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Thanks, I'll try that.

Every so often I notice that the level of anti-freeze in the recovery tank has gone down.  When I check the oil, there is no evidence of the anti-freeze/water mixture, and when I pull the zinc out of the heat exchanger, only clear sea water drains out.  Also, there is no anti-freeze in the bilge (signifying a leak from a hose), and the water heater dispenses pure water.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to where the anti-freeze might be going?

Thanks,

Vic Suben
Surprise, Hull 453]

 

After changing the oil and running anti-freeze through the cooling system, I happened to check the bilge before closing Surprise up for her season on the hard.  To my surprise and dismay, there was a considerable amount of diesel fuel in the bilge.  Checking back, I found a slow leak in the tank.

I emptied the tank of as much fuel as the pick up tube would pick up, and then proceeded to get it out of the boat.  While maneuvering the tank out of the rear cabin, I had to tip it over, and some of the fuel from the bottom of the tank ran out through one of the openings.

Although I wiped up the spill as soon as I put the tank in the cockpit, I suspect that some of the oil soaked into the sole.  In any event, the boat now reeks of diesel fuel.  Even though I have left a hatch open to air it out, the boat still smells.

My question is this:  Does anyone know of a way to get rid of the smell of diesel fuel?

I will probably install with WP32.

Has anyone installed a Simrad wheel autopilot?  If so, were there any problems with the installation and/or the autopilot's operation?

Thanks,

Vic Suben
Surprise, Hull No. 453
Port Jefferson, NY

As I stepped from Surprise's coach roof onto the deck, I accidentally put my foot through the screen on one of the opening ports.  Does anyone know who sells these screens?

Thanks for the suggestions.  

The Simrad is a nice unit.  I installed one on my Catalina 30 that I sold a few years ago.  I was very pleased with autopilot.

Vic

I am thinking of installing a Simrad wheel pilot in Surprise.  In the aft cabin I looked at the panel covering the pulleys for the steering system and I did not see any wires coming out.  There are a chart plotter, depth sounder, knot meter and wind speed indicator at the helm.  The wires must run somewhere in order to get over to the circuit breaker panel.  If anyone has found the routing of the wires from the pedestal, please let me know.

Thanks,

Another approach that worked for me was this.  I re-plumbed the lines to put a "T" in the sink drain line.  I connected the sink drain to one arm of the "T" and the head inlet hose to the other arm.  The third arm (or leg) is connected to sea cock.  By closing the sea cock, and partially filling the sink with the pressure (fresh) water system, I can use the water from the sink to flush the toilet.  From what I've read, the odor is caused by organisms in the sea water that die and stagnate in the hoses and tank.  Once the odor disappeared in Surprise I flush with fresh water after every two or three uses of the head.

Vic Suben
Surprise
Long Island Sound, NY

I am not trying to re-activate the paint; I intend to add another coat to replace the coat that was washed away when the yard was over zealous in power washing the bottom.  Ordinarily, the paint that I use does not need to be re-activated, and two coats is supposed to be good for 3+ seasons (with some touch-up).

Before painting, I just want to make sure that the bottom is fairly smooth & there is no paint that is about to fall off.

Vic

That sounds easy enough.

Thanks again,

Vic

Gene, thanks for your comments.

I'll be wet sanding the bottom of my Catalina 34.  The paint is an ablative copolymer.  When the yard power washed the bottom at haul-out, they hit the bottom full strength & removed the top coat of paint (otherwise I wouldn't have to paint this year).  I just need to smooth it out a bit before adding another coat of paint.

I have used a machine sander in the past, but in light of your comments, it seems as if hand sanding would work better with the water.  Also, when I wet sanded in the past, I dipped the paper in a bucket of water before attaching it to the sander.

I have no way of regulating the speed of my sander.

Surprise's bottom needs light touch-up sanding this year.  I would like to wet sand the bottom.  But each time I have tried wet sanding in the past (with wet/dry 80 or 100 grit sandpaper) the paper has loaded up so quickly that almost as soon as I started the sander, the paper was loaded.

Does anyone have any tips on what I am probably doing wrong? And how to do it correctly?

Thanks,

Vic
Surprise/Hull No. 453

I have an '87 Catalina 34 the lazarette in the stern is very deep & whatever I store in there winds up either all the way at the bottom, and sometimes half way under the cockpit.  So far I have stored cleaning supplies, buckets, etc. in the aft lazarette.  I'm thinking of moving those items to the locker under the cockpit seat, and moving the dock lines, fenders, etc. to the aft lazarette.

Has anyone figured out a way to keep items at a handy level in the aft cockpit so that you don't have to dive all the way in to get what you need?

On my lasst two Catalinas I installed a coolant system flush kit that I bought at an auto parts store.  This kit is basically a "T" fitting with barbs on the run and a port with threads for a garden hose on the "T".  I kept the port covered with the cap that came with the kit until it was time to winterize.  Then I closed the seacock, removed the cap, and threaded a short piece of garden hose onto the port.  With the other end of the hose inserted in a bucket with antifreeze, I would start the engine & the antifreeze would be sucked up.

It was very quick & easy, and I didn't have to wrestle the hoses off the thru-hull fittings.

Hope this helps.

Vic
Surprise