Messages

My wife and I recently acquired a Catalina 34 2004, and we have been enjoying the end of the Canadian sailing season.   We were impressed with real mattresses in the Vberth and the aft cabin, however, there is a decidely musty smell to the mattresses.  The smell sends my wife scrambling to open up all the windows and air the boat each time we go down to the club.   
I have raised the problem with others, and the advise is flowing fast and thick, as we speak:   1) Installing a de-humidifier has come up a great deal.  2) Installing thin wood slats under the mattresses to assist in air flow 3) trashing the standard cloth and coil mattresses that came with the boat in favour of dense foam  4)using a dense foam (about 4 inches) covered with a top layour of memory foam (perhaps 2 inches) 5) covering the foam or conventional mattress with a moisture resistant cover but ensure that the underside has a web backing for breathability.   

I am very familiar with the musty smell of cotton clothes left in the boat locker for a few weeks.   Sleeping on a musty mattress is quite unpleasant.   

The humidifier idea sounds like a good start ... looking for suggestions as to makes and models that people are happy with ... any comments on foam verus standard cotton and coil mattresses would be appreciated.  I want to fix this issue before the spring boating season start up.  thanks

Aaron

I purchased a Catalina 34 2004 this Fall.  Recently I noted that the car on the top of the boom does not move freely and the outhaul is difficult to operate.   On closer inspection, many of the bearing on the inside rails of the car were chippd or cracked.  I hae Garhauer sending me a replacement and packed bearings on a piece of track.  With care, the transfer should go alright.   It has been suggested that the angleof the boom is very critical here and the loading and movement of the car requires a boom at an angle of about 87 degrees relative to the mast. 
I do not want to repeat the damages .. Can any of my fellow in-mast sailors advise me on these matters.  Thanks in advance for the informed opinions. 

Aaron