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Yes, Minney's is one of those places that is a real treasure, and every sailor should know about it.  Those of us who are fortunate enough to live not too far from it, Newport Beach, Orange County, CA,  usually know it well and go there regularly.  It's like an old curiosity shop, for sailors.  I've been going there for years, and just the other day discovered two new rooms which I've never been into before!  I also met Ernie the owner himself first time, a very nice guy, and we even spoke about the very winches you posted about.  Problem is, I can't leave that place without spending lots of money on stuff I never realized I needed until I saw it and saw what a great price it was going for.  One guy said to me, "you can go broke saving money here", well ain't that the truth!  Second hand stuff in all the bins they have is difficult to buy over the telephone, but they do have loads of used sails with accurate descriptions and ratings for condition, so that's something you could buy over the phone easily and it's handy for sailors to know about this resource.  Here's their website:

http://www.minneysyachtsurplus.com/

No, doesn't impede getting in and out of the cabin at all.  Like everything, you get used to where things are and avoid them.  They are actually very useful.  One of those additions that's cheap, quick to do, and handy.  Wish all projects were like that!

Thanks very much for the suggestions, appreciate it.

Cheers,

Raf

I have the same model year boat as you with the same engine and the same 2" heat exchanger, and I have never had a problem either with cooling.  However, if I was going to the trouble of getting a new one, I would probably get the 3" one, "just in case" and because it seems to be an issue sometimes, as evidenced  by the amount of posts on the subject.  Also, I sail in the cold waters of southern CA, but in the warm waters of the Caribbean it might indeed be better to have the 3".  I would imagine a 3" one would not be mega bucks more than a 2" one either.  As far as the hoses and fittings go, this is not an issue.  The inlet and outlet pipes will be the same size.  I say, get the 3" for sure.

About the water to mix with the coolant, yes always use distilled water.  Tap water has too much stuff in it that affects the interior of the engine.  Distilled water for sure.  Or, just buy the coolant that is already premixed and says on it "do not dilute".  If you use coolant that you mix yourself, remember to mark the container with the unused coolant that is already mixed, so you don't end up diluting it further in the future if you need to use more.  I would also use distilled water for your final engine flush. 

I'm not sure, but I think flushing the engine as described above will get rid of all the contaminated coolant from the engine, but it might not flush the old coolant in the hoses from the engine to the hot water heater.  Like I say, I'm not sure, but you might want to just disconnect those and flush them separately.

Also, while you're ordering a heat exchanger, I would also order some spare rubber gaskets for the ends, and some pencil zincs.  And when you install the heat exchanger back, I would add some thick rubber padding between the heat exchanger and the bracket, and secure it with at least three hose clamps.

All the Best

Thanks very much for the nice comments about my write up.

And to Jim H. above, yes I did reference this website and the tech wiki too.  That's one of the best things about owning the C34, the support from this excellent website, just great.

Cheers,

Raf

Hello fellow C34 owners and future owners,

I'm selling my C34, and I started to write a spec sheet for the sale.  Then I started to add photos of projects I've done on it, and it ended up being quite a large document and something that might even be called a "buyer's guide to older C34s", or possibly "buying an older C34 for dummies". Anyhow, I know how some of you like projects and such, so you might be interested in having a look at this document.  And anyhow, over the years I've got a lot of good info and ideas from this website, so thank you for that, and it would be great if I could reciprocate and if you got something useful from my endeavors.  Here's the link:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-noW8PUQNCcNFRfR21WMzBWRUU/edit

All the Best,

Raf

Hello fellow C34 owners,

I've just put my C34 up for sale on the "C34s for sale" section of this website, and I was wondering if anyone had some suggestions where there might be other good places to advertise it.  I will also put it on Craigslist for my local area, Long Beach CA.  For the time being I will try to sell it myself without a broker.  So, if you know of some special place or publication where boaters look for boats, particularly in Southern CA, let me know.

Thanks a lot!

Raf

Hello,

I'm selling my 1986 C34.  It's in very nice condition, well maintained.  Basic boat, nothing fancy.  Price is $39,000.  I've prepared a document about it which I've put online.  Document has lots of photos and descriptions of the projects I've done to it.  In fact, the document has turned into a bit of a buyers' guide for looking at older C34s.  Here's the link:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-noW8PUQNCcNFRfR21WMzBWRUU/edit

Shoot me an Email if you're interested, heliraf@yahoo.com.

Cheers,

Raf