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Catalina 25 Specific Forum

New Owner - 1983 Catalina

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WJohn
Deckhand

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USA
3 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/21/2011 : 21:42:32

I've been reading on here since I purchased my boat in January 2011. She's a standard rig, fixed keel 1983 Catalina 25 with a main, genoa and jib. As I am a first time boat owner, I have been doing all I know how to do to get it fixed up. I have sailed, at a summer camp, a sunfish for many summers and driven many boats on lakes. The boat came with a Merc 9.9hp, four stroke motor which was not running so my first step was to fix the motor. She runs beautifully. I've taken her out twice and sailed it the last time. I had forgotten about the rush from sailing! Now I need to know what to do next.

Several issues (I know about):
1. Steaming & Anchor lights don't work
2. VHF Radio (VHF Antenna - install Mast antenna)
3. Depth finder not working (Tranducer needs water to read depth??)
4. No music
5. Alcohol stove - Worth keeping? Read many stories but still curious
6. Cockpit depth sounder and knotmeter dont work...
7. Everything else I don't know about!

Expectations:
I'd like to put this boat together to be a coastal cruising vessel used to learn and hone my sailing skills. I understand it won't be as comfortable as a larger boat but it seems like a great boat to learn. What would I need to do and/or own to accomplish this and what order should I attempt to accomplish them?

Any advice is helpful!

Capt John
Catalina 25 "Texas Tango"
Kemah, TX

Edited by - on

Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1511 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2011 : 04:41:09

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Now I need to know what to do next.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Ahh, the fun stuff..!!

#1.. Could be as easy as changing bulbs, but could be worse.
#2.. I have an on board VHF W/masthead Ant. Only used it once. I keep a handheld VHF radio in the cockpit.
#3.. I installed a GPS chartplotter w/sounder. Now I can see the chart, my speed and the depth in one place.
#4.. Installed standard Sony car stereo w/CD and MP3 input. Speakers on bulkhead in cabin.
#5.. Removed stove use the space for storage.
#6.. See #3
#7.. It's a B,O,A,T...Break Out Another Thousand.

Fun Stuff..

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3459 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2011 : 06:06:01

Depending the waters you sail, we could all get into a debate as to which items on your list are most important.

No 2: The VHF radio is important for communication but in many cases, it serves as part of your safety inventory along with your life preservers and fog horn. So, I would ensure you have these three squared away. A handhel VHF radio may turn out to be more useful to you since many VHF base units are installed in the cabin and the cord to the mike or the speaker location may not be beneficial when in the cockpit area.

Nos 3 & 6: As far as what you use day to day - A depthfinder or a fishfinder are close to the top of the list. Depending on your waters, this may rate lower if in rather deep water areas. Also, you can get by with either buying a chart of your area (which you should have anyway) or download from various sources online. A depthfinder or a fishfinder does not necessarily have to see water. Many of us have just used a glob of a toilet bowl wax ring and slapped it down under the VBerth area and then pushed the transducer into the glob with a rotating motion to get rid of the air bubbles between the glob and the transducer. Then checked if the fishfnder worked. If not, then relocated the transducer a few inches, etc away from first location. My website has details of the install and it worked fine the first install. Also good to have a chart.

No 1: Steaming and anchor light - Can't get into the details right now but there is plenty of info buried in our archives on this. You have to start with the circuit breakers and work your way up. It could be a simple thing or as some of us wound up doing - Rewired the whole thing.

No 6 Alcohol Stove - This item can wait to you get to the point that you can figure how useful a stove is to you to begin with. Some visit other marinas and just eat on shore. Others replaced the alcohol stove with a propane (may be safety issues so read about that in archives) stove or a microwave. You may wind up just using the alcohol stove. I have yet to use mine in 4 1/2 years.

N0 4 Music - We all have different preferences from non-existent listen to nature, wind and the sea to elaborate surround sound systems with kick-ass speakers. What has worked for me is a mini-boombox. It's small and easily stowed. You could also get one of those portable IPOD speaker systems. This is something yuo can easily experiment with on a weekly basis depending on what portable units you already have at home. I would put off installing any permanent system for awhile to see if you really even desire one depending on how you like various portable options.

Seacocks - They always open ? I would advise you to close them off unless yu are using the sinks. See how easily the seacocks open and close. If very stiff - When you get the opportunity, shove a brush with some syntheetic grease in from the hull side to coat the ball of the seacock. Then when in the cabin, cycle the seacocks 6-10 times and they will loosen up a bit from the cycling and greasing.

Did you register your boat and get new decals ?

How's the bottom look ?

Any running rigging or dock lines look ratty/need of replacement ?

Do tyou have extra lines in case you ever need to be towed, etc.

Do you have an anchor and sufficient chain and line to go with it ?

What is the story with the porta potti/head ? Does it work okay

Do the sink faucets work ? Mine do not but I bring bottled water onboard and I usually stay overnight at marinas that have bathroom facilities, so I have left the faucets as a low priority to address.

There are lot's to add to the list but many can be squared away thru the sailing season as you go out and enjoy some sailing. Just a few items above really should be addressed fairly soon.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2011 : 06:14:59

Perhaps you can link up with GaryB. He is in the Kemah area.

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4303 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2011 : 19:11:21

Capt John,

1. Fix the lights
2. Galveston Bay is 9' deep on average, Clear Lake - 4'so you will want a good fish/depth finder. I have a cheap Hummingbird. that works fine. Get a ring of toilet bowl wax, break off about 1/4 of it, place it against the hull on the inside and shove the transducer into wiggling it back and forth only enough to get the air bubbles out and get a good seal. DO NOT knead it as that will introduce air into the wax and you will not get a signal.
3. Buy a good handheld VHF radio. You don't need a mast mounted antenna in most of Galveston Bay. If you want to add one add an 8' Shakespeare to the real pulpit. That will get you coverage anywhere n Galveston Bay.
4. Add a cheap stereo or get a boombox. You probably won't use it that much anyway.
5. Chunk it and get an Origo if you think you will use it or get a good gas grill for the stern rail.

Edited by - GaryB on 05/22/2011 19:11:41

Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1218 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2011 : 19:46:06

Take a hard look at how you plan to use the boat, and fix those systems in need of repair that you will require. Make a list of what she needs, then prioritize it.

Standing/running rigging is a given, including sails, navigation lights and such.

For me, I wanted a weekender, so a galley, head, DC system, lights and a good cleaning were my priorities. I needed a "camper" that I could comfortably spend a day or two on away from the marina and be completely self sufficient. I pulled out the gimbaled alcohol stove and converted the space into storage, (much needed) and use my Coleman camp stove. I replaced the head and hoses. I put 2 new matched marine deep cycle batteries in, a new charger, and replaced all of the cabin lights with LED's....and I replaced the navigation lights. Basically, all the systems I would need functional in order for the boat to do what I need it to do.

This is just an example of one person's needs and use for the boat.....yours could be the same or quite different....you decide, make a list and get busy.

Congrats on the boat, BTW....the C25 is a really great all around boat.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2011 : 05:21:17

Welcome to the party John, I think you will really enjoy having the boat!

1. Steaming & Anchor lights don't work - Make sure you get teh steaming light fixed. The anchor light can be improvized with a nightlight in a ziplock bag, hoisted on a halyard. At least that is what we did while we sorted ours out. If no lights on the mast work, I would be suspicious of teh deck connection.
2. VHF Radio (VHF Antenna - install Mast antenna) - Use a handheld in the interim. Do get a new DSC enabled radio, but the handheld is far more convenient than the fixed radio.
3. Depth finder not working (Tranducer needs water to read depth??) - We went to great lengths to get ours working, and then got a fishfinder as a backup. In retrospect, it was a waste. Anytime you are in less than 10 feet of water you run the risk of finding a rock. Once your bow crosses it, you have around 3 seconds to dodge it at 1 knot. At more than 2 knots, you can't avoid it anyway. You can tell if you are in less than ten feet without a depthsounder.
4. No music - For the interim, there are micro-speakers that plug into mp3 players. If you hook one up and put it in the coaming box of the cockpit, you get surprisingly good sound. Far better than the speakers on their own. 
5. Alcohol stove - Worth keeping? Read many stories but still curiousm - Friends don't let friends use curtain burners. Buy the butane stove that has been mentioned on here a billion times. 
6. Cockpit depth sounder and knotmeter dont work... - I mentioned my stance on the depth sounder before. If your gauges are SR Mariner, they can still be serviced by the company. You have to ship them to Buffalo. But really, a good GPS will be better than a perfect knot gauge in my opinion. Having said that, we do have our knot gauge ioperational, adn use it against the GPS to determine how much current we are in when in a river. 
7. Everything else I don't know about! - You have already found most of the electric stuff. Before delving too deep into that, I would lift some hardware and check if your PO was kind enough to set things properly using the overdrill - epoxy - redrill method. IF not, you should start thinking about rebedding stuff and protecting your core. It is an ongoing chore.

Edited by - Prospector on 05/23/2011 05:26:09

kentwm
Navigator

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101 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2011 : 06:38:15

Hey Prospector...He's down here in Galveston Bay/Clear Lake and we are never in more than 10 feet or water!

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2011 : 06:58:21

Everything has been pretty well covered, but I will mention that I bought a West Marine VHF that is WHAM compatible. That is a brand acronym for "wireless handheld access mic"; I hang it from the backstay and it gives me full control, including DSC, of my fixed mount VHF in the cabin and has a decent speaker. The WHAM recharges from shore power or 12V. It's just an option. A handheld VHF has the advantage of getting you safely on the water without the delay of installing a fixed VHF and will be useful and possibly all you will ever need. I keep one for backup and communicating with the dingy.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2011 : 14:15:48

One advantage to the fishfinder "as a depth gauge" is that it displays the lake/shore bottom. The transducer for mine is mounted aft of the swing keel cable volcano and it works very well. I have the alarm set for 8 ft., which is closer to 9 ft. since it is below the waterline. So I figure I have about a 3 ft. cushion.

Edited by - on

WJohn
Deckhand

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USA
3 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2011 : 16:06:11

Thanks for all the advice! Much needed!

1. Mast lights - wires are not connected and just dangle. The ones from the hull hang out of about 1.5" hole in the deck so I know this is a project. I just don't know if they should be rewired or not.

Did you register your boat and get new decals ?

-It is registered to me and the registration is good until 2012 so a replacement was not needed

How's the bottom look ?
A very good question. From what ive seen (ive swam around the boat) it looks ok but I intend on pulling it out of the water after the season is over to do a more thorough inspection. As I do not have a trailer, does anyone have any ideas about what or who to use in Kemah?

Any running rigging or dock lines look ratty/need of replacement ?
-Not sure they look ratty, per se, but the backstay lines look to have some mold or mildew. I thought about bleach but read that it damages the fibers and is not a good idea. Any suggestions?

Do tyou have extra lines in case you ever need to be towed, etc.

I never thought about this but I do not have extra lines for towing. What kind of lines do I need?

Do you have an anchor and sufficient chain and line to go with it ?

I have one anchor with sufficient chain and have been reading that another anchor would be a great idea. Do I need two anchors?

What is the story with the porta potti/head ? Does it work okay

The head is a portable unit that was secured with bungie cords. I say was because when I took her out we heeled a bit and it came undone. Lesson learned to secure the cabin before beginning to sail. Everything was everywhere down there.

Do the sink faucets work ? Mine do not but I bring bottled water onboard and I usually stay overnight at marinas that have bathroom facilities, so I have left the faucets as a low priority to address.

The faucets work but the read head faucet does not drain. I opened the forward seacock (below the main salon in the bow) but it still did not drain. I assume this was the seacock. I closed it back and dried it out with a towel.

The PO had a fish finder that works but I think I will need to reseat the transducer because it never got a depth reading but powered up just fine.

Prospector:
"I would lift some hardware and check if your PO was kind enough to set things properly using the overdrill - epoxy - redrill method. IF not, you should start thinking about rebedding stuff and protecting your core. It is an ongoing chore."

I will be honest and admit that i do not know what exactly this means. An explanation would be great!

Thanks again for all your help! This site is great!

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4303 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2011 : 18:23:17

John,

Not sure where you keep your boat but you could call the Seabrook Shipyard and get a quote for a "quick haul". This is where they lift the boat out of the water for 30 minutes - 1 hour, pressure wash the bottom, give you a few minutes to take pictures and examine the bottom, and then put the boat back in the water.

In a pinch you could use your anchor line for a tow rope as long as it's in good condition.

If your lines are green with mold I would replace them.

Shouldn't be more than $175.00 and you can sometimes catch a special for less.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2011 : 19:45:16

Wiring in the deck: If you have an open hole with wires sticking out, then you have a place where rain water can get into your deck core. On this forum there are some schematics of the boat wiring which may, or may not, apply to your specific boat, depending on what a prior owner may have done to it. Get a friend to help. Get a 12 volt light bulb that works. With a charged up battery, turn on all of your switches. Make sure your running lights light up properly, then turn them off. With your friend at the switch panel and you at the mast, locate your ground wire and touch it and another wire to the light bulb until it lights up. If none light up, then the wiring to the mast base may be bad. If the bulb does light up, have your friend turn off the anchor, steaming, lights, and deck light switches, one at a time so you can id each wire. Assuming they work, you'll need to install a suitable deck connector for your mast lighting. You can use a 9 volt battery to test your mast wiring.

If your longer lines look to be in good condition, just green and moldy, try putting them in a pantyhose bag and run them through a heavy wash cycle in your washing machine. Afterward, let them soak in a bucket of water overnight, then lay them out on a railing to dry. Might be salvageable. Otherwise, replace. The short ones (vang, backstay controls, outhaul, traveler lines, etc.) - replace anyway, they won't cost too much.
Mainsheet and jib sheet lines that you replace may still serve as emergency tow lines, raft-up lines, temporary dock lines, etc.

Edited by - dmpilc on 05/23/2011 19:55:47

Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1218 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2011 : 21:47:29

I don't have a head sink in mine, but looking at the parts manual, it should have a seacock directly below it. On mine, (I have a marine head) the seacock in the v berth is the fresh water intake for the head.

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2011 : 12:05:49

The V berth seacock is used for the vanity sink too.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2011 : 12:12:18

Deck hardware bedding methodology from Don Casey's website http://www.boatus.com/boattech/casey/39.htm :

Special Precautions for Cored Construction
Most decked boats are constructed with a wooden core in the deck to stiffen it. Smaller powerboats use a similar construction technique for the transom. If water is allowed to penetrate, rot in the core is the usual consequence. Repairing saturated or rotten core is a very big job, the cost often exceeding the value of the boat. More boats "die" from core problems than from any other single cause.

Water would never reach the wood core if we didn't drill holes in the deck (and transom) to mount hardware items. But we do, and as good as marine sealants are, it is a high-stakes gamble to depend on them to keep water out of the core. Anytime you bore or cut a hole in the deck, seal the exposed core with epoxy before mounting any hardware. If you are rebedding old hardware, be certain that the core has been properly sealed, or follow this procedure before reinstalling the fitting.

1. Drill all fastener holes oversize. It isn't necessary to oversize cutouts.

2. Remove all core within 1/4" of the hole or cutout. A bent nail chucked into a power drill is an efficient tool for chipping out the core. Vacuum the pulverized core material from the cavity; whatever you can't remove will act as a filler.

3. Saturate the exposed core with epoxy. On horizontal surfaces, seal the bottom of the hole with duct tape and pour catalyzed epoxy into the top. When the cavity is full, allow a minute or two for the unthickened epoxy to saturate the core, then puncture the tape and let the epoxy run out back into your glue container. For vertical surfaces you will have to inject the epoxy into fastener holes and use a brush to "paint" around cutouts.

4. Mix colloidal silica into the epoxy (the same epoxy you have already poured through the holes) to thicken it to a mayonnaise consistency-stiffer for holes in vertical surfaces. Retape the bottoms and fill each cavity level with the deck.

5. Allow the filler to cure fully, then redrill the mounting holes through the cured epoxy. Sand and clean the area that will be under the fitting and you are ready to bed the hardware as detailed above.

For more information about sealing and bedding, consult Sailboat Hull & Deck Repair by Don Casey.

For more information about boat maintenance, consult This Old Boat by Don Casey.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2011 : 12:15:27

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Joe Diver
 I don't have a head sink in mine, but looking at the parts manual, it should have a seacock directly below it. On mine, (I have a marine head) the seacock in the v berth is the fresh water intake for the head.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

When the boats were built, the sink opposite the head was an option. You either got a sink or a hanging locker. If your boat came with a sink, tell everyone you got the luxury cruising model. If not, lie and say you got the lightweight racing model. Works for me.

Edited by - Prospector on 05/24/2011 12:21:36

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2011 : 13:03:11

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Prospector
 ...If your boat came with a sink, tell everyone you got the luxury cruising model. If not, lie and say you got the lightweight racing model.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">The C-25 SL... Love it!

Now I know why mine was kinda slow. (I know, I know--there was a better explanation...

)

Edited by - on

Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

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844 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2011 : 13:54:12

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">[i]
Mainsheet and jib sheet lines that you replace may still serve as emergency tow lines, raft-up lines, temporary dock lines, etc.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

David's electrical troubleshooting guide is a very good one.

I don't agree with the use of old sheets for this purpose, though. They don't stretch like nylon and could be a hazard. Check out the West Maine Advisors online to read about the proper use of different types of line.

Edited by - on

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.