Messages

Jeff

I have a scheduled checkout of our HX zinc every three months.  Half the time it doesn't need one, the other half it does.  If you at least check it every three months, then you can begin to get a feel for what works for you.  As far as I know, shorepower should NOT affect this HX zinc, since its only purpose in life is to avoid the corrosion from the seawater going through the HX.  The other zincs on your prop and strut are the ones that usually go if there is an issue with shorepower (i.e., incorrectly wired shorepower, an incorrectly wired neighbor's boat or yours).

Susan,

Good idea to have it ready to deploy.  There are Danforth rail mounts available, both in horizontal and vertical rail configurations.  Check any West Marine Catalog.  I relocated our Danforth holder from the bow to the stern.  Our primary anchor is a Bruce. You have a choice of whether to keep the chain connected or to simply hang the anchor on the stern mount and then have the shackle on the chain/rode in the locker ready to easily connect.

Storing chain is always fun if not in the anchor locker up forward.  The plastic carton actually is a reasonable idea since it lets air get around the chain.  A large bucket, like a painter's bucket also works well to hold the chain.  If you have chain and rode, the rode could be hung up, connected to the chain, on a simple hook inside the locker, with the bucket below.  Only other options appear to be building something in.  Seems if you can get the existing carton, or a bucket, to stay in place without crimping the bilge hose, you already have a good solution.

Picture shows Danforth on the mount ready to go on a recent trip.  We kept the anchor chain and rode  in a bucket on the cockpit floor for the few days we needed the aft anchor.  Normally the anchor and chain lives in the anchor locker up forward.  That's another option for you but not as neat.  Depends on how often, and if it's every time you go out, that doesn't work for you.

For those who haven't yet, the trick is the Danforth anchor mount.  Make sure where you want to put it, because the two look alike, but one is for a vertical rail, the other is for the horizontal rail.  If the mount was higher, the shank of the anchor would hang down.

PS - nice job on the projects page, why not just move it over here?

Dave

FYI, our "old" C34 website FAQ section is, as you note, non-interactive.  However, there are Associate Webmasters, all listed on the C34 Homepage (www.c34.org), who are responsible for maintaining those pages.  I've sometimes emailed them with updates which have been posted.

We just need to rrecognize that not everything is all interactive or immediate, and that the "historical" nature of the older information is still very valid for the older boats.  The changes and updates have been very well handled on this message board with its search engine.

Enjoy them both.

A search on "semdure" (an incorrect spelling) finds:  http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=1929.0

Larry

John's modifications of the swim ladder was a subject of a Mainsheet Tech Notes articles a while ago.  Since you are C34IA member (NEW - welcome, again!!!), you have access to both the magazine and the Tech Notes "Online."  Go to www.c34.org.

Also, for others who may be interested, go to:http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?board=45.0

This link uses two different questions to answer the very same basic concept:

THE "OLD" portion of the C34 WEBSITE STILL EXISTS.

There is an incredible amount of 18 years of information that has been gathered.  The content is a "non-interactive" series of web pages, accessed through the ww.c34.org address.  For ANYONE buying or now owning a "previously owned (PO) C34, especially the older boats that may have now been "through" more than one owner, I strongly urge you to check the material out on that "other portion" of this great website.

www.c34.org

Bruce,

The load is almost entirely in shear.  Why would you need backing plates?  Our simple cam cleats  use the two good-sized (and well bedded) screws into the core of the cabintop.  It appears that even the swivel types would be the same, unless Dave Sanner has through-bolted his.

As I noted above, the Oberdorfer is easily serviced from the front with four screws.  Seems the Speed Seal cover could well have been created by someone who was simply tired of servicing a Sherwood pump!   

Tom

The carbon seals are what gives out.  They "look" OK, but have worn, and that's why water and oil can be getting by.  Nigel Calder has a good description of how to replace the bearings with "homemade tools" in his Boatowner's Manual for Mechanical & Electrical Systems.  My Universal dealer wanted to charge almost as much as a new pump to redo the bearings on my old pump! in 1999.  I bought a new pump and keep the old one, although when this (new) one goes, I'll probably just get another.  My experience was that the bolts holding the pump onto the engine were a real weak point.  It took me two days to get them off before I learned about PB Blaster in lieu of liquid wrench.  I used nylock nuts on the pump.  We have an Oberdorfer.  From reading past posts, it seems the Oberdorfer is much easier to service the immpeller since the cover screws are in the front.  The pumps do almost the same work, so there's really no difference between them.

Just for kicks, try this:

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=1406.0

Once they started making the Mk IIs, it's all deck stepped.

A search on "stepped" gets lots of background info.

Jack

All good observations.  One of the reasons you may not have received a reply is that a lot of us have keel stepped masts, so no help there.

Why not call Gerry Douglas at Catalina Yachts.  He'll know how it is built.

Fulvio

Ron has a point.  Our main breaker (30A) is a toggle.  Just below it is a pushbutton for the heater, which the electrical distribution portion of the manual, I recall, says it is LESS than the main 30A breaker.

If I remember, Ron, that Fulvio may have been one of those skippers who replaced their 6 gallon heater with an 11 gallon one.  I would guess that the heater cores and amperage draws would be the same:  more water - just longer to heat more water.

Paul

Try www.cruisingconcepts.com

They advertise in Mainsheet magazine.

Also do a search on front hatch or both words individually.  You may find that replacing a solid front hatch may NOT be the way to go.

David

Welcome.

Try a search on the word "bleeding."

This MB doesn't permit cutting and pasting of search URLs.

There's lots of reading there for you, right up your alley.

Mike

There is WAY more to this website than just this message board.  Go to www.c34.org.  Click on the left side index Database, and follow the directions.  This is NOT a real time function, and our associate webmaster, Ralph Caruso, assembles them and reposts every once in a while.

While you're at it, with your vintage boat, check out the earlier Projects and all of the FAQ from the main web page.

Also consider joining the C34 IA - click on Join. :)

Try this:

http://www.c34.org/owners-database/1988-3.html

If I recall, the boat may have been previously owned by the gentleman who actually started this webiste.  That's good news.  Did you ask the PO?