blower vent cowl's

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mdidomenico

has anyone had their blower vent cowlings re chromed or polished up.  not sure what the coat is on mine, but they're looking a little ragged.  the silver is coming off where the hose attaches and the part above the deck is a little pitted.  i was going to take them to a metal re-finishing place here in NJ, but it's a shot in the dark since i've never had to do this before.  any suggestions welcome.

i looked at just getting new ones.  which are cheap at $40 each, but the bottom plates of the new ones are all plastic, which i don't like. 
1989 Cat34 #856, original m-25xp

Roc

I'm in NJ and would like to do the same thing!  I understand, however, that to re-chrome something is very expensive.  Probably several hundred to do those two little cowl vents.  I never investigated it but would be interested in what you find.
Roc - "Sea Life" 2000 MKII #1477.  Annapolis, MD

Jim Hardesty

I wonder if anyone has tried painting them, white or chrome paint.  Think paint would last for years.
Jim
Jim Hardesty
2001 MKII hull #1570 M35BC  "Shamrock"
sailing Lake Erie
from Commodore Perry Yacht Club
Erie, PA

Stu Jackson

I used to polish them up.  Then the Admiral said, "Why bother?"  They are now dull, but still solid.  Nothing wrong with plastic if it's thick enough.
Stu Jackson, C34 IA Secretary, #224 1986, "Aquavite"  Cowichan Bay, BC  Maple Bay Marina  SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)

"There is no problem so great that it can't be solved."

mdidomenico

Quote from: Stu Jackson on October 18, 2018, 07:06:07 AM
I used to polish them up.  Then the Admiral said, "Why bother?"  They are now dull, but still solid.  Nothing wrong with plastic if it's thick enough.

my aren't just dull though, they have like pock marks, which is pretty unsightly.  i'll try to post a picture
1989 Cat34 #856, original m-25xp

mdidomenico

Quote from: Roc on October 18, 2018, 05:02:30 AM
I'm in NJ and would like to do the same thing!  I understand, however, that to re-chrome something is very expensive.  Probably several hundred to do those two little cowl vents.  I never investigated it but would be interested in what you find.

yeah, that's what i'm afraid of.  there's a place in asbury park that looks like they have walk-in's on saturday's.  i was going to stop and check it out.  if it's going to cost more then $100, it's probably not worth it.  at which point i'll try to fix it myself either through polish or paint.  worst case if it looks terrible i'll replace them
1989 Cat34 #856, original m-25xp

Ron Hill

mdid : Sometime cadmium plating or galvanizing might be cheaper than chrome.

A thought
Ron, Apache #788

Freedom

My cowl vents we're looking really shabby for years so I finally took them off and took them to a chrome shop that specializes in mostly hotrod and Harley chrome. They did the set for $80 and it was totally worth it, they look brand new now. The only issue I have is that I was unable to re-attach the hose to the underside of the cowl vent, I simply cannot reach the underside of the cowl vent where the hose attaches. Any suggestions?

I have a 93 M1.5
1993 Catalina 34
Freedom #1267
Universal M-35AC
San Diego CA
Harbor Island West

Jim Hardesty

QuoteI simply cannot reach the underside of the cowl vent where the hose attaches. Any suggestions?

Can you feed the hose through the hole, attach it outside the boat, then put the vent on with the hose already attached.
Jim
Jim Hardesty
2001 MKII hull #1570 M35BC  "Shamrock"
sailing Lake Erie
from Commodore Perry Yacht Club
Erie, PA

Freedom

Thats what I was hoping but that was a no go. The flex hose with clamp is bigger that the hole, there is very little clearance when putting the cowl back in the hole.

Dave
1993 Catalina 34
Freedom #1267
Universal M-35AC
San Diego CA
Harbor Island West

Jim Hardesty

QuoteThe flex hose with clamp is bigger that the hole

Can you use a little tape, good duct tape or electircal tape.  Or try to borrow a Clamptite tool.  I bought one at a boat show a few years ago and find a use for it a couple of times a year.  FWIW not to replace hose clamps.  Should be fine for blower hose.

https://clamptitetools.com/

Jim

Jim Hardesty
2001 MKII hull #1570 M35BC  "Shamrock"
sailing Lake Erie
from Commodore Perry Yacht Club
Erie, PA

paule

Go to your local sign shop and see if the have a piece of chrome wrap or or some silver vinyl that you can
buy and cover them with that.
Paul & Lynn Erb
Yachta Yachta Yachta
C34 2003 #1634
Rotonda West, FL 33947

Roc

mdid:  Did you go to the place in Asbury Park?  Wondering what the fee is....
Roc - "Sea Life" 2000 MKII #1477.  Annapolis, MD

mdidomenico

Quote from: Roc on November 05, 2018, 05:27:55 AM
mdid:  Did you go to the place in Asbury Park?  Wondering what the fee is....

No, sorry, i haven't been yet.  Things got in the way.
1989 Cat34 #856, original m-25xp

mdidomenico

#14
Just an update, i finally made it up to the chrome place and dropped off my parts.  i elected to just have them strip the chrome/nickel off and not have them rechromed.  the pitting is a little more then i expected, but a quick push through the buffer wheel seems like they'll clean up good.  here's pics just after the stripping.  the fuel vent has about 5mins of polishing done
1989 Cat34 #856, original m-25xp