Help With Some Projects

[gpd955]

Need help with my "new" list of projects!!
Maybe I can tap some of the experience out there!! I have a new list of things that I have to tackle on the "Victim", so any help would be great!

Sorry if this is a repeat for some, I also posted it on another forum to increase my number of suggestions!

1- With the 1.97in of rain we got in 5 hours on Saturday morning, I found a multitude of new leaks!!
a. Head portlight leaks between inside frame and hull. It was so bad, I ran out to the store and got plumbers epoxy and filled the whole outside frame.
b. A few cabin portlights leak from under the rubber gasket in the track on the inside frame.
c. Numerous bolts (traveler, winch) on the roof of the cabin drip!

2- Having some trouble with the engine controls...they are the ones mounted on the port side of the cockpit (1979 Catalina 30, A4) It grinds when it I put it in reverse and switching from reverse to forward is noisy! I would like to go with pedestal mounted controls...has anyone done this??

3- At moderate RPM's it feels like someone is banging on the bottom of the boat and it is noisy! I changed the cutlass bearing prior to commissioning and also had the engine aligned by a professional. Any suggestions as to the cause??

I'm sure these projects will keep me busy for the remainder of the season!

Thanks all for your help!

Jack Manning
S/V Victim of Fate
Atlantic City, NJ

[Irwin32]

The A4 trans should not clang or grind in either direction. The trans rarely fail and yours probably need some adjustment. Do a search for Moyer Marine and jump on his discussion board for advise on how to take care of that problem.

On the noise from the bottom of the boat I would be very concerned about that. Perhaps your prop strut is loose or broken. Also, when you replaced the cutlass did the shaft seem tight? If your shaft is worn where it contacts the cutlass it might be the cause, but I doubt it would cause the problem you describe. Is it possible the pro messed up?

There was a post in one the boards about a boat that broke it prop strut and the propeller holed the boat.

[Cruisingdad]

If you are not already a member...

Go to Catalinayachts.com. Contact the head of the Cat 30 and see if you can get some old 30 write-ups. Mainsheet (their publication) is a great resource which may or may not have all of your fixes. Surely they keep copies of their techinical printouts???

As far as tracking down your leaks, get a friend to stand down below and spray specific areas with a waterhose. Could be the stanchions or chainplates leaking or the windows. Pretty common. I would not doubt there is a good possibility that they need to be resealed.

You can be assured, that whereever you THINK the leak is coming from, it is coming from somewhwere completely different. It is really wierd how water magically travels inside a boat and finds its way in.

[pigslo]

As for the leaks. Rebed the ones you are sure of the start rebedding hardware near the leaks and work your way outward from the leaks. While water does not run uphill, it will follow a wire or such downhill for a long distance before showing itself inside. Just be patient and think eliminate sources 1 by 1. You can do it.
Second alternative is to rebed everything. That is what I did and it is great to have a dry boat.

pigslo

[Hawkeye25]

There are times when the lag bolts into the engine beds on these boats have come loose. The wood inside the engine beds has rotted away and the bolts don't feels loose because they are rusted to the bottom half of the shock mounts. When you reach a high enough load on the engine the one good mount will keep it from lifting too much, but the bad mount will result in a sporatic banging that sounds very much like someone smacking the hull with a hammer. Check the mounts with a crowbar, but don't play HULK with them, just test them within reason. Ripping out a fairly firm one WILL prove they need work, but will not prove that was your banging.

Hawk

[redcorvette1995]

If you have a folding prop the banging at certain speeds could be that the water turbulence is causing the blades to partially fold during rotation. The banging is the blade snapping open again.

[sailingdog]

BTW, while you're rebedding the hardware, it might be worth checking to see if the hardware was properly installed, with solid epoxy potting for the fastener holes and around any through deck openings. If this was not done, it might be worth doing, as it will help prevent water from entering the deck core (if you have a cored deck) and help prevent the core from rotting or delaminating.

[Blue Eagle]

use 3M's 5200 semi-structural marine sealant or the quicker-drying 4200 version. Both available in black, white, brown and clear - as far as I know those are the only choices, but I could be mistaken. I've probably used gallons of the stuff by now (well, quarts at least! ) doing exactly what it sounds like you need to - completely rebedding all of my cockpit hatches and windows.

cheers,

Blue Eagle

[KenD]

Believe it or not if your ports are benson and are black plastic 3M5200 and 4200 will not stick you have to use a black concrete seal 795.Replaced my portlights recently and benson gave me the info (after several failures)someone did some research,and found that 3200 4200 will not bond with the black plastic. Some fun huh?

[sailingdog]

5200 and 4200 aren't good for everything... some plastics are attacked by the solvents used in the polyureathane-based sealants. Might be worth checking with the manufacturer of the hatches, to see what is compatible.