Our sailing experience on a 1987 Catalina 34 which we named 'Eximius' which google showed as the Latin translation for 'Special' We hope that our posts will help others looking to take their boat beyond the local waters as well as provide entertaining reading. I'm a Brit, so my view of entertaining may not match yours ;) See you on the water. The Journey Starts Here Paul
Thursday, August 26, 2021
Autopilot upgrade - installing the EV-100 Sensor
Sunday, August 15, 2021
Autopilot Upgrade - Mounting the p70s Control Head
Mounting a Raymarine p70s Controller
Thursday, August 12, 2021
Installing the Raymarine Rudder Position Sensor
Installing the Raymarine Autopilot Rudder Sensor (RPS)
Schematic of RPS Connection to the Steering Radial Drive |
Schematic of Tiller Pin and Support Bracket |
- Remove the Thru Bolt which prevents the Steering Radial Drive from rotating on the Ruder Post.
- Install the new Tiller Pin Bracket on the bolt and reinsert the Bolt and secure in place.
- Mount the RPS on the new Shim.
- Align the shim so that the Pin on the RPS and the Tiller Pin are aligned and the RPS arm, Tiller Pin mount form a Parallelogram.
- Run the Connector wire from the RPS forwards over the Aft Water tank and then join the loom of wires that reach the APU.
Saturday, August 7, 2021
Upgrading our Autopilot - Planning
Planning the Upgrade to our Autopilot
As covered in the previous post (Click here to view), we're upgrading our Autopilot replacing the original unit that suffers from Alzheimer's.
I ordered the major parts as a kit from Defender, added the Rudder Position Sensor kit from West Marine and drew a schematic to ensure I have everything.
Autopilot Schematic Waiting on the SeaTalkng to SeaTalkng Connector |
Here's where I'm considering installing the EV-1 the Attitude Sensor. That bulkhead is about parallel with the Helm Pedestal, the old Autopilot ACU is below the Circled area. Would make for a easy location and out of the way if anyone ever slept in the Aft Berth.
- Rudder Position Sensor can be mounted on the underside of the Aft Locker Shelf support - Stbd side.
- Tiller Pin can be mounted on a piece of starboard screwed to the underside of the Steering Radial Drive.
- The ACU-100 can be mounted where the old ACU is currently installed on the Aft Bulkhead of the Aft Berth as shown in the pic above.
- The EV-1 can be mounted just above the new ACU-100
- The p70s Autopilot Control head can be mounted where the Garmin Echo Depth instrument is currently located,
we'll have to figure out where to move the Echo instrument. The Echo Depth Instrument can be moved to the Port Side Pedestal wing, we'll just remove the temporary cup holder that is mounted there at present.
Tuesday, July 27, 2021
Upgrading our Autopilot
Upgrading our Raymarine Wheel Pilot to a Raymarine Evolution EV-100 Auto pilot.
Our Autopilot has Alzheimer's - keeps losing it's memory and not sure where it's going. Time to upgrade.
After lots of research, despite wanting to have a Garmin Autopilot to match the rest of our Garmin Electronics, they just don't have one that is suitable for our size boat that would fit within our electrical power budget. So the Raymarine Evolution EV-100 it is.
The model I selected is the EV-100 Sail Wheel Pilot. From everything I have read on the subject, it's best to have a RPS (Rudder Position Sensor) attached (link here). Also, the Evolution system should be able to use the data and some commands from our NEMA 2000 network and Garmin 741xs Chartplotter.
Here's our current Helm Electronics setup. The Garmin GMI instrument on the Starboard Side of the 'Navigation Electronics Shelf' is mounted in a DIY holder. It's made from a piece of PVC piping and a piece of Starboard material.
The new Raymarine kit includes a p70s Pilot Controller. I specifically chose the p70s rather than the p70. The format of the p70s is more closely aligned to the Garmin GMI instrument, so if I match the housing of the GMI and mount the p70s where the existing Garmin Echo Depth instrument display is (on the port side of the Navigation Electronics Shelf' ) it will add a degree of order to the shelf.
We'll have to figure out where to mount the Garmin Echo, probably below the shelf.
The new Autopilot has similar modules to the old system just a more updated / improved feature set.
Just a quick note here. The manuals suck! They don't even clearly identify all of the components of the system because they include the components of several other systems. It takes a lot of reading to figure out which parts of the manual are applicable to the system I purchased.
The Evolution system has:
- ACU 100 (The Brain)
- p70s Controller
- EV-100 Attitude Heading Reference Sensor
- Evolution Wheel Drive
- RPS - Rudder Position Sensor.
From my previous experience working on Autopilots, the wiring has been an issue, particularly when the wiring was not via a Plug and Socket, such as the Power Supply, motor connection and the SeaTalkng connection to the ACU. The wires are typically far to small to fit properly inside of a screwed connection.
Friday, July 23, 2021
Installing New Winches on Catalina 34 Pt.2
Installing New Winches on Catalina 34 Pt.2
Found washers on Amazon, $24 for 10, found them at the local Broward Bolt for just $4.50+tax. $4.82 such a deal.
- Mark the new holes
- Drill through using the guide
- Route out the plywood core around all of the holes, new and old.
- Mask off the underside of all holes
- Mix Resin and fill the holes, let it cure
- Re-drill the new holes
- Countersink the top edge of the new holes and apply butyl tape around the holes
- Apply Butyl tape around the screw heads and the base of the new winch.
- Push the bolts through, secure with the washers, spring washers, hex nuts and tighten all down.
- Cut the bolts down to length with my Dremel and secure the hex nuts with the Acorn nuts.
Saturday August 7th. 2021
Monday, July 19, 2021
Replacing the Fixed Port Windows
Replacing the Fixed Port Windows on our Catalina 34
The fixed port windows on both sides of the boat are most certainly original, so now 34 years old and are showing it.
The C34 forum has some great advice on the project to replace them.
The Port side aft window has an opening port for the bathroom and the Stbd aft window is actually split into two pieces but installed touching each other. In both cases, the new windows will be single piece and exclude the bathroom window opening.
Supplies
3M VHB 1" Tape - Amazon
Dow Corning 795 Black Silicone Sealant - Grainger Industries
40 Grit Sand Paper
Acetone
1/4" Acrylic 4 pieces
Prospect Plexiglas Plastics https://goo.gl/maps/XZKJo1M8mxR9rmAz6
836 NE 44th St, Oakland Park, FL 33334
19545646820
- Port Side Forward 39x9 appx
- Port Side Aft 40x9 appx
- Stbd Side Forward 39x9 appx
- Stbd Side Aft 40x9 appx
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Image showing Catalina 30 Window Install |
The pic above shows the way that the windows are installed on another Catalina model. The concept is the same. However, my install will follow the concept shown by Andy of Boatworks Today (Here's a link to his video online)
Plan is to do this job with a fellow Catalina 34 owner that keeps his boat about 1/4 mile from where we keep ours.
- Make cardboard template of each window (that's 8 templates for 2 boats)
- Get replacement windows made at the Plastics company
- Prepare new windows
- Trim 1" of protective cover from inside of windows
- Wipe rims with alcohol
- Fix (glue) temporary handle to outside of window for placement control
- Remove the old windows (have waterproof covering handy in case of rain)
- Clean window recess
- Paint inside edge with black or white paint
- Paint fiberglass segment between galley window and aft cabin window (new window will be one piece)
- Apply 3M VHB tape to outside edge of window sunken area
- Trim tape to have round edges and very close joins
- Plant window into opening on outside using the temporary handle.
- Press from outside all the way around the window edges.
- Mask off the fiberglass around the window to minimize silicone spread
- Open Dow Corning silicone crimp end with pair of snipe nose pliers
- Apply silicone around window and fair with wet finger
- Peel off masking tape on outside
- Peel off protective tape on outside
- Peel off protective tape on inside