Removing Aft Galley Counter Top?

[hathawayr@theleeco.com]

Hi Folks,
My wife and I are having to do a repower on hull 4082 from M25 to M25XPB. I'd like to remove or fabricate another the aft galley counter top for two reasons:
- To remove the fiddles and apply a laminate, and
- To cut a hole in the hull liner outboard of the ice chest, to increase the exhaust hose from 1-5/8" to 2" per Westerbeke's 5-year warrantee requirement.

Is this plywood glued down to the liner? I removed two screws within the storage area and the two trim pieces on the aft edges that I thought were covering more screws. Any ideas? Is this a destructive removal?

Thanks.
Rob

 

[Old Skool Neil]

Mine was not glued down, screws only but a lot may have changed in the 3400 boats between yours and mine. I found screws under the edge of the cabinet face as well as from underneath with the drawer set removed and in the aft edge accessible through the port cockpit locker. Mine was not a destructive removal. The pics are before and after, same countertop, new laminate.

 

[hathawayr@theleeco.com]

Thanks Neil; after the upside down ones into the cabinet (had to remove the stove), the set in the locker was the final trick - sneaky.

You did nice work! How did you conceal the wiring for the galley stove work light?

Rob

 

[Old Skool Neil]

You did nice work! How did you conceal the wiring for the galley stove work light?

Thank you Rob. I made fiberglass channels that run the length of the cabin on both sides. They blend in pretty well, provide wiring concealment and a mounting surface for the light fixtures.

It was a tricky project involving molds to fit the curvature of the cabinsides and camber of the deck. Also cutting the compound angles on the ends was challenging.

 

[Picflight]

Nice work Neil.

 

[Bob S]

Neil,
Every time I look at your work I'm in awe!

 

[npettett]

Beautiful interior! I have a "new to me" 1990 CAT 30 that still is getting somewhat organized and my question is: what did you use to polish the stove? Mine doesn't look bad, but not near as good as yours. Thank you!

 

[Old Skool Neil]

. . . . my question is: what did you use to polish the stove?

Bar Keeper's Friend
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Bar-Keepers-Friend-15-oz-All-Purpose-Cleaner-11584/202290251#.Uik1an_ZWSo

 

[npettett]

Thank you Neil!

 

[Stu Jackson]

- To cut a hole in the hull liner outboard of the ice chest, to increase the exhaust hose from 1-5/8" to 2" per Westerbeke's 5-year warrantee requirement.

Is this plywood glued down to the liner? I removed two screws within the storage area and the two trim pieces on the aft edges that I thought were covering more screws. Any ideas? Is this a destructive removal?

Thanks.
Rob

Rob,

The 1 5/8" is just fine. Don't waste your $$. If the hose needs to be replaced, do so, but no reason to enlarge it. Do you have a link to the Bulletin?

My recent experience underneath is that the Formica is screwed down from the bottom. F on top, screw facing up, through the fiberglass structure.

However, Paco at the factory on a Thursday afternoon may have done it differently than Marcel on a Friday at noon.

It's not that hard to shine a flashlight in & up. Have you tried that?

My boat, like most all Catalinas, had the galley sinks "BEDDED" in silicone. Yuck, but that's what you most likely have.

There was a nice post by a C30 lady owner who described her "REDO" of her contertop with some nice material. It's on my other computer, I'll go find it if you're interested.

 

[Old Skool Neil]

. . . . . increase the exhaust hose from 1-5/8" to 2" per Westerbeke's 5-year warranty requirement.

The 1 5/8" is just fine. Don't waste your $$. If the hose needs to be replaced, do so, but no reason to enlarge it.

?????
Wouldn't preserving the warranty on a marine diesel engine be reason enough?

 

[hathawayr@theleeco.com]

Hi Stu,

The hose and Vetus thru hull is already in place - the hose was a bear, but it's done for exactly Neil's point. No, I'm not sure what Bulletin you're referring to. Have a link?

The worst part of the exhaust upgrade: The two- to twelve-week lead quoted by Catalina Direct for a 2" in/out custom Aqualift, for which I was very willing to pay their custom price. Twelve-weeks' time puts us into December - that's winter here in NE. and haul out is at another yard down LI Sound. Good grief. My only option is to go with a Centek Vernalift 1500025/26. Vetus has an uncomfortable low temp limit.

No option was available at CD to expedite & assure the two-week lead. What kind of production visibility do they have to offer such a broad lead time window?! As Catalina power plants age, you'd think that more people would be encountering the M25XPB with increased 26 HP & Westerbeke's 2" warrantee requirement - and that Catalina Direct would have started carrying this beast going forward.

With the number of Westerbekes that Catalina purchased/purchases, you'd think that Catalina Yachts would aid owners in the defense of their proprietary exhaust systems' acceptable use for up to 30 HP (Yanmar?). Are Westerbeke's engineers involved in sea trials for Catalina Yachts' boats with the M25XPB and 1-5/8" hose & Aqualift, and if so, why does Westerbeke defer to a 2" requirement when it's the individual owner doing a repower? Fingers pointing everywhere, and I'm left footing the bill...

Well, I've vented; thank you, everyone! Honestly, we love our boat, and we're looking forward to the new countertops. Oh, and the engine, too.

Rob

BTW, Westerbeke requires that their panel and harness to be used (for a grand), despite my doing the CD panel and harness upgrade three years ago (for a grand plus). This is because removing the Westerbeke connectors voids their warrantee. Can anyone guess why CD ought to start offering panels & harnesses with the Westerbeke connectors?

 

[Stu Jackson]

Here's my confusion: M25XP? Yes or no. Westerbeke? M25 engines are Universals. All of the Mark I Catalina 34s, all 1100 of them of the 1,800 made, have M25 series engines with 1 5/8" exhaust hose with a standard muffler, no special order. Perhaps it might be helpful to explain what warranty you are quoting, my mistake in converting it to Bulletin, sorry.

 

[hathawayr@theleeco.com]

Hi Stu,

Westerbeke now owns the Universal engine line - not sure when they assumed the reins. Therefore, the new engine is a Westerbeke Universal M25XPB.
http://www.westerbeke.c om/products/productdetailLanding.aspx?id=7
The only authorized Westerbeke distributor for NE plus a few more States is Hansen Marine. http://www.hansenmarine.com/universal_engines.html

Westerbeke warrants their engines (performance, breakage, etc.) for five years - when installed to their specifications. Hansen Marine stipulated that my exhaust must have a 2" ID hose or greater for the warrantee to take effect.

I don't like naming names; I was given the name by CD of an engineering contact within the Westerbeke factory that had overseen the Universal sea trials of each C34 with M25XP's. When I contacted him - at Westerbeke - about the 1.5 psi back pressure rather than a diametral requirement, he stood behind Hansen Marine's requirement.

Catalina Yachts doesn't publish the back pressures for their exhaust systems (owners manuals, bulletins, etc.), and the C30 is so old, I doubt they kept the test record for our boat.

Like I said, done deal; the 2" hose is in. I WILL follow-up with the back pressure results from our sea trials, though!

Rob

 

[Stu Jackson]

Rob, thanks for the clarification and explanation. Good luck with it all.