Best Project

Oct 3, 2011
825
Anam Cara Catalina 310 Hull #155 155 Lake Erie/Catawba Island
Looking back at the past year and forward to the next as an opportunity- What was the best project/fix you have done to your boat over the past year.
Ours was adding the access hatch to the port lazarette through the head-made a big difference.
 
Nov 6, 2006
9,884
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Replacing the lenses on 4 Bowmar hatches.. amazing how I can see through them now!
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Updating the flatscreen TV and stereo rates up there, but my favorite project so far was completing MainSail's steps on cleaning and polishing the hull. What a difference it made. I have several projects in work right now. Weather permitting.
 
Oct 26, 2008
6,041
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
The project that I didn't complete this season due to sailing getting in the way. I attempted to add a hot/cold, pressurized water system. I only got about half the project completed and hope to finish during the offseason ... I'm going to upgrade my electrical panel in the process.
 

DaveJ

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Apr 2, 2013
449
Catalina 310 Niagara-on-the-Lake
Every year I try to do something to make sailing easier/more enjoyable. The folding wheel I put on this spring has really opened up the cockpit, even though the 310 has an enormous amount of room for the size of the boat. Entertaining at the dock or on the hook is as much about sailing (for me) as throwing out the Asym....last years addition!

Cheers
 
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May 24, 2004
7,129
CC 30 South Florida
Why limit the question to the past year? One of my all time best improvements was adding a helm chair.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
I started a spreadsheet (I'm and IT guy) when we bought Bella last year. I carried over whatever items I had from the previous owner. I keep maintenance, repairs and upgrades and the MM/YY I did them. I have them grouped in seven distinct categories. I have a separate worksheet with just purchased parts. Where I got them, part numbers, cost etc. Some projects are repeatable so I have what I need to do them again.
 

Apex

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Jun 19, 2013
1,197
C&C 30 Elk Rapids
replaced the old windows with new frameless acrylic. Just like Koudie, amazing how much you can see.
 
Jan 4, 2006
6,444
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
Not last year, but the best project of all time was installing a Balmar ARS-5 external alternator regulator. The improvement to the house battery capacity was like adding another two batteries.
 

gpd955

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Feb 22, 2006
1,164
Catalina 310 Cape May, NJ
Added Zarcor companionway doors. That's about it. Had a strange year and changed marinas so didn't do much work. Have a nice long to do list for the next few years though.....as I'm sure all of you do as well!
 

KZW

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May 17, 2014
831
Catalina 310 #307 Bluewater Bay, FL
In the last 18 months:
- Replaced 2x4D batteries with 4x6V golf cart batteries, increasing capacity by 26%
-- Will add a dedicated starting battery one of these days
- Computer charger for the new batteries
- Whisker pole
- Asym Spin
- Replaced port light over stove
- New bottom paint
- RR’d autopilot belt
- RR’d bilge pump
- Replaced Genoa furling line
- Replaced mainsail furling line
- Removed WC Headmate and replaced with Raritan II
- This weekend will plumb Raritan for freshwater flush, parts in hand
- Last year ditched Sherwood raw water pump and installed Oberdorfer

Next year:
- New main sail (current one is 16 yrs old and showing its age)
- Replace fixed Boom Vang with an adjustable one

Maybe the year after that:
- Folding propeller

BOAT is an acronym = Bring On Another Thousand!
 
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Oct 3, 2011
825
Anam Cara Catalina 310 Hull #155 155 Lake Erie/Catawba Island
WOW! KZW You surely win the prize for the most work so far!, We replaced our headsail last year with a North Sail-Main is still fine, and we have our NEW Oberdorfer waiting until spring to be installed. We have already replaced lights with LED including interior (Red/White-Cruising Solutions) Our running rigging and are going to get a new Bimini in the spring also.
We have also previously bought a new Manson Supreme Anchor and added chain to what we already have. I am torn about the folding prop. Also hoping the 4D batteries continue to hold on! :)
 

KZW

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May 17, 2014
831
Catalina 310 #307 Bluewater Bay, FL
Oh, yes LEDs. Forgot about them. I replaced all the cabin lights (excepting the red/white ones), the running lights, and anchor light with LEDs. They use next to nothing for power, and run much cooler than the incandescents, which is important in Florida heat. I've not yet replaced the deck light as the bulb is only a year old.

I do monthly maintenance the first weekend of every month. Checking water levels in the batteries is on the list. The charger is always on with shore power in the slip. The two 4Ds were just fine. They were 3 and 4 years old, respectively. A week later, all the water had boiled out of them and the charger was trying to charge them up. I'm thinking I was lucky there wasn't a fire. After that, I wouldn't trust the OEM charger, so the computer charger was installed with the new batteries, including a temperature sensor.

I'm not a mechanic by any means. The information on this forum is invaluable.
 

HMT2

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Mar 20, 2014
899
Hunter 31 828 Shoreacres, TX
This year....three way tie, replacing with new 2/3 and refinishing the rest of the sole in the cabin, adding a N2K network and putting in a new VHF with AIS, finally getting a new auto pilot that talks to chart plotter.
 
May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
installing the under deck autopilot.. Redoing windows on port side is a close second.
 
Oct 3, 2011
825
Anam Cara Catalina 310 Hull #155 155 Lake Erie/Catawba Island
OOOPS, I forgot I added new speakers under the perch seats and a new stereo receiver also. Also added a bilge pump switch again-re-replacement.
Like KZW said "BREAK OUT ANOTHER THOUSAND"
we are in fresh water and have GEL Batteries and we stay plugged in most of the time.