Luna, The Story of a Forgotten Catalina 30.

[mikeracca]

This is the story of my Catalina 30 I named Luna. Here you will find my progress of bringing a boat, forgotten by the family of her previous owner after his passing, back to life and sailing the Puget Sound and beyond. Sit back and enjoy, comments and critiques are always welcome.

Hey everyone! Mike here, I just jumped into the Catalina pool with the purchase of a 1979 Catalina 30. I am going to call her Luna. She needs help… Thankfully a few months ago she found me… or did I find her… either way I bought her yesterday! Her previous owner passed away in about 2007 and she has just been sitting at the marina ever since. She has moss on her decks, and I’m talking fuzzy moss like what you see in a forest! Her running rig is worthless, but it’s all still there so I can easily replace it with new ropes. Her sails are in good condition, the jib/Genoa are in bags inside and the main has been kept in a sail bag on the boom. From what I can see the sailbag has done a great job protecting the sail, but the bag needs to be replaced.

Now you may be wondering why buy a boat in this condition…

Well the interior is actually in pretty good shape overall. Someone did steal her shore power cable and left the hatch open when we had some pretty good rains a few weeks ago so she has a bit of water inside now, but I will get that pumped out this week sometime. None of the cushions got wet so we are good to go there. It looks like we have everything we need to go sailing… well almost, I need to do a lot of scraping the hull, get her hauled out and cleaned/painted.

I do have a couple of questions for all of you guys out there. i have a little lever coming out of the cockpit sea directly behind the helm that appears to be a pump of some sort… what is it? Where can a get a nut for the helm wheel and also a new compass for the helm?

Here are a couple of pics of Luna.

 

[Roland5048]

i have a little lever coming out of the cockpit sea directly behind the helm that appears to be a pump of some sort… what is it?

Most likely a manual bilge pump. There should be a hose attached that runs to or close to the bilge.

 

[mikeracca]

Most likely a manual bilge pump. There should be a hose attached that runs to or close to the bilge.

There is a hose that runs to the outside of the boat, the other side runs around the port side then disappears. I will try to look a bit deeper to see where the other side goes. I wasn’t sure if it was a bilge pump or a prime pump for the coolong system.

 

[Dave Groshong]

I am happy to help with running rigging:

Running rigging

Running rigging

shop.catalinaowners.com

 

[mikeracca]

I am happy to help with running rigging:

Running rigging

Running rigging

shop.catalinaowners.com

I may take you up on that offer if you are willing to come to Tacoma!

 

[Stu Jackson]

Mike, glad you found us here. These links might help you with boat-specific issues, too:

Catalina 30 Groups Link

Subscribe at the web forum:

Catalina30 groups.io Group
*All things Catalina 30 and 309! Sponsored by the International Catalina 30 Assn IC30A. FAQs, Q&A, comments, and experiences especially fixes and modifications invited. Share with over 2200 other owners. Website catalina30.com* *Please join the International Catalina 30 Association.

or by sending an email to:
Catalina30+subscribe@groups.io

This comes from this sbo thread by weekendrken:

1992 Catalina 30

Also: www.catalina30.com

 

[Stu Jackson]

Mike, Santa got me one of these. We get green growth, too, up here!

20V Power Share 4.0Ah Hydroshot Portable Power Cleaner

The Hydroshot from WORX is a the leading power cleaner on the market. The WG620 20V Hydroshot sprays up to 320 PSI for easy outdoor cleaning. Shop today.

www.worx.com

 

[mikeracca]

Mike, Santa got me one of these. We get green growth, too, up here!

20V Power Share 4.0Ah Hydroshot Portable Power Cleaner

The Hydroshot from WORX is a the leading power cleaner on the market. The WG620 20V Hydroshot sprays up to 320 PSI for easy outdoor cleaning. Shop today.

www.worx.com

Thanks for the link… I’m gonna try my 3600 Psi pressure washer and simple green first. The Marina has a small list of approved cleaners and Simple green is on the list and one of my favorites. It did wonders cleaning moss off my MacGregor 25 last year.

 

[jssailem]

Hi Mike. Welcome to the SBO Forum. Congrats on you hooking up with a boat that appears to need some tender loving care.

A word of caution. Power washing a boat can be risky. High power sprays can take off the scum but they also can damage the deck, wash away the caulking keeping the drips out side the hull, destroy lines (ropes) and the attached blocks.

The less powerful washers take a bit longer but are kinder on the deck. Unlike a concrete driveway, the deck on a boat can suffer damage from a high pressure spray. The safest approach I have found is to go barefoot on the deck with a bucket of soapy water and a soft brush. Not a winter task in the next few weeks as winter is not yet over. Once you give her a good soap rubdown (with biodegradable approved soap) a good spray with the hose will revel the hull and deck hiding beneath.

 

[Stu Jackson]

John's caution is well placed. Although every single "Should I use a pressure washer on my boat?" thread I've ever read says what John just did. Of course they do, and of course before anyone uses one, it behooves the operator to figure out how it works and what pressure makes sense. Like drilling holes, I start out small and work my way up, 'cuz a too big hole is useless.

In this case, the Worx washer I learned about in a thread of that name on Cruisers Forum. This is a portable unit, with a built in rechargeable battery, like the weed whacker we bought a few years ago, and much less pressure than a gas or plug-in electrical one. The nozzle has 5 different "powers", and can use either a bucket or connect to a hose (which gives higher pressure than just the bucket as a source).

John, I tried the damn bucket & soap for the last five spring-times, and my knees still hurt!

There are just some applications where it makes sense to get additional "leverage" and help. This is one of 'em.

 

[mikeracca]

I appreciate the advice on the pressure washer, and I am well versed on its use with fiberglass. I am going to try the bucket and brush method first and see what happens. I also always start with the wide fan nozzle which is the least aggressive and see what happens before I hit the big power nozzle. With the wide fan nozzle I can hit my foot from about 2 or 3 inches and it doesn’t hurt, but the narrow one hurts at 6 to 10 inches away. As for my ropes… well they are ALL getting replaced. Not because I want to do it, but because I have to. They are all rotten from moss and sun. I have some already that was going to be for my MacGregor 25, but I think I will repurpose those where they are of the correct size to Luna.

What have you guys found as a good part source for these boats? So far I have found Catalina Direct but was wondering what else is out there.

As always thank you all for the assistance.

 

[jeepbluetj]

I had a C-30 for about 8 years. They definitely are great boats. Good on ya that the sails are in usable condition. The lever is for a whale manual bilge pump that most likely no longer works. You may find a handle for it somewhere in the boat. They're easy to fix if the diaphram has ruptured, although I think I'd personally be faster bailing with a bucket.

I cleaned mine often with a 1300psi pressure washer. No damage to the deck. (At least none that wasn't already there )

Parts? The SBO store here has running rigging and generic parts, Catalina Direct for Catalina-specific parts, Garhauer for blocks/vangs/traveler type of stuff, for and everywhere else (West, Defender, etc) for generic stuff. Most everything on the boat is pretty generic or can be replaced with generic stuff. A '79 could have the A4, and for that you'd want Moyer Marine. The diesel parts are available all over. Sitting that long I'd almost guarantee the fuel is bad or at least worrisome.

My boat was a 1980 and all the mainsheet blocks and the traveler were junk. The previous owner had some sort of bizarre preventer/German mainsheet thing rigged up and it was impossible to use. Replaced it all with a kit from Garhauer (Traveler + rigid vang + all new blocks) and it was like a new boat.

 

[jssailem]

I like SBO as a source.

Before I bought from SBO, I established an account with Fisheries Supply in Fremont (north end of Lake Union). They offered discounts to boat builders. Check to see if refitting your boat will qualify.

It never hurts to consider WM. They may have just the part you need, or are running a special.

 

[mikeracca]

I got a few pics of the interior when I was out cleaning her up today. Yes there is water in my bilge, I did bail some out to get it off the floor and only in the bilge. It’s fresh water either from some leaking chain plates (found 2 that were wet) or from windows leaking, I found at least one of them. I have plenty of work to do, but that honestly is my favorite part, I love making old junk new again. I get way more satisfaction that just buying shiny. So the curtains are rotted, I need to make some new ones, the cushions are actually ok, and I have a bit of mold removal still to do. Oh and the lines on the deck were from the tape that used to hold the carpet in place. It was house carpet that was oddly overlapped and cut from many different pieces. I plan on making some patterns and cutting all weather carpet into “logical” pieces that will allow bilge access and what have you.

I think I need to learn how to sew… lol. This is the 3rd boat I currently own that needs sewing services. Well the first one has all the sewing done now, but my Bayliner Capri is all rotted and so are some of the pieces of this boat. At least there is a quality radio on board… I have a newer Standard Horizon radio with GPS and all that, but the one here is not bad. I don’t know if it works yet, I have not put power to the boat. I don’t like where the house batteries live, but I have not found a better location yet I need new ones of those too.

 

[rpell1@msn.com]

There is a hose that runs to the outside of the boat, the other side runs around the port side then disappears. I will try to look a bit deeper to see where the other side goes. I wasn’t sure if it was a bilge pump or a prime pump for the coolong system.

It is more likely, the manual bilge pump. Just about every Cat30 I have seen, including my previous '91 and my current '97 has that exact set-up. Look inside the locker and you will see the pump attached. The hose should run aft and exit the transom.

 

[jssailem]

A quick way to deal with the water coming in from the deck above is to go to Fisheries and get one of their plastic tarps. I have found they sell good tarps at favorable prices in white. You can go for a cheap get you by for a couple months tarp at the box stores - Blue, Grey, Brown, or Camo.

This will reduce the ingress of water.

Second, pick up a decent dehydrator at the box store. They even come with a pump to push water up and out of the boat. Since I installed one in my boat I have beat the PacificNW winter interior mold issue.

Next fix would be an automatic bilge pump.

 

[mikeracca]

Bought a pump last night, it should be here Sunday or Monday, a new switch since I have no clue on the health of the current switch and also about 15 feet of 1” hose which is perfect for the diameter of the pump outlet. I got a Rule 2000 gph pump to replace the 1500 that lived in my boat before. I powered up the old pump and it does turn, but it turns really slow and I doubt it would push any water like that. So Monday I’m going to go and see what I can do with the water ingress and move more garbage and mold off the boat.

 

[jssailem]

Slow turning pump

• Low voltage from battery
• stuff fouling the pump
• stuff fouling the intake hose.

Or a little of all of it.

Always nice to start fresh. Check the battery.

 

[mikeracca]

Slow turning pump

• Low voltage from battery
• stuff fouling the pump
• stuff fouling the intake hose.

Or a little of all of it.

Always nice to start fresh. Check the battery.

Battery was good and healthy pump was out of the water, and the impeller is even difficult to turn by hand as well. The motor is still sealed as far as I could tell. So I chalking it up to been sitting too long and time has taken its toll. For $120 I have a new pump and a few $$ more a new hose. I didn’t have a multi meter with me to test the float switch, but I got new there as well, just to be safe. If the float switch turns out to be good still I may use it for a high water alarm if I don’t just go solid state on that part.

 

[mikeracca]

Well what would a day at the boat be without some adventure… so remember the bilge pump I ordered… the 12v Rule 2000… well I got a 24v Rule 2000… that does me absolutely no good with my boat, nor the fact that I only brought 1 12v battery with me… GRRRR. So a phone call to the place I ordered from and they are sending me another pump, hopefully 12v this time. As for the 24v I was told I could still use it to see if it would empty my bilge. So I tried. And with 12v it would only lift water to the top rung of the ladder in a 1” hose… kinda figured it would be something like that. But lucky me, there was a 3 gallon bucket left on board by someone so I just used the pump to fill the bucket then dumped the bucket into the cockpit. It should have taken 20 minutes to do the whole job, but reality set in at almost 2 hours. Oh well.

2 more bags of garbage came out, a bit of simple green to clean things up a little bit and I’m making progress.

No pics tonight, as it doesn’t really look much different, maybe a bit less cluttered and now only 1/2” of water in the bilge.