Posted: December 06 2010 at 18:52 | IP Logged

 I just recently purchased a 1984 Catalina 251. The boat has been around Galveston, tx it's whole life. So to start the saltwater has taken it's toll on it. The engine is a 305 with a direct drive velvet drive.

 I am looking for any information on this boat such as wiring diagrams, factory brochures, pictures, were to get parts, namely helm seats, and the screen's for the port and starboard cabin windows as well as any of the weather stripping that still maybe out there, port window leaks in heavy rain.

 I also have some questions about what options came on this boat, I noticed on the DC panel that it lists toilet breaker. The head in it now is a porta potty style with a pump out connection and a vent hose. The DC panel also lists a shower breaker? It does not have a shower sump in it. Was this an option or standard? And the AC panel lists a stove breaker, as far as i can tell the counter and all of the cabin looks original, was this some kind of portable stove? There is not a place were a stove was installed in the galley counter.

Sorry to be so long winded, just trying to find out what i can about this boat. So far i have learned one very important thing about the engine while i was rebuilding it, Reverse Rotation. LOL were all single engine CC installed with RR engines?

Posted: December 06 2010 at 20:06 | IP Logged

Hi Andybuzz2u, welcome to the forum and CC ownership.  Be sure to post all Catalina related issues in the Chris Craft Catalina forum, there is a wealth of information and a whole bunch of knowledgable and experienced owners from the 25 - 38 foot Catalinas.

In the mean time and to get started...

Wiring diagrams - check out the Mariners Museum in Virginia, they hold the Chris Craft Archive up to the mid 1980's and have documents such as the wiring diagrams.  I know there are a few copies of the wiring for the 280 series amoung the 28' owners but check them for the 251.   http://www.marinersmuseum.org/library/chris-craft

Factory brochures - check out   http://www.boatbrochure.com/servlet/the-template/chriscraft/ Page

Pictures - we post a lot of them in the Catalina forum, also search for-sale websites, I get a lot of ideas from others' boats.

Parts, namely helm seats, and the screen's for the port and starboard cabin windows as well as any of the weather stripping that still maybe out there, port window leaks in heavy rain - there is a lot of some items and not a lot of others out there...helm seats seem to be very rare, screens and windows may have to be custom made unless you can find a junker (in boat for-sale lots in the South such as Georgia, just check in boat trader.com for cheap boats to get hooked up with some of these guys.  For weather stripping, www.chrisparts.com in FL are about the best.  The guy there used to work for CC in the 80's and bough up most of their stock on boats like ours when CC stopped production and went to the newer eruo style models.  In the Catalina forum, I posted several photos and info on my cabin window resealing project - hey, nor more leaks!

Welcome aboard !

Tom