Messages

Its in the hanging locker in the aft cabin.  Issue is, its been working fine for a long time - just starting to lose its way now.

Thanks Stu.  Makes sense.

I've got a Raymarine C 70 chart plotter.  Every so often the GPS malfunctions - it still knows the location of the boat (lat, long) but the heading can be as much as 180 deg. off my actual heading (as shown with my magentic compass on the pedestal.  Sometimes I re-calibrate the electronic GPS (tell it the heading I am on based on the ship's compass) but sometimes it reverts back to these phantom headings.  Has anyone experienced this?

My boat is year 2000, an not sure if this chart plotter and GPS was installed by the PO or the factory - so I am not sure how old the gear actually.  Its not that big a pain, except when I am trying to sail with my auto-pilot...at which times I suddenly find myself way off my intended course.

I know it can be an issue if you've got a metal part too close to the 'pickup' (not sure the name of the part) for the compass - i've checked and nothing there.

Any thoughts?  Thanks in advance.

Andre,

Yes, don't leave the heater on via electrical power for more than 30 to 45 minutes.  You'll get plenty of hot water, and if you need more, just turn it back on.

Stu - is this a general rule?  I just leave the water heater on full time (when I am on shore power).  Should I be turning it off?

Scott - ENgine LIft?  You mean something to lift the engine onto the boat (from the dinghy)?  If so, I've got a engine lift crane (which used to mount on my aft rail-mounted radar mast) and a bracket to store the outboard on the rail which I am no longer using.  I am based in Toronto.  Let me know if you are interested.  Save you drilling holes in your hull.

I've not found one - I just order from Catalina Direct in the USA.

Pbyrne - you can get the slider tape here: 

https://www.catalinadirect.com/shop-by-boat/capri-25/hull-deck/midship/sliding-hatch-teflon-tape/

I put new tape on a couple of years ago and makes a HUGE difference.  Make sure you get all of the old adhesive off before putting the new tape on.  I used a heat gun (on VERY low setting) and a plastic scraper.

Hope this helps.

All - thanks again for all of the advice....well - the results are in!  I used some acetone and a scotch brite pad to clean off all of the paint in a small area.  there lines are indeed hairline cracks in the barrier coat most likely caused by improper blocking of the boat in the fall (too much weight on the aft port-side pad).  An acquaintance of mine who specializes in gelcoat and hull repair (as his day job) took a dremel to one of the cracks.  its only the barrier coat and does not extend to the underlying fiberglass.  He's going to lightly dremel the cracks and refill with epoxy.

So if it IS a slight cracking in the barrier coat due to overloading the one pad (which seems plausible), is she sea-worthy?  Is this something that I can fix at next haul out?  As I said, never seen this marks before - they are almost imperceptible - did not notice until applying this year's VC-17.

Col. Butler - not sure what the PO used as bottom paint, but this is my 7th launch (7th application of VC-17).  When you say 'delaminate' do you think the integrity of the hull has been breeched?  I am happy to follow the Forum's advice (Scotch Brite, acetone, etc) before sanding....if there is risk of hull damage due to too much loading on this one pad, should I get a professional in to have a look?

all - thanks for your advice.  I'll try sanding a bit and see what I can see.

Ron - thanks.  What would cause the paint to blister?  (This would have been the old VC-17 from last season).

Stu - thanks.  This DOES look like something which could be sanded off - only thing is i've never sanded the bottom before.  The hull comes out so clean every year I just put the new VC-17 over the old.  I've never seen marks like this before and thought it was suspicious that they were both around the same pad. 

Having said that - it was getting close to dark when the boat came out for the winter and cannot guarantee that those marks were not there before...possibly some build up on the hull below waterline.  If this were due to too much hull flex (if the boat wasn't perfectly balanced) is it possible this is the top layer of the hull material with some stress cracks?  Kind of how gelcoat on the top-deck sometimes 'spider webs'?

Hi - I m hoping someone can help me identify some odd marks on my hull.  I've got a 2000 Cat 34 Mk II (hull 1494).  In the winter she sits in a 6-pad cradle.  I bought her in 2013.  Yesterday I was applying the VC-17 for a delayed season launch (we're all delayed at my club due to Covid 19).  I noticed some fine marks above and below the aft port-side cradle pad.  I've shown 3 photos.  One of the boat in the cradle to show position of the pad (although that photo is a few years old) and the other two showing the fine lines (with the VC-17 on top).  This is my seventh season prepping the boat and first time I've ever seen these marks.  I am wondering perhaps she wasn't sitting straight in the cradle and there is too much pressure on this one pad causing too much hull flex in this one spot?  Could the outer layer of the hull material be stressed enough to cause some small ridges (or cracks - yikes)?  could this just be cosmetic or could the integrity of the hull be compromised?  Is there any way to check (other than the obvious of launch and see if I float)?  Thanks in advance.

All - many thanks for all the advice.  The guy cut the old (broken) bronze shaft out (it was broken where it attaches to the transmission) and replaced it with a SS shaft - i gave him the specs from Catalina the he had it machined to match the specs given to me by Gori.  I was wrong - he did replace the cutlass bearing (saw reference to that in the parts).  No alignment; no sea trial.  I would not tend to argue about an hour-or-two amiss, but based on all of your sage wisdom, seems like he is overstating the amount of work he actually did.  Also - I know he did NOT remove the rudder.

Anyway - thanks again for your words of wisdom...always appreciated.