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For the bed I cut a 2 piece plywood platform. It's thin, maybe 3/8", and rests on top of the settee trim, not the lip the table sat on. By keeping in thin and cutting it in to two pieces lengthwise it can be stowed under the settee cushions.

We used a memory foam pad at home. The boat has a tufted topper.  Pleased with both. We debated using the foam on the boat but decided there were two problems: Weight and heat.

The memory foam can be kind of warm. At home we have a cover over it, but didn't want to do that on the boat. The biggest problem I have on the boat is staying cool in the evening, so anything that hints at more heat in bed (insert your own joke here) is a concern.

The foam weighs a fair amount more than the Tufted Topper. Not a big deal, depending on how often you get to the storage under the V.

For next season I'm toying with the idea of cutting a 4-5" foam rubber pad to replace the cushions under the Topper. The V cushions sag a bit, and I'd like to get rid of the seams.

The Tufted Topper company was excellent to work with.

I ran the wires through an flush mounted it on the bulkhead under the sink in the head.

There's always the wireless instruments...

This link will take to the Airmar cross reference.  Punch in some model numbers and it will tell you what is compatible.

http://www.airmartechnology.com/xref/default.asp

Short answer for me was the small generator. I have a little Yamaha that I run for about an hour or so to top off the batteries. Just plug it in to the normal shore power inlet and it works fine. Of course, it's only a 1,0000 watt so I can't pile on things like the water heater, space heater, and other items when I'm charging, but when I'm on the hook I don't use any of those things anyway. Worked great on three weeks in the Gulf Islands last Summer. Also has the added benefit of running my lights at home during the inevitable Winter power outages.

 
As much as I would like to see the C34 remain in production, I'm much more concerned at seeing a financially sound Catalina.
I keep wondering how many new boats bought in the past 5-10 years were paid for by tapping home equity. If that resource continues to tighten and/ or shrink I suspect new boat sales could be impacted quite a bit.

I bought some from these guys a while back:
http://www.psicompany.com/

Odd question, but something we debated over dinner last night:

Do you tip the dock help when they help you tie up or launch? Not talking about casual help, but marina employees at some nicer marinas and some resorts.

Two comments:

We called around and had a smaller Corian table and matching stove top cover made. I want to say it was $200 or so. Love the smaller size, and love the Corian. Hot pans or spills are no worry and they look great.

Second comment is about that filler cushion. Hate the thing. Always in the way, so I try to leave it at home. When it's at home I need it for a guest. The foam in it is also much healthier than the other cushions so it's not a good place to sleep.

For the number of times it's actually used, I would love to have a nylon inflatable cushion. Leave it tossed under the V or wherever until I need it. Then blow it up.

Ouch! That last one stung.

I haven't been overly impressed with the new Catalinas, but I still like them better than most of the other "production" boats. I suspect it would take a lot for them to go under.

I still have to say the service issue isn't just them. I put a TackTick wireless system on the boat last year. Had some issues, and they never answered emails, phone calls, or mail. After months of trying I finally talked to some one in England that referred me to a private email in Florida. That guy was useless & rude.

When I mentioned to the guy at West Marine I was about to yank the system off and return West Marine stepped up to the plate and did an instant order & exchange.

I agree, the service isn't up to par. On the other hand, I've got great pricing on some parts like lifelines & spreaders. Every time I try to deal with them on the phone it's a little frustrating. Then I remind myself I'm calling a boat manufacturer to get a part for my 20 year old boat.  I have a $5,000 stove in my kitchen from a company with a slick website that has never once answered a request. Manufactures usually just aren't in the parts business.

I also wonder how easy it is for someone with a 20 year old Hunter or McGregor to get anything from the factory?

Sure, they are technophobes that can't read emails, and sometime phone conversations are a bit odd. But hey, it took one call and 48 hours to get a perfect set of new spreaders.

Freeze a bunch of bottled water. They hold well and you can drink them as they thaw.

Of course, I have to say the 'fridge is the best part of my boat. Cold drinks & ice anytime I stop by after work...

Is there a reason to spend 3 times the money to buy 100% silicone from West Marine over the $5.00 100% silicaone from Home Depot?

For what it's worth- i just checked Beckson. They recomend filling the void with foam.