Messages

I have not noticed anything unusual around my strut area externally, and I sanded hull down to barrier coat last fall.  I will however be certain to go further next haul.  I have not seen any signs of leakage from near the strut bolts internally. Water does magically appear in the skeg depression after 12 hours however, a small amount but consistent. Maybe I should try asking Catalina if they have a recall on this (:-) (kidding), but ask if there is a known issue, and where it commonly occurs/exists.

TX
Marc

Last Fall I removed rudder, polished post and cleaned the tube. Reinstalled with mylar shims to remove excess play in the rudder and installed new rudder post packing.  I checked it for leaks at rst and at wide open throttle ( prop wash would push water up post) and found no leakage from the post gland.  Stears like power steering now!

I read some older posts and saw where some had filled the skeg depression with foam and/or marine epoxy. I was hoping to hear back on the outcome of those repairs and what was used.

I agree that the skeg will be examined and repaired at next haul but was curious about past experience.
Marc

My 1987 34, hull 362, has been collecting small amounts of water inside the hull pocket above the skeg, forward of the rudder post/ aft of the shaft strut. It then spills over and runs into the bilge. In my search for a source, after thoroughly drying the depression and waiting overnight, water had entered the depression again. No rain or water source outside above waterline, and the water is salty. 
I have just read several post in the forum that indicate this is not an uncommon leak, but none related one common entry point. It seems there may be cracks or weepage at several locations.
I would like to avoid a haul till next season, and was wondering if anyone had successfully stopped or mitigated the leakage by filling the in-hull depression in front of the rudder post and aft of the strut bolts with an epoxy, foam or other sealing agent?

It is a slow leak and fully manageable, though disconcerting. Im sure it has been present during the 2+ years of my ownership and likely with the previous owner.

I would appreciate your thoughts, ideas / suggestions for a filler.

Regards to all,
Marc

Thank you all for your assistance.
Just got back from a great 4 day cruise and getting caught up.
I looked at the plastic welding gear and will have to wait until I remove the tank to determine whether that will be an option.
I also found Plastic-mart.com who said they can fab a tank to fit. It would be about $300.
Catalina yachts in FL said they could also fab a new tank in 2-3 weeks. I need to find the embossed B number for them to quote me.

I will wait till I haul to proceed and then remove the tank.
I will also be looking to repair/rebuild the rudder bushings as it is getting looser by the week.
Looking over the forum for info on this task....

Thanks,
Marc

The aft polyethylene water tank in Spellbound has developed a crack in a compound corner near the top of the tank, where the depression is locate to clear the steering mechanism.  The crack is extending down the aft wall and across the seam horizontally.
Has anyone tried a repair or know of a replacement for the this tank.
I understand not all 1987 34's had this tank, which is about 30 gallon capacity.
I intend to remove the tank this fall.

Thnaks,
Marc

The Beta oil pump is an option that includes a special oil pan with the pump pickup at the very rear bottom of the pan ensuring proper evacuation of all oil. Without this option it is a standard pan with center drain lie most universal engines. Worth the extra $$.

True!  Built in hand piump right up top.
Engine is rung great. quiet and smooth.

Update.
Ran boat 2 days ago and with no changes, the engine ran up to 3400 at WOT. Just 200 shy of desired max.
Spoke to Beta in NC and they told me to keep running engine to get 30-50 hours on it to allow break in. Make no changes till then. Just don't abuse WOT.  Engine hums at 2800 with 6.6 knots. Hull speed is about 7.4.
I'm going sailing! With more engine use the I would normally do.
Marc

My 1987 Catalina 34.
STU:
Original pitch on prop was 9 inches and the transmission ratio is 2.0 to1.
The pitch calculations included: Engine HP, Mfg WOT RPM spec at load (3600 rpm), Trans ratio (2:1), LWL, Displacement, 60 gallons H2O tankage, 22 Gal fuel, 21 Gal. waste and four people with gear.
Mfg. spec for WOT with No Load, engine at temp. (gearbox in neutral) is 3750 rpm.  This test passed exactly as noted with no change in oil pressure.  The engine just purred at 3750.  The engine included the factory test data sheet.

Lazybones: Fuel was from Sept. 2013, full tank, with biogard added for winter storage. All new fuel system this spring with Racor 500 filter.

Ron: 1,
My MX25 had a 1.25 inch ID welded stainless pipe riser, with a 5/8 inch water inlet nipple and a 1.5" OD outer diameter discharge end piece to accept a 1.5 inch ID Hi-temp blue silicone flex hose to the water lift box.  I had the 5/8 OD inlet machine off and a 3/4" OD inlet installed for the Beta 25 3/4" hose requirement. The riser was threaded into a bolt-on flange adapter on the MX 25 engine.

2. I do not know the prop manufacturer but from your description I would say it is Michigan as the chord is wide, not narrow.

Thanks,  Marc

Mainesail,

Yes, I have a laser tach that I have used to check several boat Tachs.  The VDO tack on the Beta instrument panel is spot on at 3 rpm levels.. First Tach I have ever seen so accurate! I actually used it against the panel tach during the sea trial.

My real concern is the failing oil pressure when to engine tops out under load at 2900.
I RPM tested per the  factory warranty test sheet as well at WOT in neutral with a warmed up engine twice, and got 3700-3750 RPM as was listed on the Beta factory engine test report at 3750 max.
In this test the oil pressure was steady at 60 psi with no fluctuation.

The oil fluctuation and drop only occurs under the operating WOT test. I am thinking back pressure in the cylinders?
I tested from the water lift box out and I can easily puff air out thru the stern.
No test ports between the riser and manifold.

Marc

Hello All,
I'm hoping I may get some insight to my issue after repowering Spellbound this Spring with a Beta 25. The engine install went well with minimal issues and I performed initial sea trials last week. Warranty requires among other things operating at WOT and reaching 3600 RPM.  After the 15  minute runs at a 50% rev and 75% rev, my 1st trial failed with a max of 2950 RPM, at which point the engine was working quite hard and oil pressure fluctuated and start dropping. I throttled back slowly, rnas at various rpm's for another 15 minutes a tried WOT again with the exact same results.  Terminated tests and returned to port.  I pulled the boat a d prop and had it repitched and balanced at HAle propeler here in Old Saybrook, CT.  The prop is a 2004 sailor style 3 blade, 15". It was 15 x  and they re-pitched it to 15 x 7.5 based upon all the input data. The second sea trial was performed yesterday and it again failed, topping out at 3200 rpm with the same high load and fluctuating and dropping oil pressure.
I had the prop pitch reconfirmed by a third party as correct for all loads by Beta in NC.
My fuel system is all new with 60gpm rated Racor (10Uc) and a parallelled electric lift pump on a bypass for priming and backup to the Beta mechanical pump.
My exhaust riser is the original MX25 Universal riser slightly modified to fit the new engine location. The riser had the aft leg shortened about and inch and the port leg to the water box shortened about an inch. It is 1.25 inch SS material in quite good shape.

I am at a loss as to what to look for with the low engine RPM.. Beta marine is looking at a set of photos of my installation, and I am waiting to hear from them.  Local mechanics said the prop pitch is not correct yet, and/o,r there is too much back pressure on the exhaust at high RPM due to the 1.25 inch riser. Mt calcs say this 1.25 dia. riser equates to a loss equivalent of about a 48 inch long straight piece of pipe after accounting for the three 90 degree bends in the riser.  With the higher rpm of the Beta over the MX25 I think this may be the issue.
Where to spend the money?  Re-pitch the prop again, or make a new riser in a 1.5" diameter, or any other suggestions?

Thanks for listening.
Fair winds and weather.

Marc

With the present deep discount coupons available for bottom paints , I am looking to buy paint for Spellbound, my Catalina 34 here in CT. The plan is to winter in FL this coming Fall.  Having not purchased bottom paint for years, I am looking for recommendations for a good value paint for these cruising areas.  I do not know what the present paint is, but it is in good condition after last season. I am attempting to contact the previous owner to ascertain what he used.

Thanks,
Marc

I pulled the engine out of Spellbound (1987 Catalina 34) yesterday and I am looking at options for a replacement engine, verses a rebuild.
I like all that I have heard from and about the Beta 25, but I have not found any information or found anyone who has actually done the this refit.
From what I have found so far is that the Beta 25 will fit in the bed and shaft alignment is fine, but, none of the exhaust riser options for the Beta 25 I can locate are compatible with the exhaust arrangement in the boat.
All the Beta risers go directly aft, while the Catalina has the water-box on the port side about adjacent to the transmission front end.
I cannot see how I can possibly refit a new water-box and exhaust to accommodate the Beta straight aft risers.
I need a riser that turns 90 degrees to port before the rise mimicking the M25XP riser in size and arrangement.

Has anyone experience in the Beta 25 refit and/or a solution to the riser arrangement?
Short of having a custom riser made, I do not see how this will work.

Any suggestions welcome...

Thanks all,
Marc

Andrew,

I'll keep you in mind should I start needing parts.  Thanks
you.

Scotty,
My oil pan is equipped with a flex hose from the drain point, but its pretty useless.  Too low to put a pan under, to far forward to drain all the oil from the sloped pan.  I use a pump thru the dipstick and that still leaves almost a Qt of oil in  the pan.  What need is a drain at the rer end and a pump out connection.

Thank you all for your help.
I decided to pull the engine so I can really get a good look at internals.  The engine hours are 465, and, I was told that it is the actual engine running hours.  Very low hours for an 87 but she was sailed almost entirely in Narragansett Bay, RI, which could justify them. Still, don't really know though. 
The engine actually runs great. I get a full 3000 RPM on it at full power under light load. (I did calibrate the Tach against a digital Tach.) No smoke, no steam. Idles good.  There is no indication of a problem except the coolant loss and the the oil Lab analysis.

Hence I will pull it apart to make sure. Keep me out of trouble this winter....

Thanks for the part Number references. I had no Idea there were 3 Model numbers associated with the M25-XP. (You just have to remember when you are in the marine store you have a m25xp, at the tractor store you drive a b7200 and at the industrial store your equipment is powered with a d950.)

The engine cradle is complete. The welds are nothing to brag about, its been 40 years since I struck and arc and never with a MIG unit.

Pulling the boat next Friday and the engine soon after I get her settled.

I'll keep a post on my project...

Marc