina 34...

The photo below is Fiddlers Cove Marina in San Diego.  It is a Military Marina with a very long wait list.  I have been on the list for over 3 years.  In the meantime I have enjoyed keeping Pau Hana slipped at Pier 32 Marina, a new and expensive marina accross the bay from Fiddlers.  The cost of keeping a boat at Fiddlers is half the price not as many amenities but it is in a nicer part of town and definetely way more layed back and relaxed..... Thats a good thing.

I have finally been given the call to take a slip, and the slip offered is actually not bad but it does raise a couple questions of boat handling and keeping her tucked away safely during the week. 

The highlighted area where the powerboat is at is the slip location I expect to move to.  The arrows indicate the direction of prevailing winds most of the year. 

A couple questions:
1.  Is this slip location way too tricky given the close proximity to another dock?
2.  With port prop walk while backing out is this slip better to back into?  or bow in?
3.  Since the wind will always be pushing the boat into the dock, what is the best way to handle fender arrangements to prevent excessive rubbing?

I'm basically looking for some comments on the general location and thoughts of this area.  I'm a big believer in my mid ship cleat with the aft spring line and there is no such thing as having too many fenders.

Anyway... let me know your thoughts      

I've been catching up on all my left over winter maintenance projects after my shoulder surgery.  Of those projects, I've gone through and replaced all of my filters.  I did the Racor, and the (secondary) fuel filter on the engine.  The one filter I had not yet replaced was my facet fuel filter.  To be honest, I didn't know where or how exactly to do it.  Again I checked out Mainsails awesome site and followed the more than simple directions. 
http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/facet_fuel_pump_filter

Couldnt be easier!!

Now I have a question, after changing out all the filters, is it possible that I could notice a slight increase (while idling) in engine RPM?  It seems that since changing all the fuel filters, my RPMs went up about 100-200.  Is that possible?  or am I amagining something?

I have been diligent about changing out my impeller every year on my Oberdorfur raw water pump.  My old impellers have always looked pretty good and I keep them tucked away for an emergency spare if needed.  One thing that I always get when purchasing a new impeller is the paper gasket that is also replaced each time.
I recently purchased a roll of some gasket material.  I took a new existing gasket and outlined a template.  I then took an exacto knife and cut out a new gasket forom this material.  The gasket material I bought is somewhat thicker than the original paper gasket material. Is this a safe thing to do?  Will this type of gasket (Home Made) work if I use it or should I forget this DIY approach. 
Has any body else done such a thing?   

Ever since I purchased Pau Hana, one of the items that came out in the survey was the Hillerange Stove/Oven.  The stovetop has worked fine but the oven has never worked.  I had toyed with the idea of converting to Propane but considering the expense, and after researching discovering that the CNG is much safer, I made the decision to troubleshoot my oven and see if I could get the thing working on my own.  Although finding a CNG dealer is difficult, it's not impossible and I'm lucky to have a dealer her in San Diego. 
I went to the Sure marine website linked here and used their online troubleshooting guide.  I found it very helpful and I made the determination that my Mercury Thermocouple switch was bad.  While this part is not easy to get, Sure Marine told me that they could send me a rebuilt unit provided that I send them my old one, for $178.  I dug into the oven and tore my thermocouple switch out.  I then shipped my old unit out and in very short time I received my replacement switch.  This past weekend I went about re-installing the new switch (still following Sure Marine's excellent information).  Feeling confident with my work I lit the stoves right burner and then went to light the oven and the pilot lit and the oven burners came on perfectly.  It sounds silly but one of the things the Admiral has been looking forward to doing is baking some yummy Chocolate Chip cookies.
I realize that that propane probably delivers higher BTU's and a drier heat but for the price I am very, very happy to keep my lowly CNG stove/oven going for the foreseeable future.         

http://www.suremarine.com/stove-repair.htm

Hi All,

I've been away for awhile and my sailing has been nonexistent since November 17th.  As many know, I had to put Pau Hana in a "lay-up state" in the water since November.

The reason why:

I have a large dog "Daisy".  She is a Labrador Retriever Shepard mix and loves to go to the boat and sailing, (Although all she really does when we go out for the day is sleep on her bed down below).  Daisy loves to accompany me to the boat and hang out while I do my various little projects around the boat.  On this particular day, like any other, Daisy walked with me down the dock and like any other day she stepped aboard the boat from the steps to the cockpit.  However, this time she missed her footing and found herself falling backwards into the water between the dock and the boat.  My first fear was she had hurt herself in falling and I was afraid she could somehow come up under the dock.  To my immediate relief she came up paddling away and swimming strongly (like a Lab).  As she was swimming she was seeking a way to get back up onto the dock.  I immediately dropped to my stomach and laid down on the dock and held on to her to keep her from swimming away aimlessly.  The situation intensified when 2 things quickly became apparent:
1.  I could not lift my 90 pound dog by myself from the dock.
2.  There were no areas accessible for her to climb out of the water on her own.
As I lay on the dock holding her as best I could, and quietly realizing how serious the situation could become, I saw that a neighbor of mine was at his boat.  Thankfully, he came over and together, we were both able to lift the soaking wet dog out onto the dock.  There was a moment however that I felt as we were lifting that we were not going to be successful.  In a surge of adrenaline, I applied a little more "Oomph" and Daisy was thankfully up on the dock safe and sound.  Like most water dogs, Daisy thought that was the most amazing swim she had ever had and was jumping around the dock like it was party time.  I thanked my neighbor for his help (along with giving him a nice bottle of wine) and proceeded to wash Daisy down.  I noticed she was bleeding from her leg and realized that the day was a waste and drove her to the vet to be looked at.  Daisy must have cut herself on some barnacles because she required 4 stitches, some antibiotics and the privilege of wearing the "cone of shame" for a week.  That evening explaining the days events to my wife I mentioned that my left arm felt pretty sore.  I took off my shirt to show her and to both our amazement, my bicep muscle was sticking up in an obscene way similar to Popeye's massively swollen "mus-cules".  After a couple doctor visits, x-rays and an MRI, it was confirmed that I had completely torn my upper bicep tendon.  Surgery was performed to reattach the tendon and a screw was inserted into my humorous to anchor the tendon in its new spot.  Its now 11 weeks post surgery and things are going quite well albeit I'm still a couple of weeks out from doing any heavy exertion on my left arm. 
Here is what I learned from this experience:
1.   I have always made my dog wear a lifejacket while aboard the boat.  The exception to this rule is when she is down below inside the cabin.  Whenever she comes topside her lifejacket is on and she stays inside the cockpit. 
2.   I have drilled for the unfortunate occurrence, that if Daisy fell into the water (with lifejacket) that like any man (dog) overboard, I would come around and retrieve her with a boathook and tie a halyard to the jacket and hoist her up.
3.   Shame on me for not requiring my pet to wear a lifejacket while on the dock.  The thought never really occurred to me what I would do.  I guess I always assumed there were enough people around and that there would be somewhere for her to extricate herself from the water.  (Look around your own marina and see that there are many times few areas that are accessible)
4.   Lifting a 90 pound dog from the water onto the dock is simply impossible for one person!
5.   Since there was no immediate area for Daisy to get herself out of the water, I purchased a "SKAMP RAMP".  I keep this ramp at the ready at my dock box and it can be easily deployed and secured to a cleat so that my dog (any dog) can save themselves from the water. 
6.   Finally, Daisy now wears her lifejacket whenever we are on the dock.  Period!  I think I got lucky and while in the end it al seems kind of comical, the seriousness of the situation is quickly realized when one considers the 'what ifs" of the entire episode.

All in all, things are back to normal now and no worse for the wear.  I'm beginning my little projects on Pau Hana and looking forward to some spring sailing with my wife and of course, our furry First Mate... Daisy.

Well I managed to completely tear a tendon in my shoulder and will undergo surgery (biceps tenodesis) this next week.  (An entire seperate story could be told on how I did this to myself )  my arm will be in a sling and I will have very limited movement for 3 weeks but do not expect to be fully "operational" for about 12 weeks.

I may be looking at not using my boat (at least to sail) until February or March.  Fortunately, I'm in Southern California so the Winter is not going to be frosty and freezing like you Hearty Souls have to put up with in the Northern Latitudes.  That being said, I expect to perform some type of layup maintenace now (This weekend while I still have 1 1/2 arms).  The boat will of course stay in the water and my diver will take care of the bottom.  I am planning to run the engine and flush with fresh water (as per Rons tips on doing so with a 5 gal. bucket) before shutting down.
Is there any thing else that I should probably do that can be done quickly to tuck away my boat for a couple of months of non use while in water?

Perhaps at some point I'll start a seperate thread on how I put myself in this condition.  

Any help as always is greatly appreciated.      

First.. before I even start this post let me say that Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Secondly I know that each of us have either acquired from a PO, or have done ourselves, particular modifications to our boats that may not have had the desired effect from the original plan.

That being said.  While surfing around browsing various boats (OK OK  I'm a boat freak  I know it  )  I came across this particular 1988 C34.

Why, why, why... does somebody do something like this to an already beautiful and elegantly designed.... (SEAWORTHY) boat. 
 
Maybe theres something more to it that I'm missing but I don't think so.

Anyway, take alook and see for yourself.  

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1988/Catalina-Sloop-2499379/San-Pedro/CA/United-States

The local Ullman Sails loft has a special sale till September 15 where I can get 30% off a new mainsail if I order the sail now for delivery in March.  I did this last year for my Genoa and was very happy.  I am considering ordering the Ullman Custom Axis Laminate (CAL) sail.  I'm not looking for a lot of custom extras and the standard sail seems to have all the important features I would need.  However, the one question I would like to ask is this:  The standard sail comes with 2 full battens and 2-4 tapered battens.  Should I go with the standard or pay for the optional full battens on the main.  I think I remember somewhere that the Full batten main makes the sail a little easier to flake when dousing.
As always.. thoughts and suggestions very welcome.   

I have been noticing some indications of rust in the shrouds as of late.  It does not appear to be anything too serious and a rigging inspection done a little over a year ago indicated my standing rigging is approximately 5 years old.  I have cleaned the rust stains (which wipe away easily) as far up as I can reach. 
Is there an easy way to clean the standing rigging without climbing the mast?  I was thinking of using a halyard attached to a line on deck and wiping a rag up and down the shrouds. 
Any suggestions or concerns?    

I've been reading up and also practicing honing my mad docking skills  
In a book that I've been referencing (7 steps to boat docking) it talks about preset RPM's to safely shift from Neutral/Forward/Reverse at a safe RPM with the engine idling.  
Is there a known RPM range where one can shift with the engine idling without damaging the transmission?
The idea is to make all maneuvers without throttle (all in idle) and only using rudder and shifting.  But to get the maximum bite in the water with the prop perhaps the "dead low" idle speed does not provide the sufficient thrust needed.  
Any thoughts? or am I just loony?.. (don't answer that last question)  

OK... So ... our standard routine while getting underway is having my First Mate (AKA Admiral) release the fenders from the stanchions and dutifully carry said fenders to the aft cabin down below.  Sometimes, the fenders are wet and as a result some water gets transported into the cabin.  Additionally, the Admiral carries fenders up and down the ladder to and from the cockpit  (could be an accident waiting to happen).  Since I have a MK-I I'm anxious to make beater use of the large lazzerette for possibly storing the fenders.  
I would like to hear from others the types of solutions to fender storage that everyone uses.  
Aside from Waterdogs, aft locker bags refit, I have not seen any suggestions or solutions to fender storage in the Lazzertte or any other solutions.  

Browsing over in another forum and I have seen the topic of composting heads come up a couple of times.  I am not considering this idea at the moment but it does have my curiosity. 
Has anyone here actually installed one of these in your C34?  I would like to hear from any owners who have used one of these   or have installed .  One of the things I like is the idea that one could get rid of the holding tank... Lots of real estate to be gained.

Like so many things these days, compliance with "No Discharge" could become uglier i the future and these may be a viable alternative. 

Personally... I'm just not "aesthetically" ready for one yet.. but you never know what the future holds.

http://www.natureshead.net/store/

http://www.airheadtoilet.com/

Going to WM this week and get the stuff to rig my reefing lines.  Nothing dramatic or fancy just the standard reefing arrangement as originally configured.  I'm thinking of 26'x3/8 for the Kringle and 16'x3/8 for the Luff.   Any suggestions for type of line, length, "gotchas" or even color preferences?

Also ... is it better to use a reefing hook or a SS ring at the luff?

This weekend I was down below and because of some cool and windy conditions, had the companionway hatch closed up.  When I slid the hatch back to go to the cockpit it made a "fingernails on a chalkboard"    kind of noise that irritated both myself and the Admiral.  Then it occurred to me I had seen something that I think is a vinyl slider for the hatch in Catalina Direct.  Has anybody used this? and is it something that was originally installed and the previous owner of my boat had removed?  On the surface, the slider seems like a good idea and may reduce the friction as it slides back and forth.

This is what I had seen in Catalina Direct:  Vinyl Trim - Companionway Hatch - 11'

The past couple of times taking Pau Hana out, we have experienced some inconsistency in being able to start the engine.  I turn the ignition key over and the let the glow plugs warm.  I have the audible oil pressure alarm.  Then, when I depress the start button... nothing happens.  Sometimes I can go through the starting process and when I depress the start button the engine starts right up.  Inconsistent.  One of the things I'm going to check is for corrosion on the terminals to the button.  Aside from that, what are some other things I should be checking for?  I'm thinking of replacing the start button with new and running new wires all the way through.  Thoughts?   

    (Wish we had a Happy Dance Smiley)   

I just picked up my spiffy new 135 Genoa from Ullman Sails here in SD yesterday.  Can't wait to get out there this weekend and break it in.

My tired old 150 which had been repaired (stitched) in October from a blown out UV cover and the leech line exposed will be retired.  I suppose it is usable in a pinch but she is still pretty thin and frayed.

Anybody have suggestions what to do with an old sail?


BTW... Ullman usually has a sale in the fall for pre orders for new sails delivered in March-April with a substantial discount of 40%.  I'm already looking forward to ordering the new Main in the Fall.

Santa got me a nice little Garmin 441S for Christmas.   I think I have a solution to mounting but wiring has me a little confused .
For mounting I'm thinking of using the Edson 3" stainless steel GPS mount so that he GPS will sit approximately in the area outlined by the red box in the attached photo.  I had thought about mounting directly into the NAVPOD but decided against drilling into the NAVPOD itself for mounting.

The wiring has me a little perplexed.  I do not yet intend to use any of the NMEA 2000 features or the transducer.  I simply want to have a plotter at the helm.  As for power, the wiring harness seems too short to get anywhere to tie into my nav instruments circuit.  Any ideas or suggestions on wiring power only to the Garmin?   

I am looking for ideas to replace the standard Catalina 34 salon table.  The current one is excessively large and difficult to get a group of people around.  I have seen the great ideas that are posted in the Wiki and while I would love to embark on some of those, my carpentry skills are lacking.  Has anyone ever had luck in finding an inexpensive Pre-manufactured table top (unfinished) and mounted it in the salon?  I'm looking for even more creative solutions from the members than those already posted in the Wiki.  
As an example... I've been eyeballing   our old 23" round lazy Susan from the dining table for possible conversion into a round cocktail table in the salon.  The Admiral is not entirely sold on this idea.   Hmmmm maybe the coffee table in the family room will work....  

Hi all,
It's Been awhile since I posted last, and this is due for several reasons mostly work related and also due to the fact that I've been struggling lately with a few maintenance issues and a temporary setback in my confidence.
I thought I would write this thread while enjoying a nice rainy day aboard Pau Hana and chronicle a few lessons learned that I confronted over the past year and those in particular over the summer and now late Fall.
Section 1 - Challenges and solutions:
1.  Beginning mid-summer I began noticing a problem with my Lifeline AGM batteries slowly losing their charge and what seemed to be my battery charger not charging.  After extensive troubleshooting and seeking advice from the forum (Yes Stu, I have a working schematic of my electrical system now) I isolated the problem to bad batteries.  Since I was looking at a bank of 4, 6 volt Golf Cart batteries in series parallel as the house bank and a 12 volt starter battery the $$$ layout was extensive at approximately $275 per battery.  For my needs and budget I elected to replace with Traditional Trojan 105's at a substantial savings.  Although they require a little more attention in terms of checking and replacing water, many of my neighbors use traditional flooded lead acid batteries and prefer them over AGM's.  The good news here was learning that my Xantrex battery charger and monitoring system is working fine and now I'm cruising with good batteries.

Tinkering around the boat today still investigating my Xantrex system woes (See separate thread  )  While making some electrical observations I decided to tackle my ST 4000 Auto Pilot Issues (Also a separate thread  )
I began to unthread the actuator assembly attached to the wheel.  Feeling as though it was not unthreading smoothly and needed a little effort, I broke out my trusty channel locks and a rubber strip and began to put pressure on the Assembly.  To my utter amazement, something suddenly sprung loose and all I saw were little tiny gears, o rings and various other assemblies scattering themselves throughout the cockpit    Even worse, a small metal assembly rolled on the cockpit in subsequently deposited itself into one of my thru hulls that drain water from the cockpit 
Fortunately the piece wedged itself a couple inches down the line and I was able to extricate it from the Thru hull.  I managed to assemble the various parts and after carefully reassembling I discovered the error of why the auto pilot was not working and corrected it.  Thereby fixing my Auto pilot problem.   

The morale of the story????  Always always always cover those thru hulls before beginning any work around the cockpit that may swallow a loose part rolling around. 
I could have learned the hard way... but this time I didn't