Top 10 action items to check

Jul 18, 2017
5
Catalina 30 South Freeport
I am excited to have recently purchased a 1985 C-30...
Going to be creating a punchlist to start going through the boat to get her in the water next summer. It has been sitting on the hard for 12 years, under tarp.
Curious if there is any consensus on how I should approach this task? Any typical issues I should be concerned with?
 
Jul 14, 2015
840
Catalina 30 Stillhouse Hollow Marina
Catalina smile
Compression post base
Age and condition of standing rigging and attachment plates at deck and thru decks
Working bilge pumps
Steering rigging
Batteries and charging system
Change oil and all filters
Cleaning fuel tank for algea growth
Change transmission oil
Condition of thru hulls
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
The engine would be number one on my list. If it's frozen after 12 years you may have to pull it
Thru hulls should probably just be written off and replaced. Otherwise I'll defer to Catalina 30 owners. John has a good list.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Any rubber seal or gasket will be suspect after that long of a time without use. Also pump bellows, impellers, etc.
 
Oct 5, 2008
28
catalina 30mkii alameda ca
I hope you had a survey performed on the vessel. Any good surveyor and survey would /should list all or most of the talking points conveyed above, and then some. Good luck and congrats on your purchase. You can investigate the Catalina 34 website for a wealth of information which, in most peoples opinion, is priceless, as most of it also applies to the Catalina 30. Of equal importance to Catalina owners also is Maine Sail's website for hands on how to do repairs. Enjoy.
 
  • Like
Likes: C30Lagniappe
May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
join a Catalina International Association for your length of boat -- you should get the MainSheet mag with your membership and most of the associations have special web pages for members. Catalina30.com I can assure you that most any problem on your boat has occurred to someone else, there is usually a wealth of info, technical libraries, publications, manuals....
+1 on Stu's C34 Site - lots of info that is directly applicable to Bigger and Smaller boats.

Les
 
Jul 18, 2017
5
Catalina 30 South Freeport
Thank you everyone for your contributions. I took delivery yesterday. I think I should have named it top 100 action items.... punch lists always get bigger before getting smaller though. Still very excited!
 
Jul 6, 2013
221
Catalina 30TR, Atomic 4 2480 Milwaukee
David - I think our boats are worthy of your excitement. We'ew fortunate that their is a wealth of information available to us. I recommend buying the owner's manual from Catalina Direct. It helps me a lot to see drawings and specs for the various systems.
Here's how I prioritized things when I bought my boat:
1. Cleaning inside and out.
2. Water worthiness (all the throughholes, hull condition, etc.)
3. Propulsion (engine and steering)
4. Sailing (sails and rigging)
5. Amenities
 
  • Like
Likes: David Kelsh
Dec 2, 1997
8,709
- - LIttle Rock
Surprised no one has mentioned the plumbing--fresh water and sanitation. Water pump needs to work....water tank needs to be sound as well as clean, so do does the piping. Toilet needs to work (it'll cost more to replace all the rubber parts in it than to replace the pump). Holding tank is most likely plastic from Ronco...they've supplied Catalina's water and waste tanks for decades, so they're are top quality, likely ok. However, 10 years is the average working life for any hose--water, waste, exhaust, fuel etc....after sitting for 12 years, they all have to be so hard and brittle by now that all of 'em will have to be replaced. The fresh water and sanitation systems should be at the top of the list to get into working order because you'll need both to be able to stay on the boat to work on everything else once it goes into the water.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Peggy, who would want to steal your thunder.... You are the queen of plumbing and your help is always appreciated. The new guy must read your message as no one else can do it as well...
 
May 7, 2011
281
C - 30 # 3573 Lake NormanNC formerly Bflo NY
Dave

C'mon over and look at the C34 engine topics. I presume you have an M-25XP? or an M-25?

add-
- Engine harness issues
- Proper over-current protection on the battery bank and harness
- Check if the wood mast base in the bilge, it's probably rotted. Is there a crack in the bulkhead next to the compression post? Head door uneven, not closing?
- Wood in the keel buss -- it rots and contributes to the Catalina smile.
- Integrity of the keel joint -- 1/2 or so of mine toast and had to pull the keel to rebed it.

ken