Messages

I have a 80 lbs 7 yar olg Golden Retriever.  I love her, but...

So far it has been tricky.  She can't get into the cabin, I have to pick her up, which she does not like one bit.

I have no idea how I am going to get her back into the boat when she decides to jump in.  We have a 1987 C34 with NO walk thru transom.  I figure a crane made with the boom.  I haven't tried this yet, but I am sure she will protest.

She loves to swim, which I believe is a problem.  She thinks the bay is safter than a gigantic piece of moving floor.  I have not had her OUT for a sail yet, but I expect if things get rought that's when she'll decide to SWIM TO SAFTEY.

Then there is the heat.  On a hot summery 90 degree Chesapeake day she is cooked after 3 hours.  She just can't always find enough shade.

I sugest, no dog or at least one small enough to easily pick up.

Bill

Thanks for all the advice and the photo.
I like the idea of also holding in the boards separately.
Bill

So we are going to try our first race, in a very relaxed way, and we are reviewing that US Sail category 4P safety requirements they say we need.  There is a note in there about being able to open the companion way when the boat is upside-down with water pressure on things.

Certainly this is not a situation we expect to be in, but this got us thinking that we need a handle on the sliding companionway cover on the INSIDE of the boat.

I think it is odd there is not one already there.  Do other boats have this?  Mine is 1987 C34.

Is there a standard Catalina part number made to just the right size to fit the existing bolts (wishing) ?

Has anyone added this?  What did you use ?

Thanks,
Bill

My two cents...

I just put in a new sender unit I purchased from Catalina, price was ok.  I spent 24 hours in the Atlantic with a full tank and the sender unit was shot.

I removed and disassmbled the unit and found the it was a low-tech wire wound rheostat.  The continual rocking of the fuel, and thus the float arm wiggle, wore the rheostat wire clean through.  Open circuit dead sender unit.

I am starting to look at the Centroid capacitance units:
  http://www.centroidproducts.com/sensor.htm

Great.  Contacting Catalina now to order.
The usual online places only carry 1-3/4 and 2", so I assumed I was measing wrong.  Nice to know I can still read a ruler.

What web site/part number is that hose?  Do they sell it with the 4 clamps ?

What size is the ID of the hose?  When I measure the OD of the brass it is not a standard 1 3/4", seems a bit smaller.

What is the cataline OD of the tube thru the hull?  (hull CTYPO319J687)  (sorry I am 7 hours from the boat)

I have the hose & brass unit off the boat now and cleaned it.  I found that there was wear on the inside from the bronze shaft rubbing, significant but still usable.  I think I should put this same gland back on because a new brass gland would just need to wear to fit again.  At least until I can get the boat in the water and do a proper alignment. Thoughts?

Thanks,
Bill

Thanks alot
This site is the best.

On an '87 standard rig...

Aside from the expected swinging of the boom from side to side, and the ability of the boom to lift and fall a bit; is the boom expected to rotate on its own axis?  for example when on port tack, would you expect the bottom of the boom to be tilted towards the cabin top and the sail groove on the boom to be tilted away?

My boom does NOT twist like this, it is fixed in this axis.  but it is fixed WRONG.  The bottom of the boom is permanently twisted towards Port and the sail groove towards starboard.

Should I twist it back straight?  Or should I fix something so that is freely rotates?

Thanks,
Bill

Will do.
Thank you very much for the help.

Ron,

This sounds great.  I have registered on the web site, and also sent the forms to join the C34 IA.  How do I become an official Fleet 12 member ?

Where is the "tool box" kept and what is the procedure for borrowing them?

Is the cutlass tool the kind that does NOT require removal of the shaft ?

Thanks,
Bill

Does anyone close to the Washington DC area, or between DC and New York, have a cutlass bearing removal tool I can rent?

I am looking to use it the weekend of Nov 7th.

Something like the Strut-Pro or home-made version of same (http://www.strutpro.com)

Thanks,
Bill

I saw the survey guy detecting it with a moister meter and it was pretty distinct.
But, it does sound like the best plan is to block it properly and remeasure in spring before doing anything invasive.
Thanks very much,
Bill

Thanks very much Ron, that is very encouraging.

What I don't understand (what worries me) is if the nylon bushing did not wear 3/4" then where did the 3/4" play come from?  Just boat "settling" like a house?

I must say that Catalina community is half the reason I picked this boat over others.  Great shared knowledge.

new boat owner here with second newbie question...

In the boat I just purchased there was some moisture detected in the forward portion of the cockpit floor, but the floor is still solid and no hollowness.  A survey in Oct 2008 did not show this moisture.  During the year between the two surveys the boat was on the hard with the bow positioned too low causing rain water to sit in the cockpit rather than run out the rear.  So, I believe this moister may be pretty new.

First, should I do anything?  Once properly blocked or in the water this will dry out on its own?  (wishful thinking)

To dry this out the surveyor said holes would need to be cut in the cockpit surface the let it air out for a while.  Then repair them.

After thinking about this I believe it would be smarted to cut the air-out holes from the bottom up (in the ceiling of the aft cabin).  The water will tend to drip down and out rather than up anyway.  The hole could be left open for very long, maybe forever.  If I do cover the hole I could use a removable cover.  So is this a good idea, or just dumb?  If dumb why?

Has anyone ever tried using a vacume pump to pull the moisture out faster?

Thanks for any advice,
Bill

Hello! I am a brand new 1987 Catalina 34 owner.  I just bought the boat this past weekend.  The boat is in good structural condition but needs some real cleaning and maintenance catchup.  I hope you will be patient I may have a few newbie questions.

First item of business is the rudder.   I did search the forum and wiki but am still concerned.

From under the boat the rudder appears to be about 3/4" lower than it should.  I can actually pick up the rudder and lift it 3/4".  On inspection it appears that there should be a wider bushing (nylon I think) between the shaft cap (emergency tiller thing) and the seat just below it.

There is a nylon collar below the cap, but it is hard to image it was 3/4" thicker at one time.  How thick is the collar under the cap suppose to be?

Is it possible that there is some other reason?  Could the rudder itself have slid down the shaft?  Could the cap bolt hole in the shaft have elongated?  Could the seat below the cap and collar be depressed down in the fiberglass?

is this really just a nylon collar issue, because 3/4" seems like a lot.

Thanks,
Bill