Messages

2nd Bar Keepers Friend.
It's cheap, easy, and easy to get.

Agree with the Xantrex 20. Fit nicely under the sink, works better, and eliminated a lot of wiring that had been running to the old beast in the back.

Two other favorite upgrades on Noeta:

Smaller table in the cabin

Tacktic wireless instruments

Lesson learned:

I tested the wiring, fan, switch, and everything else.  I'd get power to the unit, but once I put a load on it (connect fan or compressor) the power would drop from 12 V down to about 2 V, followed by a slow recovery.

When testing the switch and fuse holder on the panel I dropped the fuse. Was easier to put a new one in than find the old one.

Yep. It was the fuse. 

Of course, I had visually inspected the fuses when it first happened, and they were fine.  I've never see a fuse do this: It looks good, was intact, and tests full continuity. But run even a minor load through it and it looses most of its conductivity.

System works fine, but I have another question: The fan is blowing towards the compressor, not the condenser. In other words it draws Air through the coils and blows towards the pump.  Seems to me it should be blowing the other way. I can't reverse the fan electrically, and it's been hooked up that way since I got the boat. The fan is from radio Shack so it's a previous owner fix.

Which direction is the air flow on an unmodified factory unit?

If you want to get to the HEART of the matter first, go to the very LAST post on this topic on page 3.  It's by Richard Kollmann, noted and respected boat refrigeration guru.

Went to the boat after work tonight for a quick Bourbon and water before heading home and found there was no ice. The fridge had quick sometime since the weekend and everything was warm and melted.

Fridge is and older Adler.

I checked the wiring. A little corroded. Trimmed and cleaned, but still had nothing. Fuse at the panel and on the control unit are good.

Testing voltage showed 12 V at the control unit when the wires were disconnected from the control unit, but when they were hooked up they read zero.

Lines also tested 12 V at the panel, and I had good conductivity down both lines.

Any thoughts? Anyone swap out the control unit with the $200 unit Defender sells?

I need to replace my rope & wire halyards in the next couple of days.  The old ones have some meat hooks, and I need to send someone to the mast head for a new wind vane. Thought it would be polite to put on decent halyards first.

Was going to replaced with wire & rope, but would like to change to all rope.

After searching the site I can see all kinds of opinions on size & type of line.  Do you have to change the sheaves for the 3/8 line?

We shipped from Oakland, CA. to Des Moines, WA.
Seller paid for shipping, and I think it was around $2,500-$3,000, but I can't be certain.  We paid about another $2,000 at the yard for stepping the mast and assorted other work. Also have to factor in the amount of work the seller did taking the mast down and prepping it for shipment. All in all, I'd say $5,500 or so isn't too bad.

Another thing that comes into play: Supply and demand seems to have the rare C 34 on Sound costing a few thousand more than in CA. We actually bought the boat sight unseen (after survey) on the assumption we'd be able to sell it up here for the cost of buying and shipping it up. Not that I'd recommend buying a 34 ft sail boat without looking at it first....

The boat itself came through shipping in great shape. We spent a little more time and money at the yard than expected, but that had more to do with fixing a few issues with the boat than the shipping.

When we started shopping I refused to consider trucking a boat. Now that I've done it I'd do it again with a reputable shipper.

Anyone know the size or garhauer model number for the mast head sheaves?

We spent all year last year looking for one in Puget Sound or BC. Ended up buying one in Oakland CA and trucking it up. Still haven't seen one for sale in this area.
I will say the trucking thing wasn't too bad. Only problem was a few extra days in a boat yard taking care of things we decided to do while it was out.
We used a company called Dudley's trucking out of Tacoma. Catalina uses them for new boat delivery in the area.

I had similar issues with my '87: Temp & tach bounced or didn't work. Ditto for the fuel. Then the tack stopped alltogether.
Research here said to re-do the wiring harness to remove the plastic multi connector.  At first I didn't think I had them, and replaced the key/ switch. After that didn't work I cut away a ton of electrical tape I found the plastic connectors. Replaced them both, and all instruments work great.

Start with the basics.  Make sure the harness has been fixed. I know it looks hard, but it's not too bad. Other than getting access.

What are the dimensions of this table?
I'm trying to decide on what size to put in, and this one looks perfect.

Having the boat lifted to install some new transducers. The fit for the depth is very tight.  Can anyone let me know roughly how thick the fiberglass is at the bottom of the hull just forward of the keel?
Need to know if I should do a rush order on a shorter transducer.

Changed a few things (raised the vent a bit) and it still does not work.

The bowl is roughly at the water line, and the loop/ vent is 20" above that. Still floods.

I've tried removing the valve entirely and creating a hole in the loop after flushing and it still siphons. Also tried it with the through hull outlet closed to make sure it wasn't coming in that way.

The waste line had a pre- existing loop in the same area. Now I'm thinking if the water loop doesn't work the waste vent won't work either.

Both of these loops are in the hanging locker. I'm not inclined to install the hose/ loop anywhere else because it would become visible in the cabin or head.

My biggest concern with the flooding was when there are guests on board for the night.  I didn't want them having to go into the tangle of hoses and valves under the head to figure out which water valve to turn on to flush. Also don't like the idea of turning a through hull off and on all day.

At this point I think I may abandon the loop and all vent all together and install a manual valve right behind the hand pump. That way we can leave the through hull on and turn the water on & off at the head. Not perfect, but gives me a easy to use and clearly visible defense against flooding.

David,

The vent loop is between the pump and the bowl, not between the pump and the through hull intake. 

I put it in to stop the slow fill you described, but no luck so far.

Been in touch with Peggy Hall. She thinks that the valve may too low. I'm going to move it as high as I can and see what happens.

Have a question about my head:

I have a Groco HF in Noeta. It fills when the through hull is left on.

I've rebuilt the head. Also installed new hoses and an anti-siphon valve. The system is set up: Through hull intake to pump to Siphon valve to bowl. The siphon loop is near the top of the Hanging locker next to the head.

Still, the bowl fills if the switch is left in the flush position. I thought a an anti siphon valve would stop that.

What am I missing here?

Looking for a little help with a depth problem.
My boat came with a SIGNET depth sounder/ knotmeter. The knot meter worked, but the depth did not. The previous owner said he had trouble with the depth sounder and had both the had unit and the transducer tested and found to be good.

I've already:

Sent the head unit to Signet for testing (unit is OK)
Traced all wiring, the pulled all wiring.
Hooked the unit direct to a good battery and a short, new wire to the transducer.
Adjusted gain

Still get a -0- depth reading. 

Can't think of what else to do, and any suggestions would be welcomed.

Long shot question: Could bottom paint applied over the through hull effect it?