We have a 1978 Catalina. I can't remember the hull number, but it was mfg. just before the model change in December, 1978. The electrical panel is located over the icebox. We want to move it over to the chart table. Trying to help my husband, I thought that I could call Catalina and get a wiring schematic or possibly even a wiring harness. In the past, everyone that I have talked to at Catalina has always been more than helpful. Today was a differrent story. The guy I talked to was rather arrogant and flippant. He made me feel like an idiot for thinking that they might still have something that old. I told him that the configuration of the interior hasn't changed that much so there should be some kind of schematic for a newer boat. He found a schematic from 1991 and said he would email it to me, I haven't received it yet. I have done some searching on-line and have seen pictures of what looked like a 1978 model with the electrical panel over the chart table. Has anyone gone through this process and can offer some advice?
Re-Wiring
- Thread starter windcat
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I just looked through the C30 section of this website
Try this for contacting someone with a pm: http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=147897
It's three pages, might have something for you. You could look in there, further back, I only got as far as page 8.
There's also the C30 Association website www.catalina30.com
What you're looking for is the basic boat wiring diagram, which should be in the manual. You should be able to download a manual from somewhere on the internet for this very popular boat.
Good luck.
Try this for contacting someone with a pm: http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=147897
It's three pages, might have something for you. You could look in there, further back, I only got as far as page 8.
There's also the C30 Association website www.catalina30.com
What you're looking for is the basic boat wiring diagram, which should be in the manual. You should be able to download a manual from somewhere on the internet for this very popular boat.
Good luck.
I'd suggest ignoring how the factory wired the boat (not Catalina specifically, my opinion bridges all manufacturers). You can do much better yourself. Besides, at 35 years of age it's probably due anyway. Concealment takes a little ingenuity but it's all possible.
+1, specifically in this vintage!
Decide what you want, need or must have then simply rip the old out and start new. Catalina buried much of the wiring in areas you will never be able to access without the Jaws of Life so it is usually best just to start new. The original wiring in that vintage was:
*Chronically undersized
*Non-tinned
*Of poor quality to begin with
Usually on boats of this vintage you'll need:
All new heavy gauge battery cables & often a new battery switch
New DC panel or AC/DC if you need AC
New busbars
Battery bank fusing
All new mid gauge wiring for instruments, lights, stereo, VHF etc. etc...
One other thing:
Document your work as you go. When you're done you'll have a better diagram than you could ever hope for from the factory and it will be tailored specifically to your boat. See attachment.
Every time I add something I update the drawing or make an addendum drawing.
Document your work as you go. When you're done you'll have a better diagram than you could ever hope for from the factory and it will be tailored specifically to your boat. See attachment.
Every time I add something I update the drawing or make an addendum drawing.
I moved mine over the chart table (76 C30). I used all new wiring, lights, etc and abandoned all of the old wiring. When Catalina built the boat, they buried the wires between the deck and the headliner, which makes them impossible to access. I hid the wires behind the stiffeners on either side of the boat and tied them up with zip ties. Probably not ideal, but I didn't have to cut into the boat to hide the wires.
I highly recommend fixing the mast wiring by adding a "drip hood" for the wires to enter the hull. Catalina simply drilled a hole, stuffed the wires through, then gobbed in bunches of sealant that will have failed by now, allowing rain or wash water to run down the compression post and into the bilge. This could lead to post rot or constant filling of the bilge.
I highly recommend fixing the mast wiring by adding a "drip hood" for the wires to enter the hull. Catalina simply drilled a hole, stuffed the wires through, then gobbed in bunches of sealant that will have failed by now, allowing rain or wash water to run down the compression post and into the bilge. This could lead to post rot or constant filling of the bilge.
I have been looking for this schematic, too. Found some info., but my problem is there have been changes to the circuitry made by the previous owners. I also want to make some changes but am afraid to start for fear I will compound the problem without a current schematic.
rg,
What I suggest, similar to Maine Sail's approach, is to plan ahead and start step-by-step.
When we bought our boat, we had the owner's manual and an 8 1/2 x 11 single page from the PO for the electrical system. I traced it out in real life, following the wires from point-to-point, and found some glaring inconsistencies in what he had drawn. I made the corrections and have been keeping up my own wiring diagrams from then on.
Point being, you shouldn't be deterred from making improvements because of the lack of a schematic. Why? Because you can probably get one off the internet. For instance, almost all Catalinas were built pretty much the same in any given decade or so. So, if you can't find a C30 wiring diagram from a Catalina 30 manual, then you might want to try using our C34 manual, 'cuz the stuff is all the same, only the locations change.
Here's our manual: http://www.c34.org/manuals/1988/1988-C34-Owners.pdf
And really, it is NOT that hard. Why? Because I knew nothing about boat electrical systems when we bought our 1986 boat in 1998. But I spent the time tracing wires and using boating electrical books to figure it out.
The batteries provide the power to the 1-2-B switch, and the switch powers the distribution panel which has either fuses & switches or breakers on the positive wires, with the positive wires to the appliances (pumps, lights, etc.) and a ground wire from each back to the panel.
You can also feel free to wander around this post:
Electrical Systems 101 http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5977.0.html
It might save you buying a book and includes a lot of links to Maine Sail's electrical articles on this website. We recommend Charlie Wing's book as a good start.
You should reconsider waiting until you find a schematic, 'cuz we all recommend you draw your own anyway.
Good luck.
Super advise and assistance! Thanks. When I "open the hood", I see some wiring that has been snipped but not terminated and that is why I believe there have been changes made to the as delivered boat (duh). I believe I will carefully remove these "wires" as recommended by the surveyor and start a schematic. I tend to 'overthink" these things so I am trying not to...keep it to basics.
I guess that I wasn't specific enough about the rewiring. We are pulling everything out and replacing with new. The current electrical panel is in the galley above the ice box on the port side. We want to put a new panel over the nav station on the starboard side. We also want to move the batteries over to the starboard as well. We are trying to figure out how to route the wires from the cockpit (port side) down to the engine, then over to the new Nav station on the starboard side. Our fuel tank is under the aft berth and there is space there, but we are not sure how safe this would be.We are also trying to determine if there is any void that runs between the engine and the nav table. We did receive a wiring diagram of a newer boat which shows wires running in this location. This doesn't seem to be an avenue in our boat though.
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