C-27 Refit/Refurb

Feb 26, 2004
22,760
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
The sub's a very good idea! We had some old Radio Shack small speakers for our stereo that worked fine for years, but were missing the bass end. A powered subwoofer from Crutchfield really made things so much better.

Now I shy away from TV on board, but like I always say: your boat, your choice.

That said, I thank respondent RECESS on this board for getting me a Captain Ron CD which I watched on my laptop last week.

What would be interesting to many folks here is what specific TV model you chose to buy and how the equipment works for you.

Happy tunes and videos.

Phil, for your "living thread" on your updates, have you considered a blog or maybe the Owner's Upgrades section of this website?
 
Dec 11, 2008
1,338
catalina C27 stillwater
More Power!

A sub will be good. I have access to some proprietary amplification technology here at Kicker where I work. One of our OEM amplifiers has a max current draw of around, (only) 30 amps, yet has a 1-ohm stable 100 watt subwoofer amp section and 4 40-watt fullrange amp sections. It is a programmable amp; I can go in and define gain, crossover, phase, EQ and compression for each channel. I can also mix inputs for each channel, just in case I have that need. The head unit to drive it is one of the Sony 12-volt DVD (MEX-DV2000) players and it has surround sound, I think. If not I can mix a rear surround sound signal in the amplifier.

The TV I chose was the Skyworth SLC-1971A. It has a 720p HD resolution, is 12 volts and has a DVD player built in. I have read good things about the Skyworth product, and while one of the new players out there, they seem to be more stable and entrenched than some of the other new brands that have popped up. They have a marine TV, but for my needs the non-marinized version will work. I have not fired it up yet, but might do so jsut to get a feel for control, ease of operation and overall picture quality.


As for OWNERS UPGRADES, where is that section of this website?
 
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gdanza

.
Sep 30, 2009
75
Catalina 22 Visalia, Ca
Phil, I have a (prolly stupid) question, but, after the new galley (like people use galleys' theses days), what was the use of the space under the port cockpit used for before, and what are you going to do with it now? It looks like from one or two of your pics that there is space under the deck of the cockpit, as there is light shining from under there... will you have access from inside the cabin, or just through the bench seats?
Just wondering....
have fun, that looks like a great project for the winter.
 
Dec 11, 2008
1,338
catalina C27 stillwater
Phil, I have a (prolly stupid) question, but, after the new galley (like people use galleys' theses days), what was the use of the space under the port cockpit used for before, and what are you going to do with it now? It looks like from one or two of your pics that there is space under the deck of the cockpit, as there is light shining from under there... will you have access from inside the cabin, or just through the bench seats?
Just wondering....
have fun, that looks like a great project for the winter.
Not a stupid question at all! I don't know what the PO did with that space, but let me tell you, when removing the galley it opened up a ton amount of space in the boat. That cavity back there is HUGE! I am not sure what I am going to do with it yet.

In some models that space was a nice large quarter berth. On others like mine it is storage accessible only from the cockpit, (with the galley installed). I will tell you I personally am going down the direction, (at the moment) of sealing that space back up from the interior and installing the cabinet and flat screen on the replacement wall, despite the fact it would be REALLLY nice to have access from the boat interior. My reasoning is that storage on a boat is king, and it is just my wife and myself. I don't need the extra berth and I for sure do not need the expense of foam and uphiolstery to make it a usable part of the interior.

As I type this, I realize I have an opportunity to move the new "wet bar' forward to the chainplate bulkhead rather than in the stock galley location. This would allow me to maybe install some sort of door or passageway that could be easily opened to gain acces to that space from the interior. That is something maybe to consider.

I see it as a prime storage locaiton for fenders, unused sails, and other items that might need accessed only occasionally but should not be too hard to get to while short-handed. To that end, I will retain the cockpit acccess. That will probably be the main use for it while the boat is in my care. One needs to be careful not to stuff it though; as we have both seen there is a lot of storage there, and I can see it would be easy to get enough stuff in there that the boat did not sit on her lines....
 

gdanza

.
Sep 30, 2009
75
Catalina 22 Visalia, Ca
Thanks! I am on my first dry boat, and don't think I will just go for 3 foot increase next time.... I agree, storage is prime, and I like scuba... that stuff takes up space and is heavy! I always look for a place to store tanks and suits. Not much room for that on my 22... and my wife won't let me take this one to the deep blue sea... so... in a couple of years, I may find myself a little project like yours. One of the 4 is now out of the house, and when 2 more graduate, I will have some more dough to throw into a bigger hole in the water. Keep us posted on your mods! This is great!!!
 
Dec 11, 2008
1,338
catalina C27 stillwater
A few pics this morning. Not many, it was Homecoming for OK State, and we were busy with gameday festivities Saturday.

Attached are a few pics of the "mini-tiller" I made from the tired old tiller from the boat. The boat came with both a brand-new laminated tiller and the tired old one. I wanted to have a small tiller handle for light wind days, for days when I am using the tiller pilot a large amount, or for days when we are entertaining a larger number of poeple in the cockpit. A big long tiller whacking unsuspecting guests aboard is often not fun.

Also, coat 4 on the companionway hatch boards. You see a little dust in there, but I have one more build coat, (coat 5) after which I will do one more knock-down 320 grit sanding. Then I will move to a properly set up clean room for the final coat, with hopefully no junk to mar the oterwise glass-smooth finsh.

Finally a few pics of my efforts at the wet bar area. I have some 13-ply birch plywood I am using for the surface. It will be sealed in a layer of resin and then covered with white Formica. I had to further modify the old galley base to work with the dimensions I had laid out; specifically I have to remove the drawer guides and slides, moving that step recess back about 3 inches. Put another way, I left the drawer in the "corner" defined by the fiberglass cabin liner, and brought the rest of the cabinet base and the birch ply counter top out 3 inches. The galley base, in it original weathered faded scratched and dinged condition is not that attractive. I am looking at maybe trying a wood faux finish under varnish, but am skeptical. I will probably wrap the base in Formica matching the top. I carefully removed the old fiddle railing from the original galley, and will probably use that as a contrasting natural wood accent to bring the wood look back to the area.

For all of this, I am finding that even cutting oversized and slowly creeping up on final dimensions may still leave you needing to make another part. I should have considered some sort of cheap pattern material, but as I type this I realize cheap plywood would be warped and cardboard would not be stiff enough, so I may be on the right path anyway. If you look closely at the vertical back on top of the bar countertop, you will see that in my desired final location there is an open gap to the top. I need to use this piece as a pattern, and make another part that goes higher, fully behind the fiberglass headliner skirt. I also need to go to the aft port corner of the countertop and figure out a suitable method of supporting it. In the pics that back corner is unsupported, as was found with the stock counterop. That is not proper carpentry in my opinion.

Finally, I am also learning that even surfaces that you might be trying to use as a "horizontal reference" often aren't. I am going to play around with the trailer and supports and see if I can get the boat sitting level in a horizontal plane with respect to the "natural" waterline, ( the slight stain line on the boat from when she was last in the water). Doing so will make a carpenter's level relevant. Right now it is worthless.
 

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Dec 11, 2008
1,338
catalina C27 stillwater
Quick photo-render of a white formica base vs. serious try at a faux-finish base that appears like wood.

I know it will be work, but the white base does not look "Catalina" to me.
I will try to see if I Can stain and fool teh base into looking like wood. If not, I am going to go get the proper lumber and re-build the base to have a nice properly stained wood finish. White doesn't cut it.... I think readers here will agree.
 

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caguy

.
Sep 22, 2006
4,004
Catalina, Luger C-27, Adventure 30 Marina del Rey
I own one but havenlt had it out yet. The one that I did sail had a regular tiller and with just a moderate amt of wind there seemed to be quite a bit of weather helm. Granted it was crowded with 6 people in the cockpit and no one else wanted to steer, so when we tacked I was on the lee side and pushing the tiller was tiring. I also shortened the tiller on my Mac25 but only about a foot. Do you have a quick way of changing the
tillers out?
Do you have a cover for your companion hatch door? The PO
on my boat had a cover that snaps on over the cabin roof and down the hatch. I think that has kept the hatch in great condition. When I remake it I may consider making it larger to cover the rest of the wood trim. I'll also make a couple of cover for the wooden grab rails as well and secure them with velcro. I'd hate to have all my hard work get ruined in the sun.
I finished the portside cabin cushion and back rest yesterday and nearly finished the starboard one, it just needs the zipper put in.
BTW I found a great place for zippers by the yard. You can buy online for a $1.15/yd for #5. Pulls are .15 each. I bought 20 yds and a dozen pulls. I drove down and picked them up because the checkout program wanted to charge me $30 for shipping. I asked the girl who rung me up about that and she said that shipping is readjusted when she fills the order. She said thatshipping is generally $5. The quality is excellent and the price is wholesale. There was no hassle about a resale number I just paid the tax. The name I Ucan zipper. I am not affiliated. Just wanted to share a good company and nice people with you and others.
Keep up the good work.
 

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Dec 11, 2008
1,338
catalina C27 stillwater
Quick update:

I got the new "backsplash board" fitted last night, and firmed up and leveled the counter base, with support now fully on all 4 sides of the counter top. I also got started on an upper cabinet. Interesting note: If even your boat is not level, you tan take a reference bubble reading from your companionway base. A level that allows you to tilt your spirit bubble is a real plus.

Lesson of the evening: Cutting these compound cuts is harder than installing crown molding.

The pics show some pretty good work, and some not so good work. The parts are just bradded together for test fitting and some of this needs tweaked. In particular I need to get ALL boards angled correctly on all sides and long enough to actually fully define a case. This will require new fillers top bottm and sides that go all the way to the next and may require re-cutting either the front or the back trapezoid frame; I am hoping not. As I look at it, I want to try to replicate the soft radius edge that is familiar territiry with the stock galley and my modified wet bar. I will likely do a glue up of blocks and take the whole asssembly to the belt sander for shaping.

My solution to get the wood look for the upper cabiner and the wet bar base as in my renders is to go acquire some veneer and laminate them. Well within my skill set...

enjoy!
 

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Feb 26, 2004
22,760
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Phil, nice work. I mighta missed it - what's to the box above going to hold?
 
Dec 11, 2008
1,338
catalina C27 stillwater
Phil, nice work. I mighta missed it - what's to the box above going to hold?
Its primary function will be to hide the back of the depth finder and knot meter, (I plan a complementary one for the other side) although one might find it holding a few pieces of drink ware, and maybe some Pussers, or some Cruzan Black Strap Sailor's Rum, (my favorite rum)... :) It will be a good storage for ignition and locker keys too.

I am debating cabinet doors, or sliding smoked acrylic panels. Cabinet doors will be easier, but will need positive latching to prevent accidental opening. The sliding smoked acrylic is more in line with the original design intent from the factory, and looks good in my renders. Your thoughts?


EDIT:
Just now studying the image, I realize that the lower edge of the upper cabinet terminates in an awkward spot. It really needs to line up with the return edge under the window, not lower or higher. Looks like I will be cutting two new frames and trying again. Oh well, wood butchering is pretty relaxing, (when it doesn't stress you out)...
 
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Dec 11, 2008
1,338
catalina C27 stillwater
Monday morning update:

Got the upper cabinet from rough prototype for fitment to a closed carcas ready for smoothing and veneering. Teak veneer is on the way to cover it. I went ahead and milled slots for sliding smoked acrylic. A little filler and a skim coat is all that is neded to have this piece prepped for veneering. I rounded the corner of the upper cabinet to mimic the radius corner of the cabinet below. Visually, I think it is right, and from a safety perspective, not having that sharp edge should prevent some vertical bruise lines on noggins... :D It will also revent damage to the veneer in my opinion; a sharp edge would be easy to crush and dent.

I also am happy enough with the fit of the shrunken galley, so I removed it from the boat and laid out and cut the sink hole, drilled the water faucet mounting, and framed out the icebox lid and mounting system. The underside of the countertop has a layer of West Systems on it for moisture resistance, and the ice box lid will get two coats on the underneath side, followed by a white coat of gel coat. The countertop and icebox lid will be white Formica.

I am going to thermoform a new icebox liner from ABS. Tonight I wil be heading to the home improvement store for some MDF. I will build the male blank, allowing room for some foam insulation on the exterior, and then take it to a thermoforming machine, either here at work or at a buddies.
 

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Dec 11, 2008
1,338
catalina C27 stillwater
Got the Formica on the wet bar and ice box lid last night. The Ice box lis is slightly recessed, as you can see at the moment. There will be a thin gasket that brings it up flush with the countertop on final assembly. The rough looking edges around the flush ring are actually just spots of contact cement. When cleaned, I will put a VERY THIN bead of 3M4000 or similar, but the seam between the flush ring and the formica is pretty straight and uniform. Theflush ring is recessed so its flange and the surface of the lid's Formica are the same height.

I also finished rough shaping for the replacement fiddle rail. 'Looks like I am going to re-use the stock radius corner from the original galley countertop, but replace the straight sections with all new material... The replacement fiddle material came out of a 1963 Chris Craft Cavalier I took apart several years ago. The hull had bad rot but the structural timbers were good. I have used a lot of that old boat on various other boats over the years. It is what Chris Craft called "Phillipine Mahogany" and not the real stuff, but it stains up pretty close to teak, so with a little craftiness, there should be no visible difference on the fiddle rail.
 

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Dec 11, 2008
1,338
catalina C27 stillwater
Fiddle Rails Installed

Got busy with a little glue and a plug cutter last night. I trimmed the donor mahogany fiddles I milled and installed them with the stock corner fiddle piece, then plugged.

After dinner I trimmed the plugs and gave the whole thing a second coat of filler stain.

Cosmetically, the cabinet base was in pretty bad shape. The old fake wood veneer is faded badly, and has some battle scars, but darn it, the stuff actually takes stain! there was a little bit of faux finishing technique involved in levelling out the color, but I thought I would try. Before I go to the pain of veneering I am going to hit this with a few coats of varnish and see how it looks. My honest opinion is that it will pass inspection, and after 4 or 5 coats, will pass inspection even up close! I have two cans of varnish, and one is tinted with a little stain, so I can use the tinted varnish to further even out the color if I choose, or decide I need to.

Progress. Slow, but steady.... I have 'til March, right? :D
 

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Dec 11, 2008
1,338
catalina C27 stillwater
Did a little work on the head remodel Saturday.... The cabinet front boards are a little loose and do not fit tightly to the bulkheads. Now that I finally have the geometry to get the left cabinet face to fit at the bottom I can pattern up a new left panel and get it tight to the forward bulkhead. I can also center up the drawers... I put them hard to the left to clear the head seat, but after trimming for length to get them to fit into the cabinet they are not long enough to hit the bowl.

I also re-installed the wet bar just briefly to see how it looked in place. This is faux stain finish with two coats of varnish. It has been curing up a week or so, and it can be block-sanded for a final varnish coat after block sanding, I think. I went ahead and ran the fiddle rail all the way aft on the counter edge next to the companionway, so I will either need to notch the fiddle, or releive the divider wall that will set down on top of it in order to alow the galley to slide in and out for maintenance and service.
 

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Dec 11, 2008
1,338
catalina C27 stillwater
Phil, nice work, as always.

What is just aft of the new galley?
If I understand you correctly, there will be a vertical wall divider just aft of the galley/wet-bar that separates the galley from the port quarter storage area. My original intent was for the TV to be mounted just above the galley on a standoff attached to the vertical wall, (as shown in rendered pics) but I am questioning that just now. It is a best location for seated enjoyment of the TV, but it is not as dry an area as can be found in other parts of the boat, such as the starboard bulkhead forward of the dinette by the compression post. Additionally, the Antenna wiring is more easily routed to points amidships, as the antenna wire will be coming down the inside of the mast.

BTW, the drawers and doors you see in the head are from a Newport 27 I recently bought for parts. The Newport is toast, the hull full of water, stained, blistered and badly oil-canned from the weight of the water in her, but the A4 is out of the boat, as was all of the interior wood, as they were removed prior to someone starting an interior refinish never completed... I will have some goodies to sell, including a mast and a bunch of lead..... :D

NO, there will be no marshmallows being cooked during that fire.... That is unless someone wants a gutted hull of an old boat for a yard ornament... In which case there will be no fire...
 
Apr 5, 2010
565
Catalina 27- 1984 Grapevine
Phil, now that you brought it up, I need to figure out how to mount an antenna on the top of the mast for TV. There is a lot of interference around marina and I hate digital TV, I scan in 14 channels at the bow and 13 different ones at the stern. I installed a new countertop last spring with oak plywood and a darker top, redoing the head next.
 
Dec 11, 2008
1,338
catalina C27 stillwater
Furtunately my mast is off the boat lying on two dollies I purposed for the task, (unused wire spool racks, on casters). I intend to run coax up the inside of the mast, and mount the Shakespeare antenna above the mast head, hopefully above the all-around white light, and forward of the windex. This is how I mountd the antenna on my C-22.

My issue is that ther mast has external wire/line halyards, and I really want to go with internal all-line halyards. To do so makes me feel a need to put antenna and lighting wriing into conduit, but that is a HUGE pain. Do we know of anyone who has wiring and halyads internal with no conduit?
 
Dec 11, 2008
1,338
catalina C27 stillwater
Last night I got the sink cut out, the drawers centered back up on the left panel, and tied everything together. It is tied to the sole through the toilet base, and it is tied to both bulkheads with some screws driven through from the outsides, capped with stainless finish washers.The toilet pulls out as a unit, and then the counter comes out as a unit. Then the toilet base comes out as well. It will take me about 5 minutes to pop everything back out...

The next step is to remove it all, re-finish the drawers insert and the door insert, and coat all of the birch plywood interior surfaces in a layer of West Systems epoxy.

Then the toilet base, the counter face, and the countertop all get a coating of white Formica. I made fiddle railing last night from some more of that old Chris Craft wood to match the galley/wetbar fiddle rails.

I am looking at either removing the bulkheads and surfacing them in white Formica, or I might consider sanding them, and then hitting them with a coat if Kilz, followed by some Petit yacht white interior semi gloss, ( I have a lot). Thoughts guys? Either seems to entail about the same amount of effort. The pro to painting is the non-removal of the bulkhead, and huffing it down the ladder. the pro to using the Formica will be the very durable uniform finish throughout.

Finally, once it is all back together, I wil be installing some short splash rails along the sides and back of the finished counter top, and a couple of molding pieces to trim out the counter face to the bulkheads. Again, a questsion, white Formica or varnished wood? I guess I can draw it up and review, but would appreciate honest comments as to preference and why.

I included an original concept pic just to see how this has evolved. I think sometimes I build better than I draw... :D

Final details will include a mirror, likely something nautical, towl ring, and a TP holder... I will leave it up to the Admiral to determine the towels colors... :)
 

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