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Messages - Wobegon

#1
It is time to move up to a larger Catalina and move towards retirement.  Our Catalina 34 has served us well and she will be missed.  She spent most of her life in free water on Lake Erie before being moved to the Chesapeake Bay in 2103.  We have taken great care of her and she is in excellent condition for the next proud owner.  Regular upgrades and maintenance have taken place.   Full canvas, newer main sail, cockpit cushions, full electronics (new autopilot and chart plotter); custom canvas winter cover; and many more too numerous to mention.

She is available through S & J Yachts at:    http://www.sjyachts.com/

Full Details:

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/pl_boat_detail.jsp?&units=Feet&id=3001197&lang=en&slim=broker&&hosturl=sjyachts&&ywo=sjyachts&
#2
Main Message Board / Re: Wheel Autopilot
December 25, 2015, 05:27:15 AM
Jon,

I removed the bulkhead at the aft end of the aft berth to expose the water tank, etc.  I mounted the brains (cpu) along the fiberglass wall on the starboard side that forms the hanging locker. I first glued a painted piece of 1/4 inch plywood on the fiberglass and screwed the main computer to the wood. I built a small shelf out of 1/4 plywood and installed the shell on the port side of the area beside the water tank and up along the hull.  I put the gyro and the network cables, as well as an additional 12 volt fuse bar on the shelf area.  I reused the 12 volt lines coming from the main electrical panel.  The control panel is mounted in the cockpit just to the left of the engine control panel. The new one simply fit into the hole for the old one...with some minor modification.  The wheel mount was easy, as all the holes drilled, etc. were in the correct places from the previous wheel mount.  Running the cable down through the pedestal guard was the hardest part, but worked. My previous unit was a 23 year old AutoHelm 4000.

Again, one of the best upgrades I have done to the board.  The display is unbelievable and the various program settings you can do gives lots of flexibility.  I have a couple of pictures, but they are two big to post. Good luck!

#3
Main Message Board / Re: Wheel Autopilot
December 21, 2015, 02:52:09 AM
Mark, 

The only hardware above deck is the wheel mount control and the main control pad. The network, gyro unit and brains of the unit are all mounted below deck behind the aft birth false bulkhead.  What is nice about the system is the "plug and play" network which makes it easy to replace and install.  Hardest part was getting the cable from the wheel back through the pedestal where the old cable went. The EV-100 is excellent under following seas.  It was one of those times when we did not know just how poorly the previous unit was performing until it was replaced.  The cool thing about the EV-100 is that is continues to get better and will most certainly keep you on course.  Good luck!
#4
Main Message Board / Re: Wheel Autopilot
December 17, 2015, 03:02:02 AM
I installed one this past August.  After 23 years of working, my Autohelm 4000 failed.  It was an easy job to replace.  Just plan it out and go.  Simply replaced previous equipment with new EV-100 pieces all holes were used for new equipment.  Hardest part was making a mounting area for the equipment below deck. It is all mounted behind the wood panel in the aft berth.  I built a small wood shelf.  Total installation was 9 hours from start to finish.  This new technology is fantastic.  Previously if I ended up within 10 degrees off my course I was happy.  This new one is flawless and really performs.  It took about two sails for the computer to figure out the boat, then is continues to improve.  Good luck!  You will love it!
#5
Main Message Board / Maxwell 500 Windless - Gypsy?
September 11, 2015, 03:09:21 PM
I have a Maxwell 500 windless on my 1992 C34 that only allows use of rope anchor road.  Is there a conversion gypsy that can be added to allow chain?  My back can't take the last 30 feet of lifting anchor...getting too old I guess.
#6
I have a 2006 Brig inflatable dinghy (PVC) with wood floor boards.  Each year I take it apart and roll up the dinghy, put in its storage bag and leave it in the garage for the winter.  Temperature rarely gets below 10 degrees here in Delaware, but is possible. This year, I am thinking about keeping it assembled/inflated and hang it from the ceiling of my garage.  I have read mixed reviews on how to storage it and would welcome opinions or experiences on what other people do.
#7
I have a 1992 C-34 with a walk-thru transom and I need to replace a valve on the cockpit shower.  The hot water valve was hit by something and now appears to have a small crack in the assembly that the water comes into the valve. I went to Catalina Direct and they no longer stock the valves, but only the entire shower assembly.  I would prefer not to buy the entire shower assembly, but simply replace/repair the valve.  I noticed the break while putting the boat away for the weekend, so did not have a lot of time to investigate. So, I don't know the extent of the damage...appears most of it is plastic, so I am assuming it could be tough to find replacement parts at the hardware store....I am assuming several of you out there have come across a similar problem...ANY ADVICE?  
#8
I currently have a NavPod on my pedestal guard.  Within the NavPod, I have wind speed, depth, and knot meters installed....no room to add more instruments.  These are all tied to a single 12V power and ground that is fed back to the electrical panel to a breakerswitch to turn on/off electronics attached.  I have never had any issues and seems to be adequate.  I really don't want to try and run another line through the pedestal guard unless I have too.  I would like to add an additional platform to my pedestal guard to hold a chartplotter.  Can I just piggy back on the single 12v line that is fed to the NavPod, or do I need to run a dedicated power/ground from the chartplotter back to the panel or battery?
#9
Thanks to everyone.  As always, very helpful.  ROC "Sea Life" I am located at Osprey Point next door to you. I am sure I have seen you motor by once or twice. 

I have a question on the Petiti Barnacle Barrier Coat...It looks like it is a spray on can, as opposed to brush on...any special precautions, or protection to the bottom paint before spraying?

I agree on keeping it moving...we hadn't missed a weekend all summer, but had to make an emergency trip away, then the temperature kept us away for one weekend.  I was told by the marina yard that the Chesapeake had sort of a perfect growing season for barnacles with a long cool wet spring, then extreme heat early and extended.  But, I want to avoid this again next year, so will use Pettit for sure next spring.
#10
So, this is my first season with my boat located in salt water, after the boat spending 20 years on Lake Erie.  I moved the boat from Lake Erie to the Chesapeake Bay this year and sail out of Rock Hall, MD since early May.  I arrived at the boat this Friday to find that I had limited mobility and dramatically reduced RPMs under power.  Could only get up to 2 knots and she was working too hard.  I had not been to the boat for three weeks and it had been sitting at the dock.  I have been hearing the stories around the Bay about how this year has a high level of bottom growth, so I had a pretty good idea of what the problem was.  Upon having the boat hauled by the marina, I found a good inch of barnacles on the propeller, strut and propeller shaft.  Thus, very restricted movement on the moving parts. The bottom was is good shape where painted.  A complete scraping of all the metal components and a good bottom cleaning, I was ready to go and had an easy 7 knots under power again. Life is back to normal and ready to go sailing again.  However, to avoid this happening in the future, can anyone provide guidance on a product that I can put on shaft, strut and propellor?  Also, is there an recommendation for the transducers for depth and knot meters that can be used to protect them as well.  I am loving the Chesapeake Bay, but us "un-salted" sailors have a learning curve.
#11
I am relocating to the Wilmington, Delaware area and will be moving my C34 to the Rock Hall, MD area from Lake Erie.  There are many marinas in Rock Hall and I have talked with them all.  Does anyone have any recommendations on marinas they would suggest mooring?  Or, any marinas that I should avoid.   Obviously, any advice about Rock Hall and/or sailing in the Chesapeake would be appreciated.  Thank you.   
#12
I am relocating my C34 to the Chesapeake Bay area from its current home on Lake Erie, western basin.  I have a steel cradle that I use to store the boat during the winter.  However, they do not have facilities, that I know of, that can accomodate cradles where I am going, and I will need to use jack stands once I move the boat.  If there is anyone that would like to trade their jack stands for my cradle, please let me know.   My boat is currently located in Port Clinton, Ohio.  The cradle is in good condition and has four (4) stands.  My boat is a wing keel.  I can be reached on the forum or at tadams11@woh.rr.com as well. 
#13
Main Message Board / Re: Cleaning cockpit cushions
June 20, 2012, 03:26:02 PM
MAGIC ERASER!  Works like a charm and easy to use.  I keep a box on the boat in the dock box at all times.  Best invention for cleaning everything on the boat.
#14
Main Message Board / Re: Head Obstruction, Clog...?
August 15, 2011, 02:39:28 PM
I am glad to report to everyone that it was simply a very large blob of grass that had been sucked up in the intake hose to the head.  Simple fix of about 90 seconds and I was flushing happily again.  I put a screen over the intake to the engine last spring, it looks like I need one for the head as well.  Thank you to everyone for you input.
#15
Main Message Board / Re: Head Obstruction, Clog...?
August 08, 2011, 04:42:42 PM
The head is a Jabsco and is about 2 years old.