Catalina 350 International Association

I am pretty (very) sure that the black water tank discharge is below the water line, but not far below, I would guess the valve position on the upstand is above the water line. It is also possible your outlet drain is blocked at the bottom of the tank and not at the valve. Not fun cleaning out or fi...

Hi Ken, You are probably aware, and understand that you are after the Tri-data, but just to let you know that there is a guy in UK who refurbishes and sells ST60 wind vane units, and buys old ones back as well. Don't know if he handles other ST60 stuff or just the wind vane. https://www.ebay.co.uk/p...

Just to add to the mix, my experience is that once fully primed the engine will run without the assistance of the fuel lift pump, the fuel pump itself generates enough lift to pull fuel up from the tank to the filter. Might be wrong, but seem to recall that my engine performed fine for quite a while...

Hi, Wondering if anyone else has experienced what is shown in attached photo, the sealant under the hatches appears to be turning to liquid and running down the lining. It was very hot in Australia this summer, but not that much hotter than usual. Maybe this is a function of age, Avalon is a 2003 hu...

Hi Dave, Prior to fitting foam luff my 135 looked aweful and bagged from 1/3 to 2/3 of the height when reefed. With foam luff it is no racing sail but for cruising and up to 30 knots I have been comfortable with it. Can it point really high? No - but do you really want to go very high into 30 knots?...

My two bits worth. A) I believe the SS bolts are embedded in the top of the lead casting and pulled through the hull with the joint between keel and hull being filled with mastic or similar then bogged to fair off the joint. Avalon originally had a deep keel that was swapped out just prior to my pur...

Hi Rick,

I would be using Butyl Mastic (off white) on mine. If you use Sikaflex or other strong bond getting the piece off again would be a PITA.

Hi All, Not ultrasonic but worked for me. I had cormorants and parrots landing on top of mast and chewing on windex and wind transducer or just making a mess below. I made a mix of lanolin grease (very thick and water resistant) and wasabi, and went up the mast and spread that over all the horizonta...

Hi ???? (sorry, preview screen doesn't show your name), I am very sure "below deck" autopilot doesn't draw 28A, I have sailed hard on autopilot and no external power input for 36 hours without flattening the battery. It is presumably more expensive because a) it is a more complicated insta...

Hi John, Based on my experience there is no way you can check the state of the exhaust elbow from external appearance, you have to remove and inspect internally. When mine was taken off it hadn't perforated internally, but had deep pits and the mechanic said "time to replace". That was aft...

My 2 bits worth. If my Windex was sticking and I was going up the mast to free it, I would replace it 100% of the time, once the bearing has worn/frozen you have little chance of getting it reliable again. Re the ST60, there is a guy in the UK, on eBay I think, who buys non-working ST60 instruments ...

PLUS, dark blue paints are not UV stable, you will be multi-toned in a few years and repainting a few years after that.

Hi John, Quick calculation, with 200W panels get 16 amps in ideal conditions, so in 8 hours of good sunlight you might charge by around 100 AH. If you up a 50A to a 100A alternator you would still need to run the motor for over an hour (compared to 2 hours) to get same charge as it will back off as ...

Was looking for a solution to a problem and find that I was posting on the same issue 4 years ago! Zinc anode expanded and jammed into holder on raw water side of heat exchanger. I tried Brett's suggestions but can't knock the residual material out so am about to remove hex and clean out throughly. ...

Hey guys, Just a bit more background if of interest. The hard dodger must have been a factory option or purpose designed "after market" because mine came delivered with the hard dodger and bonded windows by Barrett Enclosures of Seattle. I was told they were strataglass and they crazed aft...

Hey Rick, thanks for your piece of wisdom because might apply to me! I know my prop is currently overpitched (because I forgot to repitch it while out last time!, and intend to do it next lift out). Consequently the engine is overloaded over about 2300 rpm at present, does blow black smoke, and is w...

Hi Erik, Eureka! I found it. https://ssicustomplastics.com/products/?route=product/category&path=66 The 350 is fitted with the 486 sized shower box, and SSI were kind enough to sell me just the box as a "special item" and it cost USD35.00 in 2012. It was described on the invoice as &qu...

Hey guys, this is left field but.....since new Avalon has had a loud ticking/clicking on port side aft, very audible from alongside as much as on board and I could not work out what gives, only at idle. After 8 years !!!!! of ownership, finally found out what it is last week. At certain low revs the...

Hi Erik,

I found the exact part from a US supplier a year or so ago, bought just the enclosure because mine had become brittle like yours. Exact replacement but don't have receipt with me at present, will post as soon as I get home, in about a week.

Regards

And just putting in my 2c worth! I had a problem after sailing hard on a port tack with a less then half full tank. The lift leg to the lift pump had been draining back into the tank once the diptube came out of the fuel. Then when I tried starting I only gave a cursory glow plug hold as the engine ...