Category Archives: Mainsheet

Mainsheet Articles

2001, Customizations, Mainsheet, Storage

Storage Ideas

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Storage Ideas
Harvey Berman
11/1/2001
Hull #: 201

The following is from Harvey Berman, who has sailed his C380, ”Soultice” from Canada to Central America.

Dear Warren:

I have been intending to submit some modifications for some time but never had a proper camera or was in a location that was convenient. I am submitting these at this time, without photos as you have encouraged.

Photos can be supplied at a later date if required.

We own hull # 201. Our 380 was delivered to Swan’s Marina, Ontario, Canada in July of 1999. We immediately commissioned her and headed south for a two-year cruise, which included Central America. We had to have more convenient storage space. There is a lot of room on the 380 but not all usable. “Soultice” is presently on the hard near Tampa, Florida. I am going by memory, but can supply more detail this winter

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2001, Customizations, Storage

Main Cabin Shelves and Storage

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Main Cabin Shelves and Storage
Bob Bierly

11/21/2001
Hull #: 255

Recently, I built shelves at the navigation station to store my laptop computer, my inkjet printer, a 13” TV, a CD player and some incidental storage for CD’s etc. All of this is in the open space between the built in “radio” cabinet and the bulkhead forming the forward side of the nav station desk. The entire shelf system, really three interconnected shelves, rest on cleats screwed to the two bulkheads forming the space. By placing fiddles across the front edges of the shelves, the contents are secure in a seaway.

It is amazing how much room there is in this area. BTW I also solved the problem several folks have reported of how to get the cover off the factory-installed radio space. I merely cut it in two pieces horizontally and covered the cut with a wood strip.

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2001, Customizations, Mainsheet, Storage

Aft Cabin Mirror and Storage

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Aft Cabin Mirror
Bob Bierly
11/21/2001
Hull #: 255

I removed and reinstalled the aft cabin mirror on a cleat mounted on the underside of the steps and through the head wall. I now store screens, trays, between the back of the mirror and the bulkhead. I cut a 10” inspection port into the seat on the port side of the bed. The storage area inside is amazing. I installed a board between the storage area and the manufacturer-installed drawers at the foot of the bed to keep errant stored items from finding their way into the vicinity of the prop shaft coupling and stuffing box. That was the only thing I had to do to make this a very sizable long-term storage area.

The side toward the fridge port side is left open. The storage is formed between the bulkhead, the head wall on the starboard end and the

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2001, Customizations, Storage

Main Cabin Bilge Storage

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Main Cabin Bilge Storage
Bob Bierly

11/21/2001
Hull #: 255

Most folks have discovered the storage in the closed bilge’s just forward of the mast. Although some water could find its way into that space, it can easily be used for storage of canned goods, beer, wine etc. as it is.

The other two bilge compartments can also be used for this kind of storage by placing a set of floorboards in each. [Older hull #’s have only two accessible bilge compartments-Ed]. The existing grid, which strengthens the boat, makes it possible to cut three boards each 6 ¾ by 16 ½ for the aft compartment, which will rest on the turn of the bilge and be held in place by the grid and each other. The storage area, which results, is above the float switch and yields an area 21” by 16″ by 15” high. The larger bilge compartment

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2001, Customizations, Storage

Shower Shelves

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Shower Shelves
Bob Bierly

11/21/2001
Hull #: 255

Within the shower there is a hanging locker, ostensibly for hanging slickers and such. We concluded we needed a linen closet a lot more than a place to allow slickers to get moldy (no air circulation in that locker.) Consequently, I built two shelves into that locker giving us three levels of storage for towels, linens etc. The shelves are secured to cleats on each end and have finished wooden fiddles along the edge at the opening. Really gives us some storage space.

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2001, Customizations, Mainsheet, Storage, Tables

Westerbeke 42B Engine – Upgrades & Start Proceddure

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Westerbeke 42B Engine – Upgrades & Start Proceddure
Warren Elliott

Date: 8/1/2001 Hull #: 44

 WESTERBEKE 42B ENGINE

About 225 of the C380’s have the 42B engine, while later 380’s and all 390’s have the Yanmar 3JH3. Some of the early 42B’s initially developed internal overheating associated with the last two cylinders, causing permanent loss of compression and resultant hard starting or non starting.

Several upgrades were instituted early on by Westerbeke and Catalina, both of whom have been very responsive. Most, probably all boats already have theses changes. But, because there have been some questions on this appearing on Sailnet, mostly from second owners, I thought it would be appropriate to summarize these changes for some who may not be aware.

There have also been comments on the 42B’s starting procedure, so this is here, too. The latter is already on the 390-390 website: www.Catalina380.org, and the upgrades should

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2001, Mainsheet, Repair/Replace/Maintain, Thru-Hulls

Forespar Seacocks

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Forespar Seacocks
Warren Elliott
8/1/2001
Hull #: 44

Our 380-390’s come with eight seacocks [aka: thru-hulls]; these are, of course, critical to the operation and safety of our boats. Mishandling or severe damage to any thru-hull could allow flooding which our bilge pump may not be able to handle – not a happy situation! While we could add more pump capacity [see Scott’s write-up in the previous issue], “an ounce of prevention….”. So this is an important topic; it is also very relevant, as at least two captains have had a “problem”, me being one of them! But I’ll get into that later.

The Forespar seacocks are made of Marelon, a particularly tough plastic which, in normal use, will probably outlast much of our equipment. Many of you are probably aware of the controversy over seacock material: bronze vs. plastic. I’m sure this discussion will go on well past my

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2001, Customizations, Storage

Lazarette Removable Box

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Lazarette Removable Box
Sid Sytsma
11/20/2001
Hull #: 242

I simply placed a plastic storage box (milk carton with relatively few holes) and hang it from the edges of the lazarette using four antenna holders (West SFANT#4142SS @$7.99). The hooks are bolted to the milk carton. I had to cut and bend the back ones to support the back end. This works best in the starboard lazarette due to the presence of the bilge pump in the port lazarette. We use the removable box for our inflatable life vests, safety harnesses, emergency horn, spotlight, etc.

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2001, Customizations, Mainsheet, Storage

Flatware and Utensil Storage

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Flatware and Utensil Storage
Bob Bierly
11/1/2001
Hull #: 255

Flatware storage: I bought a standard wooden flatware storage box from a popular regional kitchenware store; I mounted it with hinges under the hanging shelf, with the hinges toward the settee and the opening toward the galley. I use a bayonet catch to hold the box up against the bottom of the shelf when its closed and use a short length of lifeline cable to hold the box when open at about thirty degrees. This gives my wife an accessible flatware storage, which seems to have been omitted in this Catalina. My wife misses the drawers from the Catalina 34 galley.

Utensil storage: Many chefs like to store cooking utensils in a crock or like item immediately adjacent to the stove. I mounted an open topped wooden box about 3x3x5” box in the open space behind the stove to serve

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2000, Customizations, Electric Winch, Mainsheet

Harken Electric Halyard Winch Installation

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Harken Electric Halyard Winch Installation
Don Rooker
5/1/2000
Hull #: 44

For all of you 380 drivers, who are lazy like me, I have installed an electric winch in place of the two speed manual winch on the starboard side of the coachroof. It was really quite easy, but it did take a couple of days to complete.

I chose the Harken electric winch because it featured 2 speeds for both manual and electrical operation. The alternative from Lewmar, the OP1, that was used on Catalina 470, was only single speed for both mechanical and electrical, and it hung vertically rather than the tidy horizontal configuration of the Harken. The Harken kit part number is BK402STEC12.

EDITOR’S note: Lewmar has since discontinued the OP1. For a review of the new Lewmar alternative, the 40EST, see Scott’s article.

You should start the installation by removing the existing Lewmar 40.

Thoroughly clean

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