Shakedown! - Tips for the new C36 Owner (or any new boat owner)
You've ordered a new boat, shipped it to your location, it's been prepped at the boatyard or dealer, and now it needs a shakedown. "A shakedown?" you ask. You have to make sure everything is installed the correctly - some of these items are the factory's responsibility - some are your boatyard's or dealer's. Makes no difference whose fault it is, really -- it's just that certain things need to be checked. This is a list of things you need to check before you leave your boatyard...
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Ok, new 36er's - here's my pass at the new boat tips- some my own, many picked up from others on the the list. Blow out the anchor locker drain. It'll get full of crud from the trip from the factory.
If the windlass isn't bedded properly, you will get water under the forward cushions of the v-berth. After a wet sail, look under the v-berth cushions. The water comes in between the teak panel under the v-berth shelf and the fiberglass lip which holds it in place.
Upper Shroud chain plate. The boats don't get rigged until they get to their destination. What I think happens is that when the upper shrouds are rigged, they pull up on the chainplates just enough to open up enough of a gap to allow water to enter and mess up the bulkheads. I caught mine after the first time it happened; the dealer rebedded the chainplate and we haven't had a leak since. Because we caught it right away, there was no permanent damage to the bulkhead.
There is a lot of fiberglass and wood dust left over in the bilge from the construction. It's worth taking some time to wipe down and vacuum it up. Also, check the water tanks for plastic shavings from drilling the access holes.
When the propane tank leaves the factory it is pressurized with air. Check with the dealer to see if they filled it with the real stuff.
The proper installation of furling line stanchion fairleads can bee seen at:
http://www.catalina36.org/does_the_furling_jam_up_on_your_.htm
If you have the Autohelm 4000 (autopilot), set the rudder gain to 2.
For winterization tips go to http://www.c36ia.com/node/724
To calibrate a Raytheon knotmeter:
* Set the knot meter to trip.
* Sail or motor between two points that you know the distance between (like two buoys)
* Zero the trip when you pass the first mark and note the distance when you reach the second.
* Do the same thing in the reverse direction.
* Average the two distances.
* The knot meter calibration factor is then calibrated
New calibration factor = (Old calibration factor) X (Actual known distance / Average measured distance)
Peter & Judy Larson
"Tesseract" C36MkII #1699
Muskegon, MI
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I have a couple of things to add to this list...
It's not much fun to get to your favorite anchorage in your new boat and find your water tanks are empty. On each of the new Catalinas I've bought, the hoses popped off the water heater and the water supply ran out. For the C36, under the dry bin in the galley, you'll find the water heater. Make sure the hoses are clamped down tightly.
I'd also check the hose clamps at the water tanks, at the macerator, and at each thru-hull. Also, on the C36 there's separate shutoffs for each of the three water tanks - keep two switched off/in reserve - and make sure you rotate which tank you're using on each trip.
Make sure the oil is topped up properly.
Check the engine coolant - on a new C36, the overflow tank is in very back of the port lazarette.
Make sure the mast boot is clamped down properly on the top of the cabin around the mast. My boatyard completely forgot to put the boot on when they dropped the mast through the cabin top (no kidding). They had to remove the just-installed standing rigging and pull the mast to make up for that mistake.
Either make plans to have professionally corrected, or correct it yourself, the compass.
Dennis Stovall
C36 #1791 "Anuqa"
Anchorage
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Get a house fan to air out boat. The resin fumes are really strong. Get plenty of boxes of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda to put in your frig and food locker. Leave them open to air out.
Make your dealer thoroughly check out your VHF radio with an output meter.
Get a plastic Ziplock bag. Get the tool you need to remove pencil zinc from heat exchanger. I have a socket rachet and the correct socket. Put a number of zincs in the bag and put them in a convient place. Check zinc once a month or until you get an idea what the life of your zinc will be. Every two years they recommend taking off the end of heat exchanger to clean it out. Read the manual!
Peter mentioned checking chain plates for leakage. My upper starboard leaked, but it was very easy to fix. Stainless bar just goes through deck. Just recalk.
Get a label maker and make labels for each line coming into cockpit. It will be very confusing at first.
Have dealer review Dutchman operation until you understand it. Center your boom. Tighten mainsheet and vang. You don't need vang when the boom is centered. Now the Dutchman lines should just be taunt. My aft line was too loose which caused aft of main to slide off the end of the boom. Also look up. The black attachments to the backstay should be directly over the Dutchman holes in the main. If not lower the whole thing down and adjust until they are properly spaced.
The Dutchman likes to flake your sail, but you have to help it at first. At the front of the mast look at the flakes. Left, Right, Left, Right etc. If not, then make them that way. And carry the flakes back to the end of the sail. When you tie the sail tie it loosly so it doesn't crunch the flakes. My son who races a lot gave me hell when he saw my crunching of the main with the the sail ties. Nice flakes. After a month the sail develops a memory and all it will need is maybe one or two tugs so all the flakes are even. Then tie loosely so it just tight enough.
Check out Peter's modifications to the sail cover on this site. Putting zippers in your sail cover will make life much simpler using the Dutchman. I took mine to a sailmaker but he wants me to mark it first.
Mark center rung on wheel with piece of tape to show you where the rudder center is. Before you leave slip center the rudder. Go one turn to one side and come back as tape can indicate full over when you think it is centered. Amazing how much easier docking will be if you know where the rudder is. (My previous boat had a tiller so this was all new to me)
Windlass is a powerful tool. Read the specs so you get the right chain and line. When taking up the anchor be careful at the end so you don't bang your furling drum with the anchor. After every use wash out windless with fresh water hose when you get back to the dock. Wash out anchor locker if chain is muddy.
Go over checklist before you leave boat. See Dennis' and my suggested list on this site. Car keys, cell phone? I can't tell you the times I have turned around to drive back to check something. Or had to walk back to get my car keys.
Bill Miller
Magic III #1901
Watch Hill, R I
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Compass Setting Instructions. This is from the instructions that came with the Ritchie SP-5:
Using known courses, charts, bouys or landmarks;
1. Head the boat north and note any error of compass reading. Turn the athwartship compensator rod until the compass reads correctly on this heading.
2. Head east by your previously determined course. Observe any error and correct by turning the fore and aft compensator rod.
3. Head south, note the number of degrees of error and correct for half of that amount. If, for example, on a known south course, the compass reads 170, turn the athwartship rod until the compass reads 175.
4. Head west and correct for half of the observed error as in step 3 by using the fore and aft compensator rod.
Peter & Judy Larson
Tesseract C36MkII #1699
Muskegon, MI
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To reset your Knotmeter on your Raymarine Instruments - If you have the manual go to page 28 and 29 as it says it better than I. Have someone else steer as you will be playing with the ST60 Speed meter. Find slack water. No tidal current. If unsure go back and forth. If SOG is the same there is no current.
"Speed" key takes you to the next screen. Use "Timer" and "Reset" key to toggle values up or down. Press "Speed" and "Trip" keys simultanously and hold for two seconds.
Screen says User CAL
Press "Speed" again two times until screen says LOG NM. Hit "speed" key one more time.
Now if SOG is available from Sea Talk then Toggle "timer" & "reset" keys so it reads SOG. Then press "speed".
If SOG is not available from Sea talk then toggle (timer and reset keys) to Cal. If you know you are going 5 knots then toggle the Cal Factor Adjust until it reads 5 knots.
Now hit Speed key. You will toggle though several screens. You can calibrate temperature if you want.
Now that you are done, Press "Speed" and "Trip" for 2 seconds to save your settings.
Now test it. In slack water check SOG from GPS against Water speed. Is it the same? If not...Do it over.
One other thing. Your paddle wheel needs to be clean. If it isn't then you must clean it.
If this works you owe me a beer!
Bill Miller
Magic III #1901
Watch Hill, R I
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On newer C36's, check the water tank cleanout openings at the top of the tanks for leaks.
As I understand it, Catalina recently began using water tanks with 5" or 6" dia inspection/cleanout access covers. The plastic cap is threaded and includes a rubber o-ring. When the tanks are filled, the bulging of the tank apparently sacrifices the seal on the access cover, leading to leakage, especially when underway in a moderate sea.
My front floorboards were covered with water on our maiden voyage (yes my bilge pump was set to auto and power was on). The area below the v-berth can accumulate approx 1-2 gallons of water before it starts flowing to the bilge, causing it to splash over the floorboard from the lower v-berth drawer.
Catalina's recommendation (via my dealer Catalina Yacht Anchorage in Marina del Rey, CA) - either drain your water tank a few gallons each time (still won't prevent leaking in my opinion), or permanently seal the inspection covers with 3M 4200(?).
I opted to have them permanently sealed, and after watching the front tank filled very slowly - and subsequently drained via a faucet - 3 times, it seems to have eliminated the problem.
Steven Jones
C36 #2164
We're always looking for more tips & suggestions to help new boat owners. Email your comments to one of the officers.