[C320-list] First time out and QUESTIONS!

[Ken Danko]

You want to be careful with changing the range of motion of the radial 
drive. If you try to increase it too much the chain will come off the 
sprocket and you will no longer be able to steer except with the 
emergency tiller.



Brad Kuether wrote:
> We (the family) took Independence out for our first sail.  It was blowing like snot, and we kept the genny reefed in around 130.  The boat handled exactly how I thought it would, maybe getting overpowered once or twice but nothing drastic.  
>
> The real adventure began when we tried to put the boat away, going dead downwind.   It took us three tries to get it into the slip and it wasn't pretty how we did it.
>
> The problem was that boat simply would not turn to port going backwards.  I knew it wouldn't handle like my C&C did, but I mean it would NOT move at all.  And while I was trying I could only get 180 degrees on the wheel.  It didn't seem right.
>
> So after the wife and kids left, I crawled down into the aft compartment.  The wire that keeps the radial drive wheel from over turning had a rubber snubber on it, that basically took about 2 inches off the length of the wire.  I think this is what kept me from being able to steer into the slip.
>
> So based on my first experience here are my questions...
>
>   1.. Is the snubber standard, or was it put on the by the PO?
>   2.. Can it be removed or is 40 degrees really what the turning radius is?
>   3.. Has anyone had problems with the wheel getting loose?  (I tightend the piece that hold the wheel on and it just got loose again. )
>   4.. If you plug the boat in will it charge the batteries and does the battery switch need to be in the on position for that to happen?.  (I know RTFM, but I spent all my time diagnosing the steering!)
>   5.. Is there a temperature where the engine can safely be shutdown?  (3GM30) I have never had a gage just knew if I let it idle for 5 mins or so it would be fine.  ( I know probably another RTFM)
> Thanks and I am sure I will have more questions after we go out more.....
>
> -Brad, Mary, Monica, and Jarod
> "Independence"
> 2004 Catalina 320 Hull 1006
> Middle River, MD   
>
>