Topics

I know this isn't a C34 issue, but I just wanted to alert as many people as possible.
I got a letter a week or so ago from, I thought was the Coast Guard alerting me that my documentation renewal was due.  Gave me a website to go to, again I thought was the CG.  The fee was $75.  What happened to the $26 I paid last year?  I just assumed it went up.
After paying the $75, I found out it was a documentation service, not the CG.

Anyway, beware of this renewal letter as the company who sent it out went as far as legally possible to fool people it came from the CG. 

Save yourself $49 and only deal directly with the CG.  Tell everyone you know who has documented boats.

I have a problem with my holding tank vent.  Sometimes it vents ok, but most of the time, it doesn't.
Whenever I do a pump out, I'll hold my thumb over the vent hole for a few seconds creating a vacuum.  As soon as I let go, I can hear the air being sucked in.  Sucking air in is no problem.  Air going out is the issue.  Most of the time my tank is bulging because air can't escape and I can't figure out why as sometimes, not often, it will.
Any ideas guys?

OK, I have the standard Rule 2500 that I think most of our boats have.  I have an intermittant problem with it as well as the old one that I recently replaced.
I've never used my pump in an emergency situation, but when I clean out my bilge or have to pump out rain water, AC condensate, etc. the pump turnes on but doesn't pump.  I'm thinking my check valve is stuck and turning on and off the pump a couple of times unsticks it and makes it work.  Obviously, this is not a good situation.
My question....check valve or no check valve.  If I should have one, I'll replace with new.
Before anyone asks, my bilge stays clean and there is no trash fouling up the works.  I'm 99% sure the check valve is my problem.

OK, it looks like my Facet pump is about ready to bite the dust and I want to replace it.  I have searched and read previous posts on the subject but I'm not entirely clear on what I want.

To simplfy installation, I'd like to get the exact same model I have now.  My boat is an 87 and I wouldn't be surprised it that unit has been there for quite a few years.  Which part number should I be getting?  Looks like NAPA is the way to go on this but I'm open to other suggestions.

Is the Facet Gold Flo #610-1075 my best choice here?

Thanks.

OK, I want to replace my Racor.  Instruction #1... Shut off fuel valve.  Makes sense, but how in the heck to you get to it?  I can see it when opening my sink cabinet door in the head, but I'm pretty sure my arm is no where long enough to reach it.  I know there is an access port inside my lazarette, but again, my body ain't going to fit in there in order to reach it.  Am I going to have to take the port side panel in the aft cabin down to get to it?

OK, yesterday, I start up my engine for the first time. My (environmentally safe) AF comes out of the exhaust and it's pumping water good.  My only issue is, even running in gear at my slip, the engine is running cool, couldn't get it past 130.  Take the boat out for a spin around the creek and it finally gets up to around 170.  Ran the engine at 2000 RPM's for at least 45 minutes cruising up the creek and back.
Today , I'm leaving and I know it's going to be a couple of weeks before I use my boat again and decide to do a quick, fresh water flush since it is so easy and only takes a minute.
I open up the cabinet in the head to get to my sea strainer and realize I never opened my seacock (yes, I must be an idiot for not even checking).  I open the strainer and it still has AF in it from winterizing last fall.

So, where did my cooling water come from since my seacock was closed?  I'm completely baffled.

OK, I just got a new ICOM VHF radio with a RAM microphone.  Are there any easy ways I'm not seeing to run the RAM cable from the Nav station aft near the wheel?

On my 1987 C-34, there are 3 different lock downs on my portholes.  The 6 opening portholes in the salon and V-berth are one kind, the one in the head is #2 and the 2 in the aft cabin are #3.  Why did Catalina install 3 different lock downs?
I'm sure there is a valid reason...but it escapes me.

I've got a buddy looking at a boat with a Vetus 22 HP engine.  Not familiar with the brand.  What's the good and bad about it?  Anyone know?

Sorry I don't have a picture to ad to this, but...
Inside my cabin, there is a turnbuckle with one end attached to the mast and the other end attached to the cabin top.
What is its purpose?

My '87 C-34 has the plastic deck fill covers you use a winch handle on.  I just broke one.  I googled but couldn't find any place that sold them.
Any suggestions?

Has anyone ever seen anything like this?  The first reaction is "what happened to the boat?"
Nothing happened.  It was built this way.  Baffles the heck out of me why.  The shaft comes out of the boat to the side at an angle of at least 10 degrees.

http://s765.photobucket.com/albums/xx296/chuck53/?action=view&current=100_0148.jpg

No, it's not a C-34.  Didn't think to look at the brand.  I was so shocked when I saw it, I didn't pay any attention to any other details of the boat.

I going to be putting my head sail on the roller furling in the next couple of weeks.  What's the best lubricant to use to make it easier to run up the furling channel?
Last year when I bought the boat, the PO and I raised the sail and it was a bear.  He didn't use any kind of lubricant and the surveyor told us it would have helped a lot.

I'm assuming some kind of dry lubricant is the best.

Thinking about getting a new mainsail cover.  Is this pretty much a custom job from any canvas guy or is there someone who already has the pattern since there are so many C-34's?
Who would I get the Catalina logo from to put on the cover?

Does anyone have it or know someone who does?
Looking for comments, good, bad and ugly.  How do the different brands stack up?
Approximate cost to refit a C-34.  Do you have to replace the sail or can you refit the current sail?
I think I would enjoy sailing a lot more with main furling. 
My first sailboat was a C-30 that had no headsail roller furling and I love having it on my C-34.  I'm thinking I will love having the main with roller furling as well.

I'm getting ready to put an installed AC unit in my boat.  Just like to know where everyone has located theirs and where did you put your seacock?
When looking to buy our C-34, we looked at several with AC and usually they were located under the dinette seat behind the forward bulhead.  We did see one that was either in the cabinet just aft of the nav station or it was put in a box under the nav station - can't remember which.
If under the dinette seat, how do you route the duct work to the aft stateroom?
The one installed near the nav station had a duct routed thru the head and into the aft stateroom.
What size unit do you have?  Is 12k BTU enough or do I need 16K?  I'm on the lower Potomac.

Any other info I need to know would be greatly appreciated.

I was looking thru this month's Mainsheet Magazine and saw an ad for the Doyle Stackpack.  It's a combined mainsail cover and lazy jack system.  I've seen a few out on the water and wanted to get some first hand info on it and how well it works.
Dropping the mainsail, flaking and putting on the cover is a major pain in the butt.  Just wandering if this or similar systems are as easy as they look.
Anyone have one?

Seems to me I've read some discouraging remarks on this website about Hood roller furling that Catalina puts on their boats.
I even asked a boat broker (who is a seasoned sailor) to list, in order, his preference in roller furling brands.  He listed 3-4 brands and didn't even mention Hood.
So what's the scoop on Hood units?  Are they really that bad?

What's the good, bad and ugly on Hood?
I ask because I'm in the market for a C-34.  I might add that the only other sailboat I had (C-30) didn't have roller furling so that's a feature I've never used before so I'm a newbie on this subject.