After 3 years sailing Silver Lining, including some extended trips, I finally got around to installing something we’ve always wanted – a holding tank monitor.

 

The color and quantity of exhaust smoke tells a great deal about the condition of a marine diesel engine. All marine engines create smoke to some extent, but if the diesel engine is in good condition, the quantity will almost be invisible. Defects that affect the fuel, breathing or compression will prevent correct combustion and lead to excessive exhaust smoke.

The following analysis comes from U.S. Master Marine Surveyor Rob Scanlan and is presented courtesy of RCR Yachts.

 Here is a link to more Catalina 320 technical info....  Click here

A failure of the steering cable was reported by Ken Danko on hull 802 on 12 October 2008. Conditions at the time were choppy seas and 25 kt winds. Ken's assessment and photos are captured below, along with responses by Gerry Douglas (Catalina Yachts) and Ed Siess (Edson).

At the end is additional thoughts and learnings from Ken and a reaction to the information provided by Edson.

My suggestion would be immediate inspection of your steering cable and rudder stops, looking especially for wear in the same area as Ken's failure (recognize that cable wear has also been reported at the chain link end inside the pedestal). Follow up with annual cable and stop inspections.

Originally published in the November 2007 Mainsheet

On WindWalker II we have Whale Brass Shut-off Valves to control the flow from the water tanks. The valve selector on one of my valves has become loose and I had to use pliers to turn the tank on.

Good news!!!!

I called the number below and found that the Brass Shut-Off Valve item code: WX1573B has a 10 year warranty and they are sending me 2 for replacements.

http://www.whalepumps.com/

Telephone (978) 531- 0021 warranty x 105

Cheers,

Dick Walker
C-320 (687) WindWalker II
740 Olive Ave.
Coronado, CA 92118-2136
619.435.8986

My Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)

I am sure that some will be controversial but I like to error on the safe side.

1. Thru Hull Fittings. I always close all of mine if I will be away from the boat more than 24 hours.
2. Head water thru hull fitting. It is only open when in actual use. (The manual and a placard recommend this.)
3. Propane Tank Manual Valve. I only have the manual valve open when using propane. Don’t bet your life on a $12.00 solenoid valve.
4. Water Tanks. I use up all the water from the bow tank first then use the stern tank. If we are not on long trips I keep the bow tank empty. This keeps weight aft unless a long trip is underway and for the most part keeps the water fresh.
5. Battery Switches. (WindWalker has the start battery on position #1; the house batteries on position #2.)
   1. I never use both unless it is a start emergency.
   2. I always use the house batteries #2
   3. The start battery #1 is only used as a backup or in a test.
   While the engine is on remember to never select off then on. This will probably fry the alternator.
6. Diesel Fuel
   1. Keep full in the winter to reduce condensation water from getting into the tank.
   2. Always add BIOBOR or the similar to keep diesel system clean
   3. Annually change both fuel filters
7. HEAD Only use fresh water. This can come from the telephone shower head or modify the basin discharge with the option to cycle grey water into the head.
8. Man Overbroad. Practice the drill each spring.
9. Bail out kit. Have a VHF radio, and held GPS and the Flares in a bag in case you need to jump in the dink. ( Our is on Garhauer davits on the back).
10. Reefer. On long trips with the engine on select full cold. The select back to +/- 4. Also put a ground cover over the food. This traps the cold air.
11. Be kind to the 1st mate.

Cheers, Dick Walker C-320 (687) WindWalker II 740 Olive Ave. Coronado, CA 92118-2136 619.435.8986

Warren Updike located an article by Jack Harden to help boat owners align their engine and prop shaft with minimal fuss.

The PDF file of the article and a spreadsheet to assist with analyzing the measurements is available from the Download Files section.

The article is available here in PDF format.

The spreadsheet is available here in Microsoft Excel format.

The article is posted here without permission, so we may be required to remove it or obtain permission at some point.

Gerry Douglas is the designer of the Catalina 320 and the C320 MkII for Catalina Yachts. We were very fortunate that he was willing to take the time to come speak at the 2006 Catalina 320 International Association annual meeting and regatta held in Coronado, CA.

Here is an edited recording of him announcing and discussing the C320 MKII successor to our beloved C320.

 

1. Gerry Announces the C320 MKII (15 min 42 seconds)

 

NOTE: This is a streaming .mp3 audio file. Most computers are configured to play this automatically. Contact the webmaster if you're unable to play it.

This article was contributed by the Anchor's designer and shouldn't be considered an endorsement of this anchor by the association. If you have first hand experience with the anchor, feel free to add comments!

Anchors are right at the heart of cruising. They allow remote and wonderful places to be visited, without the benefit of a solid dock or even mooring buoy. Put that notion with the recent comments from yachts surviving (or not surviving as the case may be) the recent spat of hurricanes worldwide, and it is clear one of the most important pieces of equipment onboard is your anchor, and associated gear. Here in New Zealand where the author resides, the majority of visiting cruisers still carry the older generation boat anchors such as plows (e.g. CQR), Deltas, claws (e.g Bruce), and flat-blade Danforth types. These boaters may not be fully aware of the benefits of the newer generation type anchors on the market – which have raised the bar somewhat in expectations of anchoring performance. Cruising can be something of a numbers game, and ensuring you have the best anchor possible is one way to stack the odds in your favor.

Read the full article here (Note: This article link points to the designer's website and launches in a new window)