Sloop : Back in 1999? I removed and replaced the muffler thru the aft cabin "floor" cutout. Wrote a Mainsheet tech note article on the "How To". I didn't have any problems on removal nor on installation. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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Ron, WADR, your Nov. 2001 article says you removed the head sink door to replace the muffler.
I had a completely different experience of removing the old one. My conclusion is that while helpful, Ron's experience was simply DIFFERENT than mine. This quote from my 2015 Tech Note actually mentioned the real date of Ron's helpful article, but what worked for him may NOT work for you.
There is an easier way, as my first excerpt stated.
I understand his concern about dropping dirty water, but the physical REALITIES of trying to get the danged BIG BOX muffler out of the aft cabin HOLE is simply not worth it because of the POTENTIAL HEIGHT of the tubes.
If it's hard to get out of the hole, it may well be completely impossible.
Your boat, your choice.
Muffler & Exhaust Riser Replacement - 2015
There have been quite a few Mainsheet articles and C34 Tech wiki posts about the work involved in these tasks. Ron Hill’s classic November 2001 Tech Notes detailed his muffler replacement. My own February 2004 Tech Notes discussed our first riser replacement at 1,390 engine hours. This article discusses the lessons learned and Tips & Tricks of the work that my son, Morgan, and I did in September 2015 at 2,938 engine hours, 1,548 hours after our last new riser.
Muffler: The inlet and exhaust ports of our OEM muffler had been deteriorating for many years and had begun to seriously leak. Of course, we had installed the hump hose when we did our first exhaust riser replacement in 2003. I had reported on the Forum that I had attempted to rebuild the inlet port with Marine Tex, and that Morgan and I had replaced our 17-foot long exhaust hose in February 2012. The exhaust port was not so bad. We were able to obtain a replacement muffler for just the cost of shipping ($40) thanks to Rob Hathaway, a generous fellow sailor from Connecticut who was repowering his Catalina 30, and had made his old muffler available to us. A new muffler from Catalina Direct is $375.
Old Muffler Removal Tips & Tricks: After removing everything from the aft cabin, I spent a day removing the heat exchanger and taking out the four screws holding the old muffler down. We took an old cushion and laid it over the prop shaft. Many years ago I bought a small ratcheting screwdriver to use on the hard-to-access screws on our old head. This tool was invaluable. It is one with a small opening that takes different screw bits and holds them at a right angle to the short handle. I bought it at Ace Hardware. Trying to get a regular screwdriver on these muffler screws is almost impossible and it worked great for removing and replacing those four screws.[/b][/b]Please read my entire article in the 2015 Tech Notes.
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