Richard (s/v Eagle's Wings C350 #37), I have not yet seen any input to the suggested survey in this forum. Did you see any on Sailnet? It was a great idea to survey C350 owners in conjunction with Catalina's current efforts to determine the cause(s) of vibration noise on this model. Catalina is currently investigating if it is a prop issue, packing gland, cutlass bearing, cavitation, harmonic resonance, other. Any input C350 owners can provide which may assist in this effort will be forwarded to Gerry Douglas and Frank Butler at Catalina. If you are a C350 owner please advise if you have: 1. Vibration Noise Problems (Yes / No). 2. Dripless Packing Gland (Yes / No). 3. Prop Type (3 Blade, 2 Blade, Other). 4. Keel Type (Wing or Fin). 5. Boat Trim (Anything altering the fore / aft trim). Any other info you may wish to provide. Thanks, B. Dehuff C350 #116
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Bill
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Donald Conry
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John
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Blair Dehuff
Richard, Thanks for the Sailnet survey results. So far, including your input, we have a total of 10 respondents who say they have no vibration problems and 7 who say they do have vibration problems in varying degrees. I will wait another week or so for any more input which may come in, and then I will send it all to Catalina. Thanks for the offer to make a recording of the vibration noise on your boat for Catalina's information. Great idea. I can't do this myself because my boat is frozen in the marina at Lake Tahoe. (It may not thaw until sometime in April.) Your description of a "freight train" noise under the boat in chop and that the whole boat "sounds like it is coming apart" is a very apt description of what I have experienced. Also, your other comments are very much the same as what I have experienced with my boat. I'll let you know if Catalina says the are interested in hearing a recording. I really appreciate the responses from those who have taken the time to respond to the survey, and especially to Richard for suggesting the survey in the first place. I will keep everyone posted on the progress with regard to this issue and the communications from Catalina regarding their evaluation and what they plan to do about the problem. Blair Dehuff "Tahoe Dream" C350 #116
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Bill Welsch
Vibration survey
We have had our boat for 4 months here in SW Florida. We haven't experienced (knock wood) the kind of vibration issues addressed in your survey. We spent 8+ hrs motoring in the Gulf the other day, for example, hustling toward Boca Grande to make it before dark in light air and a following sea, and didnt notice any vibration. Our boat is a shoal draft wing keel, hull 142, three blade prop. Thanks for following up with the survey and for sharing the results. Bill Welsch s/V "Escapade"
We have had our boat for 4 months here in SW Florida. We haven't experienced (knock wood) the kind of vibration issues addressed in your survey. We spent 8+ hrs motoring in the Gulf the other day, for example, hustling toward Boca Grande to make it before dark in light air and a following sea, and didnt notice any vibration. Our boat is a shoal draft wing keel, hull 142, three blade prop. Thanks for following up with the survey and for sharing the results. Bill Welsch s/V "Escapade"
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Blair Dehuff
Vibration Survey
I have emailed the survey results to Catalina (to Butler/Douglas)last Friday 2/13, but no reply yet. I will wait a few more days and then follow up. Richard (s/v Eagle's Wings C350 #37), I was wondering if you had previously asked your dealer to submit a formal warranty claim to Catalina concerning the vibration problem on your boat. I realize that this is somewhat difficult, since a warranty claim is supposed to cite a defect and an estimated cost to fix it. Obviously, not knowing the actual cause of a problem precludes an estimated cost from the yard to fix it. Nevertheless, I plan to ask my dealer to submit a formal warranty claim to Catalina anyway if the survey and emails, phone calls and letters to Catalina do not produce some positive results soon. I will submit a claim for what I consider to be the most likely causes of the vibration and an estimated cost to replace ALL of these things. This will involve big $ and may get some attention at Catalina. My dealer told me that sometimes an actual warranty claim is the best way to get Catalina's attention. I have been working on this problem since last October, and I'm sure you have been trying to find solution even longer. The customer should not have to be the one to vet the problem alone on behalf of Catalina. Perhaps they are working on it, but I have not yet seen any actual evidence of this. I'd appreciate it if you have time to send me a personal email to bkdehuff@aol.com Thanks
I have emailed the survey results to Catalina (to Butler/Douglas)last Friday 2/13, but no reply yet. I will wait a few more days and then follow up. Richard (s/v Eagle's Wings C350 #37), I was wondering if you had previously asked your dealer to submit a formal warranty claim to Catalina concerning the vibration problem on your boat. I realize that this is somewhat difficult, since a warranty claim is supposed to cite a defect and an estimated cost to fix it. Obviously, not knowing the actual cause of a problem precludes an estimated cost from the yard to fix it. Nevertheless, I plan to ask my dealer to submit a formal warranty claim to Catalina anyway if the survey and emails, phone calls and letters to Catalina do not produce some positive results soon. I will submit a claim for what I consider to be the most likely causes of the vibration and an estimated cost to replace ALL of these things. This will involve big $ and may get some attention at Catalina. My dealer told me that sometimes an actual warranty claim is the best way to get Catalina's attention. I have been working on this problem since last October, and I'm sure you have been trying to find solution even longer. The customer should not have to be the one to vet the problem alone on behalf of Catalina. Perhaps they are working on it, but I have not yet seen any actual evidence of this. I'd appreciate it if you have time to send me a personal email to bkdehuff@aol.com Thanks
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Bill Welsch
Thanks and keep us posted
Blair Good luck and thanks for keeping other C 350 owners in the loop on this issue. this is very serious stuff and how Catalina handles it is crucial. Please keep us informed. Bill Welsch s/v "Escapade" (Hull 142)
Blair Good luck and thanks for keeping other C 350 owners in the loop on this issue. this is very serious stuff and how Catalina handles it is crucial. Please keep us informed. Bill Welsch s/v "Escapade" (Hull 142)
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mike
Just a thought
I was reading about this vibration problem and it sounded vary similar to the problem that show up on my 320. What it turned out to be was a loose prop strut. Seawater had infiltrated at the joint where the strut meet the hull. The strut loosened up and under certain conditons it would vibrate like hell. During a haulout for a bottom job my fiberglass guy ground out the joint and let the area dry for a month and then reglassed it. End of problem. Just like to share this with you all. There is a way to check this is to get in the water and see if you can shake the prop shaft. If you can then you either have a shot cutless bearing or a loose prop strut.
I was reading about this vibration problem and it sounded vary similar to the problem that show up on my 320. What it turned out to be was a loose prop strut. Seawater had infiltrated at the joint where the strut meet the hull. The strut loosened up and under certain conditons it would vibrate like hell. During a haulout for a bottom job my fiberglass guy ground out the joint and let the area dry for a month and then reglassed it. End of problem. Just like to share this with you all. There is a way to check this is to get in the water and see if you can shake the prop shaft. If you can then you either have a shot cutless bearing or a loose prop strut.
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Bill Osborn
Vibration Survey
1. yes 2. yes 3. 3 4. fin 5. no If its not cavitation it certainly sounds like it. AT times, it seems to be controlled by very slow throttle acceleration.
1. yes 2. yes 3. 3 4. fin 5. no If its not cavitation it certainly sounds like it. AT times, it seems to be controlled by very slow throttle acceleration.
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Blair Dehuff
Vibration Survey
Thanks for the recent additional input. I have not received a response from Catalina yet, but will keep you all posted when I do.
Thanks for the recent additional input. I have not received a response from Catalina yet, but will keep you all posted when I do.
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Blair Dehuff
Vibration Survey Response from Catalina
Jerry Douglas of Catalina is asking for more info on C350's which have vibration problems. He would like to know as much as possible about the age and condition of the boats involved. I told him I would try to get hull numbers from the respondents who have vibration problems with their boats. Mine is hull number 116. So far, I know the hull number of only 1 other boat with this problem. However, at least 6 other respondents to the survey in this forum indicated significant vibration problems. There were others on Sailnet as well. I will pass along to Catalina any further input in this regard appearing in this forum and on Sailnet. Gerry Douglas says Catalina is running a series of tests and experiments to determine the cause of the vibration problems. However, some boats have this problem and some do not. So, isolating the problem is not easy. Any further input he gets from us will be helpful to Catalina. Thanks
Jerry Douglas of Catalina is asking for more info on C350's which have vibration problems. He would like to know as much as possible about the age and condition of the boats involved. I told him I would try to get hull numbers from the respondents who have vibration problems with their boats. Mine is hull number 116. So far, I know the hull number of only 1 other boat with this problem. However, at least 6 other respondents to the survey in this forum indicated significant vibration problems. There were others on Sailnet as well. I will pass along to Catalina any further input in this regard appearing in this forum and on Sailnet. Gerry Douglas says Catalina is running a series of tests and experiments to determine the cause of the vibration problems. However, some boats have this problem and some do not. So, isolating the problem is not easy. Any further input he gets from us will be helpful to Catalina. Thanks
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