Catalina 350 International Association

Gerry Douglas (from Catalina Yachts) called today to report of a kit that will be mailed to all C350 owners. The kit will include anti-siphon valves.

Owners of hulls 1 - 202 will receive the engine anti-siphon valve and the PSS anti-siphon valve. Owners of hulls 203 - 372 will receive the engine anti-siphon valve only (those hulls already have the PSS anti-siphon valve installed).

The kit will be mailed to the owners, not to the dealers. Mailings will begin today to a few owners, and will continue in a couple weeks to the rest of the owners. Catalina has to wait for more parts to continue the mailing.

A form will be included with the kit. It will allow you to request reimbursement of $165 from Catalina for the labor in install the anti-siphon valve(s). The request for reimbursement applies whether the owner, or a dealer installs the anti-siphon valves.

The kit will include a 1 3/8 inch hole saw to be used for the installation.

These anti-siphon valves will bring the boats up to manufacturing standards for the engine and the PSS.

The anti-siphon valves can be installed with the boat in or out of the water.

How can we confirm we're on their mailing list? I pchased the boat second hand. Your thoughts?

Call Catalina and let them know you are a C350 owner and want to ensure that you are on the mailing list for the anti-siphon kit, and for others that may come out in the future. I am sorry, but I don't have their phone number handy.

My Anti siphon kit arrived yesterday! I have reviewed the installation documentation and the parts and I feel it is a "Can Do Myself Project". I feel Catalina did a great job in making the documentation easy to understand.
Nelson Gainey
Last Boat
C350 #345

I installed the Anti-Siphon Kit this weekend. The instructions provided by Catalina were very good and the time estimates were accurate also. I cut the (4) holes with the one hole saw provided as instructed. In hindsite, I wish I would have used a smaller holesaw for the 3/8 holes, less filling in would be required. My boat is in the water, a little warning, when you grab the dripless shaft seal, be prepaired for water to enter your boat. It was leaking when you put pressure on it to pull the old hose free from the barb. I was expecting water from the loose hose and barb fitting, but not from the seal! It quit leaking when it was in it's normal position, I am still trying to find out if this is normal. Doesn't feel good to have water entering your boat! All in all, Catalina did a good job with this upgrade.
Nelson Gainey
Last Boat
C350 #345

Nelson, did you mount the hoses (drill the holes) all the way to the port side or centered on the engine compartment top shelf? I have read varying accounts.
Thanks in advance.
Sam
LONGHAWK #173

Sam,
I installed more to the port side. (You need to make sure you don't impair the opening of the engine inspection shelf.) I wanted the hoses to run down the port side of the engine as opposed to the top. Some people do have problems being off center, my Admiral didn't get a vote on this one! Should you have more questions, I will be happy to respond.
Nelson Gainey
Last Boat
C350 #345

I had to bring the board back and cut it down 3/4" because it didn't clear the stair brackets. This conversion just stays open at the top?

Can someone post a picture or diagram of where the anti syphon kits are suppose to go. I want to make sure that this was either done at the factory or by my dealer before I take delivery.

Thanks,
R.B.

Don't have a picture or diagram handy, but the vent hoses ought to be fairly obvious.

If the factory installation is similar to the retrofit kit, there should be a piece of wood mounted below the companionway steps, above the hinged cover to access the engine. Behind the piece of wood should be a vented Loop (actually two hoses, nested inside each other - but only one would be visible from above). Inside the engine compartment, there should be 4 hose pieces visible coming through the top of the compartment (from under the stairs). The thicker of the two pairs should connect into (I believe) the raw water intake line, and the thinner of the pairs should connect into the raw water line that goes to the PSS Shaft Seal.

You should also look for a level (not forward end down) muffler, and a drain provision (thumbscrew or petcock) in the muffler.

Good Luck!

Well I just spoke with the dealership, it looks like this has not been done on my boat yet. They will address it this week. It is still being commissioned.
It also looks like the factory is still shipping the original props. Mine was taken and put on another boat that was commissioned earlier, and a new one ordered from the factory. It's the same prop as the old one. My dealer did say that he has not heard of anyone complaining about cavitation either. So I guess I will see once I get splashed.

R.B.

Jack,

My Catalina 350, hull 39 "Macushla" has been in storage in Great Bridge, VA, and I am just getting ready to sail up Chesapeake Bay. I received the anti-siphon valve retrofit kit from Catalina (still in the box) and I am interested to know the experience of others who may have already had the kit installed. (I feel that the job is beyond my competence.)

Do you know of any yards on or near the Bay that have already done the installation successfully?

Thanks for any help that you can give.

Jack Reddington

John,

The kit is easy to install, so you should not have any concern that it is more than you can handle. When you place the templet onto the top of the engine enclosure, move it to the right by 1 1/2 to 2 inches from the port side so that there is sufficent clearence between the fiddle of lid of the engine enclosure and the cover plate of the anti siphon kit cover plate. Drill the holes as close to the bulkhead as possible. You might consider drilling a smaller hole for the water injection seal hoses.

Good luck and fair winds,

Armin
MakeWay hull 297

Jack R,

My anti-siphon kit was installed by Tidewater Marina in Havre de Grace. That is at the very northern tip of the Chesapeake Bay. I'm sure any competent boat mechanic could do the work.