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Thanks all, this is very helpful.

I currently have a 2-blade folding prop.  This summer we motored into some stiff wind and high seas, and I was thinking that a 3-blade prop might help with that.  I'd want a folding one.  I've looked at this forum re: suggestions on size and type on this forum, but some of them are dated regarding current props that are on the market.  Any suggestions on the make and specs for a 3-blade folding prop?  And, do you think it would make a noticeable difference motoring into significant seas and wind?  We have a Universal M-35 hp engine.  Thanks.

This is of no particular importance, but an interesting development.  In 2015 we bought our C-34, Brisa, and we've sailed her a lot around midcoast Maine.  For years, seeing another Catalina was quite unusual, especially one that hailed from Maine.  This year, though, they're all over the place.  Mostly in the 30-40 foot range, probably two-thirds of them of the newer generation (315, 355, 385).  It's nice to have company!

Could the numbers be the assiged offshore racing #, and Quicksilver a prior name?  Could potentially be from a different boat or even a different class.  Just wondering.

Thanks all. The lights in the forward cabin used to work fine, then the port one went out a year ago and now the starboard.  These are very helpful tips for diagnosing the problem.

Any suggestions on where to start to track down the cause of the two ceiling lights in the forward cabin not working?  I've changed bulbs and that doesn't make a difference.  All the other ceiling lights work fine.  Thanks.

Postscript:  The boat I was wanting to follow (between Maine and Antigua) arrived in Antigua just fine.

However, I poked around Marine Traffic and yes, but if you still can't see the vessel with the satellite upgrade, it may be that, "The vessel is equipped with a Class-B receiver, which is more difficult to be picked up by the satellite."   That might've been the issue.

https://help.marinetraffic.com/hc/en-us/articles/204809588-Activate-Undelayed-Satellite-AIS-tracking

...and a sail area/displacement of 20 is nothing to sneeze at.

This isn't related to C-34s, but I'd appreciate any general knowledge about tracking boats far out to sea.  On Saturday (12/10) our daughter left the coast of Maine on a straight shot to Antigua aboard a 105' schooner, Eros.  Using Marine Traffic app I tracked Eros until she was about 25 miles off shore, traveling 9.5k due south; but I haven't been able to pick up any sightings since then.  I assume it's because they're out of range of land-based AIS antennas, but would have expected Marine Traffic to indicate a satellite-based position.  (MT shows the type of boat without identification for sat-based pickups, with an extra charge to identify it; but there's no sailing vessel in the area where they should be.)   Any suggestions on how to search for a satellite signal?  (I'm wondering if that requires a different type of AIS transmitter?). Thanks.

Dymo.  Easy to use, different size fonts, special characters, different options for the background tape, and the labels stay on.  Mine is an earlier version of the Label Manager 280.

Stu - Very helpful information about the effect of both wave height and period.  I hadn't thought of the relationship that way.

Keelson - I went from a baggy 130 to a nicely cut 110 and it's worked great, especially upwind.  In Maine we often get decent seas and 15-20K winds, and if it blows, we reef the main first and are powered by the jib.  Tacking's a good deal easier with a 110 than the bigger jib. 

Off the wind we lose some speed compared to a larger jib, but it sounds like that's not your issue.

Love it.  When we bought ours we had her soda blasted to take 8 years of paint off, and resurfaced from scratch.  She came out beautifully.  Forgot about the scotch though!  Next time.

Make the tails of the windex symmetrical.   (Or, maybe I DO point 20 degrees higher on starboard?)

Robert/Juno, it sounds like you're onto something.  At any rate, it's only relevant for a future charter.   

In the course of researching this, I looked through the C34 comments and articles and am thiinking that I'll replace our boat's A/B switch with an automatic charging relay.  Several different people, all relatives, use our boat, and we've had people drain the batteries by leaving the switch on Both for a week at the mooring.  Not good for family relations.

Looks like ACR's are pretty idiot-proof.

Thanks, all, for your comments.  It didn't make sense to me either so I'm glad I'm not crazy. 

FWIW, the boat was a Jeanneau 41 and the engine was a replacement that looked close to brand new.  The guy who did the briefing was very knowledgeable in every way except (seemingly) the engine.  I'll write the Sunsail/Moorings base in Tortola to comment on the recommendation to run the engine in neutral for 90 minutes, morning and evening, which is a buzz kill when at anchor in a beautiful setting.