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1

Main Message Board / Low Volts Alarm

« on: Yesterday at 09:44:58 AM »

A strange one. I have a set of 4 lead acid golf cart batteries paralleled to give me about 360 ah at 12v. A couple of weeks ago the low volt alarm sounded on my Victron battery monitor, even though the calculated charge capacity was showing 97%. The boat’s voltmeters were showing in the yellow range.

The batteries are less than a year old and I’ve never let the electrolyte levels fall.

Any ideas?

2

Main Message Board / How hot is too hot and what’s with these alternator belts?

« on: May 22, 2023, 02:08:17 AM »

Hi all, thanks to everyone who helped me with my cooling issues. I flushed the HX, filled the header tank to the correct mark and burped the engine. But now I’m puzzling about what should be a normal operating temperature. At 1500 RPM the indicator reads a needle’s width past the central vertical mark. At 1800 RPM the indicator reads a needle’s width under 180 degrees, is this about right or too hot for a Universal M35?

Second question. I’ve taken much time and trouble to buy a correctly sized alternator belt, make sure it’s aligned on the pulleys and tensioned correctly. But the darn thing will start slipping after a few hours. I really don’t get this. The belts on my car go for thousands of hours without needing any attention, so why can’t the boat belt do the same?

3

Main Message Board / Alternatives to CD’s Utterly Useless Cabinet Latches

« on: May 08, 2023, 04:35:02 AM »

I can’t get over just how poor quality are the cabinet latches sold by Catalina Direct. Of the four new ones I bought from them, two are completely unusable because the adjusting bolts don’t screw in or out. A third fitted OK but lasted about 2 months before the pathetic dab of glue that holds the front piece on broke off.

Are there any decent alternatives to these expensive, useless items?

4

Main Message Board / Access to Rear of Engine on a MkII

« on: March 25, 2023, 06:25:00 AM »

Hi all,

I’m trying to get sufficient access to the HX on my Mk II to replace the end seals.
This is almost impossible without removing the whole engine cover in the aft cabin.
I can’t figure out how to do this. For example, where are the fixings holding it in place and how do you get it out with such limited headroom.

If anyone knows the magic solution please help!

5

Main Message Board / Voids in the Skeg

« on: February 14, 2023, 08:06:02 AM »

Hi All,

I recently had the hull blasted and then sanded in preparation for a coating of Coppercoat. The hull is in really good shape, but the skeg had a number of small voids and one larger one.

What causes these voids, and are voids in the skeg a common problem with C34s?

6

Main Message Board / I’ve Crimped My Last

« on: February 05, 2023, 12:49:52 PM »

I recently discovered Wago in-line connectors. They’re absolutely amazing. Just flick the lever and you wire is held vise-like.

No more weak or failed crimps for me. From now on my boat is a Wago boat!

7

Main Message Board / Dumb Question about freshwater coolant

« on: January 29, 2023, 08:46:09 AM »

OK, this is going to sound really dumb to you experienced old hands, but how do you top up the fresh water coolant on an M35? Via the header tank, or via the water cap on the engine?

8

Main Message Board / Darn it! I visited Catalina’s website

« on: January 06, 2023, 01:45:37 PM »

And now I really, really want a 425.

9

Main Message Board / Hull Area Below the Waterline?

« on: December 29, 2022, 06:01:03 AM »

Does anyone know the approximate wetted area of the hull? I’m trying to figure out how much epoxy and antifoul I need to buy!

10

Main Message Board / Leaky cockpit locker hatches

« on: October 16, 2022, 02:44:59 AM »

Hi all. My cockpit locker hatches leak terribly, so that there’s always water in the bilge after rain. What’s the best way to seal them? No, not duck tape!

11

Main Message Board / Impeller Install

« on: July 28, 2022, 01:20:48 AM »

Sorry, dumb newbie question.

Does it matter which way you bend the impeller blades when reinstalling? Will they take up the correct bend as soon as you run the engine without damaging themselves? Or is it critical to bend them in the correct orientation when fitting?

12

Main Message Board / Sooty Intake Manifold on M35B

« on: July 23, 2022, 12:40:16 AM »

Recently, after taking off the air filter to clean it, I ran my finger around the inside of the manifold and picked up a very thin film of oily soot. I’m experienced with auto petrol engines - not with diesels, but I assume this is abnormal?

The engine starts immediately first time, every time and runs sweetly (albeit a little hot) so I’m reluctant to fix it if it ain’t broke.

I assume this could be due to back flow from one or more inlet valves, either because the tappet clearance is too small or because a valve isn’t seating correctly?.

Has anyone else seen this?

13

Main Message Board / V-Belt

« on: July 12, 2022, 02:59:22 PM »

Apologies, I’m posting a lot of questions at the moment and imposing on your good will.

By way of context, I’ve just done a 1100 mile trip to Spain and back across Biscay. In all that time at sea it wasn’t navigation, weather or sailing that worried me - it was system health. This prompted by autopilot failure, a v-belt which was rapidly converting itself to dust and vibration from the engine/transmission! So, since getting back I’m firmly focussed on technical stuff!

So, to my next question. I’m trying to replace the v-belt with a new one which nominally has exactly the same (99cm) external circumference. The old (knackered) belt slips off easily. The new one I haven’t yet got it on because it would require very considerable force with a lever or two to get it over the rim of the sheeve.

So, my first question is whether this is normal, or should a new belt just slip on relatively easily?

Second question, on measuring the old belt it appears to have an outside circumference of 101cm. This is way longer than the 99cm nominal specification of the belt. Do belts really stretch this much?

 

14

Main Message Board / M35 Impeller Replacement - What am I missing?

« on: July 07, 2022, 02:17:06 AM »

The manual for my Universal M35 says to take off the entire water pump to replace the impeller. But looking at their diagram, I can’t see why you can’t just remove the impeller cover and replace the impeller without taking the whole sheboodle off the engine.

There must be a good reason for doing it the recommended way, but I can’t figure it out. What am I missing?

15

Main Message Board / Adding a Roller Reefing Cleat

« on: June 07, 2022, 11:54:09 AM »

Hi guys,

I want to mount an additional cleat on the port side, above the cockpit locker. This is to secure the roller reefing line because I just don’t trust the existing cam cleat in hard weather with the foresail well reefed.

I have a couple of questions!

What should I use to bed the cleat to the deck? Some kind of silicone?
On the underside, I’m debating whether to use a glassfiber backing plate or just penny washers. This cleat isn’t going to be taking huge loads, so I’m thinking that a full-blown backing plate would be overkill.

Any thoughts or suggestions?