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I removed my prop (15 x 10 three blader) to clean and apply a fresh coating.  I used a scotch brite pad to remove the old paint and see that someone in the dim and distant past used a very coarse grade os sandpaper that cut into the coating.  In the process of cleaning, I see that the prop is bronze with a copper coating?  I want to get it all down to clean metal to apply a fresh coat of protection. 

I found a product from Petit, a zinc coat barnacle barrier 1792, which is a modified epoxy.  It is available in a spray can which contains 93% zinc.  Petit suggests that at least three light coats be applied to protect any underwater metal except aluminum.  http://www.petitprod.com/catalog_browse.asp?ictNbr=120

Have you as an owner ever offered your boat to a charter company?  I'd like to know your experiences both good and bad.  We are considering the idea to see if there is a benefit as we don't get on the boat as often as we like. 

I removed the boom from Whisper to take care of the numerous corrosion spots.  I was going to grind it away, then treat the area with alodine, primer and paint but there are so many spots, I decided to have it professionally stripped, treated and repainted.  As for the interior of the boom, I'm going to apply a treatment of ACF-50, a anti corrosion compound used in aircraft maintenance.  http://www.corrosion-control.com/acf50.html.  It's also available from Aircraft Spruce and Specialty.  http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/acf50.php

We're moving Whisper from Rock Hall to Solomons, MD the end of the month for the summer and need to do an overnight transient stay somewhere below Annapolis.  We have already contacted Herrington Harbour for a slip but ended up #2 on the waiting list.  Anyone have suggestions for marinas below Annapolis or Deale?  A marina on either the Eastern or Western shore would be ok.     

Anyone around in Solomons, MD?  I'm down here on business.  Took a walk this afternoon and ran across a C34 on the stands in Spring Harbor Marina.  It didn't look all that well as there is a good bit of hull damage on the hull.  It's from Louisiana so I am assuming it is a hurricane boat.  It looks like it's under repair as the rudder has been replaced and a very bent one removed.

Ok guys, while I was wrestling with the exhaust riser/hump hose change, I looked at the areas of the boat not normally seen, like under the floorboards.  I'd like to clean up the dirt and grime that has built up over the years and wanted to ask this forum what you used to clean the bilge areas and how you did it.  I'd like to do a good washdown of these areas and I'm basically looking for a good cleaner/degreaser that is bio-degradable.

Well, I've just had the opportunity to the Catalina 34 rite of passage, the broken exhaust riser    The riser failed at the y connection where the exhaust meets the water.  I've already done a search for both items, I'll be ordering the flange and gaskets from Westerbeake but I want to know of a source for the silicone hump hose.  The original was the very stiff hose, probably installed new.  I'll contact Catalina but any suggestions on other sources are appreciated.

Mike

While helping a friend route new wires into his Irwin 39's mast, I wondered as to what Catalina does to get wires for the masthead anchor lights, steaming lights and other associated equipment down the mast.  Irwin put a cord inside the mast with a knot at the masthead to keep it inside but I'm not exactly sure as to the reason for this cord except to pull the wires up the mast.  The wiring was then routed down the mast through a series of 1" diameter x 2" long or so conduits welded inside the mast leading edge.  We taped the old and new wires together and pulled everything down to the base.  The idea is to keep everything inside the conduits and away from the internal halyards.  Since one of my future projects will be unstepping the mast for inspection, paint and corrosion repair, I'd like to have an idea of what's in store for me.

I have a 1999 American Sail 8' dink that I've decided to sell and replace with an inflatable.  So if you guys have any suggestions on it's value, I'd like to know. 

I have several Garhauer pin shackle blocks for my mast halyards that have damaged sheaves.  Garhauer says they are not rebuildable as they have redesigned their line.  So, I'm looking around for a suitable replacement sheave to install rather than the molded plastic ones installed.  I'll probably just use a bolt and acorn nut rather than a rivet.  Any thoughts on this?

Mike

What do you guys do with old sails?  Doorprizes? Pet beds?  Tarps?   I have the original to #680 but I have not unfolded it to look at the condition.  How can I tell if it has been blown out?

How does one research a boat history?  Diane and I have finallized the purchase of Whisper and we've moved the boat to it's new home at the Baltimore Marine Center.  It's a 1988 model hull number 680.