Cockpit drainage

Apr 3, 2012
95
Catalina 309 Sydney
Our 309 always has a lot of water in the cockpit after rain, it drains away through the open transom if the boat is moving but not before I get wet feet ? Just wondering if this is a common problem or if we have weight distribution issue. The boat is on a swing mooring which maybe pulling the bow down..
 
Nov 18, 2010
2,441
Catalina 310 Hingham, MA
Sounds like your trim is off check the placement of your gear and supplies. You might have too much weight in the bow.
 
Jun 4, 2009
92
Catalina 309 Swantown Marina Olympia, WA
I don''t know what # your boat is, but several of the boats up to the middle 30's and maybe beyond had a bow down and slight port list. Mine is #20 and I had the same problem and Catalina had to add lead weights to the stern behind the aft cabin. They added 200# back there to help balance it out plus 50# behind the battery box to help with the list to port. I still get some water in the cockpit but less than 1/4" deep. The idiots that added my lead spread it out all across the stern instead more to the starboard side. If your locker is loaded with heavy items such a A/C then that can cause a port list which will also trap water on the port side. Mine would trap up to 1" of water in the forward part of the cockpit before the weights were added.
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,760
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
The 387s were like that, too.

The best weight you can add is more batteries. Lead that is NOT in a battery is just a waste of lead. :)
 
Feb 21, 2013
24
Catalina 309 Newport NSW
Our 309, hull 109, deep keel, is nose heavy. Only trims correctly with 2+ in cockpit.
We always leave the water tank empty when not in use and store heavy items in the aft end of the rear cabin. We have also considered putting in a 100 litre bladder water tank behind the rudder post.
 

Rick C

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Jun 11, 2011
8
Catalina 309 Toronto
The 387s were like that, too.

The best weight you can add is more batteries. Lead that is NOT in a battery is just a waste of lead. :)
I'll second that comment. The original purchaser of my 309 (#174) had it delivered with two 8D batteries under the starboard settee. The cockpit drains just fine and there's no port list (and I can sail for days without having recharge anything!)
 
Jun 4, 2009
92
Catalina 309 Swantown Marina Olympia, WA
Stu, I agree with you that the added weight is not the best solution and adding a larger battery would help the list situation but not the bow down problem. The C309 shares the same hull as the C310 but with a different interior layout. 309's have the head, holding tank, galley, and cockpit storage locker all on the port side. The only weight on the starboard side is the batteries, and fuel tank. 310's have a rear head on port and starboard galley and more of the weight is toward the stern which is better balanced. I think Catalina made design error and I hope they corrected it by changing the slope of the sole when they redesigned the cockpit mold for the C315. The only other way to solve the water issue without added weight would be add a drain in the low spot but that may cause problems in the aft cabin. I just use a broom to sweep the remaining water out the stern.
 
Apr 3, 2012
95
Catalina 309 Sydney
Thanks for the feed back, it seems it's not just our boat with the problem..

We Might shift the anchor chain aft for the winter and keep the fuel tank full and the water tank empty.

We might also keep a couple of 25 litre water containers behind the back cabin.
 
Nov 18, 2010
2,441
Catalina 310 Hingham, MA
Thanks for the feed back, it seems it's not just our boat with the problem..

We Might shift the anchor chain aft for the winter and keep the fuel tank full and the water tank empty.

We might also keep a couple of 25 litre water containers behind the back cabin.
How much chain do you have in the anchor locker?
 
Nov 18, 2010
2,441
Catalina 310 Hingham, MA
We have about 50 metres of chain, which is about 40 kg I think
That's more chain then that boat was designed to hold. Even our C310 can't hold that much chain without significant modifications. One 310 lowered their anchor locker by a few feet to carry that much chain. It's the main reason I am not goi g full chain on out boat.
 
Apr 3, 2012
95
Catalina 309 Sydney
We use to have only 10 metres of chain and the cockpit still filled with water.

We may go back to 10 and only put the rest on when required .

There is plenty of space in the locker, we even have the anchor stored in there because it's not allowed on the bow when racing .

We store 2 kayaks in the aft cabin which pretty much off sets the weight of the chain.
 
Nov 18, 2010
2,441
Catalina 310 Hingham, MA
Space in the locker isn't the issue. It's where the weight sits.

Call the keel the center point of balance forward and aft. The rear berth is about 7-8 feet from the point of balance and the anchor locker is about 12 feet and higher. The weight in the anchor locker will have a bigger effect. Like being on a see-saw.
 
Apr 3, 2012
95
Catalina 309 Sydney
Thanks JK
I understand the issue, as I said I'll relocate most of the chain until required and see how it goes..