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I have a 1988, #584 with a Universal M 25 XP and as I posted previously, I've been experiencing slow starting for a couple of years.  I decided to replace all the glow plugs and when I tried to get started today, I could not remove the middle nut holding the wire on as it ran up against I believe the air intake manifold.  With all the discussions about glow plugs, I never saw this mentioned.  What I assumed would be a quick boat upgrade (when are the ever quick?) was aborted as I didn't want to get in over my head 2 weeks from launching.  I can't believe it's designed this way but do I seriously have to  remove the manifold to get the glow plugs out?  Anything I need to be aware of once I start this boat surgery?  Thanks in advance for any guidance.  Brian McPhillips

On our recent cruise, my wife and I noted subtle mold spots on the headliner so started washing with our dilute bleach.  To my surprise, when I wiped just aft and starboard of the hatch over the salon table, a soft spot was obvious, maybe 12 x 12",  and when pressed, air could be heard squeezing out from a gap in the nearby hatch frame.  The hatch is not leaking water from above.  I don't know anything about the headliner but hope it is just a cosmetic layer with some loose adhesive delaminating after decades (I have a 1988 Mk I).  Does this sound like anything more serious that needs troubleshooting? 

My 1988 Mark I has a probably original Adler Barbour Cold Machine that no longer cycles  off, fan doesn't work and is covered in rust.  I guess it's time.  I was advised to look into a Frigoboat keel cooled unit which reportedly runs very quietly and efficiently.  The company says it's a DIY installation.  First, I wonder if anyone can report on their experience with this brand.  Second, I'm nervous about removal of the old unit.  Obviously I should not release the refrigerant but is there a trick to safe removal without calling an expensive technician?  What about disposal?   Like many, my compressor is under the settee forward of the table with the copper tubing running on top of the starboard water tank. 

So, I went to visit my 1988 C34 today on the hard in MA for the first time in a month (with some pretty intense cold since last visit if that is relevant).  The boat is shrink wrapped and the bilge had been dry.  I was shocked to see about 1/8" of pink diesel on top of a 1/2 " of ice in the main bilge.  Behind the engine in the aft birth there was about 1/4" of diesel under the shaft and up against the vertical fiberglass at the back of the engine.  There also was diesel in the depression above the shaft further aft of the shaft exit tube. No trickle tracks could be identified.   So, the search for a source is on.  I removed the aft cabin panel to inspect the fuel tank and all visible surfaces looked well  There was no diesel directly below the engine.   I turned the key to start the fuel pump briefly and couldn't identify any trouble.  The fuel tank read 3/4 full which is where I left it in the Fall.  All fuel lines are dry to my inspection off the top of the tank and into the space under the head sink. 
So, I absorbed everything I could (best estimate a pint of diesel total) and laid down dry paper towels to port of the shaft so if there is a trickle I should be able to see which towel it hits on the way to the low point. 
Has anyone dealt with this?  I fear something catastrophic might be coming on.  I can next visit the boat in 4 days.  Thanks in advance for any guidance on how best to proceed.     Brian McPhillips

Last Winter I replaced the PSS Shaft Seal bellows which involved disconnecting and reconnecting the shaft to the flexible coupling.  There is a wire that jumps metal to metal around the coupling.  This morning I hauled the boat for the season and noted the two shaft zincs looked as good as new, not the sacrificial decaying look I'm used to seeing at season's end.  The shaft itself looks okay at first glance.   I have to assume the bridging wire is bad.  I haven't checked the pencil zinc in the heat exchanger yet.  Anyone know if I need to be looking for other sacrificial metal trouble in the engine or elsewhere?   

I just replaced my 4 golf cart batteries and my boat has an old Heart inverter/charger Link 2000 set up that seems to have worked flawlessly for the 13 years I have owned her.  The boat is on the hard and when I attempted to charge them using AC power, it took longer than I expected to go from Charge to Accept and never went to Float.  The  cold volts reading on the Link is 12.35 V while a direct reading on the batteries with my multimeter gets 12.64 V.  At the same time, my starting battery (a wet cell 12 V) matches exactly and it has a much longer wire  run to the Link unit.   My boat lives on a mooring all Summer so all future charging will be via alternator until next Fall.  I have already reprogrammed the unit to make up for the "gotcha" bug discussed here previously.  I don't want to harm my new batteries with incomplete or inaccurate charging.  To those smarter than me, does this sound like simply a bad or undersized sensing wire?  Is there an easy test for this?  All wires disappear into dark places and before I start down this path, I wanted to see if there might be another answer.  Thanks in advance for any guidance. 
Brian McPhillips

So, still shaking after feeling like I almost set the boat on fire today.  Briefly, I have a 1988 M25 XP, on the hard south of Boston.  Last Fall my alternator crashed, took it to local highly reputable battery guy who rebuilt it only to find that my Balmar Max Charge regulator was also dead.  The same guy sold me a Transpro regulator for much less $ than a new Balmar, said it would be fine since I sail mostly, use engine sparingly.  I decided to replace the terminal strip by my engine since it was looking very tired (prior owner did the wiring harness upgrade).  I then removed any corrosion and reattached every wire back at the Seaward panel in the cockpit and replaced a dead bulb on the engine temp gauge.  Thinking I would be just testing the light bulb, I turned the ignition key one click (not the extra to fire the glow plugs).  I heard the beeping alarm test and clicking of the fuel pump as usual. I then left the cockpit to inspect everything and saw smoke pouring out of the engine area.  The Brown wire (14 ga, see picture) going to the new regulator was smoking, melting and burning the wire cover.  I hope the attached picture adequately shows both ends of the short harness connecting the alternator to the regulator  mounted under the head sink .  Anyway, I think I'm pretty meticulous about hooking up everything.  However, clearly something disastrous is going on.  The brown wire where it goes through the 4-wire plastic unit to plug into the regulator has completely melted inside.  One answer is to wave the white flag and call somebody who knows what they're doing to fix this but I like to know what's going on and consider myself reasonably competent.  That being said, I don't want to set Analgesic and the rest of the boat yard on fire.  Thanks for any advice. 
Brian McPhillips

I am planning on using Spartite this Spring to hopefully end the perennial mast leak.  Can anyone who has done this tell me how much they purchased to complete the job?  It is expensive and I don't want to buy the large kit if the small kit is enough but I also don't want to come up short doing the project.  I have a 1988 standard mast.  Thanks in advance for any help. 
Brian McPhillips

The two drains of my galley sink started leaking only a couple of years after replacing everything.  I used plumber's putty last time at the critical leak-prone areas but after all the great things I've read about butyl tape for leak-prone deck hardware, I was wondering if this might be the best solution for  sealing gasket type areas when I reinstall the drains this Winter.  Has anybody tried this or is there something I should know from a health standpoint (dishes soaking in water exposed to butyl tape picking up some toxin, etc.)?  This is a rotten, hard to reach job I never want have to do again.  Thanks
Brian

Second big Winter project is a new exhaust riser. Following many posts here, I checked with Catalina Parts and they don't  stock them anymore.  Catalina Direct lists them on their site but I also read about the advantages of a perfect match by having it made locally.  Where would one go to have an exhaust riser made?  Welder, machine shop, mom and pop auto repair shop?  I suspect it is critical to provide a very specific order since this must be a novel job request.  Also, it must be critical to have the right materials used due to the temperatures involved and the highest quality welding as well.  Finally, I noticed an insulating wrap for sale at CD which seemed ridiculously expensive.  I removed a white woven fabric wrap from the old one held in place by wire wrap which I assume must be much cheaper.  Any suggestions?  Thanks
Brian McPhillips 

Question for the chemists-I have read on this forum that the heat exchanger should be taken to a radiator shop to be boiled out periodically.  I removed mine this week and it was dramatically caked with scale on the inside.  I called my local radiator shop and he says he stopped doing any boiling years ago once car radiators became more plastic.  So, being from New England, I do have a big lobster pot that would easily accommodate the exchanger.  Any suggestions how I might boil it myself?  With vinegar or some other safe chemical?  Thanks in advance for any guidance. 
Brian McPhillips

Posting below no longer active

I have a boom tent Navy blue Top Gun Winter cover for sale.  It is a 3 piece inside the rail model and is in pretty decent shape but I am replacing it with an over the rail model due to a squirrel problem where I store the boat on the hard.  It has been very effective keeping snow and rain out and protecting my teak (except from squirrels).  I'm asking $250 OBO (my new one cost $1900).
Brian McPhillips
bmcphillips@healthcaresouth.com
781-258-9590

Four years ago I made the switch to four 6V golf cart batteries from Sam's Club for my house bank as recommended here.  They have served me well but for the last year whenever the boat was either on the mooring for a week or over the Winter ignored for any length of time, the resting voltage on the bank would drop to 11.85-11.90 range.  On the hard with my AC cord plugged in to charge or when motoring, it will zoom up to 14.5 V but drops right back down once unplugged.   
Yesterday I disconnected and removed all 4 batteries from the compartment and testing them individually, two had identical 6.05 V readings and two read 5.7 V. My questions: first why would this evolve when they all form one bank, can I try to charge up the two weaker ones away from the boat and see if they will hold steady, or can I replace the two weak ones and keep the two stronger ones using the same brand and model?  It's been an expensive Winter and new batteries were not in the planned budget.  Thanks for any help.
Brian McPhillips

I think my 1988 C34 has a Universal M-25 engine and at the end of this season I found my 5 year old Sherwood water pump to be leaking and rusting badly.  This came after a stressful impeller replacement that took an hour while under sail after the engine overheated this Summer from a blocked intake.  I'm ready to switch to the front plate Oberdorfer  for cost, convenience and hopefully better longevity.  My current pump is mounted with two hex bolts through flanges into the engine blocks.  I see that the Oberdorfer has 5 mounting holes on the engine block side.  My questions-will the two current engine block holes line up and be adequate to hold the Oberdorfer on or do I have to drill additional holes into the engine block (which frightens me)?  If I have to drill the block, is there anything I need to know having never drilled into steel before?  Any guidance is greatly appreciated.
Brian McPhillips

I'm very depressed.  Last Summer my old Seaward water heater must have rusted through at last and emptied all of my fresh water into the bilge right at the start of my vacation.  I bypassed it and endured the Summer without hot water.  In the Fall I replaced the heater with a new model S-600 by Seaward.  My first couple of sails this year with brief motoring to get off the hook, I noticed very low levels of antifreeze in the engine.  I assumed there was some redistribution going on after bleeding air out and just topped it off.  Today for the third time the antifreeze was very low and looking further, it seems to be leaking out the bottom of the new heater onto the plywood base.  I carefully checked where the antifreeze hoses enter and exit the heater and they appear dry.  For now I bypassed the heater with a short 90 degree angle of 3/8" hose connecting the thermostat to the pump and the engine seems to be running fine.  I left the inside of the new heater dry over the Winter-no water or antifreeze.  I can't believe that the new heater came with a leak-the thought of taking it out, shipping back, etc is very frustrating as it was such a big job last Fall.  Is there any other possible problem I'm overlooking here? I was thinking of pouring some water with food coloring down the antifreeze hose to see if I can track down the leak.  Any other ideas /suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Brian McPhillips

Launch day 2013 yesterday and it's always something.  This Winter I replaced the hot water heater.  I followed the web site advice on burping the antifreeze, engine started right up but I took my eye off the ball and after idling for a while at the dock I saw the engine temperature gauge reading almost 240 degrees or whatever the max is.  I immediately shut it down, allowed some cooling time, repeated the burping process with the petcock this time.  I restarted the engine just to get off the dock, temp seemed to be rising too fast, shut down and sailed for 90 minutes to my home club and when I restarted the engine to again get to the dock, the gauge now gave no reading (never budged from the minimum 120). I have great water flow from the exhaust, raw water filter is clear and I removed any corrosion from the temp sensing wire in the thermostat with no change.  So, I'm left with an engine that seems to start and run well but might be overheating with no way to tell.  I hate to call the diesel guy if there is some other easy solution/troubleshooting step I could try first.  Thanks in advance for any helpful advice.
Brian McPhillips

I have just encountered the apparently common problem of water leaking through the starboard double stanchion above the galley resulting in wet moldy wood on the storage shelf and the wooden AC outlet  cover cracking in two.   I found references here to Main Sail's instructions for using Butyl Tape for this project  but have not found a link to the actual  article searching this site.  Does anybody have this?  Also, having never worked with butyl tape or epoxy for that matter, is this a project I should/can take on in November in New England-current daily temp ranging 30-50 but going down fast?  I don't want to fill a hole with epoxy only to have it never cure.  Thanks.
Brian

My likely original water heater died this summer-found out first day of cruise when the entire aft fresh water tank leaked into the bilge.  I'm looking to replace with the Seaward 6 gallon version, currently on sale at Defender for $229.  Also, the old platform the heater rests on has been loose for a couple of years such that I can move the heater port-starboard about 2-3" so this will need to be replaced.  Has anybody done this before?  I'd be interested in guidance as far as what I need for a new platform, what  I'm likely to encounter, how it gets attached and to what since it supports a fairly heavy water-filled heater in potentially rough seas/big heel angles.  Having it shift while underway can't be good.  Thanks.
Brian McPhillips

I thought I'd share a problem and solution discovered on our annual summer cruise last week.  7 days out and sailing from Edgartown to Lake Tashmoo, Martha's Vineyard, the wind died so I started the engine and noticed an awful rumbling noise only when the boat was in gear, worse at higher speed.  We made and unscheduled left turn  and motored slowly into Vineyard Haven, grabbed a mooring in the outer harbor and I dove down to find my shaft Zinc was being held on by only one screw, the other gone despite good screw holes on  each half.  In my hardware box I had only one appropriately sized screw and nut and working on this one breath hold at a time was very difficult and stressful, more so when I dropped the nut!  A call to the local WM Express revealed they didn't have a replacement zinc in stock.  After some serious head scratching, I came up with the idea of using a hose clamp.  It took about 15-20 dives but by the time I was done I had the zinc very tightly held to the shaft.  Back home a week later with at least 10 hours of motoring in between, I dove again today and it still feels solid.  I plan to keep the boat in the water another month so I might just keep checking on it rather than hiring a diver to replace it.   This same thing happened to me 2 years ago on my last day of the season, discovered on pulling the boat.  A friend suggested that next year I replace the nut that comes with the zinc with a Nylock or use Loctite Blue for addeded security.
Brian McPhillips

I have a Sony Marine AM/FM CD/Ipod player mounted above the Nav station that has given me several years of excellent service.  Unfortunately, this Winter while on the hard I found the FM reception suddenly became terrible with very bad static while the AM remains clear.  The unit is mounted in such a way that it would be very difficult to remove for service.  Using a light and mirror, I found all the wiring to be  attached.  The back right side of the unit has a plug in wire that starts thick and then has a very thin tail going nowhere which, when pulled out, eliminates all reception, AM and FM, so I assue it is the antenna.  The owners manual is useless as is the Sony web site so I thought I'd ask the many engineers out there if they know what happened and what I should do next.  Thanks.
Brian McPhillips

Help!  This past Summer my macerator died so I ended the season using the pump out service to fully drain the holding tank (so I thought) and bought a new Shurflo macerator.  When I removed the dead pump from the lower inboard aft corner of the holding tank with some absorbant materials to catch the expected drips, I faced an instant unexpected  horrendous s#%t storm that flooded the bilge, finally halted by the placement of a wooden emergency plug.  I'll spare you the details of the weekend spent on the initial bilge clean up but now I have a tank with an uncertain amount of sewage left, a loose wooden plug and a new macerator pump that is a very tight fit in a deep hard to reach  space.  I was hoping for a week of deep freeze temperatures to harden the remaining tank contents allowing me the luxury of pulling the plug and figuring out the macerator attachment at a leisurely pace but it's late January, we haven't had a sustained cold blast yet and I'm not sure one is coming this year.  I'm looking for any thoughts on how to proceed.  I came up with these ideas  with none seeming great:  1. If the deep freeze comes, pull the plug and screw in the macerator threads into the tank (but it is not obvious that I will be able to rotate the new pump due to it's "wings" for mounting)  2. Buy a 1 1/2" NPT plug, pull the wooden plug and screw on the new one as fast as possible accepting more sewage spill, pump and flush the tank in Spring and start from scratch   3. Leave the wooden plug until I can get to a pump out station after Spring launch and flush the tank thoroughly (but if it falls out prior to that I could have an even bigger spill)  4. Attach a 90 deg elbow (outboard end plugged)  quickly (same as #2)to the tank outlet aiming upward and eventually mount the macerator on the plywood aft support for the tank.
Any guidance/experience is greatly appreciated.  If nothing else, I've provided everyone with  the chance to think "I'm glad it's not me!"
Brian McPhillips

Launch day today with brand new starting battery and 4 new golf cart batteries from Sam's Club.  I have a Heart Invertor/Charger with a Link 2000 monitor.  I motored the 90 minutes from launch ramp to mooring.  On the way, I noticed that the voltage on battery bank 2 (house) read only 12.45 volts and bank 1 (starter) read 11.90.  Last year everything read > 13 volts whenever engine was on.  I had charged everything on the hard by AC with good readings before launching.  The Link read 86 Amps with engine running with the battery switch on 2 (which I assume means the alternator is not dead) but only 2 Amps when on 1.   An E 02 code was flashing referring to low battery, not charging.  I am looking for any suggestions for trouble shooting this.  I already checked and cleaned every terminal I could find.  A friend suggested there might be a dead fuse -anyone know if this is true and where I might look?  Thanks for any help
Brian McPhillips

My friend and fellow Massachusetts sailor Mike Ide was laid off last year from his newspaper computer position and with the bleak job market, he has chosen to turn his hobby into a career doing custom boat wood projects.  In the last year he has made for me a mahogany/maple table, teak veneer sliders to replace the forever breaking black plastic ones, a teak floor grating for the head and a perfect storage rack for the hatchboards that fits in the aft locker behind the steering quadrant cover.  I am very pleased with the craftsmanship having absolutely no talent in this area myself, and I feel the additions have really improved the feel of the cabin.  I just thought I would share my upgrades (I'm trying to attach photos for the first time so I hope it works) and if anyone is interested in contacting Mike now that he has the C34 templates, I can get you his email. 
Brian McPhillips

I suffered an unfortunate dramatic banging of masts with a Tartan 40 we were rafted to in Wellfleet, MA harbor this Summer as a fishing boat went out sending a big wake our way.  After that I  noted leaking water from several chain plates when it rains.  I  am  taking on the task of rebedding all chain plates this Winter following the excellent guidance found in this website.  I spent several hours each of the last two days trying to remove the chain plates but have only been able to remove 10 of the 12 screw/nut combinations.  The last 2 have resisted WD 40, banging with a hammer, heating with a mini butane torch, PB Blaster and elbow grease resulting in a few scrapes and bruises.   I would appreciate any advice on how to solve the corroded nut that just won't give up.  I am fighting the seasonal clock as it is getting colder quickly here in MA. 
Brian McPhillips

I am about to order a whisker pole to go with my 130% genoa on a roller furler. Reviewing the Message Board I saw everyone mentioning the Forespar 12-22' Line control size.  Last minute I checked the Forespar web site which lists a sizing chart by specific boat type and for the C34 they list the 10-18' size, a significant cost savings.  I emailed Randy Risvold, their technical adviser and he responded:  "The 12-22 will be too heavy. The 10-18 will be a better all around pole.  Because of the displacement of the 34 I would not recommend using the 10-18  in the higher wind ranges except at a very short length. A lighter and stronger choice will be to purchase a fixed length pole 3' O.D. built to your J length. This will be a good all round choice for a 130% jib."     
I anticipate using this for extended running at 5-18 knot winds, possibly with the genoa reefed.  I just assumed the adjustable pole would accommodate reefing better.  I wonder if the 22' length is for a bigger genoa.  I would appreciate any experience/wisdom that could help me make this one time purchase the correct one. 
Brian McPhillips

My apologies to the electrical engineers for a stupid question.  I have a 5 year old 2 AGM house bank of 100 amp hours each that has been adequate for my needs but is getting very tired. I looked through the site and see many references to substituting 4 x 6V batteries for better capacity.   On the Defender web site I saw a Sportsman wet cell 6V with 220 amp hour capacity for only $125. The replacement cost for what I now have would be $420 each!   It sounds like I could get 2 of the 6 Volts for much less and get a much greater capacity than I am accustomed to (might even turn on the fridge when the engine is off!)  I can't imagine needing the capacity of 4 (880 amp hours).  Am I missing something here?  Is there a trade off in life expectancy or some other drawback?  I never see anybody mentioning getting only 2x6V batteries. 
Brian McPhillips

I'm looking for some real world experience.  I was thinking of adding a Forespar line control aluminum 12-22' whisker pole.  My local rigger gave me a quote (with his 20% discount)  of $3600 installed.  He recommended a Harken track and car control assembly with on the mast storage for $1100.  This set up is certainly very nice but for a lot less money I could get a short Forespar track with a pad eye pin control attachment and deck or rail storage.  I cruise mostly with my family and would like the advantage of a pole for the 3-6 hour run/broad reach we often see.  The wife and I do the work while the kids lounge.  I do 2-3 pursuit  races per year with a full crew and it would be a big advantage to have a pole although we're not that serious.  I am looking for feedback on how easy or difficult it is to use the pole, whether the track vs pad eye makes a big difference as far as ease of use goes considering the extra weight of aluminum vs carbon (prohibitive), and a sense of whether it is worth the investment or not.  My worst fear is that I spend the money and then find it's too much of a pain to actually use it frequently.  Thanks in advance for any help.
Brian McPhillips

I am in the market for a new main sail.  I have tentatively put in an order with North Sails Direct-they recommended 8 oz Nordac cloth.  I then saw the Fx Sails web site which quotes standard Catalina sails and for the C-34 they recommend 7.3 oz Dacron.  I would be interested in any information on what conditions the different sail cloths might be best for.  I sail in New England, most often 5-12 knots wind but frequently reefing in the low 20s and every Summer at least once or twice I get caught in around 30 knots.  It's not to late to change my order if there is good reason. 
Brian McPhillips

I have a challenging problem I suspect others may have faced and solved.  I broke off the handle of the black plastic sliding door for the port side storage behind the settee.  I am a veteran of this problem as I broke one of the starboard handles a couple of years ago.  Last time I popped out the plastic piece, cut a new square leading edge, drilled a couple of new holes and replaced the handle and popped the sheet right back in.  This time I cannot get out the broken plastic door.  I can only assue that either the wooden tracks have come closer together due to wood swelling or something bigger like flexing of the hull now that the boat is on the hard.  It is clear that if I try to bend the sheet it will break before it comes out.  If I do break it, a new one of the same size won't fit in.  Does anybody have any ideas on how I can solve this?    Thanks in advance for any help.
Brian McPhillips

I had my boat hauled for the Winter a couple of weeks ago and found the propeller shaft Zinc missing.  This has never happened before and I have no way of knowing how long ago or why it fell off.  I launched in mid May so worst case is that I have had no Zinc in place 5 months.  The boat is in salt water.  I have always heard how important the Zinc is and now am wondering (worrying actually) what might have happened without it in place.  I would appreciate any advice regarding this situation, ie any areas I should look for excessive corrosion or other trouble.  Thanks.
Brian McPhillips

I would greatly appreciate any advice  on the best way to hove to in the Catalina 34.  I have a 1988 with a 130 genoa.  I learned to sail on a Vanguard 15 day sailor and we were taught to tack, back wind the jib and luff the main with the tiller steering hard back into the wind.  Last Summer, 20 years later,I find myself in 29-33 knots wind on a beam reach with 3-4 feet of chop towing an inflatable.  The inflatable flipped and efforts to right it proved futile.  Whenever the reefed main luffed even a little, the vibration in the rigging was frightening. I had to drop all sail and motor at 3 knots for 3 hours to my destination with this sea anchor.  I suspect a proper hove to maneuver would have allowed us to bring the inflatable on deck and resume sailing.  Thanks in advance for any shared experience.
Brian McPhillips

When I purchased my boat 5 1/2 years ago, I received bad advice, that the Cetol on my exterior teak needed no maintenance.  Now for the past year it is all peeling like neglected house paint.   I'm ready to strip it and probably retreat with the new Cetol Natural product.  I heard about Citrus Strip, a reportedly less toxic stripping product.  Anyone ever use it?  Any other advice for this project would be greatly appreciated as I am heading towards uncharted waters. 

Since our recent discussion I have removed my Aqualift Muffler.  Several problems identified-the petcock drain was clearly corroded with part missing, mine doesn't look like pictures of others I have seen.  Also, I didn't have a hump hose described elsewhere but rather a straight black fairly rigid hose to the muffler intake making removal very difficult.  The muffler intake was a little soft at the top, easily compressed with finger pressure, firm but with a surface defect visible just above the box.  The black inlet hose which fit snugly to the exhaust outlet above is clearly a size too large for the muffler inlet below.  There is evidence of slight leak around this inlet site/clamp and the hose was squeezed tightly by  the clamp aroud a stack of rubber O-rings to keep it snug.  No leak was found around the muffler flange at the base. 
So, I'm wondering what's the best approach?  The petcock replacement is obvious but the soft top of the muffler inlet along with a hose mismatch is concerning.  Has Catalina made mufflers with different inlet sizes?  I wonder if a prior owner bought a size too small and jury rigged it.  I
If replacement is the best option,  I saw a new Aqualift muffler from Catalina is about $250 with Centek Vernalift mufflers advertised on the web for less than half.   I'd appreciate any thoughts/guidance again.  Thanks
Brian McPhillips

This Summer we used our engine much harder than usual due to a long cruise with little wind.  On the last day I discovered a fine jet leak from the lower right ?bolt of the water lift muffler under the head sink.  It looked corroded, I did an emergency epoxy glue patch and finished the trip.  The next time I checked the bilge the formerly clear water had heavy black particulate matter, a dramatic change I never saw before.  There was no obvious new odor and no floating oil.  Shortly after, on my last motor to haul the boat, I thought the cabin smelled of diesel exhaust.  Anybody have advice regarding what is going on and what I have to do between now and May when I relaunch?  I know the easy answer is call a diesel guy, but I like to save $ when I can and learn by doing things myself when practical.   Thanks in advance.
Brian McPhillips