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Gennerally speaking white smoke is from condensation.  That would make sense at the end of the season, or on a lightly used engine.  Not much to worry about, unless you start to see blue or black.

Roc,

At the Newport show this past weekend the Catalina's that were there were the - 440 Morgan (butt ugly, in my opinion), 42 with a Pullman berth, 387, 350, 320, 309, and surprisingly... a 28!  The presentation was put on by a broker, Eastern Yacht Sales, not Catalina.

I agree with waterdog's assessment that discontinuing production on any given model probably will not affect resale value for existing boats.  It's a different market, but I do think the new boat market, regardless of make/model, influences sales for used.  In fact, last year I had gone to the Newport show and sat with a salesman, going over the numbers for a new 310.  I had every intention of buying one, but after looking at the cost it was about 12% higher than I had anticipated.  Not huge, but enough to give pause.  Just as a "safety" measure I asked what else he had in slightly used and was pointed to Ruach.  I made an offer 1/2 hour after stepping on her.  Probably would have made the offer from the dock had the admiral not been with me.

As for what Catalina is going to do, I think it more beneficial that the company and it's brand does well.  Capital is a finite commodity and, as you suggest, a good company will put their capital to work on products that earn it the highest internal rate of return.  That's just good business sense.

[Caution]

I've not done this but I can tell you that when I was looking at the generators at the Boston Boat Show last year the guys from Hansen Marine suggested pretty much as you describe - as far as mounting forward of the mast.  The housing sounds like a great idea. 

Caution however!!!  The exhaust gets very hot.  Make sure there is a large opening to accommodate not only the fumes, but the heat.

four gallons for 6 bucks... those were the days. 

Serge:

West marine is generally out of this world expensive for this sort of hardware.  I get a lot of hardware from this place http://www.vandykes.com/product/02010566/

One other thing, the PO of my boat bought a larger, stronger, ring and had the mounting hole routed out to accept it.  You may want to try that.  The additional benefit is that you are not restricted to using just one finger.

http://www.vandykes.com/product/02001734/ for a heavy duty one.

[then]

This is really a question of your priorities. 

Absolutely!  As with everything on a boat you need to evaluate what it is you need... and then what you want!  (This life style, after all, is more about about want than about need!)  As I said earlier, if it were not for the extra stuff I wanted to power I would have opted for the 1000. 

Ya know... there's nothing worse than a boater that buys stuff just so he can say "I got this or that" just for the sake of saying "I got this or that".

The great dilemma, of course, if figuring out what you... need.

So Larrie, now you have to tell us the story about the exhaust and the fibreglass...?   

Some things a better not stated in detail...

Be aware that the Hondas do generate some noise, and are much louder when the current draw is high.

Tony

A couple of things to update the group on with the Honda 2000

• It's not quite as loud as I had originally thought.  My wife used it for the (1500 wt) hair drier when we were at a mooring.  As long as she kept a steady draw it seemed reasonably quiet.  Flicking the drier on and off caused a "revving" that was quite disturbing
• DO be carefull about positioning one of these on the swim platform.  Make sure the exhaust is pointed OUT ANd AWAY from any fiberglass...
• Storage, on the MKII, is not a problem.  The unit is a bit heavy, but not so much that it can't be moved in and out.
  
• If it were not for the extra energy needed on the Microwave, AC, Hair Direr, or Water Heater I'd go with the 1000

Having my boat just this year I had as a task for myself to figure out the fuel consumption - and how accurate (or not) the fuel gauge is.  

I can't speak directly to your consumption as I have the M35b engine in mine.  But I can tell you that it does vary quite a bit.  For instance, the rated consumption at 2200 rpm is .8 gallons per hour.  If I push it above that (say 2800) when I'm looking to get to the next port in calm waters I've seen .9 gallons.  Two weeks ago we came out of the Narragansett into 12-15 foot choppy waves and a 20 knt. wind on the nose.  I was pushing the engine pretty hard just to stay ahead of the situation.  The consumption rate was 1.1 gallons.

My Catalina 27 had an M18 that burned about .5 to .6 an hour.

I think the 1 gallon per hour estimate, unless extraordinary circumstances, is appropriate.

As for the gauge - It seems to "sit" on full for about the first 5 gallons.  I've estimated it at 5 gallons per 1/4 tank mark thereafter.  Tanks are shaped funny though, and depending on the conditions of the seas you are in the darn needle can bounce all over the place.  Best to keep an engine log.

Also, I have noticed a very slight buildup of a  white powdery material around the h/x endcaps and around the water pump. I have no leaks anywhere.
What is it and is it of any concern?

Had the same thing on my C27.  Turned out I needed a new gasket on the water pump.  It may not look like you have a leak but that white powder is the salt residue left after the H₂O burned off, at least it was on mine.  It wasn't much of a leak, but better to get 'em while they are small.

There was a similar thread on the Mass Bay Sailors list just a couple of weeks ago.  The general concensus was that the stuff keeps your food cold but it evaporates just as fast a cubed ice.  You are better off with block ice for longer lasting cool.  We freeze spring water bottles.  When they melt you have fresh water.

Ron,

I started it up today no problem after the batteries charging for a couple of days.  Friend suggests that even a bad ignition switch can be overcome with lots of power, I will check out the wiring and fuse holders as you suggest.

That jogged my mind - earlier this spring I helped the new owner of my old boat (C27) take her up to Maine.  She started fine at the launch, but the next morning when we were getting ready to cast off... nothing.  We brought down a battery pack and... nothing.  Another yard mechanic suggested a strange (to me) remedy - he told us to take  a hammer and tap the starter.

Worked like a charm, that day and the next morning in Portsmouth. 

Seems as though the older starters sort of "catch" and need a little tap to wake 'em up     

With the engine running,initially the biggest load goes to the batteries until they are back to fully charged.  Is your flux gate or it's cable in close proximity to any battery cables?

Good point, and yes it is.  The FG is bolted to the aft part of the bilge - just to port of the batteries!  Looks like a move may be in the near future.

Thanks Steve.  Sounds like the old days when we needed to put shielded spark plugs in car engines or they'd reek havoc with the radio!

The PO did a marvelous job calibrating my depth.  He set it to show -0- at the bottom of the keel.  You might want to consider that.

Sorry i can't actually answer your question, but I suppose a quick dip in the water with the first mate holding a lead line and you checking the depth would work.