Category Archives: 2011

Note from the Editor — December 2011

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Note from the Editor:

Unfortunately this will be my last Mainsheet article. After much soul searching, we have decided to sell our C380, Blue Heron. We have enjoyed our nearly eight years with her and I still remember how impressed we were with the size, comfort, sailing qualities – you name it – versus our old C34. However, she is a lot of boat for the limited amount day sailing we have ended up doing of late. You are supposed to have lots of free time in retirement, but it seems like there is always something else going on that makes it hard to block out the time for sailing. My calendar is much fuller than when I was working – go figure! She passed survey today so it looks like the deal we have to sell will go through. So, what is next? Hard to say. Probably something much smaller. However, I’ll wait a while to make a decision.

I’ve enjoyed my short tenure as the Technical Editor. We have a lot of high caliber technical minds in the Association and I am sure my replacement will serve the Membership well.

In this issue we have a couple of interesting articles for C380’s. First is an article by skipper Tim Porter on replacing the C380 engine control pod with the newer Seaward pod that angles the instruments upward for better viewing while underway. No more crawling on the cockpit floor to see the gauges! The second, related article by skipper Bill Ahillen is on replacing the standard 1-inch diameter cockpit pedestal guard with a 1-1/4 inch diameter guard to allow more room for electronic cables in the tubes. Something needed in today’s digital age with chart plotters, radar, AIS, etc. This article was actually a Yahoo post that I have edited for inclusion in Mainsheet. And finally, I will continue my regular listing of posts in the Yahoo list for the last quarter.

Again, I have enjoyed my tenure as your Technical Editor and I wish all of you “Fair Winds and Following Seas”.

— Steve

YAHOO TOPICS

September 2011

Lewmar Portlight Seals
Raymarine ST50 Speed Transducer Cable Splicing
Mast Rake Settings
LED’s for Cabin Lighting
Prop Shaft Anti-fouling Paint
C380 Pricing
Westerbeke 42B Running Hot
Folding vs. Feathering Props (also see Oct)
Close-hauled Mainsail Twist
Cunningham Setup
Mounting Plate for Cabin-top Clutches
Cabin Window Shades
PSS Shaft Seal Issues
Adding a Third Dutchman Line
New Sink and Stovetop Cleaner

October 2011

Galley Sole Alternatives
Holding Tank and Vent Issues
Rigging Setup
Lewmar Winch Maintenance
Gybe Preventer (Boom Brake)
Replacing Crazed Hatches and Ports
Yanmar Exhaust Elbow Corrosion
Steering Wheel Nut
Bilge Issues
Asymmetrical Spinnaker Size
Cockpit Table Support Replacement

Nav Pod Replacement – EP162

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A few years ago I converted the Seaward engine control pod on my C380, hull #199, to the NavPod EP162 pod that NavPod supplied to Catalina for use on some later/other models, and was apparently designed to be used with the Yanmar engine.  The EP162 is very nice as its sleeker looking and aims the instruments upward for a better view from the helm, and NavPod is selling them for $99 right now (ad in current Mainsheet).  The gauges used with the Westerbeke all swap over perfectly and most holes are pre-cut.  This project is likely applicable to other Catalina models that use the Edson pedestal and the older Seaward pod.  Here is a rundown of the project.

First off, my boat was fitted with two wiring tubes from the cockpit sole up to the original pod.  The port side tube contained all the engine wiring and kill-cable.  The starboard

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Replacing Furler Bearings

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By Bob Bierly

 

BACKGROUND: Recently on the Catalina Yahoo web site, there was some discussion about the 3100 Schaeffer genoa furler that many of us have as factory equipment.  My furler on C’mon Wind (Hull #255 vintage 2000) had been getting increasingly harder to turn over the last three years.  When new, it was wonderful never requiring more than a modest effort to unfurl or furl the 155% genoa. I never used a winch.  But age had its way with the furler and after several attempts at freeing up the lower bearing assembly, I recently gave up. [Editor’s Note – Remember never to lubricate the Torlon bearings with lubricating sprays, etc.  Just flush with fresh water – Steve]   I called Schaeffer Marine inNew BedfordMA (508-995-9511) and talked with Dave Anderson.  He told me that Schaeffer had re-engineered the lower bearing unit into a single piece. So for $110,

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Westerbeke 42B Raw Water Pump Seal Failure

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By Steve Riddle, Blue Heron C380 #194 (1999)

I have been having ongoing problems with the raw water pump leaking on my Westerbeke 42B. The engine has about 450 total hours, which is pretty low considering the age of the boat.  The raw water pump started leaking two years ago during the 2008 season.  On the Westerbeke, the pump housing has a set of weep holes which will theoretically drain any water that gets past the internal shaft water seal.  This serves two purposes.  First is to give you a visual indication of a leak, although the pump is unfortunately located directly over the forward port engine mount which will start to rust from the salt water dripping out of the pump.  Second, the weep holes should keep salt water out of the pump bearings, which are protected by an oil seal on the other side of the weep holes.

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Garhauer Dingy Davit Installation

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Jim Turner, Makana Kai, 2000 C380 #227

Mainsheet February 2011

When we moved up from our Catalina 30 to a 380, the extra room and ease of boarding certainly made life easier for us, especially given our crew includes a 50lb Portuguese water dog.  The two nice state rooms and ample salon means there’s even room for friends.   This allowed me to justify a larger more stable RIB to carry all the people, pets, and supplies.  While the 11’ RIB tows well, its bottom quickly fouls with growth if left in the water.  I also don’t like hoisting a 120 lb. RIB on and off foredeck, squeeze around it, or trying to spot objects in the water over it.  Towing the dinghy also overly complicates arrivals and departures, or docking, since we must reposition the dinghy often.  My initial inclination that davits weren’t in our future dissipated quickly, and it

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Note from the Editor – February 2011

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Steve Riddle, Blue Heron, C380, #194

Well, old man winter is rearing his ugly head again – at least for those of us in the northern climates.  I finally broke down today and winterized Blue Heron.  And she put up a good fight as I found a couple maintenance items that needed attention.  So it was a long day.

This winter’s project list isn’t too long.  Primary focus will be on solving the engine raw water pump seal leakage.  This is the second year in a row that the pump started leaking after a rebuild with a new shaft, bearing and seals ($$).  So that will require some discussions with Westerbeke.   Then I have decided to go for a Stack-Pac mainsail cover.  I got a very good price through Sail Care of Ford City, PA for the Doyle version.  I will also get the main cleaned and re-coated while

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Anchor Washdown Pump – C-387

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John Welch, Dragon’s Lair Hull #7, League City, Texas

My wife and I are preparing our boat for cruising once we retire.  One of the modifications we felt we needed was a wash down pump which, when we have chartered, we have found a useful tool.

I purchased a Jabsco Washdown Par Max 4.0 Washdown kit model 32900-0092 from West Marine.  The current price at West Marine is $199.  The pump produces 4.0 GPM.   When I purchased the boat, I had a ¾” bronze full flow safety seacock/thru-hull installed just forward of the keel which provided a water source for the system.  If hauling the boat to install a thru-hull is not an option, another approach would be to place a “T” and a shutoff valve in the water intake for the AC unit.  You will need hose, stainless steel nuts, washers and bolts, clamps, sealant, and electrical wire to

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Owner Improvements

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The list below provides links to owner websites and their descriptions of improvements they have made to various aspects of the Catalina 380 series. I include them in this post so that they will be available to the search routines of this site.

RIGGING

Spinnaker Rig Details – Som Sikdar
Whisker Pole – Paul McManus
In Boom Furler – Kevin Murray
Back Stay Adjuster – Kevin Murray
Double Footblock – Som Sikdar
Boom Brake – Kevin Murray
Preventer – Som Sikdar
Power Primary Winch – Kevin Murray
Mainsheet Cam Cleat – Kevin Murray
Jib Furler Line Clutch – Kevin Murray
Go Fast Rigging – Steve Dublin
Bobstay – Kevin Murray

STAINLESS
Stern Handrails -John Estes
Stainless Projects – Scott Brear

CREATURE COMFORT
Drop Leaf Salon Table– Jim Jaeschke
Table Tray – Robert Taylor
Sink Boards – Kevin Murray
Stove Cover Board – Robert Taylor
Cabin Storage – Som Sikdar

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A Note from the Editor – February 2011

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Well, we are starting to see some signs of spring in the boat yard.  You know, the sounds of sanding, scraping and polishing!  I normally like to be ready to sail by around April 1 here in Virginia, even though nice warm sailing days still are still elusive early in the month.  So I need to get started myself.

This quarter we have an article on replacing the bearings in the Shaeffer furlers that were standard on many of our boats.  Second, I will share my findings and a response I received from Westerbeke on my raw water pump seal failure.  Lastly, I also will provide the quarterly summary of Yahoo discussions that I started in last quarter’s edition.

I hope that you have a great sailing season in 2011 and I look forward to receiving many future helpful and informative technical articles to publish here in Mainsheet.

—

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Cockpit Table Extension

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Thomas Brantigan
C387 #96

Recent discussions on the C380 forum have discussed actually removing the cockpit table but here is a project that goes in just the opposite direction – it makes it bigger!

Cockpit Table Extension

My wife and daughter and I often sail with our friends, the Corey’s, who own a C34 they purchased new over 20 years ago.  When we throw the hook, we have happy hour and then dinner on one boat or the other.  The cockpit table in the 387 seats four people comfortably but we typically have at least 5 – thus the project to add a portable extension to the table.

The project is fairly simple but has some interesting aspects that are worth discussing.

The first thing I did was to create a template of the shape I needed to butt against the existing cockpit table.  One could just use a straight

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