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8071

Main Message Board / Port Replacement

« on: June 17, 2002, 10:59:47 AM »

The 1987 boat you are looking at could have either Beckson ports or Lewmars.  The Beckson ports are the white ones with white plastic trim and black inside opening ports.  They are easy to replace and are available directly from Beckson.
 
 A search on the main C34 website under Beckson will point you to many sources and the Beckson replacement handbook.
 
 If they're Lewmars with an aluminum trim, they too should be easy to replace.
 
 If the main large "windows" are also a problem, they can be replaced and easily rebedded.  Catalina would be a source for these, or a local plastics manufacturer, like TAP Plastics, could make them based on the pattern from the old ones.
 
 There was an earlier discussion on this message board about portlights.  Also try the search engine on this message board for more info.
 
 Given all the great things about a C34, the portlights should be very low on your list of qualifying items.
 
 Good luck, and hope you get your boat.

8072

Main Message Board / Aha

« on: May 19, 2002, 06:33:48 PM »

Steve
 
 I fully understand.  Makes a lot of sense for the main, which you see daily.  May not be required for the jib halyard that stays up all the time, so can save some $ if a rigger does it.  The advantage of the bowline is that you can end-for-end the lines in the future.

8073

Main Message Board / What's the trick to splicing Stay-set-X?

« on: May 18, 2002, 11:53:33 PM »

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Steve Lyle, #75 1986, "Sarah":
                               Is there some trick I'm missing?  
 
 Next step is to pay my local rigger to put the splices in.  I hate paying someone to do things that I ought to be able to do myself.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
 
 Have you considered a tight bowline?  I purchased the Wichard Thimble Shackle and there is enough clearance at the top to avoid having to do the splice.  49 feet up, no one notices!
 
 Assume you meant 160 feet.  360 feet and you've got one really high mast for a C34.

8074

Main Message Board / Universal Website

« on: June 13, 2002, 07:20:05 PM »

Norris
 
 You're very welcome.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with this website, the entire engine manual with all the parts is available for downloading and/or printing out.  Very handy.
 
 Stu

8075

Main Message Board / Universal Wesbite

« on: June 13, 2002, 12:50:48 PM »

Try this.  
 
 http://www.marinedieseldirect.com/universal/

8076

Main Message Board / GPS Stuff

« on: June 12, 2002, 08:41:46 PM »

Each of the different manufacturers has different ways to "upgrade" the basic database that you purchase with your individual GPS.  
 
 Garmin uses a combination of CD-Rom and chip inputs, and Magellan does it a bit differently.
 
 I recently did a lot of personal research on this, and discovered, to my amazement and benefit, that I can still use the Magellan GPS 300 that I got for nothing by simply test driving a Cadillac three years ago.
 
 It doesn't have tracking, it doesn't have maps, it just has waypoints and all the navigation information that I need.
 
 I now need to shake out my "summer" reef, go more than three knots, and save some bucks for the real things I need...whatever they may be. The color GPS sure are cool, though.
 
 The catalog information on GPS is confusing at best.  What I did was to go to the manufacturers' websites and download their instruction manuals to get a better feel of what the different units can now do.
 
 PS - didn't buy the Cadillac, but still have the GPS!!!!  :)

8077

Main Message Board / Heel & Trim

« on: June 07, 2002, 12:43:07 PM »

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Charlie Pearsall #1515 '00 "Delirious":
                               
 Mark the wheel at top dead center and see where that mark is when you are sailing straight.  Try to trim the sails so that mark (a turk's head knot is traditional) stays on top...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
 
 Jim:
 
 Charlie's right.  Flatter is better.  Also a lot easier on the equipment.  
 
 One thing to add is that you are going to get weather helm (a good thing) as the wind builds.  Therefore, your turk's head would want to be off about 5 to 10 degrees depending on what tack you are on.  Port tack, boat wants to head up into the wind and go left, so your helm needs to be to the right (starboard for the purists).  [You will also see this happening when motoring, since the prop has starboard walk in forward, so you'll need to turn the wheel a bit to stay straight.]
 
 Another indication of too much heel is that you slow down because you're using the rudder with the wheel WAY OVER to keep you on course and all the rudder is doing is being ONE BIG BRAKE underwater.
 
 Past discussions and posts on the C34 website FAQs have indicated that around 18 knots of apparent wind is about time to reef the main, which is what creates the weather helm, not the jib.  Many people mistakenly roll in their jibs first and wonder why they're still are heeling.
 
 When cruising (not racing) here on SF Bay, I have "summer" and "winter" sail sets on our boat.  The "summer" main is single reefed almost all the time from April to September.
 
 THe C34 also has some great mainsail trimming equipment: a wide traveller, great vang (especially the solid vangs) and we added a cunningham.  With a reasonably cut mainsail for your conditions, which like everywhere undoubtedly vary greatly, you should be able to get great mainsail trim and reduce heeling until the need to reef occurs.  When in doubt, reef.
 
 In addition, Sail Magazine has produced a few "Sail Trim" books that are very good, as have many others.  Given the flexibility of the equipment on the C34, and studying those books, should help you out quite a lot.  That should avoid the panic point and keep you in control.
 
 Stu

8078

Main Message Board / Soy Diesel

« on: June 07, 2002, 12:53:54 PM »

There was some discussion when this product first came out about five or six years ago that it deteriorated existing fuel hoses.  I have not followed that in detail, since the only available soy diesel distributor is an hour away from our marina, which also has a very convenient fuel dock with regular diesel.
 
 Has anyone heard anything recently?

8079

Main Message Board / Stern Perches

« on: June 03, 2002, 09:57:52 PM »

Al Watson used to make them and sell them for considerably less $.  Might want to give him a try.  He's posted all over the C34 website, check out Projects.

8080

Main Message Board / Stern Rail Seating

« on: June 03, 2002, 03:31:33 PM »

A less expensive option would appear to be to obtain the seats themselves without having to redo the whole rail.  A good friend actually made one seat for us as a present, and it works just fine.  Other friends have both seats.  These are older C34s, with no step thru transom.  This way you don't have to move anything, get to keep your BBQ and motor mount, and still enjoy the seats.  Like anything else, without a cushion they eventually get hard on your bottom, choice is yours to build or buy cushions.  We haven't.  The best part is that they open up the cockpit even more, and are great for either sailing or sitting.  The vertical support bar underneath the seat fits right against the side of the coaming.  When I first got our seat I was concerned that this bar would preclude the helmsman's seat cushion from fitting, but it works just fine.

8081

Main Message Board / Factory

« on: May 30, 2002, 09:05:56 PM »

Mike
 
 They make boats, they're not too into email.  Call again, ask for parts, speak to David Graas or even Robert Butler, Frank's son.  Just get a real person, they're very helpful.
 
 Stu

8082

Main Message Board / Pin Diameter

« on: May 30, 2002, 03:47:30 PM »

Mike, don't know off hand.  Have you tried calling Catalina?  Nice that they're still in business.

8083

Main Message Board / Alternators & Combiners

« on: May 30, 2002, 03:40:37 PM »

Gary
 
 This makes sense, as long as YOU understand it.
 
 Usually, the alternator wiring is run to the 1-2-BOTH switch, which allows you to choose which battery bank you want to charge from the alternator output. Running it directly to the house bank makes sense with a combiner.
 
 The combiner combines (clever, huh?) the batteries together whenever there is a charging source present, and disconnects the start & house banks when the charging source is removed.  It's simply a relay.  It just replaces the switch to choose where to send the charging sources and automatically sends it to both banks.
 
 This way, you can have ANY single output charging source (alternator or charger or solar, etc.)connected to the house bank and at the same time be charging the starting battery without flipping any switches.
 
 The purpose of connecting the combiner to the house bank and then downstream to the starting battery, instead of the other way around, is that you need most of your charge in the house bank, and do not need to run all that current through the combiner if it went start to house.  The starting battery is almost always fully charged, since it only uses a few amps, and thus minimal amp hours, to start the motor.  Remember that the batteries will only aborb (or accept) what they need.
 
 If you use the combiner, then also connect your charger to the house bank.  If you have a two output charger, I suggest that you check West Marine's Advisor columns on the combiner, since I don't think it'll work with charging sources at both banks.  West Marine also used to send out, by fax, copies of their combiner installation manual so you could understand it in more detail.
 
 Some people do not like combiners because they feel that it tends to overcharge the start battery.  Since the start battery uses so little, this is probably true, but it will only accept, through the combiner, what it needs anyway.  The single greatest advantage of the combiner is that you don't have to worry about the switch when charging.  That means it's safer when you're motoring, so no one is ever tempted to move the 1-2-BOTH with the engine running, which could fry your alternator.
 
 Our start battery is #1.  The alternator still runs through our switch, since I haven't gotten around to rewiring that part yet for reasons I won't bore you with here.  I set the switch to #1 for starting and leave it in that position when motoring.  The combiner  charges both batteries.  Our alternator is still the stock old 55 amp.  After we shut the engine down, we switch the switch to #2, the house bank.  When just running the engine for charging at anchor, I start the engine with #2, since the house bank is more depleted and the current will run through the combiner first to the house then to the start battery.
 
 There are also a number of other ways to arrange switches in lieu of the 1-2-BOTH arrangement, also covered pretty well in West Marine Advisors and Calder's manual.
 
 I did install a Zap Stop on the alternator.
 
 Al Watson posted a simplified wiring diagram with a combiner on the C34 website, think it's in Projects.
 
 Finally, don't forget to change your charger settings from gel to wet cell, or whatever setting your new battery manufacturer suggests.
 
 Stu

8084

Main Message Board / Port Locker Leak

« on: May 13, 2002, 09:04:50 PM »

Jeff reminded me of something that I'd learned from the Projects and FAQs.  The Mark I boats didn't have any weatherstrips at the port locker or the aft lazarrette.  One of the first things we did when we bought our boat almost four years ago was to add these features to both spots.
 
 We used relatively inexpensive weatherstripping from the local hardware store.  I recently read an article that suggested that the best way to REALLY do this is to use automotive gasket material used for sealing the space between, say, your car hood and the engine area.  I think it came from Good Old Boat magazine.
 
 While I don't remember the material, it consists of a pre-adhesive coated base with a semi-circular gasket above.
 
 This would seem to answer the issue of the less expensive stuff getting squashed over time.  At least it has helped for the time being.
 
 When I find the right material, I'll post it here.

8085

Main Message Board / Engine #s

« on: May 13, 2002, 09:06:51 PM »

Dick
 
 Suggest you check out the Universal website.
 
 http://www.marinedieseldirect.com/universal/200157/