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After 30 years (+,-) this strip is probably missing on most boats. (just my guess)
We pulled the mast this year for what I'm sure was the first time it's been out of the boat and during some measuring I found that we actually have a tall rig, not the standard rig I was told it was.
We stripped the mast for painting and the only tag I found on it was a paper tag on the inside at the bottom that was so far gone it was in tatters and unreadable.
A tape measure is the only sure way to accurately find out what is standing there, even the PO was wrong in his assumption and information he provided, and he owned the boat for 15 years.

Ron,
You are correct about lead oxidizing, and it actually starts in minutes, not hours. I worked very closely with my keel this past winter and found it was a very interesting (and frustrating) metal to work with. The melting point of lead is 621 degrees and boy does that make it hard to work....(especially drilling)
Before each step on my keel I would either sand it or wire wheel it to remove the oxidation and create a good clean bonding surface. I also wiped it with acetone and then coated it immediately. I did use an epoxy barrier coat over the entire surface after bonding, glassing and fairing the joint.

I was asked not to distribute the photos shared by Catalina, but here's a close up shot of the aft portion of my keel showing the glass below the joint. Your mileage (and boat) may vary.

I'm the second owner and for the 4 years I've owned it the keel hasn't been touched other than to tighten the keel bolts, and for the other 20 years, most of that it spent on a tame, fresh water river, in Ontario Canada.

I'm 100% confident the keel has never been removed, ever, for any reason.

Unless there's a layer of fiberglass hiding somewhere the picture doesn't show, Catalina did not use fiberglass on this keel.

I can also say that there were 3-4 other C34 MKII of around the same age, where the boat used to be, and they all looked identical at the keel to hull joint to my eye.  I looked around the yard the first year this started to happen.

That's quite interesting. My assumption came from more than a few conversations with Catalina Yachts, they sent me some very helpful info for my project and one of those items was a picture of the keel joint on a new Catalina sailboat and the keel joint was very clearly glassed over along its entire length.
When I ground mine back it too had been glassed along its entire length. My assumption was that since mine was an 88 and the photo provided was of a new sailboat that it was probably SOP at Catalina to glass the joint. Apparently that may not have been the case thru the years.

Sticking my nose in here simply because I do have a bit of experience with Catalina 34 keel attachment.
In going back and forth with Catalina recently I know that Catalina covers the joint with fiberglass and then a fairing compound over the glass to smooth it out. I found evidence of this during recent work on my C34.
Based on this picture, I see no evidence of the glass, only a clear line at the keel joint itself. Perhaps this boat had its keel removed sometime in its past but the joint wasn't glassed over when reattached? Or the joint was exposed for some reason and not glassed back over?
I'm definitely of the mind to remove the bottom paint and fair and putty the joint as needed. If the flaking recurs then you can consider grinding the area back and glassing the joint, but with no weeping it's definitely a cosmetic repair.
As is often said around these parts, YBYC.

Kevin,
Well....I knew I was going to like that, but I didn't know it would be as much as I do.....that's one slick mod sir.
Thanks for the first item on this winter's mod list!!!!! 

Kevin,
Do you have pics of the mod? I'd be interested in the placement of the new leg and where it lands. I've done modifications to railings before but mostly additions, not removal.

Steve,
I'd discussed securing the halyard to the boom but I was concerned with chafe on the outside of the pack from the halyard line.
But honestly, that looks like it could also work too and would be a bit simpler. Since the halyard would be constantly under tension it's tendency to move about should be about nil.
Decisions, decisions......

I bet I speak for all of us with MK1 boats when I say I'd LOVE to see that particular cross bar go. Stepping over that thing is both a PITA and "interesting" when you're tall like me and have to both duck under the bimini and get over the dreaded cross bar.....but it's there for a reason and that reason is the structural support it offers to each side of the pushpit.
That's why Catalina came up with the MK1.5 and MK2 boats, there is more dignity involved with getting on and off those models. 

Well....being completely honest, I'm also protecting the brand new paint on the mast/spreaders from wear. I spent a good bit of time and money painting that tall stick and I'm not going to intentionally rub the paint off if I can avoid it.
I spoke to a friend who has a Pacific Seacraft 34 (they have wide spreaders too) and we noodled up an idea that I think might work.
Attach a pad eye to the mast above the spreaders. (both sides, exact height TBD) Then attach a 2 to 3 foot pigtail with a micro block on the end. The halyard would then be pulled toward the stern and provide the clearance I want between the halyard and spreaders. Actually, doing this should also eliminate the halyard slap you mentioned Alex.
Make sense?

Simple question for those with Sail Packs (Stack Packs) on their C34's.
These systems require a set of halyards that are intended to be loosened or tightened.
The optimal attachment point for the turning blocks is located above the spreaders to provide the proper angle to help hold up the sail pack correctly. These halyards are tied off at the mast base with enough extra line to loosen or tighten the sail pack as needed.
The problem with this is that our C34's have nice wide spreaders, so if you mount the turning blocks in their correct spot above the spreaders, the halyards will chafe at the spreaders. Most folks seem to just locate these turning blocks below the spreaders and live with the harsh angle this causes.
Currently my mast is down and I've closed up the old mount holes in anticipation of mounting the blocks correctly, but I really haven't come up with any grand ideas to do this.
Has anyone come up with or encountered a solution to mount the turning blocks above the spreaders and somehow avoid the chafe?

Guenther,
I'm addressing nothing but engine removal in this reply just in case you decide that is the path you need to take.
I pulled the engine on our boat for heavy maintenance and oil pan gasket replacement. I simply made a stand out of wood the same height as the engine bed, removed the dipstick tube (that was the hardest part) and slid the engine onto the stand. It lived in the galley for a few weeks while all the work was completed and then I rigged up a lift in the companionway hatch to help ease it back into place. I reinstalled the dipstick tube after the motor was reinstalled....again...that part wasn't fun.
Everything was done by me, alone...and it wasn't too difficult to accomplish.
Oh, and the boat was in the water during this project too.
Hope these pics help if you go this route.

Eric— did you get the new coupler faced and shaft lap fit to match your prop at a machine shop locally or do it yourself?

Noah, ever since your reply with that question regarding getting the coupling faced, it's just been eating at me, so I popped that shaft and coupling back out of the boat and ran it by my local (and favorite) machinist and we promptly checked it together....the coupling was out less than 1/1000 of an inch as provided by General Propeller.
If I was impressed with these folks before, I'm even more impressed now.   
Getting that done sure does help my piece of mind too!!! Now to lap that prop. 
Thanks for the tickler!!!

Noah,
I'm lapping the prop and shaft, these items are on my to do list and must be complete before I reinstall the rudder.
The new cutlass bearing is already in place. I've read thru Rods info and it's outstanding!!!
Honestly I should have faced the coupling but I am working with a flexible coupling so I may let that ride.
I haven't checked the run out yet but looking at it visually it appeared to be quite true.

I just replaced our original bronze shaft with a stainless one from General Propeller out of Florida. I'd recommend removing the old shaft and getting exact measurements. I'd added a flexible coupling which pushed the shaft back a full 1" so I simply shortened the original shaft by that and it fits nicely.
The new shaft arrived quickly and included both keys and new bronze prop nuts.
I'm quite happy with this experience.