Leaving Hampton Marina - Next Stop Bermuda

At the St. Georges Dingy Club

• We added two reef points to the existing one on the main sail.  The second point was rigged and always ready for use.  The third reef point would be manually lashed to the boom.  We have never felt it necessary to use that point
• We carried a "Gale Sail" but have never had to use it

• The aft cabin on a Catalina 34 has an athwart-ship queen-size bunk.  This is an impractical arrangement for passage making.  We therefore split the cabin with a 14" lee board secured with wood cleats at the aft end and a tension clamp at the rear of the motor compartment.  The area between the starboard side settee and the motor compartment bulkhead was filled with a 3/4" plywood shelf.  Both of these parts were made so they could be removed with no damage to the basic boat.  Finally, Mary made and covered a 4" foam mattress that was cut into 2 parts so we could easily get to storage below.  This arrangement provided a tremendous amount of storage on the port side and gave us a very comfortable quarter berth.  [See Photos].   The teak panels were removed from the aft and port side of this cabin and eyebolts were installed a various levels to secure the materials that were stored on this area.  The stock access panels under the aft bunk were cut  in two so that we could gain access to the mechanical and pluming items located under them.
•  Griff created the lee cloth for the port side settee.  He screwed 1" nylon straps under the access panels for this settee.  They were connected to the bottom of the cloth with quick release plastic connectors.  the top was held by rope passed through the overhead hand holds.  Again this arrangement did the least amount of damage to the boat.
• Safety belt for stove. [See Photos].
• "The Storm Throne" -  It is hard enough to just sit on the head in rough weather but the typical marine head seat is attached so that with only a moderate amount of force the seat disengages from the hinges.  While staying at the JW Marriott in Atlanta, I saw some plastic brackets they were using to secure their seats.  With probably the strangest request he has ever had, the concierge was able the locate a pair in the hotel's maintenance shop.  I got the name of the manufacture and got a set.  They work great.  [See Photos].   I have some extra sets.  Contact me aga@WeSail.com if you are interested.

• SEA COCK and plumbing diagrams:  We prepared diagrams and annotated photos showing the location of each through hull fitting.  A PDF copy of this manual can be viewed by clicking [here].
• BILGE PUMPS.  The rules require "two permanently installed manual bilge pumps, one operable above, the other below deck. Each pump shall be operable with all cockpit seats, hatches and companionways shut and shall have permanently installed discharge pipe(s) of sufficient capacity to accommodate simultaneously both pumps".   I installed a second Whale Gusher pump under the port side settee and ran the hose to a new overboard fitting next to the existing fitting.  We also converted the engine winterizing valve to a screened intake in the bilge.
• Install manual water pump from sea cock to sink

• Changed Impeller and cleaned the heat exchanger.   Changed fuel filters

•  Since we added a wind instrument, we replaced the stock speed and depth instrument  heads with a  Raytheon  Tridata unit.  The new instruments were Series 60 types with  gray cases.  The original  ST4000+ Auto Pilot had the series 50 black case.  Raytheon provided a new gray case for the Auto Pilot and installed the latest software upgrade.  Raytheon has been very helpful with advice and support.
• AUTO PILOT THOUGHTS - A wheel mounted auto-pilot is not strong enough for long periods of sailing under high winds.  Both Bill Hemena and I were aware of this problem because of our pre-rally off-shore trips.  The unit on his Catalina 34 failed on our return trip from Charleston and mine had failed in heavy weather on the Albemarle Sound.  Fortunately, on  the Bermuda trip we carried Bills drive unit as a back-up.  The unit on Full Moon began to fail as we were approaching Bermuda.  During our lay-over we replaced the internal belt and assumed all was well.  Approximately 10 miles out of  St Georges, on our return trip it began to "kick out of  gear" again.  We replaced it with Bill's unit which performed well for the return trip.  When I sent my unit to Raytheon I was told that it required some tension adjustments that are not described in the manual.  I don't blame Raytheon -- the unit is simply undersized for serious off-shore sailing.   I am going to replace the unit with a Raytheon ST5000 linear drive model.  Replacing a wheel mounted auto-pilot at sea highlights the need to make sure, before you depart, that your emergency tiller works and your wheel can be removed easily.  Fortunately, we had checked both before we left.  I had to use a puller to get the wheel off.  From now on I check it at the end and beginning of each season and keep the shaft greased with a dielectric lubricant.

• Hold down systems were developed for the Floorboards, the Companionway Boards, and the Ice box lid.
• Storm cover for large ports were made out of 3/8" plywood.
• Jacklines
• Secure jerry can in port side lazerette