Audible engine alarms - not always installed?

[mbsl98]

I have a friend with a recently acquired Catalina 30 from the early 80's which apparently has no engine alarms (horns.buzzers, etc), just guages. I have always assumed that audible alarms were a standard part of any OEM inboard installation, so I'm curious to see if their absense surprises others, or if they may have been removed by a prior owner. Obviously, if they have been removed, there is more sleuthing to be done to see just why they might have been removed instead of fixing a problem with the alarms or whatever was triggering them. Thanks

[TQA]

My boat came without alarms. Fitting them is on the 'TO DO' list.

[capttb]

No high temperature alarms on Catalinas before 1990, they can be retrofitted on some engines.
Catalina Direct: Alarm Module Dual Tone Engine Panel

[Stu Jackson]

which apparently has no engine alarms (horns.buzzers, etc), just gauges.

Mike,

Apparently? I have a 1986 C34 which has the same engine cockpit panels that Catalina used for many years before that, and we have alarms.

Regardless of whether the contention that they didn't have alarms is true, which i doubt, or whether they did, is immaterial.

What your friend should do is open up the panel. What he'll most likely find is the small alarms, which were "notoriously" underpowered to be able to hear when the engine was running.

They are most likely actually there, but either broken or the wiring is toast (at either end).

What engine does the boat have (A4 or M25 or 5411)?

Seaward, who still makes panels and replacements, has the newer, louder buzzers.

Only by opening the panel up and looking will you know.

I'd be truly surprised if there were no alarms there.

[night0wl]

I have the opposite problem...idiot lights and sounds, but no visible gauges.

Guess you gotta cut cost somewhere!!

Was thinking of buying and installing guages for Oil, Fuel, and Water Pressure...but in the end, I'm contemplating a Maretron EMS100 + harness for $500 vs 3 invidiual gauges and wiring for about the same price. That way, I'll be able to see visual representations of my vitals on the C80 chartplotter

[hellosailor]

Mike, loud noises on boats can be problematic.

I crewed on a Pearson 424 back in the late 80's and the owner had set it up very nicely, with a "fire bell" in the lazarette to indicate low oil pressure. Of course that bell rang every time you started the engine, until oil pressure built.

And slipping out of a marina at 1AM to make the morning tide...it was embarassing, to say the least, to be the boat making all that fire bell noise.

More often than not, conventional alarm bells/buzzers can't be heard over the engine noise so omitting them would not have been a sin, or uncommon.

[mbsl98]

Thanks guys. Practice of supplying alarms is not as clear cut as I had thought. I'll pass this thread along so the suggestions get to the right ears.
Mike