Messages

I have for a long time disagreed with the thought (Catalina factory fantasy) that smiles are due to the blocking.

Actually I buy it.  My old hunter had a smile too.  I filled/faired with G/flex and sailed for a season.  At haul out, hanging in the travelift slings, I was eager to see how it had held up.  Perfect.  An hour later she was on the stands and the seam had been cracked open.

But, that does not prove the original cause of the smile.  Just that a patch job didn't work.

Coincidence is not valid proof of causation.


Again, anyone who can logically explain how, using engineering principles of statics and mechanics, two unbendable beams can magically be made to bend, all while the same (and worse) stresses on the keel/joint (while sailing) does NOT cause the joint to open -- Have at it.

Honest question, inquiring minds want to know.

What's the purpose of paying to epoxy barrier-coat a lead keel?  A barrier coat is to prevent blisters from forming on a polyester-fiberglas hull.

Isn't a good primer enough?

-Ken

While you have the boom apart, have a look at the gooseneck fitting. 

Pete

See this
https://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,8991.msg65088.html#msg65088
for info re: converting the gooseneck swivel to a fixed (non-rotating) boom as CTY recommended way back when. 

You can do it with the new, improved, gooseneck cap or drill/pin it yourself.

-Ken

He added strategic zippers so that the front, the two side panels and the top are now separate pieces, so if one went I could replace just the parts not the whole dodger. 

something for everyone to consider when building a new dodger.

There's also a 101 Topic on dodger height everyone should read.

My Cali dodger was made so that, for air on a hot day, the front window could be unzipped (on the sides), rolled up, and hung by straps. It was a PITA because the necessarily huge roll (so that it did not crush and crease) was always in the way. 

So, I started flipping it over on top of the dodger, holding it in place with bungees at the two corners.

I had it reworked so that now the entire front window zips out.   Mucho improved.

[You both are saying the same thing.]

all the weight should be on the front of the keel only.

blocked with.... 25% of the weight on the nose of the keel. 

Mark,
You didn't say what % of weight should be on pads vs the keel, but, above, parsing out the pertinent information ... You both are saying the same thing. 

Weight should be supported at the nose (ie., forward part of) the keel. ***

I trust that you are not saying there should be no weight on pads (be it jack stands or a cradle)???

PS: ***Do not read into this that I buy into CTY's fantasy explanation of what causes a smile.

Thanks for the additional info.

Meantime, I went to the boat and assembled everything. I am glad I purchased the male 1/8 BSPT to female 1/8 NPT adapter - as the 1/8 NPT male alone did not thread into the engine block (telling me the old broke off pipe was 1/8 BSPT to begin with). The 1/8 BSPT fits flawlessly (no surprise here). Because I have used teflon (in the old installation) and a liquid sealant this time around, I bonded my pressure gage (not the switch) with a grounding wire to the engine block as well.

My T-set up looks like yours, pressure sender points up, but my pressure switch points down, so heavy bending momentum during engine vibration should not be a concern. I will watch it closely, may consider a support bracket down the road attached to the exhaust manifold.

Yet have to fire the engine, but I don't anticipate any leaks.

Guenter 

Good deal

If the pressure sender is heavier (like mine) it's better to point it "down", which I am going to do, and put the lighter switch on top.

I'm interested how you bonded the assembly.  A pic?

Remember that any of the threads could have a poor ground if ptfe is used. I have a friend that continually complains that his temp gauge is inaccurate due to corrosion on the TStat cap but **refused** to install a bond when I offered to mail one to him. 

Something about a horse and water and drinking.

Pete

It is likely corroded in place, which is a common malaise for the caps.

The hex on the end is simply a nutted bolt and has nothing to do with securing the aft end cap.

Use a penetrant like PB Blaster to soak into the crevices and screw holes for a week (renew it as needed) alternating with heat. I would also rap the end of the cap and around the boom with a rubber mallet to help break free the corrosion. 

Try a square edge of a sharpened hardwood or plastic block to tap against the edge to drive it free w/o dinging it up.  Or wrap a stiff putty knife with tape to sequentially tap it all around the joint to drive it out.

Guenter

I doubt that the larger diameter made any difference.  They threads are tapered and are so close you can't tell the difference (1.7833^o bspt / 1.7899^o npt.) And presumably, the NPT nipple was tightened no more than a BSPT thread would have been.  So effectively, the OD of what was threaded in was the same as BSPT, but maybe there was a turn less thread in the oil port.  Again effectively then, the connection was was just a titch weaker than if it had been a BSPT nipple. 

The thread angles also differ (55^o BSPT / 60^o NPT) and the thread pitch differs (28 tpi BSPT / 27 tpi NPT.)

I'd think that if anything, there was a slight cross-theading due to the 28 tpi vs 27 tpi thread pitches.

An oil pipe nipple like that failed on a C-30 Universal (did the fewer mated threads contribute to that?)  Certainly hanging a heavy pressure sender off the end in the wrong direction was key (caused a large moment at the pipe thread.)  See the pic of the one that failed.  Rather than orienting it properly. See mine.

Note that the Kubota oil switch is BSPT/JIS not NPT.  If you need to use PTFE to prevent a leak at the block I would consider bonding the nipple rather than relying on the engine for ground.  See pic for my type of bond.

Pete

Nuts are defo the best way to go. 

Scarf on a "repair" with epoxy across the corner and extend the center inward with strips of fiberglass mat on the back of the tray.  IIWMB I'd make up one larger flat repair piece separately (build it up in the bottom of a flat plastic container) cut it to the sizes needed, and epoxy on the finished repair product.  I think that would be simpler than trying to build up mat on the tray.  Use West microfibers additive, which has the greatest adhesive property.  Build up the outside surface of the repairs so they are level with the tray so that the panel fasteners do not cause torque on the repairs.

Using stainless nylock flange nuts will eliminate the need to epoxy-on washers.  eBay and Amazon have them.   Rough up the surface so it grabs the epoxy.

Guys : The last time I talked with Gerry Douglas Catalina was still using 3M5200 to bed their keels!!

A thought!   

Ron do you know about what year CTY switched from polyester mung to 5200?

@pbyrne

Whomever is giving you that answer about the coolant either

1. Doesn't know what they're talking about
or
2. Is intentionally feeding you BS.

Over 30 years, half of that on the hard over Buffalo winters I've never had a drop of coolant in the bilge in the spring. So, no it's not a known problem about Universals.

I tend to think the bad info is #1. because (even if it occurred as "they" claim due to contraction,) CLAMPS ALSO CONTRACT over the winter (greater than the rubber hoses) and therefore hoses connections become even tighter, not looser, during the winter. 

And, there's NO WAY a "drip" from such a "loose" hose connection due to contraction, not under pressure with cold coolant, would lose 2 cups.

The engine closed cooling system has something going on, somewhere, and it's fixable. Permanently.

[If you use a hole saw it's best to plug the old hole with a wood plug before drilling so the pilot drill on the hole saw works and the hole saw doesn't walk.
Jim

Hey Jim if you have that situation here's 3 easier outside-the-box hacks I use (plugging the hole is my last resort.)

Drill a hole in plywood for an external guide, and kneel or stand on it (at least until the new hole gets started.) Or affix it with double sided tape or whatever.
https://youtube.com/shorts/q-CzRZoC4GI?si=sSqRDRmIXzI_cfTQ

Use two saws, if the original hole is a nominal size:
https://youtube.com/shorts/HdKg3IooOB8?si=0PfI_xEPUGRliT5P

If the original hole is odd-size cut a larger hardwood hole and sand it down to the correct diameter for an arbor.
https://youtu.be/vOUfFaIJUqo?si=i34fdHsT_agcf5e9

Here are a few sample spreadsheets I uploaded -- from simple to complicated, that one can modify to suit oneself:

https://c34.org/wiki/images/c/c4/Energyplan_0.xls
https://c34.org/wiki/images/b/bb/2012_Sample_Energy_Budget_0.xls
https://c34.org/wiki/images/8/8f/Energy-Calculator-4.xlsx

It doesn't need to be diamond -- carbide is fine.

I got a complete set of carbide-tooth hole saws at a great deal off Craigslist!
I used them on the bottom of a stainless cabinet (electrical, nothing nautical) and it was an absolute LIFESAVER -- a bimetal hole saw "never would have cut it".

For that distance any FRS talkie will be fine.  Stick with a known brand name.  Look at hunting stores vs a marine store! 

I prefer earbuds vs a headset and suggest that you buy where you/she can try/return to find what works best, lest it become simply an annoyance (and another marriage penalty.)

Some models (I believe Midland FRSs is one) you can buy a plug-in Bluetooth dongle that will pair to your favorite phone Bluetooth. 
Another consideration is wind noise -- so again try/return -- because a boom mic w/ a foam windscreen may work better than a mic hanging on a wire from an earbud or clipped to a jacket lapel.