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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!

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.

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.

Please bear with me on this - I'm a rookie on the battery charging process.

I just returned from chartering a boat in the Caribbean, and in the briefing I was told that there was a battery dedicated to starting the engine and another "domestic" battery for everything else.  Okay, got it.

But then they said that the domestic battery only charges up when the engine is in neutral, buy it does not charge when the engine is in forward.  That's different from what I believe is the setup in my C-34, where both batteries charge when the engine is running, whether in neutral or forward (depending on the 1/2/Both switch).

What kind of setup would charge when the engine's in neutral, but not in forward?

Any suggestions for online or virtual courses in marine electronics?  Ideally, I'm looking for something more interactive than a book.  The last time I learned anything new about electricity was in high school, which was a very long time ago, and I figure it would be a good winter project.

Thanks,

Steve

I just heard from the yard that the transmission fluid had a "silvery look."  They did an oil sample that showed that "the particle count was elevated" and they recommend removal and inspection/service of the transmission.   I have no reason to doubt the yard, where I've stored the boat for several years, but just wanted to check with the group to see if this makes sense, because it could be a pretty big job.  Thanks.

Okay, this may be in the category of "there IS such a thing as a dumb question," but bear with me because you all are a great source of ideas. Last season I installed a magazine rack over the nav table in order to store current charts, and it works great for accessing the charts.  But the charts are floppy, as you can see in the attached photo.  I'm considering putting a horizontal bungee cord above the rack, but that makes it kind of hard to extract a chart.  Ideas?  Thanks.

I see there's a thread from 2012 on "why is my macerator filling with water?" but am starting a new slightly narrower thread.  My macerator stopped getting a prime toward the end of the summer.  Then yesterday, after running it for several minutes, it finally got primed and pumped things out.  It worked great afterward through several cycles, verified by looking through the viewing port at the top of the waste tank.

The problem is this: now (since the priming issue went away) the holding tank fills up with seawater pretty fast -- like, in 15 minutes or so -- when I don't run the macerator.  I checked on the head input end of the flow, and that's not
the problem.  Playing with the discharge seacock indicates that it's clearly coming from that end.  Any ideas on what could be causing this?  My suspicion is that something was blocking the macerator so it couldn't prime, which eventually got through there, but the foreign object is somehow causing the inflow of water.  Any ideas?  Could it be a siphoning thing?  Is there some kind of valve in the macerator to prevent back-flow, which might have broken or jammed?

Thanks....this is unsettling!

Two of these came with the boat.  They're made of cotton; the buttons are sewn in without button holes, and doesn't have pockets, just the folded-up panel with buttons.  There's a hem along the top that could hold a rod.  Figured I'd ask if I'm missing some ingenious invention before tossing it.  Thanks.

Apologies if I'm going over old ground here, but I did some searching on the forum and am having a hard time finding the right specs.  I'm looking to get a backup propane tank, standard size for our Mk II (vintage 2005).  Any suggestions on where to find one, and the size?  Catalina Direct lists one but I think it's smaller than my current tank, which has a diameter of about 10.5".

Thanks,

Steve

Two of these came from the PO but I can't figure out what they're for for.  Each is about 4' long, cotton but not sturdy canvas.  The buttons are sewn in, so there are no button holes.  The top edge has a sewn-in fold that would hold, say, a rod.  If I can't figure out what to do with them I'll toss them, but they seem unusual enough that they must have had a very deliberate design.  Any ideas?

Thanks,

Steve

I've done a lot of research on this site regarding backstay adjusters, and there are several comments about their not working well on MK II's, due to the high split of the backstay.  Has anyone with a MK II had experience, pro or con, with backstay adjusters?  This would be for tightening the forestay.  Comments/recommendations?

Thanks,

Steve

I just started refinishing my companionway stairs and have sanded the steps down to the bare wood.  When I test the final appearance by wiping turnpentine on the wood, it looks noticeably darker than the original, covered wood.  In order to be consistent, it seems like I'll have to take the sides of the stairs down to bare wood too...tripling the project.  Any idea why the bare wood would be darker than the original, factory-varnished wood?  Usually it's the other way around.

Thanks

Practical Sailor's article on headsails mentions padded genoa luffs.  Does anyone have experience with them?  I saw one on another boat recently -- it was essentially two ropes, about 3/8" diameter, running parallel to the luff about 2" and 4" aft, respectively and sewn into the sail.  The PS article mentions that it gives the partially-furled jib a better shape, and I imagine it puts less strain on the "new" luff.  Makes sense.

I was at the Newport Boat Show last weekend and saw a boat (not Catalina) that had a head with a foot pedal to pump, instead of the up/down handle.  It looked pretty convenient.  Any comments/suggestions on this?

Thanks,

Steve

I had a new masthead wind indicator installed and it worked perfectly for a few weeks, but now can't be seen by the nav system.  I suspect the cause of the problem is the osprey that likes to perch on it (though I haven't confirmed that yet).  The indicator looks to be spinning and pointing fine, based on a binocular view.  Any suggestions on ways to prevent masthead bird damage, or should I just wave the white flag and let nature take its course?

Thanks,

Steve

I hope someone from Catalina is reading this.  Have y'all noticed that in all the marketing pictures of the C-355, the boat is standing still?  I've noticed this for a while, and just got the May Cruising World -- and again, every other Catalina model looks like something I'd want to sail on, but the 355 looks dead in the water.  Am I the only one with this concern?  It kind of de-values the brand.  Just a thought.

I saw a picture in this month's Cruising World of an ATN tacker, which is billed as an easy way to secure and adjust the tack of an asymmetrical spinnaker.  Has anyone tried them?  Comments?

Steve

This came with the boat, loose in the cabin. Is it a rigid vang?  I can't find a picture of anything that looks just like it and can't see any brand name written on it.  About 4' long.  Do you think it might be worth anything on ebay?  Seems a shame to throw it out because, whatever it's supposed to do, it seems well made.

I'm considering replacing my factory-installed C80 chart plotter this winter, and think it's worth revisiting the standard MK II navpod layout because the instruments are so high.  I noticed that the C355 layout addresses this by putting the instruments below the plotter -- but the pedestal is a whole different animal.  Has anyone reconfigured their instrument layout?   Pictures would be great, or links to examples or articles.  Thanks.

This is a basic question and I appreciate the help.  I'm a new owner and have a 2005 MK II with an M35 engine that I'm just starting to get to know.  I've read a lot in this forum about how to bleed the engine, but am unclear on the basics.  Given that the engine has a fuel pump, if I were to run out of fuel, would I still need to bleed it to get it going?  Thanks,

Steve

I have a factory-installed set of Raymarine instruments, ca. 2005.  Th knot meter seems to be running fast, in that I've compared it to a GPS under all kinds and directions of current, including none.  Do you know if it's possible to re-calibrate it?

New owner here...quick question:  

If I understand correctly, the Engine DC Power switch, which is next to the main battery switch, allows power to go (or not go) to the engine's starter motor.  I can't think of a reason to ever shut the Engine DC Power switch off, but there must be one.  Thoughts?

I sail in cold Maine waters and share the boat with other family members.  Occasionally one of us needs to go overboard to check the prop, and I'm considering getting a drysuit rather than a wetsuit for this.  It looks like a drysuit is easier to get on and off and, more importantly, seems to be able to be used by different sized people, at least to an extent.  I don't have any experience with drysuits, however, so any general comments are appreciated.  Also, is it possible to go down, say, 5' under the surface or are they too buoyant to do even shallow dives without a weight? Thanks.

I'm a new owner and the PO kept his ensign.  Can't blame him - much sentimental value in it, I imagine. 

The next time one of you is on your boat, would you mind taking the masurements of your ensign and flagstaff?  Much appreciated.

Steve

This is not a huge deal in the scheme of things, but I'd be interested in any recommendations on grouping/setting the order of lines that run from the mast area into the cockpit.  On each side of the hatch I have a jam cleat for the traveler, then a set of 4 rope clutches.  Right now the lines go, from port to starboard:

Traveler (port cam), spin hal, jib hal, main outhaul, vang // main inhaul, main hal, topping lift, mainsheet, Traveler (stbd cam)

My thought is to a) have the mainsheet as easy to reach as possible, therefore probably on an inner clutch, closer to the center-line; and b) have the main outhaul/inhaul lines next to each other.  It seems easy, but in order to get everything flowing smoothly I have to switch, say, the main outhaul to the stbd side, which requires switching a stbd line to the port side.  That gets complicated with the pulleys at the mast step, and the feeds through the mast.  Any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve

A friend of mine (actually, a spouse who's short of stature) is asking if there's a way to see over the navpod when steering from amidships.  I suggested that there are all kind of reasons to steer from one side or the other, but I don't suppose anyone has platforms that go on the cockpit floor, on the centerline aft of the wheel, do they?  Thanks.

I have a 2005 MK II with 20' of chain and rope for the rest of the rode.   In order to secure the anchor line when at anchor, do you recommend...

(a) leading the line from the bow roller directly to the horizontal cleat in the anchor well
(b) looping the line around the windlass and then to the cleat, or
(c) taking the line off the roller and tying it directly to one of the bow cleats on the deck? 

I'm thinking (a), but wonder if the windlass should bear some of the strain.  Is the cleat in the anchor well good and strong?

Thanks.

New to C34's...just bought a MK II, 2005.  It has great mattresses in the bow and stern, but they're uncovered.  The PO had some custom sheets and that's great, but we prefer sturdy covers on the mattresses for kids, storage and sleeping bags.

Do you know of any places that have pre-fabricated covers that fit these mattresses?  I'm thinking of a sturdy cover, like the ones in the main cabin or sunbrella-like ones.  I can take the mattresses to an upholsterer, but any suggestions on a pre-fab (or different approach) would be appreciated.  Thanks.