Association Forum - foredeck vent

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

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.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

foredeck vent

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

kansasboatman
Deckhand

Member Avatar

17 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/18/2003 : 00:41:02

On the 1978 catalina 25, can anyone tell me what that "vent pipe" or whatever is sticking up through the fordeck...just to the aft of the anchor hold.

I am assuming it is a vent...when I bought the boat last year, this "opening" was duct taped over and i have continued to do the same. However, I think this is where I am taking in water in a good driving rain...was thinking about going to a builder supply store and bnuying a flat "roof vent" to attach to this opening

kansas boatment

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2003 : 07:49:36

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by kansasboatman
 On the 1978 catalina 25, can anyone tell me what that "vent pipe" or whatever is sticking up through the fordeck...just to the aft of the anchor hold.

I am assuming it is a vent...when I bought the boat last year, this "opening" was duct taped over and i have continued to do the same. However, I think this is where I am taking in water in a good driving rain...was thinking about going to a builder supply store and bnuying a flat "roof vent" to attach to this opening

kansas boatment
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

It is discontinued as a feature, I think that type of vent can be removed and replaced with a cap. I think it was supposed to make the boat look like it was from a Humphrey Bogart movie or something, it was a dated feature when it was new. Were it mine I would take it out and fill it in. Generically there is a type of vent known as a dorad box that has enough baffeling to keep most water from entering while still allowing ventalation. If you are going are going to keep the vent then simply search the sites, (West Marine, Defender, Sail Net, etc.) for vent options that would improve on what you have. If you decide to fill it in then there is a guy on this site named Leon Sisson that will provide you with excellent advise on the adhesives and materials you should consider. Here in Kansas we do not need that vent. Do you have the rectangular skylight that the rest of us have between the anchor locker and the hatch? If not I would try to replace the vent with something like that. Have you ever seen a deck light? They are very cool prisms that disperse light into a boat but are flat on the deck, that would be cool.
If Lake Cheney is selected for the Nationals I hope you will bring your boat and race, if nothing else at least come for the fun.

Edited by - on

CB
1st Mate

Members Avatar

54 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2003 : 08:19:26

I had the exact same hole duct-taped on the deck of my '81 when I bought her.
Rather than trying to fill it or cap it, I cut the hole a little larger w/ a jigsaw or zipsaw and installed a passive, mushroom style vent, a Nicro 500. They make a solar vent the same size, but I opted for the passive.
It actually made a bigger difference than I thought on keeping the cabin "aired out" and not as stuffy when I return to her at her slip.
I think the original hole was 2.5" , and it had to be slightly enlarged to 3". A little smear of 3M 4200 where it fit to the deck and I was done.
Good luck,
Chris
'81 sr/sk Deez Knots

Edited by - on

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2003 : 09:21:03

kansas boatment,

I agree with Deez Knots that the foredeck vent is very helpful in providing ventilation when the boat is not in use. Here in hot damp Florida that's an important consideration. It may not be as important in other climates.

If you want to install a vent similar to the original equipment, check out the Nicro and similar cowl vents. The mushroom style vents mentioned by Deez Knots might be an even better choice, as they are less likely to snag lines or admit rain.

As Frank and Martha mentioned, if you don't need the ventilation, then filling the existing hole with a decklight prism would provide a very attractive light source in the V-berth. I have one which I received as a gift that I use as a paperweight. It's cast from antique looking glass, shaped like a hexagonal pyramid, about 4-1/2" across the flats, and has a 1-1/2" tall lip or flange around the base to support it in the deck. (They install with the pointy end down.) I don't know where to get another one, but something like that might be a convenient alternative way to fill the hole in your deck.

-- Leon Sisson

Edited by - on

Bill Holcomb
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
769 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2003 : 12:07:51

The hole described on the foredeck is indeed for a "cowl" deck vent. It was a factory option through the '85 production run. But, dropped as an option from '86 on. I believe that Nicro was the mfg of the vent. And, Nicro still makes both a 3" and a 4" low profile cowl vent

West Marine and other chandleries sell these for around $30 or $35 complete. You might measure the hole in your deck and check with Nicro to see about simply buying a new vent as well as a deck cap for when you want to seal the opening shut.

Bill Holcomb - C25 Snickerdoodle #4839

Edited by - on

Charlie Vick
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
423 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2003 : 13:36:01

"As Frank and Martha mentioned, if you don't need the ventilation, then filling the existing hole with a decklight prism would provide a very attractive light source in the V-berth. I have one which I received as a gift that I use as a paperweight. It's cast from antique looking glass, shaped like a hexagonal pyramid, about 4-1/2" across the flats, and has a 1-1/2" tall lip or flange around the base to support it in the deck. (They install with the pointy end down.) I don't know where to get another one, but something like that might be a convenient alternative way to fill the hole in your deck."

liliput.com probably has the one you have on your desk but I don't know if it would work well on a C25 deck.

CVick
PanaceaII '81 C25 #2439 SRSK
Fort Smith, AR

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2003 : 20:51:34

Are we talking about a special vent hole, or the skylight? Every C-25 I've seen has a rectangular skylight over the v-berth. Because the factory plastic lense is easy to break just by stepping on it, you might expect to find that somebody has duct-taped the opening. If it is a rectangle centered aft of the anchor locker, with a flange just below deck level, that's what it is. Catalina Direct sells replacement lenses for almost nothing, but you're better off making one of 1/2" Lexan or similar acrylic for more strength.

Roof vents from Home Dopey are not designed to keep out waves that might break over the bow. If you want to make a vent, I'd use a Dorade box type vent from a marine supplier, or even a solar vent that will run 24/7 to keep the dampness down. Remember, though, that any vent in that location is going to be an obstacle when you're anchoring or bending on a jib.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 11/18/2003 20:58:04

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2003 : 21:13:17

Dave,<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Are we talking about a special vent hole, or the skylight? Every C-25 I've seen has a rectangular skylight over the v-berth. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Some C-25s have the rectangular lense, some have a simple cowl vent similar or identical to about a 3" soft Nicro w/o dorade baffle. It may depend on the model year.

-- Leon Sisson

Edited by - on

deastburn
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
334 Posts

Response Posted - 11/19/2003 : 14:13:04

Yes, Leon is right. My '81 has such a cowl vent. I have never figured out how to remove the cowl so I could replace it with the deck plate that also came with the boat (but which has probably long since disappeared into some foreign tool kit). Still, I know I can purchase a plate at WM. Does the cowl simply pull or snap out? It is not on a screw thread, that much I have figured out.

BTW, I really like that vent. With the boat on a mooring it picks up the breeze and keeps the interior air moving. When I sail, I simply turn the opening toward the stern to keep the spray out.

Edited by - on

Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1772 Posts

Response Posted - 11/19/2003 : 15:45:37

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Leon Sisson
 Dave,<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Are we talking about a special vent hole, or the skylight? Every C-25 I've seen has a rectangular skylight over the v-berth. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Some C-25s have the rectangular lense, some have a simple cowl vent similar or identical to about a 3" soft Nicro w/o dorade baffle. It may depend on the model year.

-- Leon Sisson

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Like Bill said, this was a factory option ... my boat doesn't have either one.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2003 : 07:36:35

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Buzz Maring
 Like Bill said, this was a factory option ... my boat doesn't have either one.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Buzz... #68 was probably built before they decided to add a jib!

Edited by - on

kansasboatman
Deckhand

Members Avatar

17 Posts

Response Posted - 11/27/2003 : 00:12:37

Thanks to everyone for their reply and thoughts on the foredeck vent issue......at least I've got the whole winter to decide which of these excelent ideas I will use!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

Kansasboatman

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

3072 Posts

Response Posted - 11/27/2003 : 10:51:46

To whet your appetite, check out these beautiful decklights and vents from a supplier in the UK.

http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/asp/prodtype.asp?prodtype=42&ph=cat
http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/asp/prodtype.asp?prodtype=50&ph=cat

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

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.