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Main Message Board / Re: Black soot and cleaning
« on: July 09, 2023, 08:07:10 AM »
Our C28 (Also an M25XPB) had black soot in the engine compartment in line with the alternator. Turns out it was he graphite from the brushes.YMMV
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2
Main Message Board / Re: Cockpit Cushions
« on: July 05, 2023, 01:46:49 PM »
Do you mean Sailrite? I couldn't find anything on Sailtite, but I'm not a great googler.
Check on the Sailtite website and/or call them. They have some fast draining (open cell) for cockpit cushions, in three different firmnesses.
3
Main Message Board / Re: Cockpit Cushions
« on: July 05, 2023, 01:45:19 PM »
Jim,
Thanks for the response. I found your posts suggesting this and I think it would be a great solution for riding on the bow. The admiral wants the full length cushions and Mola Mola already has the snaps to hold them in place so they won't fly around.
Mark
Thanks for the response. I found your posts suggesting this and I think it would be a great solution for riding on the bow. The admiral wants the full length cushions and Mola Mola already has the snaps to hold them in place so they won't fly around.
Mark
QuoteWe just use the folding seats with the adjustable backs.
That's what I use. I would only recommend the Sport-a-seat. My Sport-a-seats are 15 years old and still good. Friends that bought knock offs were soon disappointed with the frame/hinge breaking.
Having said that, cushions with closed cell foam with a mesh cover are good in the rain and dry quickly but are not as comfortable to me.
https://www.sportaseat.com/
Jim
4
Main Message Board / Cockpit Cushions
« on: July 05, 2023, 11:34:46 AM »
It looks like it's been a few years since this was discussed the last time, so I figured I would bring it up here. Especially since it looks like Bottom Siders is out of business
Is there a consensus on which is better in the cockpit, closed cell or open cell foam cushions? We like to use our cushions both sailing and at rest. I was originally looking at Catalina Direct, but as I did more research, I found tons more manufacturers... C Cushions, Catalina Owners, Foam Order, and The Foam Shop, just to name a few.
They all seem to have the same types of cushions, just different options built around two themes: Vinyl and open cell foam, or Sunbrella and closed cell foam.
Anyone have any thoughts about the manufacturers or whether open or closed cell is the right choice?
Mark
Mola Mola #1488
Is there a consensus on which is better in the cockpit, closed cell or open cell foam cushions? We like to use our cushions both sailing and at rest. I was originally looking at Catalina Direct, but as I did more research, I found tons more manufacturers... C Cushions, Catalina Owners, Foam Order, and The Foam Shop, just to name a few.
They all seem to have the same types of cushions, just different options built around two themes: Vinyl and open cell foam, or Sunbrella and closed cell foam.
Anyone have any thoughts about the manufacturers or whether open or closed cell is the right choice?
Mark
Mola Mola #1488
5
Main Message Board / Re: Teleflex tachometer with dip switches
« on: July 05, 2023, 06:54:24 AM »
I would like to know the correct setting for the M35BC. When we bought Mola Mola, it was way off. I finally got a tach on it and got it dialed in, but now I notice that the hour meter is running 2x faster than it should be.
Mark
Mola Mola #1488
Mark
Mola Mola #1488
6
Main Message Board / Re: Crack along polyester resin coating engine support stringer
« on: May 13, 2022, 03:58:08 PM »
sounds like you need a second opinion.
Years back, I was taking slo-mo video of my 1991 C28 engine and noticed not only some cracking, but also how much they bent while the motor was running. (it was 25 years old at the time) Catalina's answer? "They do that, nothing to worry about"
I guess the only way to know is to get a second opinion
Years back, I was taking slo-mo video of my 1991 C28 engine and noticed not only some cracking, but also how much they bent while the motor was running. (it was 25 years old at the time) Catalina's answer? "They do that, nothing to worry about"
I guess the only way to know is to get a second opinion
The survey was done for a buyer who has made an offer for this boat which is for sale.
7
Main Message Board / Companionway hatch cover (Sea hood) delaminated
« on: May 01, 2022, 08:05:55 PM »
I was talking this off today because the caulk looked like it could be leaking and, well I guess I was right. Taking this piece off showed significant delamination on the starboard side and minor delamination on the port side. It would seem that the caulk under the screeds failed and let water past. Sounding it the best I could, it seems like on the stbd side, it goes about 2" in and on the port side, maybe 3/4".
Questions? Since this isn't structural, I think I can just fill it with penetrating epoxy, clamp it, and call it a day. Is that right? I almost feel like another layer of glass could help, but I don't know that I want to get that deep into it.
Sounding the deck under this cover didn't reveal anything interesting and sounded like pretty solid glass underneath. I may take a bent nail and fill it with epox just to make sure. Is there anything else I need to do?
The guy in the J28 next door said to dry it out, but it's been sitting all winter. I can't imagine there's any moisture left, other than what's in the air.
Mark
Questions? Since this isn't structural, I think I can just fill it with penetrating epoxy, clamp it, and call it a day. Is that right? I almost feel like another layer of glass could help, but I don't know that I want to get that deep into it.
Sounding the deck under this cover didn't reveal anything interesting and sounded like pretty solid glass underneath. I may take a bent nail and fill it with epox just to make sure. Is there anything else I need to do?
The guy in the J28 next door said to dry it out, but it's been sitting all winter. I can't imagine there's any moisture left, other than what's in the air.
Mark
8
Main Message Board / Re: Refitting C34 MKII
« on: May 01, 2022, 07:53:25 PM »
Hmmm... looks more like a refit. More details to come...
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Main Message Board / Re: Depthsounder and knot log wire routing
« on: April 20, 2022, 04:35:26 PM »
Wow! Well, I almost have the whole thing traced through. The depth sounder and knot log go:
[/li][/list]
I will update this as I get more information and continue to trace these wires. The weird thing about the routing through the head is that I can't see any wires going into the head...it almost looks like there's possibly a space behind the head??? Anyway, I'll leave this as a reference to anyone else trying this. I'm sure that I'll need to update this once I actually run the cable rather than just trying to trace it.
Mark
- To port and aft, like I guessed, into the port hanging locker.
- From there, they go, like KeelsonGraham mentioned into the space behind the port settee. There's a glassed in PVC pipe that carries these wires aft.
- Then they exit that PVC towards the aft end of the port settee and go up into the electrical compartment. There's a piece of trim that hangs down from the top of the electrical compartment. All of the wires are tucked behind this trim.
- They travel aft all the way across the electrical compartment to... somewhere. I can't figure out where they go. I've removed the trim in the head, but not the cabinet yet.
- From there, they appear in the aft cockpit locker and traverse the back of that
[/li][/list]
I will update this as I get more information and continue to trace these wires. The weird thing about the routing through the head is that I can't see any wires going into the head...it almost looks like there's possibly a space behind the head??? Anyway, I'll leave this as a reference to anyone else trying this. I'm sure that I'll need to update this once I actually run the cable rather than just trying to trace it.
Mark
10
Main Message Board / Depthsounder and knot log wire routing
« on: April 19, 2022, 03:43:32 PM »
On our boat, both of these instruments are just forward of the bottom compartment in the v-berth. These wires go to port and disappear behind an insert. I can’t tell where they go. Does anyone else have this setup? Any idea where they go on the port side of the boat?
I mean, logic would say that the wires are behind the port settee, nav station, hanging locker, and head, but I’m trying to pull new wires and want to get an idea of what I’m in for before I start it.
Thanks for your help!
Mark
2001 C34MkII #1488
I mean, logic would say that the wires are behind the port settee, nav station, hanging locker, and head, but I’m trying to pull new wires and want to get an idea of what I’m in for before I start it.
Thanks for your help!
Mark
2001 C34MkII #1488
11
Main Message Board / Re: Is this a dangerous thru-hull fitting/valve combo, or is this normal? MARELON
« on: April 14, 2022, 01:59:19 PM »
Are there any references on how to grease them?
Guys : The Marelon valves are sturdy, but it is one of those items that need to be "greased" every year; so that they stay easily tunable!!
A thought
12
Main Message Board / Re: Refitting C34 MKII
« on: April 14, 2022, 10:34:02 AM »
I've powder her for two years now. I like sailing more than doing upgrades, but I think this is the year...
@girmann/Mark,
How long have you owned the boat? I'm coming up on two years now and I've done most of the bigger items, except maybe the standing rigging. I'm hoping now it's just maintenance and sailing.
Rob.
13
Main Message Board / Re: Refitting C34 MKII
« on: April 14, 2022, 10:30:46 AM »
This is a really good idea. Thanks for the suggestion!
I ended up creating an online trello board for all my work items and categorizing them as must do, would like to do, next haul out, in progress and done. Helps me keep them all organized, documented and prioritized and being online, I can update it from home or the boat.
Plus I have a history of when I did what.
14
Main Message Board / Refitting C34 MKII
« on: April 11, 2022, 04:55:26 AM »
Hmm... so at what point do "spring maintenance upgrades" become a refit?!?
It seems like everything I touch leads to more ideas for a project. For instance, some ham-handed lunk (me) broke the head sink drain adapter (which proved nigh impossible to find) so I got myself a whole sink drain assembly instead. I justified buying the whole thing by saying that the old one was starting to rust anyway. Of course the new one didn't fit right away. Of course the old caulk was impossible to remove. Regardless, it turned out so nice that it made me realize that I need to replace the faucet as well, because it's pretty much corroded at this point. Which lead me on a goose chase to find a decent looking shower faucet combo. Lots of nice people on the internet have made suggestions - saying that RV faucets are the same and much cheaper. But in a couple hours of searching (when I was supposed to be working), turned up nothing other than either wall mounted units or ones that had a "diverter". But nothing that resembles what we have now. As they say, "More research is indicated..."
While shopping for the sink drain, I also thought about the malfunctioning masthead wind sensor that had to be replaced and was thinking about how borked the whole electrical system has been since we bought her two years ago. All of the gauges were off by a lot, including the tach (how do you get *that* wrong?). I did some minor adjustments to those to get them back into spec. The knot log has never read the correct speed (despite my best attempts at googling) and the masthead sensor hasn't moved since the sea trial. While I'd love to blame the PO, they're our "back door" neighbor in the marina and I just can't believe that they would swap out working instruments for bad after the sale. Also the panel volt meter is completely messed up. I can't figure out why it's reading so wrong sometimes and completely correct other times. It doesn't make any sense. I need to research what else I could do here, but when an expensive meter from the yard (Fluke 177) read 12.6 on the bateries and the panel meter reads 11.8, you know something's wrong. the obvious solution is to check the wiring and replace the meter, but is there a better way? I don't know yet.
All this was running through my head at the chandlery when suddenly a complete i70 kit (wind, speed, depth, itc5, and display) ended up in my cart and brought it home ( the masthead sensor was going to be $700, but the whole kit is $1100. What a bargain!). I guess that's going on the to-do list. The 20 year old charger is also on its way out and that's going to have to be replaced, too. The nice people at Guest were willing to take my call, but not able to help.
Last year I took out the aircon to "fix" it. The PO said that it just needed a new "printed circuit board", but when I opened up the control box, there were no boards in there! After two months of banging my head against the wall, trying to figure out what part of the electronics were bad (the Ocean Breeze people were very helpful and patient) I discovered the latching high pressure switch had tripped. In my defense, there's no way to push the button without taking the whole thing out first. One push of the button and it was working again. However in removing it, I noticed that the bracket that had been fabricated for the unit was held in place with some faring compound - which had failed. It's dirty and grimy in there and the wooden bracket is still bare wood. A good epoxy paint for the bracket and some elbow grease in the hanging locker where the aircon is located is needed to clean it all out. Then I'll add some proper fiberglass tabbing to the bracket so that it stays in place this time.
Then there's the battery management that needs to be taken care of. There are no bus bars for the battery connections in the house battery compartment, leading to a mess of connections in the compartment. Plus I need to replace the battery hold down for the starting battery, since needing to cut that off after it became completely jammed.
Since I took the stick down to have a look at the masthead wind sensor, I might as well call a rigger. As near as I know, the standing rigging hasn't been replaced since she was new. In 2001. That won't be expensive, right? And it's not difficult to get a hold of a rigger in the middle of the spring, right?
And then there's the issue of the autopilot, which is sitting in the workshop but hasn't been installed. Oh, and then the sails are also original.
I've owned a boat before, this isn't my first rodeo (but it is my second! Ha!) All of a sudden I'm realizing how much she needs. Or doesn't, I suppose. If I wasn't "floating" in a parking lot right now, this could all be solved by just throwing off the lines and dealing with what I have with me instead of worrying about what's coming.
So all of this to ask, am I 50% through my spring maintenance, or am I 10% through a refit?
Mark
#1488
It seems like everything I touch leads to more ideas for a project. For instance, some ham-handed lunk (me) broke the head sink drain adapter (which proved nigh impossible to find) so I got myself a whole sink drain assembly instead. I justified buying the whole thing by saying that the old one was starting to rust anyway. Of course the new one didn't fit right away. Of course the old caulk was impossible to remove. Regardless, it turned out so nice that it made me realize that I need to replace the faucet as well, because it's pretty much corroded at this point. Which lead me on a goose chase to find a decent looking shower faucet combo. Lots of nice people on the internet have made suggestions - saying that RV faucets are the same and much cheaper. But in a couple hours of searching (when I was supposed to be working), turned up nothing other than either wall mounted units or ones that had a "diverter". But nothing that resembles what we have now. As they say, "More research is indicated..."
While shopping for the sink drain, I also thought about the malfunctioning masthead wind sensor that had to be replaced and was thinking about how borked the whole electrical system has been since we bought her two years ago. All of the gauges were off by a lot, including the tach (how do you get *that* wrong?). I did some minor adjustments to those to get them back into spec. The knot log has never read the correct speed (despite my best attempts at googling) and the masthead sensor hasn't moved since the sea trial. While I'd love to blame the PO, they're our "back door" neighbor in the marina and I just can't believe that they would swap out working instruments for bad after the sale. Also the panel volt meter is completely messed up. I can't figure out why it's reading so wrong sometimes and completely correct other times. It doesn't make any sense. I need to research what else I could do here, but when an expensive meter from the yard (Fluke 177) read 12.6 on the bateries and the panel meter reads 11.8, you know something's wrong. the obvious solution is to check the wiring and replace the meter, but is there a better way? I don't know yet.
All this was running through my head at the chandlery when suddenly a complete i70 kit (wind, speed, depth, itc5, and display) ended up in my cart and brought it home ( the masthead sensor was going to be $700, but the whole kit is $1100. What a bargain!). I guess that's going on the to-do list. The 20 year old charger is also on its way out and that's going to have to be replaced, too. The nice people at Guest were willing to take my call, but not able to help.
Last year I took out the aircon to "fix" it. The PO said that it just needed a new "printed circuit board", but when I opened up the control box, there were no boards in there! After two months of banging my head against the wall, trying to figure out what part of the electronics were bad (the Ocean Breeze people were very helpful and patient) I discovered the latching high pressure switch had tripped. In my defense, there's no way to push the button without taking the whole thing out first. One push of the button and it was working again. However in removing it, I noticed that the bracket that had been fabricated for the unit was held in place with some faring compound - which had failed. It's dirty and grimy in there and the wooden bracket is still bare wood. A good epoxy paint for the bracket and some elbow grease in the hanging locker where the aircon is located is needed to clean it all out. Then I'll add some proper fiberglass tabbing to the bracket so that it stays in place this time.
Then there's the battery management that needs to be taken care of. There are no bus bars for the battery connections in the house battery compartment, leading to a mess of connections in the compartment. Plus I need to replace the battery hold down for the starting battery, since needing to cut that off after it became completely jammed.
Since I took the stick down to have a look at the masthead wind sensor, I might as well call a rigger. As near as I know, the standing rigging hasn't been replaced since she was new. In 2001. That won't be expensive, right? And it's not difficult to get a hold of a rigger in the middle of the spring, right?
And then there's the issue of the autopilot, which is sitting in the workshop but hasn't been installed. Oh, and then the sails are also original.
I've owned a boat before, this isn't my first rodeo (but it is my second! Ha!) All of a sudden I'm realizing how much she needs. Or doesn't, I suppose. If I wasn't "floating" in a parking lot right now, this could all be solved by just throwing off the lines and dealing with what I have with me instead of worrying about what's coming.
So all of this to ask, am I 50% through my spring maintenance, or am I 10% through a refit?
Mark
#1488
15
Main Message Board / Re: False high temp readings and engine harness plug
« on: March 16, 2022, 10:26:21 AM »
Whoa. Seriously? I thought that was part of the wiring standard. Go figure.
Someone from the C28 IA thought that the hull had been hit by lightning at some point and they replaced the wiring. Good to know that wasn’t the case?
I ripped it all out and replaced it with the right stuff on the C28. Now you’re telling me I’m going to have to do the same with my C34!
Mark
1488
Someone from the C28 IA thought that the hull had been hit by lightning at some point and they replaced the wiring. Good to know that wasn’t the case?
I ripped it all out and replaced it with the right stuff on the C28. Now you’re telling me I’m going to have to do the same with my C34!
Mark
1488