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Topics - John Langford

#1
Main Message Board / Return from the dark side
May 20, 2020, 11:35:36 AM
After an abortive effort to embrace power boating, Kate and I are looking forward to returning to the sailing world. The power boat, a Ranger Tug, works beautifully and is a delight to be on in anchorages and at the dock. But after one summer of cruising we found that we really missed sailing and the simple pleasure of working with the wind to get from one place to another. Our beloved 34 Mk II, 'Calypso', is in the hands of yacht club colleagues, Jim and Allison Lucas, who are are contributors to this forum. So we are on the lookout for another post-2000 34 MkII or 355, or even a 350 or 36 in the Pacific Northwest. Not an easy search in these Covid induced, closed border days.

And thus my question. Do the LOA figures published in the spec sheets by Catalina include the anchor roller in the calculation? Our slip at the yacht club is limited to  boats no longer than 36'5" and the administration takes the measurement very seriously. A 34 Mk II has a published LOA of 34'6" but is charged for 36' with a Bruce or Rocna on the roller. The 355 and 350 LOAs are both advertised to be 35'5". If that includes the roller, then with an anchor they should be less than the ironclad limit of 36'5". A Catalina 36, at 35'6" apparently doesn't make the cut and is forced onto the long waiting list for a longer slip.

So if anyone has authoritative information on how Catalina makes its LOA calculation I would be delighted to hear it. No reply when I asked Catalina directly. We made one bad mistake by trading Calypso in for a powerboat; we don't want to make a second one by buying a boat that doesn't fit into our slip. The waiting lists are too long for an ancient mariner.

And, of course, if you have a 34 mk II in the Pacific Northwest that you are prepared to part with, please let me know.



#2
Main Message Board / Edson pedestal cable yoke
June 01, 2019, 12:24:51 PM
Another day, another weird boating incident.

Leaving Prevost Harbor, Stuart Island, in the San Juan Islands, I noticed that the throttle lever moved slightly when I alternated the gear lever between neutral and forward. By the time I cleared the Harbor, I could not move either the gear or throttle control without the other lever moving around a lot. Effectively, I could not use the gear lever without firmly gripping the throttle lever and couldn't shift into neutral or reverse at all without the the throttle lever forcing up the revs. No fun at all.

Since I had always thought of the two functions as being independent, I couldn't figure out what was going on. Instead of trying to reanchor and work on the problem I left the motor ticking over in forward and sailed back to my home port, 13 miles away.  But when I approached the marina I couldn't sort out how I could get into it and down the passage to my finger and then stop the boat. In the end, I turned the motor off and on while in forward and at the end 'dead sticked' into the slip without too much fuss. Luckily the wind was light.

I took apart the binnacle and the Edson pedestal cable cover in the aft cabin but couldn't see what was going on inside the pedestal. The throttle and gear shift cables were both properly connected at the motor end. It was my neighbour who saw me staring at the problem and suggested that there was a yoke halfway up the pedestal that secured the pedestal end of BOTH cables. Thus, the unusual interaction between them. We removed the guts of the engine panel lower down the pedestal and found a nylock nut and a washer and the hole for the bolt securing the yoke to the pedestal. But no sign of the bolt. We took off the wheel. I manipulated the two cables from below until he could see the end of the bolt. Then, putting a long screwdriver down into the pedestal from above I was able to push on the loose yoke until eventually he was able to capture the bolt as it poked through the hole in the pedestal wall. This was a lengthy and frustrating experience that left me with a few choice words I would have loved to share with the Edson pedestal designers. Deployed a healthy dose of loctite, tightened down the bolt and put the whole mess back together. Status quo ante.

Further thought. If you have your engine panel apart for any reason, you might want to put a wrench on the nylock nut visible at the back of the panel.
#3
Main Message Board / Finding the waterline
February 19, 2019, 03:17:34 PM
I would like to accurately establish how far above or below the waterline the engine raw water outflow joins the exhaust riser in the engine room on the MK II with the M35BC. There must be a simple way to do this that is less trouble than attaching a clear hose to the raw water intake and observing how high the water column rises inside the hose. Any suggestions?

Also, by rough measurement I estimate the capacity of the M35BC aqua lift muffler to be about 12 litres. Has anyone actually done a more accurate measurement?
#4
Main Message Board / Fuel line vacuum gauge
January 24, 2019, 04:45:14 PM
Inspired by a Cruising World piece, I recently installed an oil filled Durachoice 0-30 inHg vacuum gauge between my primary Racor filter and my fuel pump. I installed it vertically against the wooden frame for the engine compartment on the starboard side with gauge facing forward. It can be read by lifting the companionway access hatch under the upper set of steps. The installation was straightforward and the engine works fine. So fuel supply is fine. The odd thing is that there is no deflection of the gauge when the engine is running. I have recently changed filters so I wouldn't expect much deflection. But none?

Any thoughts?

The Cruising World article can be found at: https://www.cruisingworld.com/how/fuel-filter-gauge
#5
Main Message Board / Westerbeke 30C Three
November 21, 2018, 07:04:28 PM
For a second year in a row, Westerbeke is offering this engine (25hp and 2.5:1 transmission) via distributors in Canada as a Christmas present for $7995.00 (Can) or about $6000.00 (US). Has anyone used this engine as a replacement for the Universal 25XP or 35B. Facing a rebuild or a cranky old age engine it looks like it might be an attractive alternative.
#6
Main Message Board / M 35BC Electrical draw
October 30, 2018, 04:35:34 PM
With everything off at the electrical panel, my monitor shows a 6 amp draw when the engine key switch is turned to the first position (engine instrument panel powered up, buzzer out of commission and glow plugs not engaged). Would the panel draw that much or is something else going on? Any suggestions?
#7
Main Message Board / PSS shaft seal and engine movement
October 16, 2018, 01:32:49 PM
In the course of adjusting my throttle cable to allow my Universal M35BC to produce full power, a strange thing happened. As I pushed the engine under load AT THE DOCK up to 2500rpm, the top of the recommended cruising range, my shaft seal began to spray salt water. I have used PSS shaft seals for many years and this had never happened before at any power level up to 2500rpm.

My first thought was engine alignment but I checked it out and it was fine. Then I tightened up on the bellows by about 1/4" and the problem went away. But then I wondered if the culprit was putting the boat under heavy load at the dock. My question is: when powering up at the dock, will the engine surge further forward on its mounts than it would underway? And could it do so enough to cause the shaft seal interface to become so loose it would begin to leak? Any views on this?
#8
Main Message Board / Adjusting throttle cable
October 09, 2018, 08:00:14 PM
I used to be able to reach 2900 rpm, but recently the throttle control on my 1999 Mk II M35B is hitting the binnacle stainless steel support tube at about 2500rpm. It feels like there is slack in the cable as I push it forward.  The cable is as tight as it can get at the engine end. Before opening up the binnacle, I would like to know if it is possible to adjust the throttle cable tension at that end. Does anyone knowing that is the case and, if so, how the adjustment is made?
#9
Main Message Board / M35 low oil pressure alarm switch
September 05, 2018, 09:21:08 AM
My oil pressure gauge is working but the oil pressure alarm function has stopped operating. I replaced the alarm on the panel itself but it still doesn't sound when I turn the key or stop the engine. I suspect that the oil pressure alarm switch that is very hard to access low down on the port side of the engine.

Has anyone dealt with this problem. Any advice welcome.
#10
Main Message Board / Mk II oil pressure alarm
September 04, 2018, 07:22:05 PM
My oil pressure gauge is working but the oil pressure alarm function has stopped operating. I replaced the alarm on the panel itself but it still doesn't sound when I turn the key or stop the engine. I suspect that the oil pressure alarm switch that is hard to access on the port side of the engine.

Has anyone dealt with this problem. Any advice welcome.
#11
Main Message Board / Coolant system maintenance
January 26, 2018, 03:57:58 PM
I am going to take off my heat exchanger and have it cleaned and pressure tested. To that end I have read all of the useful advice by Mike V, Ron Hill and others on this topic. However, I still have a question. The submissions mostly focus on the heat exchanger alone. But what about cleaning out the that part of the coolant circulation system internal to the engine block? Does running the engine with a rad cleaner and water before taking off the HX worth the effort or should I just focus on cleaning the heat exchanger itself?
#12
Happy New Year to all.

I would like to do some preventative checking and cleaning of solenoid and starter electrical connections on the port side of the engine. Unfortunately, I can't see any of this part of the engine either from the open engine box in the companionway or with the engine cover in the aft cabin completely removed. It looks like the next step would be to remove the alternator and possibly a couple of the coolant hoses on the port side and get at it from there. Has anyone found a better way of getting working access to this area of the engine?
#13
Main Message Board / Installing solar panels
December 28, 2017, 05:11:57 PM
I'm just finishing up a project that might interest other owners. I wanted a bit of protection from the sun while sailing and I also wanted to use solar power to keep up the batteries while cruising. So, instead of getting a professional to build me a Bimini and then putting expensive flexible solar panels on top of expensive Sunbrella cloth, I decided to build a smaller Bimini frame (two flat horizontal tubes instead of the normal three tubes with a curved crown) to support two 150 watt Renogy hard panels. As you can see from the Photo, I have left the Centre portion between the bridle wires open for the moment but may fill it with smoked plexiglass or even a piece on Sunbrella with a clear panel to allow me to see the sails. Since I spend most of my time when sailing sitting on the port or starboard coaming , I may end up doing nothing.

My Bimini frame attaches to the push pit rail just like a regular Catalina 34 Bimini frame. I needed two 20 ft lengths of polished 304 SS 1" .065 tubing for the two horizontal elements and the vertical stiffening on the port and starboard pushpit rails. Another 6 ft of tubing were required for the side-to-side stiffening visible just over the top of the green Sunbrella wheel cover in the photo. The structure is very rigid and there is minimal drag from the panels themselves. A local metal shop did the four bends. With the various fixed and hinged rail mounts, end cap fittings etc. The frame construction was around $600 Canadian. A local Bimini maker quoted around $3000 merely to build the frame. I can provide more details re the lengths of the horizontal and vertical sections and the stiffening elements etc if anyone is interested.

Because of the potential for shading (radar mast and dome, backstay bridle wires) I decided to use a separate Genasun 10 amp converter for each panel. Therefore, I led the package of four 10 gauge solar panel wires down the inside of my radar mast through the starboard lazarette locker under the reefer compressor and along the big PVC tube carrying the reefer lines forward to the evaporator. Not a process without moments of trauma. That PVC tube terminates in the space just above the aft starboard dinette seat where the batteries and water heater are located. I then led the wires down to the "Starboard" converter panel visible in the second photo.That photo shows the two Genasun converters, the two studs collecting the positive and negative output of the two converters and an on/off switch on the positive cable to the battery bank. The red 10 gauge wire is protected by a 30 amp cube breaker on the positive battery stud. That breaker also protects the positive wire from the 120v AC Xantrex battery charger.

Everything is up and running. I can't report reliably on results and performance as I turned on the system on December 21, the day with the least sun of the year and all of that at a very low angle through the rigging of other sailboats on my dock. The batteries were already fully charged so at this point my battery monitor tells me that all the batteries are asking for is a trickle charge to keep them at 13.50 volts or so. The experts say that on sunny days in the spring and summer I should expect to be able to easily replace the 60 amp hours I use in a normal 24 hours at anchor or sailing. We will see.

Everything include, this project cost around $1600 Canadian. The two panels were under $600 and the converters were $130 each.

Let me know if there are questions or suggestions.
#14
Has anyone done this? My present alternator is mounted on a heavy duty bracket attached to the block. The bracket looks like it is original (same paint as engine). It has two arms. There is a long bolt connecting the forward to the aft arm with a lock nut at the aft end. Between the two arms - in order, looking aft - there appears to be a washer, then the 1" spool of the alternator with its 1/2" mounting hole, and then some kind of long hollow spacer over the bolt. I can't provide a picture because it is obscured by the alternator.

It is quite difficult to access the nut so I am seeking advice before trying to disassemble all of this and trying to fit the replacement alternator. One question is how does this arrangement stabilize the alternator? The diameter of the alternator mounting hole (1/2") is much larger than the diameter of the bolt.

I appreciate that this may not make a lot of sense if you can't see it. But if anyone knows how this works I would be grateful for some advice.
#15
Main Message Board / Fuse question
May 25, 2017, 02:37:30 PM
My 1999 Mk II does not have a fuse in the 9 inch 10 gauge line between the common terminal of the battery switch and the many circuit breakers on the electrical panel. I have noticed that this is a common feature on more contemporary boats. Any views on whether this would be a necessary or prudent addition?
#16
Main Message Board / Replacing M35BC fuel pump
May 25, 2017, 11:09:38 AM
I just replaced the mechanical Facet cube fuel pump on my M35BC with the contemporary Facet solid state cube fuel pump FAC 40105. It was an easy exchange. The replacement pump was exactly the same size as the original so the mounting holes on the engine could be reused. The fittings connecting the fuel line at both ends of the pump were also reusable. The only additional work required is to add a 3 amp inline fuse. Assumedly the solid state pump is more sensitive to electrical spikes than the mechanical one. I lost almost no fuel in the exchange so that running the pump for a few seconds before starting up got rid of any air in the line if there was any. I have subsequently been for a cruise and the pump performed flawlessly.

My original pump had developed a very slow leak from within the pump at the input end. 

Be sure you buy the new pump from a reputable dealer. I used Aircraft Spruce that supplies equipment for planes. The service was excellent. There are cheaper knock offs of the pump around. The price should be around $50.
#17
Main Message Board / Stack pack pros and cons
September 22, 2016, 09:21:07 AM
I am reposting this from another forum where it was lost in a broader discussion.

I have the dutchman and like it but I cruise a lot and every afternoon and morning slacken or tighten the Dutchman monofilaments and put on or take off the sail cover, deal with the sail ties etc. I also need a new sail cover and have been thinking about the stack pack option. The pros look obvious: no hauling around of canvas cover, faster deployment of main etc. But what about the cons? Do the sides of the bag bang around when the wind gets up? Does the bag interfere with the loosening of the loose footed main when going downwind. Can the lazy jacks be left up or do they interfere with the sail when sailing? If you don't put on the nose piece all the time are you degrading the luff of main significantly? Are some manufacturers' models better than others? For instance I notice that Doyle seems to use very heavy lines for the lazy jacks instead of something thin and light like Spectra.

I would be interested in hearing views from those who have a stack pack of some kind.
#18
I still have a 1998 Heart Interface incharge external regulator managing a Leece Neville 105 amp alternator. This has worked well overall for 17 years. I cruise for two to three weeks at a time with occasional nights at marinas. I only rarely take my 4 Trojan 105 house bank down below 100 amp hours so my bulk charge rate never exceeds 60-70amps with the voltage set at 14.6 or so. The alternator seems to run at a reasonable temperature but I don't monitor that electronically.

To this point, the only odd things I have noticed are tach oscillations and erratic voltage and current readings on my e-meter at startup when the battery bank is fully charged after a night on the AC battery charger. This seems to stop after a few minutes of running when I add loads like the blower or the frig starts cycling. I don't understand this but I believe others have reported similar phenomena. To this point I have been just living with it.

However, recently I have noticed that the voltmeter at the helm is quivering most of the time when the alternator is bulk charging and the e-meter tells me that the voltage is jumping around between 14.50 and 14.85. The belt is tight and there is no slippage.

So here is my question. I think this a new development.  Does anyone know if that much oscillation in voltage is something to be concerned about?
#19
Main Message Board / Fittings below waterline
April 16, 2016, 01:18:23 PM
I have just had what I think is the original elbow connecting my marelon thru hull to the output hose on the macerator pump split. Fortunately I am present and looking at it whenever the valve is open so there was no problem.

BUT, in the course of replacing it I realized that it was a PVC 1" barb to 3/4" female threaded elbow connected to a short threaded BRASS coupling connected to the Marelon valve. Looking at other thruhulls I found the exactly similar arrangement for the 1" ID galley sink drain. Also the elbow connecting the 3/4 shower/reefer drain to its thru hull is unreinforced nylon. Finally the fittings connecting the raw water filter to its input and output  hoses consist of ABC PLASTIC reducers and unreinforced nylon elbows or tailpieces.

From what I understand of ABYC STANDARDS, PVC, ABS and nylon are verboten below the waterline and all of the above thru hull setups are below the waterline. But my boat had its first insurance survey recently and the surveyor said nothing about any of this.

Some questions:
Are the above arrangements common to all MK IIs?
Are my concerns about the materials used misplaced?
Has anyone else tried to redo these arrangements using marelon elbows, tailpieces and reducers?
Does anyone know if the big black raw water filter is marelon or is it a heavy plastic knockoff?
#20
Main Message Board / Moving primary winches
March 14, 2016, 01:10:16 PM
I was interested in moving the primary winches on my MK II  aft along the coaming towards the steering station to make it easier to tack and adjust the foresail when single handing. The position I settled on was about half the distance between the present which position and the steering wheel. I asked Gerry Douglas about it and he advised me against doing so because of the relative weakness of the coaming in the area of the large port cockpit locker lid. He did not offer an opinion on the starboard side. The fact that I run only a 130% genoa did not appear to alter his view. BTW, he responded very quickly to my e-mailed question.

Has anyone else had any thoughts about making the primary winches more accessible to a single hander? As it stands, I have to move in front of the wheel to tack and then get up and get forward every time I want to make an adjustment in the sail. In an area of flukey and variable winds that can get a bit tedious. Don't even get me started on the issues associated with managing the mainsheet when running dead downwind in a bit of a blow.
#21
A warning: sensitive readers should move on the next topic on the message board!

I recently completed an in-the-boat clean out of my 15 year old holding tank. Very worthwhile but not much fun. I took this on as I noticed that the capacity of the holding tank seemed diminished and occasionally the macerator pump seemed to be labouring when I was pumping out the tank offshore. When I opened the tank access port I noticed two things beyond the obvious evidence of recent use. First, the side and especially the sloped surfaces of the tank were covered with a heavy layer of dense but brittle calcium deposit which broke into slabs and detached from the sides of the tank when prodded smartly but carefully with a large screwdriver. Second, there was a significant build up of sand-like sediment along the whole length of the bottom of the tank. This sediment was deep enough that it partially covered the outlet to the T leading to both the deck pump out fitting and the macerator pump.

I set about cleaning the tank. The key tool (beyond long rubber gloves) was a large powerful shop vac with a hose and end fitting that went into the tank access port and still allowed me to manoeuvre it inside the tank. I also needed to make up a prodding and scraping tools hose clamped to a strong but somewhat flexible metal handle that allowed me to first detach and break up the calcium deposits in the distant front end of the tank and pull those calcium chunks and sediment towards the aft end of the tank so I could further break the calcium chunks into smaller pieces and vacuum them and the sediment up. This was the most difficult and unpleasant part of a generally unpleasant chore. Along the way I had to keep pumping more water into the tank as the shop vac seemed to do a better job when the sediment etc. was wet. Several discrete trips to the marina heads on shore with the full shop vac in a wheelbarrow were required. Except for a scrupulous clean up, that's it. At my age, this is not a job I will have to do twice!

When I closed the system up and used the macerator for the first time with only water in the tank I noticed that the chopper made some strange noises as it dealt with smaller chunks of calcium and some sediment that had been inadvertently pushed into the exit lines during the cleaning process. From the sound of it, you would not want to expose the macerator to too much of that stuff.

I will entertain questions but will NOT provide photos:)
#22
Main Message Board / Dutchman and new loose-footed main
November 16, 2015, 05:43:13 PM
Reading the loose footed main thread I remembered that I had not reported on an interesting experiment with my Dutchman system. I found that tightening the Dutchman prior to dropping the sail caused the control lines to pull the foot of my new loose footed main up in an arc even if the outhaul was fairly tight. This caused the sail to fall of the end of the boom when I dropped it. So I unstitched the two Dutchman "envelopes" from the foot of the sail, stitched some light line to the bottom of each one and slid them into the slot on the top of the boom. This allows me to really tighten the Dutchman control lines and now the sail falls properly onto the boom again. When going down wind and freeing up the outhaul, I also loosen off the control lines and this allows the main to assume its more curved shape. I read a note in a recent sailing mag issue that also noted that terminating the control lines on the boom rather than the sail also would allow me to change the control lines so that the sail folded in the opposite way thus reducing dangers associated with always folding the sail the same way. I haven't tried that yet.
#23
Main Message Board / Another Autohelm 4000+ issue
September 19, 2015, 06:05:28 PM
The Autohelm drive ring on my wheel was making harsh sounds during a recent voyage and then broke into two parts making it impossible to steer until I removed it from the wheel. Not the best situation when underway😬 in this case the problem was the fracturing of two of the plastic posts supporting small plastic wheels which allow the rings to turn smoothly.

The good news is that I was able to fix the problem relatively easily. I didn't think gluing the posts back together would be strong enough so I drilled holes in the spot where the broken posts were secured to the ring and used longer metal screws through the body of the ring to reattach the posts around which the wheels revolve. It now runs quietly and smoothly.

Perhaps the more important message is that you shouldn't hesitate to gently pry the two parts of the drive ring apart if it isn't functioning properly. My local Raymarine technician warned against doing so arguing that in many instances it was impossible to put the two rings back together again. After my experience I think that opinion is rubbish and probably self serving. He wanted to sell me a new drive ring and motor. The two rings come apart easily and go back together without a problem.
#24
Main Message Board / Raymarine autopilot update
July 29, 2015, 01:39:15 PM
Has anyone replaced the drive ring (the doughnut on the wheel itself) and motor on their 2000 era ST4000+ autopilot? The old one is black and the replacement unit is anodized aluminum I believe. I am interested to know if the connector to the back of the motor is the same (and wired the same) for both generations. I am getting some not healthy noises out of my drive ring and can see a need to replace it and the motor soon.
#25
Main Message Board / Garhauer E Z Glide Genoa Car System
February 25, 2015, 02:01:50 PM
I just installed my new Garhauer adjustable genoa car system. It looks good overall although I haven't taken it sailing yet. However, I just wanted to mention that despite the fact that I specified that the system was for a Catalina 34 MK II, the cam cleat fitting at the aft end of the system was not welded to its track fitting. As a result the cam cleat fitting hits the gelcoat on the coaming when you pull on the line.

So be forewarned that Guido and company will not immobilize the cam cleat fitting without much more specific instructions than I provided. An earlier post on this board suggested that they were aware of this problem and would weld the two pieces together if you specified it was for a Catalina 34.
#26
Main Message Board / Pedestal guard sealant
December 16, 2014, 04:54:47 PM
On earlier versions of the Mark II (mine is a 1999) the 1" tubes of the stainless steel pedestal guard terminate on the cockpit sole in black composite (plastic?) fittings which are screwed into the sole. The pedestal guard tubes are subject to a fair amount of stress as the top of the guard is a favourite hand hold in heavy weather. Because the sealant is applied between the bottom of these two fittings and the non-skid pattern on the sole I have had trouble keeping them watertight with the result that in heavy rain I can get leaks down into the pedestal base cover in the aft cabin and eventually down into the bilge. The later MK IIs overcame this obvious design flaw by elevating the termination point of the tubes above the cockpit sole and getting rid of the non-skid pattern at this point.

Has anyone with an earlier MK II model had the same problem and come up with an effective solution for sealing the connection between the pedestal tubes and the cockpit sole? In my case, the job is complicated by the fact that both tubes are filled with instrument wiring, making it difficult to lift the SS tubes and their plastic "feet" to clean under them and the cockpit sole non-skid before reapplying sealant. I think the last time around I used Sudbury Rule Elastomeric which has served me well in other circumstances in which fittings might move in use.
#27
I was chatting with a very knowledgeable diesel mechanic and he mentioned that the Kubota engine coolant pump for the M35BC was less than half the price of the Universal replacement. Has anyone had to replace this pump and discovered the appropriate Kubota crossover number?

If you had a big enough tractor sales operation in the neighbourhood it might be possible to bring the pump in and compare with those available. But you need the exact number if ordering online as Kubota produces a number of variations (different connector locations) on this basic pump.

Beta Engines makes no effort to hide the identity of the Kubota engine which they marinize, even providing all the original tags and parts information with a new information. I wish that Universal/Westerbeke was as forthcoming.
#28
Main Message Board / vented loop hose barbs
May 28, 2014, 10:01:42 AM
I am renewing the raw water hose from thru hull to exhaust riser on my 1999 Mark II. When I tried to remove the old hoses from the Forespar vented loop under the head sink, the 5/8" hose barbs came away with the hoses. It looks like the barbs were glued into the body of the vented loop, possibly with two part epoxy. Has anyone ever encountered this problem and tried to refasten the barbs into the body of the loop? I am looking for suggestions about adhesive options that work with Marelon. The hose barbs fit snuggly into the body of the loop but they definitely need to be secured with some form of adhesive.
#29
Main Message Board / Lewmar Opening Port Gasket
March 04, 2014, 11:16:47 AM
I was getting leaking from one of my Lewmar #1 opening ports (1998 vintage). I read all the posts on the topic, replaced the two o-rings on the locking handles, and checked the frame bolts for tightness (they were tight) but the leak persisted. The frame sealant looked good and the water seemed to be coming from around the base of the black rubber gasket. So I removed the gasket, cleaned it and tried to refit it. And here is where I ran into a problem. It didn't seem to want to stay in place so I ran a bead of sealant around  the narrow crevice in the frame that was designed to retain the thin edge of the gasket and pressed the gasket into place. This seemed to work. A day later I sprayed the port with the hose and it seemed to be dry. But I haven't had a solid two day Pacific Northwest rain as the ultimate test.

I can't find any instructions from Lewmar online. Has everyone who has removed and refitted the black gasket has to use sealant to retain it?
#30
Main Message Board / Raw water hose replacement
September 21, 2013, 03:42:07 PM
Does anyone know if there is any problem with using high quality auto radiator hose to replace the various runs of 5/8" ID raw water hose on the Universal M35BC. The marine equivalent is twice the price and looks very similar including the internal fibre reinforcement required to stiffen it. I am coming up to my 15 year insurance survey and don't want to be told that I have to  the job a second time. I am only considering it at all because the original hose is showing signs of superficial exterior cracking.
#31
Main Message Board / Mk II shaft log
January 11, 2013, 09:54:29 AM
Does anyone know the precise outside diameter of the shaft log on the MK II? I am going to replace my PSS shaft seal bellows and the old bellows covers too much of the shaft log to give me comfort about the measurement at the front end. Anyone who has installed a shaft seal or replaced the hose on the stuffing box might have this information filed away.
#32
Main Message Board / Replacing PSS shaft seal bellows
January 02, 2013, 01:04:59 PM
I have had a PSS shaft seal since 1999. It works fine and I inspect it regularly for any sign of deterioration in the bellows or the graphite facing. No problem that I can see. The bellows don't look or feel brittle and there are no signs of cracking. The area aft of the engine in Calypso is very clean nad the bellows have never come into direct contact with oil or fuel. That said, the standard advice is to change the bellows every 5 years or so. Before I contemplate adding that task to my annual haulout this spring I would be interestd to know if others on the list have felt the need to replace their bellows as instructed or have experienced any form of deterioration in the bellows along the way.
#33
I have been looking for alternatives to the Balmar three stage regulator after too many stories of (1) difficulty programming the beast  (2)  sensitivity to heat and (3) price. I just found the Sterling ProReg B which Electromaax in Toronto sells for around $175. It looks like a good option for alternators up to 100 amps. Note that Sterling recommends leaving the alternator's internal regulator installed as a backup in case the Sterling unit fails.

See:https://store.electromaax.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=179
and
http://www.sterling-power.com/

Has anyone used one of these regulators?
#34
Main Message Board / Hard vang connection to mast
August 03, 2012, 10:53:19 AM
I recently had to replace the fork shaped fitting that connects the lower end of the Garhauer vang to the fitting at the base of the mast. The fork shaped fitting had cracked and broken across the top of one of the tines of the fork, bending back the other tine of the fitting presumably when I tightened down on the vang. If you have a 1999 vintage MK II you might want to inspect that fitting. I had a repair done locally so I didn't take the opportunity to ask Garhauer if they could still supply the fitting.
#35
Main Message Board / Coaxial cable to masthead
August 03, 2012, 10:46:10 AM
My VHF radio (ICOM) reception capacity has fallen off dramatically so I did some tests and found that the radio receiver section was fine. So it has to be the coax run to the masthead or the antenna itself. Before going to the masthead to check out the antenna and the coax connection up there. I was wondering if any owners of a MK II who have taken your mast down could tell me how the coax cable running from the radio up through the mast support post in the cabin is connected at the base of the mast to the coax cable that runs up the mast itself. Since the whip antennas are generally pretty foolproof, I am assuming that it is one of the coax cables that is the problem. If so, I assume that I have to take the mast down if the cable has become wet and needs to be replaced. Since I am not too keen to do that I am also considering installing a new antenna on the pushpit or radar mast. So any advice about successful relocations of the VHF antenna at deck level would also be welcome.

BTW, the Shakespeare radio tester I used also provided the option of testing the radio's transmit capacity. In my case the 25 watt setting only produced about 12 watts and the 5 watt setting about 2 watts. The dealer who loaned me the tester said that this is not unusual in his experience.

#36
Main Message Board / Door/drawer latches
September 19, 2011, 02:42:11 PM
If you own a MkII then your boat is full of the Swedish Mobella door catches. I have now broken the third one, all in the same way. The handle fractures away from the body of the latch. They are $24 each if you order replacements from Catalina Direct but it is possible to glue the handle back together again and put the broken latch back into service. Just release the locking device which allows you to retrieve the second half of the handle from within the body of the latch. Then glue the two pieces together using epoxy and 24 hours later you can put the latch back together again. For some help with the deconstruction and reassembly of the latches scroll the images at the bottom of this page: http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=1315&ParentCat=68

BTW, the Catalina Direct website makes it clear that the original construction of the hendle was too flimsy. They claim that the replacements they are selling contain a "new and improved" handle assembly.
#37
Main Message Board / Exhaust riser heat wrap
August 03, 2011, 08:29:20 PM
Has anyone had to rewrap their exhaust riser recently? I am just about to reinstall a repaired exhaust riser and wondered if a couple of layers of used wrap (which looks like 2" fibreglass tape) is enough to manage the heat from the manifold of the M35BC. Previously I had some bulky insulating material under the tape. It worked fine from an insulating perspective but it also obscured the leak that developed at one of the welds by soaking up the liquid. If I can get the insulation I need from a couple of layers of tape it would allow me to monitor the integrity of the rise much more effectively.

Any ideas appreciated.
#38
Main Message Board / ST50 speed sensor
August 03, 2011, 08:15:16 PM
My ST50Tridata speed sensor unit failed recently. A previous thread on this site and even the Raymarine web site both note that you can't find a direct replacement for the ST50 , necessitating the purchase of the complete ST60 sensor and thru-hull unit and lifting the boat out of the water to install both. My local Raymarine dealer insists that he has found a replacement for the ST50 sensor unit which is the right OD (1 1/4") to fit into the existing thru hull fitting and can then be wired to the display using a junction box. It is $109 and should be here in a week. I will let you know how it goes.
#39
Main Message Board / Backup regulator
July 24, 2011, 12:08:15 PM
Many of us have installed external smart regulators with more powerful alternators. I was wondering if anyone had identified a suitable, inexpensive external auto regulator unit that might be used as a backup if the smart regulator failed mid-cruise. The previous smart regulator I had (made by Cruising Equipment in Seattle which was swallowed up by Xantrex, I believe) actually had connections for a backup regulator. I appreciate that the backup would not be "smart" but at least it would do the job until one could replace the failed unit.

The idea is that if I can identify and buy such a unit it and add it to my spares, it almost guarantees that my Xantrex unit will never fail:)
#40
Main Message Board / Mast wiring
May 29, 2011, 06:33:02 PM
I was interested in changing the coaxial cable run to my VHF antenna at the masthead but I realize that I don't know how that run is structured. Did Catalina provide connectors for the coax, mast lights, etc. above the deck at the base of the mast so that the mast can be removed?

Note: I have a 1999 MkII with a deck stepped mast.
#41
Main Message Board / Storing second propane tank
January 30, 2011, 08:59:06 PM
I have just removed a reluctant Espar hydronic furnace unit from my MkII. Tearing out the furnace and valves, gallons of ant-freeze, the head tank, many many feet of wire and heater hose and three fan units gave me incredible pleasure. I am now moving on to install a beautiful Dickinson P12000 SS propane heater on the port side bulkhead above the settee. It will use under an amp per hour to run fan and solenoid and be simplicity itself...with a flickering romantic flame to boot!

So here is my question. I want to carry an extra 10lb aluminum propane tank and I wondered if anyone had come up with a good way of storing it. The options so far would include
- putting it on or even in (by cutting a 10 1/4" hole in the seat and creating a SS holder like the one for pop tins) one of the cockpit pushpit seats which I rarely use in the Pacific Northwest
- building a holder for it on one of the seats on the swim platform with a strap to retain it to the transom
- creating a longer outboard motor holder hung from the rail (since I mostly use the heater after I have put the outboard away for the fall and winter) to which I could strap the tank.

Any and all ideas gratefully received
#42
I finally got to the top of the mast and replaced the very inefficient incandescent anchor light bulb with Superbrightleds tower bulb #1156-CW18-T. It fits inside the bulb cover, works like a charm and draws almost no power. The price was $18.95. A very good and inexpensive upgrade and made in the USA.
#43
Main Message Board / Flexifold three blade pitch
July 03, 2010, 03:04:04 PM
I have just installed the three blade flexifold prop on my Mark II. After looking over the posts and hearing the recommendation of Dan Tucker  at Flexifold .I went for the 10" pitch

There was one dissenting voice on the list that found the 10" pitch to be overpropped. That dissenting voice is right! I am hittting 6.4 knots at 2000 rpms (tach recently adjusted using electronic tach) and 6.9 knots at 2250rpms. At 2500 rpms the swim grid is awash and I cannot get the engine above 2700rpms (with smoke) when 2900-3000 rpms is recommended in the manual. Dan has agreed to change the blades but I thought others would be interested in my results.

BTW it is a beautiful prop and goes smoothly and quietly into forward and reverse. Still lots of prop walk in reverse. The sailing preformance is excellent with virtually no perceptible drag.

I am a bit surprised that so many other users have not found the 15x10 to be overpropped.
#44
Main Message Board / Coolant change M35B
March 08, 2010, 12:33:06 PM
I went to change my M35B engine coolant for the first time and ran into a snag or two. First, the manual points you to coolant drain plug on the starboard side of the block above the forward engine mount. But when I opened the plug and took off the radiator cap I got no flow whatsoever. I noticed in a later M35B manual from Westerbeke that they show a picture of a different drain plug but I can't locate anything resembling that drawing on the engine.

I then wondered if undoing the petcock on the heat exchanger would drain the block as well as the HX but it didn't want to move with hand pressure and I was reluctant to put a tool to the flimsy handle.

Finally, the manual shows a petcock on the top of the thermostat for bleeding air while refilling. I have no petcock in that location so I was wondering what alternative techniques M35B owners have resorted to...assuming I can get the old coolant out:)

I have searched the archives but found nothing specific on a M35B coolant change. Any advice appreciated.
#45
Main Message Board / Dutchman on new sail
January 10, 2010, 08:12:57 PM
Has anyone modified a new main sail to accommodate an existing OEM Dutchman system? I am awaiting delivery of a new FX mainsail and instead of buying a new Stackpack type lazy jack system I was wondering whether adapting the new sail for the existing Dutchman system (which has always worked well) wouldn't be a better option. The new sail will be loose-footed so the Dutchman tabs will have to be fastened to the foot of the sail (but without the connection to the boom). The fairleads for the monofilament will also have to be added after the sail arrives. Am I forgetting anything?

Any advice welcome.
#46
Main Message Board / Grohe sink faucet repair
January 02, 2010, 03:43:04 PM
A friend with the same Grohe galley sink faucet in a C400 that we have in the C34 MK II passed on the serial number for the "ceramic headport" required if your faucet begins to drip or the action on one of the faucet handles becomes overly rough. It is: Grohe 45 882 000 883. They are quite expensive but even if you need two the total is quite a bit less than replacing the unit.

I haven't done this yet so please bring along your faulty "headport" to be sure that it matches the one you are being offered as a replacement.

What ever happened to faucets that only required a replacement washer?
#47
Main Message Board / New main ordered
January 02, 2010, 03:10:51 PM
I just ordered a new cross cut main for my MK II tall rig from Bill James at FX Sails. What a pleasant and informative experience. He spent 45 minutes on the phone with me, talked me out of buying the offshore version of the main (which would have been more expensive) and generally gave me at least as much professional attention as I have ever received from UK or North in person. And the price is outstanding for a sail made with premium dacron in the United States. More than can be said for the so-called majors. With the difference I can buy a stack pack of some sort and still save money.

The sail will be delivered in 5-6 weeks and I am looking forward to seeing if it lives up to its promise. I will report back.

Happy New Year all.
#48
Main Message Board / Lengthening battery boxes
August 24, 2009, 10:00:20 PM
Since I just asked a question, maybe I can compensate by providing some useful information.

My original 4D house batteries recently failed after 9 years and when I did the measurements for new deep cycle 4Ds or 4 6 volt golf cart batteries, I found that the lovely original equipment fibreglass battery boxes were too short for either option. So I  lengthened them to accommodate the new batteries but still fit into the space under the starboard saloon bench of my MK II.

To lengthen them I first made a male mold of the inside of one of the box using wax paper and expanding foam. I then ground down a 6 inch area midway along each box and cut them both in half. I put the mold inside the first box with a flexible layer of plastic sheeting (to keep the heat of the resin kicking off from melting the mold) and a new layer of wax paper, adjusted the length of the two box sections to the desired new length and laid up about five layers of roving and mat. Repeat the process with the mold and the second box, do a bit of tidying up with a grinder when the glassing has kicked off and you now have two longer boxes.

The two pairs of Trojan 105s are like a miracle after nursing the commercial 4Ds along for the last couple of years. I strongly recommend this upgrade.
#49
Main Message Board / Black dust
August 24, 2009, 09:08:42 PM
Over the last month, while cruising, my starboard aft engine mount has created little piles of black dust at the back end of the mount on the engine bed. The dust seems to come from under the mount. As the dust increases it falls aft off the back of the engine bed and settles on the floor at the back of the stringer. This is caused by engine vibration I presume. If I clean up the dust a new pile is created after a few days.

The mount seems fine otherwise. The rubber or neoprene seems ok (not sticky or degraded in any obvious way) and the engine runs and sounds the same (very smooth) with no alteration in vibration that I can discern. The bolts holding the engine to the mount and the mount to the bed are all tight and nothing has moved. There is nothing similar happening at any of the other mounts.

Has anyone else experienced something like this? The mounts are original equipment which makes them more than 9 years old.
#50
Main Message Board / Lewmar folding wheel
October 01, 2008, 09:48:21 PM
A search suggests that a couple of owners at least have replaced their Edson 40" wheel with the comparable Lewmar folding wheel. Any thoughts from anyone who has made the switch? Does it make it possible to walk by the wheel without climbing up on the seat? Does the Ray Marine autopilot fit ok? Any problem fitting the wheel to the Edson pedestal?

Christmas is coming so I would appreciate any advice.