Topics

I've had an annoying issue when motoring where the exhaust gets sucked back into the cockpit to the point where I get headaches from the fumes. I think what's happening is my dodger is causing a vortex that draws the air up from the transom - kind of like in cars, where the rear spoiler is designed to prevent this same air vortex action.  Opening the front window on the dodger changes the airflow enough to alleviate this, but there are many days where it is uncomfortably chilly and we don't want to open the dodger window, so I'm looking for alternatives. Has anyone else ever had this issue, and if so, what did you do to correct it?  (And no - I don't want to add a spoiler on my stern rail  )   1988 C34. 

I came across a website of a South Carolina salvage yard that has a 1991 C34 that is being cut up.   
Maybe someone can find some parts they need.  But I thought it was interesting to see the cross section of how the boat is put together.
Here's the link:  https://www.411marine-salvage.com/product/1991-catalina-yachts-34/

I just came across a video on YouTube giving some good tips on servicing a Jabsco marine head.  He as some good tricks for making the job less messy.  However, at the end he recommends using olive oil for lubricating, which some people disagree with, but otherwise its a nicely done video.   Just thought I'd pass it along!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14mkaCgEkzY&ab_channel=TheBoatCheat

On every boat I've ever owned I've been frustrated with where to stash the hatch boards after removing them from the hatch.  I know there are some manufacturers that actually have places designed to hold them, but no boat I've owned had this feature.  And some people have installed hinged doors, but I'm not a fan of those doors. 
As I was sitting here watching yet another snowstorm, I decided to solve my problem once and for all.  I happened to have taken my hatch boards home to refinish them and so I was able to use them as a template.  I built a wall-mounted holder (what else would you call it??) that will mount on the aft cabin bulkhead (the other side of the oven wall).  This might not work for MKII models - if I remember correctly you have a cabinet on that bulkhead, correct?

The holder has a sloped bottom that matches the angle of the hatch board sides, so the boards stay in place very nicely.  I divided the holder into two slots, which are lined with a thin rubber drawer liner material so that the hatch boards won't bang around while under sail. One of the photos shows just the central component of the holder without the sides attached.  Keeping the two boards separated will hopefully avoid scratching and chipping their finish.  To make it easier to slide the boards in, I made one side shorter, but still high enough to keep the boards in place while heeled over.
By the way - I haven't completed the staining/finishing.  It still looks a bit rough - but it will be presentable when completed...

I just thought I'd pass along the idea in case others were as frustrated as I was with what to do with the hatch boards.

The M25XP Universal maintenance manual states two options for winterization. I quote:  "  To drain sea water system, disconnect hose end at sea water pump that comes from heat
exchanger. Lower free end of hose to a point approximately level with the front engine mount. This will allow the sea water to drain from heat exchanger and hoses.  Loosen the 4 or 6 screws on the sea water pump cover plate. Tap the plate lightly to loosen it, this will allow pump to drain. After pump has drained, apply a light coat of lubrication to protect pump and impeller during storage and replace cover.  Drain exhaust muffler and system separately."
Their second method is of course pumping antifreeze through the system. 
Has anyone (in a very cold climate) attempted the first method?  I'm questioning how thoroughly the raw water system can be drained to prevent damage.

I saw an interesting single line traveler control device, and was wondering if anyone knows anything about it. Sorry for the poor photo, but it is the best I could get.  You crank the handle to move the traveler and flip that small lever to reverse the direction.  I've never seen one of these before, and thought it was kind of cool.
I know the handle is a Lewmar, but I contacted them, and they said the unit isn't theirs.

I was looking in the C36 discussion boards found this Catalina document that describes the various deck reinforcements on a wide range of models (including the C34) and thought I'd pass it along for our archives.  I haven't seen anything like this in our archives, so apologies if it is already in the Tech Wiki.  It answered some questions for my upcoming projects.

I just came across this product, and wondered if anyone has tried it. Its on the Marinebeam website that Stu recommended for LED lighting.  Its called Un-hesive, and looks very interesting.  Here's the link:
https://store.marinebeam.com/un-hesive-3m-5200-sealant-and-adhesive-remover/
No affiliation - just thought I'd pass it along.

Here's an electrical question I haven't seen answered in the archives. Assume you have two battery banks, one for house and one for starting, connected by an ACR combiner. Also assume the alternator is directly connected to the house bank.    If using a 1-2-Both switch, is there any problem with having that switch set to "Both" while charging from the Alternator?  Seems to me that there would be a dual concurrent path to the Starting battery – one through the combiner and one through the switch.  I do a lot of residential wiring, and having two concurrent paths for a circuit would be very wrong.  But of course we don't have combiners in residential wiring...

[(Yes, I know there should be fuses, etc. I just kept this diagram very simple for this discussion.)]

I've read most of the info in the WIKI about improvements to the electrical systems, and I'd like to submit an idea for modifying my system to the group for comment, advice, ridicule, or whatever you can offer. 

Boat is 1988, with 4 Trojan T105s as house bank, and a separate starter battery aft of the engine. Right now, the boat still has the 1-2-Both switch, and then an older West Marine 50 A combiner was added, along with a Blue Sea On-Off keyed switch for managing the starter battery located aft of the engine compartment.

I know there are different schools of thought, one which promotes keeping the starting battery as a "reserve", and using the house batteries to also start the engine.  My concern with that is if you don't regularly use the "reserve" battery, how certain can you be that there's nothing wrong with it?  In my truck, I've had batteries that "seemed" OK voltage wise but couldn't crank the engine over.  The way I'm looking at it, if I use the reserve battery as a regular starting battery every time, I'm going to quickly recognize when it isn't healthy, and then I can fall back on my house bank in that one case to get me home.  Also, I've never liked 1-2-Both switches and would like to eliminate mine.

With that in mind, I've set out to separate the two banks in a different way.  I found an interesting switch at Blue Sea that is a dual circuit "On-Off" switch (#5511e).  It has an optional position allowing combining the two circuits, but for the most part it is used simply to turn on or off both circuits at the same time, but keeping them isolated from each other. Then for charging, I'd use Blue Seas m-ACR to combine the charging cycles. 

This seems to me to be a simple solution and it would allow me to eliminate the 1-2-Both switch (and its inherent operator errors).  I drew out a simple diagram in MS Powerpoint and attached it to this post (I hope...)  (Yes, I know there should be fuses, etc.  I just kept this diagram very simple for this discussion.)
Thoughts?  Suggestions?  Any reason this wouldn't work?

I've searched through the archives and haven't found an answer, so here goes... 
I know from reading past posts that some of you have gone through and replaced all your hose clamps with ABA or AWAB clamps.  Next spring I'd like to do the same for my engine, through hulls and pressure water system but I'm 4 hrs away from my boat, and it is all wrapped up and inaccessible for the winter, so I don't know what sizes I need.  I'd like to get them ordered this winter so I have them on hand for next spring. I'm hoping some of you kept records of how many of each size were required on your boat.  Yes, I know - it depends on whether anything on my boat has been modified or was configured differently.   I'm looking for just a rough answer - I'm OK with having spare inventory for emergencies or to help out a fellow boater.
My boat is a 1988 C34, original Universal M25XP engine, original through-hulls, Atwood water heater, factory installed pressurized potable water system.
Any help is appreciated.

Is there a significant difference in the sail dimensions between the MKI and MKII C34s?  If someone offers me a used C34 genoa without saying whether it is from a MKI or MKII, does it make a difference?

I just joined your vaunted association!  I've been lurking on here for quite some time as I've searched for a C34 to call my own.  I've just closed on a boat that belonged to one of your members - Bob Gatz.  Sorry to say, Bob passed away last fall, and I purchased "Ghost Rider" from his estate.  The boat will continue to live in the Bayfield, WI area, sailing the beautiful waters of the Apostle Islands and other areas of Lake Superior.
I just wanted to convey my gratitude to everyone here for the vast amount of work and knowledge that continues to be shared on this site. It has enabled me to educate myself on the unique aspects of C34s so that I could be a more informed purchaser.  Regards to you all!