Posted: October 10 2009 at 13:35 | IP Logged

Nice work Tom. I wasn't sold on the plastic idea, but I've come 'round... This will really look good. Kinda modernizes the boat's vibe- very cool! The color scheme is very coordinated- nice... 

What is the dinged, whitish material on the hull in the below-the-waterline-LEDs photo?

On the floorboards: no, the boards are not hinged. The floorboard parimeter locks them in well enough. To clarify" the 'U' alunimum detail, they are lag-bolted on the under sides to reinforce/buttress the new-cut floorboards. 

Roy

Posted: October 10 2009 at 13:48 | IP Logged

Ok Boatman... I must say.... with the striping and the graphics on the dash.... the blue looks......well, better then the wood would. THERE, I SAID IT.  Really, they look better than i thought. as Diver said, it modernizes her. Great job! I would love some info on the steps you took and the materials to get to that point.

Floater, Jim

Posted: October 10 2009 at 14:00 | IP Logged

66: I didn't think I'd like the plastic either but it modernizes it nicely. Looks Cool.

Nauti: I will check out your guy. $450-wowee!! Thats the price of peace of mind..

Diver: Thanks for the clarification. Heres what I have. Its fine with me. Just gonna clean it up a little, maybe hinge it. It looks like a section of a real floor shaped to fit.

Posted: October 10 2009 at 17:47 | IP Logged

Nice work boatmann, the blue looks real good, I like it better that padded/vinyl...I still ike the wood but the plastic gives it a nice touch...ties all the trim in together.

No need for maintaining bottom paint when you are on a lift - huh?!?!

Up here it is a $500 per year cost at the boatyard, NY law does not allow DIY-ers apply bottom paint in commercial yards, sounds like a ploy to me...but it is worth the $ to not have to deal with that chore.

Tom

Posted: October 10 2009 at 18:44 | IP Logged

Ray! That floor!!!!!! P L E A S E....dont ever cover that up!!!!!  some serious sanding then several coats of spar!

Floater

Posted: October 11 2009 at 21:29 | IP Logged

Ray,

have to go with Tom on this one. That floor looks like quality work!  The floorboard on our 280 is a marine 3/4"ply. Came carpeted from the factory...and that was terminal when we bought her.

Tom, Sorry man, that bottom gives me pause...However, with 5/8 inch solid fiberglass, maybe in the final analysis, it's really not a risk issue although speed might be affected. Impact would be a bigger worry and that probably has nothing to do with the jelcoat.

Guys,  have to go out on a limb here:

Surveys are valuable/necessary yes...on larger, more complex boats. To do a proper survey, it needs to be hauled to check the bottom...in my opinion and in this case, the main reason for a survey on a Cat (to check the bottom). I did the inspection on Lorelei following some preperation and found her satisfactory. Stuff like testing lights, horn, galley, upholstery, bulge and performance has extensive info availible that can help do a pretty thourough inspection.  Engine's are traditionally not part of a survey...a specialist is needed (at additional cost). This view is in referance to the Cat 280 and 251 models! They are simple vessels with unparalled interor access without a lot of bells and whistles. Preperation for a personal going over and a test cruise will in my opinion approach what a surveyer will see. A personal inspection for blistering/delamination is certainly doable on a hull. It is also rare on CC's and in the opinion of our boatyard, lesser of a problem on power boats in general. For some reason, bottom problems are more common on sailboats. In any case, blisters can be spotted if the boat is hauled and the bottom allowed allowed to dry for 24/48 hours. Last haulout, I noted some minor blistering along the waterline from UV exposure- none underneath.

The other thing that bugs me about surveys I've read is page after page of disclaimers...what's the point if a surveyer does that? Litigous America made-um do that and it diminishes a survey's credibility- kinda like that guy at the end of a commercial who speaks at a thousand words a minute and no one understands a thing except that the original blurd has holes in it. Ever see those new drug ads?  I'm sure there are legion surveyors out there who would argue a contrary view-in the case of our simple, heavily built Cats, perhaps there's room for some slack...or a price break?

Diver

Posted: October 11 2009 at 23:44 | IP Logged

Floater: 66: Diver: I said I LIKE my floor. Its unique. I'm gonna sand and spar per floater is all. One of the easier jobs to do...!

Diver: What your saying about the Surveys applies to very knowledgeable people with years of boat experience. I wouldn't trust myself at this stage of the game where fiberglass and hull integrity is concerned. All the other systems I'm fine with. I don't know what delamination looks like. I also don't know how to detect if the underlying wood is saturated (read that on these posts..) The money is worth it to me to have the peace of mind to know the motors not going to rip out of its mounts at speed, the boats not going to burn down from improper wiring and my thru-hulls are solid.

I just realized that all you Southern and Western guys haul at your leisure, do some maintenance, maybe some upgrades, pet projects and then splash again. Up here in latitude we gotta cram all our (DIY) repairs in before it gets too cold and then as soon as it gets a little warm in the spring. Then we hurry up and use the boat for the summer hoping nothing breaks!

Posted: October 12 2009 at 10:51 | IP Logged

Sorry Peter- I got names confused-    I'll try and do better! Svendsen Boatyard is the only yard in the Bay Ayea that allows owners to work on their boats. Seems this sorry state of affairs is nationwide. This on-line form of media is a new experience for me- powerful stuff. It's interesting to experience peoples charictoristics and propensiteis in written form. One advantage of the forum format is the ability to reflect and edit prior to posting...cool.

Ray,

Point well taken- the four seasons do put a premium on time afloat. Perhaps it's possible to remove the floorboards as a project over the winter months before the weather really sets in?

Delamination is detected a couple of ways:  sighting down hulls lines to spot warping or the use of a suitable tapping tool to compare sounds resonating thru the hull. Moisture detection thru stringers is done by direct observation as moisture detection devices do not penetrate cored fibergless stringers (as in our Cats). It usually involves removal of fasteners, visual observation and the use of probes. There are other, more expensive methods too. A common area for core saturation is around windless assemblies as often fasteners are incorrectly installed thru cored areas.

Thank you for pointing out some very valid points concerning surveys.

Diver

Posted: October 12 2009 at 11:08 | IP Logged

Catalina Owners (regular posters to the forum)

Tom - Nauti Cat

Jim - Floater251

Ray - Ray251

Bill - SuawneeRed

Pete - boatmann66

Roy - Diveryates

? - pop pop

anyone else?

Posted: October 12 2009 at 11:19 | IP Logged

for me, hiring a surveyor for pre purchase and insurance was the smart thing to do because I become "blind" when it comes to my obsession with boats, especially when the excitement of the purchase is in the mix.  My surveyor inspected the boat on land and during the sea trial.  The motor was not a major concern but he did check out what he could for me, but we both new there were no issues by the way she ran and sounded....you can tell when everything is just right.

Post purchase survey is still someting I do on an ongoing basis on my own.  I have a running list, putting higher priority on the safety, mechanincal and functional aspects (addressed immediately) and the cosmetic items take a back-seat...hence why my cabin is not yet completed...there is only so much money available  

Tom

Posted: October 12 2009 at 19:10 | IP Logged

Ray251

I agree with Floater .never cover find wood.Finish it and show it off.Sorry guys been away to long work and fishing.Landed a 47 lb Reddrum Sunday week ago on 20lb test line on a flounder rig.what. what a fight.Well back to the ole grind

Posted: October 13 2009 at 11:00 | IP Logged

Hi Berg,

A key differance concerning air flow between cars and boats is the rate of flow of the air supply. A car's air environment being subject to a much higher volume of flow and is a dirtier makeup. A boats intake has a passive, cleaner airflow.  CC's engineering was narowly aimed at whatever particulate contamination was injecting abrasives (belt dust) complicated by oil as a partial carrier along with the proximity of contaminated air at the carb intake: a nasty combination. The oil portion, if clean is not an issue and is benificial as a bushing and linkage lubricant. The combination of oil and dust was/is toxic for a carb- hence CC's airducting effort- again, a eliquint, intuitive solution: CC is using air flow distance and gravity to mitigate air contamination. I would also point out that Afloat, air filters are replaced by the flame arresters- filter elements are flamable.  As you probobly know, flame arresters are required Equipment aboard- features designed to make engines endure is'nt- interesting that...     

In my opinion, saltair will have little if any affect on engine air/fuel performance or contamination risk of the internal combustion portion of an engine's function. Cooling, of course is a differant matter and is not the focus of this pow wow.

Roy

Posted: October 13 2009 at 11:38 | IP Logged

As much as I enjoy the vintage Catalinas, if money was not an issue I would have the new Chris Craft 40 Roamer for sure...I would have no problem dealing with any worries, I do not know how much more obsessed I could be with a new boat, I am pretty far over the edge now  they would have to commit me.

I looked into the flexi-teak, was told it is great for exterior applications but they have more suitable and less expensive interior options.  For the amount of floorspace in our Catalinas it may be only a negligable difference in cost over the lifetime of the particular product regarding installation, maintainence, convenience and eventual replacement.

Tom

Posted: October 13 2009 at 11:49 | IP Logged

Berg, Thanks Man- appreciate it...

Car exhaust manifolds are designed to keep engine compartments at close-to operating temps. Underway, all components acheive a sort of temprature equilinbium. Boats w/dry stacks have engine rooms that can get pretty warm.  With 'wet' cooling, engine rooms get warm too, but probably not as much.

What we view as hot, engines 'bask in', except maybe in the Sahera Desert or some such. 

Roy

Posted: October 14 2009 at 08:50 | IP Logged

Can anyone steer me towards the best product to re-furb pitted crummy Aluminum? Window frames, railing etc..

Its 43 degrees here right now.. sheesh...

Posted: October 14 2009 at 11:08 | IP Logged

Ray,

Yup,  had to address that aluminum thing coupla years ago. The frames were 'moderately' corroded- looked lousy. I was unable to find a product capible of mitigating the deeper corrosion. I attempted using a mechanical steel brush to simulate a brushed look (while also removing the corrosion) but the attempt had an uneven looking result and access in some places was impossible.  I ended up masking and prime/painting to match the color palet of the wheelhouse/cockpit. Ours is a hardtop so it was a sticky wicket. Masking had to be very accurate and a lot of it was an awkward reach.

If it comes to that for you, I'm thinking painting will be easier with the soft top retracted. 

Diver

Posted: October 17 2009 at 21:43 | IP Logged

Ahoy gents, spotted this on EBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chris-Craft-Mast-anchor-light -antique-rare_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem439ad8af18QQitemZ29 0360700696QQptZBoatQ5fPartsQ5fAccessoriesQ5fGear

Diver

Posted: October 18 2009 at 19:48 | IP Logged

Thanks Diver for letting us know about the ebay link, I will need to take some measurements for in front of the windshield.

Tom

Posted: October 19 2009 at 13:20 | IP Logged

Chris Craft Catalina 291 Flybridge

Posted: October 19 2009 at 13:57 | IP Logged

nice boat...nice ad

same boat as the 280/281 just with a flybridge (and dual stations)

I got to go for a ride during lunch break today...bay was flat and the air was crisp.  She was running 4200 RPMs at 28 MPH - SWEET!

Posted: October 20 2009 at 13:19 | IP Logged

Another lunch time boat ride...perfect weather!!!

Just don't tell my boss...oh wait, he went with me

Northerners...Enjoy it while it lasts!

Posted: October 20 2009 at 22:31 | IP Logged

Pop Pop,

Nope, not the flywheel. I mistakenly thought I would have to because of a broken gear tooth. Turned out to be a faulty starter. The solonoid would not deploy to its full extend position, causing the gears to miss or mesh incorrectly.  Reasons for removal that I can think of: out of balance, warped, broken tooth, engine rear seal, sheared flywheel bolt.

Diver

Posted: October 21 2009 at 11:22 | IP Logged

Jez! Forgot about the coupler! good call Berg...

roy