What are the 10 Best Upgrades?

[SteveLyle]

I listed my top ten (actually, 11) favorite upgrades in a recent Tech Notes, but - surprise - I've got another.

This spring we added stern rail seats.  They're similar to the ones on the newer boats, without the bulging out of the rail.  Got them from the Chandlery at Catalinaowners.com - http://shop.catalinaowners.com/detail-sternperch.htm?cart=115301922313956&fno=20&group=181. 

My only regret is that we didn't add these years ago.  They are very well made.  They don't get in the way at all.  If you want to move them, or remove them, the clamps that attach them to the rail make it an easy task.  And the cup holder in each is a handy place to stash a handheld VHF.

I'm sure they'd be even nicer with the seat and rail cushions that go with them.  Maybe next year for those.

[Stephen Butler]

Been giving this some thought and have taken a different approach.  Bow rollers, decent sails and rigging, adaquate battery capacity, insulation, proper ventilation, navigation electronics, MOB gear, a dodger, etc. are all "must haves" and their additions are either "corrections" to the original design, or replacements for safety reasons....of course this is my own opinion. And of course it all depends on how one uses the boat, but for general cruising, these are pretty much standard kit...again, in my opinion...and should be installed in their order of expecteded end-of-servicable-life.

Thinking about our own C34, the one item that is not an "essential" and that is used extensively during each and every sail, is the autopilot. An autopilot changes one's fundamental time-usage aboard, personal energy expenditure, and interaction with others aboard.  My top pick for a "must have" addition would be an autopilot. 

Now, to come up with another 9!   

[Jon Schneider]

All of your top 10 list are worthy, but I have three absolute musts for sailing pleasure and performance if your boat lacks them: 1) upgrade the original traveler to a new 6:1 (I think) Garhauer traveler; 2) don't just change the jib leads, upgrade them as well to Garhauer the EZ-glide system (http://garhauermarine.com/catalog_process.cfm?cid=37) - it's a whole new (and way better) way of trimming your genny; and 3) a Garhauer rigid vang (and get rid of that damn topping lift).  BTW, despite my seeming endorsement of Garhauer, I wouldn't get their rope clutches... they're POS.  The only ones to get are Lewmar (D2); make sure you size them right for your lines.

[Mike Denest]

Replacing the series circuit cabin lights with a parallel circuit.    Ask me how I know.

[Rick Johnson]

OK, I'll bite!  How?

[Ron Hill]

Rick : All you need to do is cut out those "blue connectors" that splice/cut into the wires for each cabin light. 
There are about a dozen of them to replace with soldered splices.  Then all of your problems with cabin lighting will go away!!  It's a back breaking job, but well worth it!!   

[kdexter]

We just bought an 89 C34 in April - our major upgrade this year was a solar panel mounted on "faux" davits.  We had davits on our P33 and mounted the panel there.  My husband didn't like the stress of the dinghy on the stern of the boat, so for the C34 he designed the faux ones for the solar panel.  Works great - also mounted the GPS antenna there.

[Jon Schneider]

Wow, you suffered "one-footitis"?  Was it more of an age thing (i.e., a newer boat) or were there specific enhancements in the Catalina design that you found over the Pearson (presumably what you meant by P33)?