[C320-list] Knot meter cleaning.... In water?

[David Nolte]

Hi Brad,

Please see Jeff Hare's response which just posted which addresses  
interior inspection. Hopefully that will work for you. If it does not,  
or if you are not comfortable opening a hole in your bottom, or if you  
have excess water from that procedure flow into your bilge, here's my  
two cents:

Theoretically, the water from there should go to the bilge. But it  
also depends on the the vintage of your boat and whether there are  
holes or channels from that point on the boat for water to find its  
way to the low point at the bilge pump.

The only way to know for sure is to pull up your floor boards and see  
whether water on your boat can travel from that point  near the bow to  
the low point where your bilge pump should be. Not all boats allow  
water to flow that route, and even on those that are designed as such,  
there may be low points along the way where water can get trapped and  
"negatively impact" the bottom of your cabin sole or your keel bolts.  
You may find that you need to drill holes through the stringers to  
enable the water flow. And you may need to mop up and dry out those  
areas from time to time.

In our waters, I prefer to clean the paddle wheel from below - I can  
reach mine while floating along the side without going under. I do go  
under often to check/clean my bottom, shaft, & prop (although I have  
not found a barnacle in 2 seasons with PropSpeed on my prop). I have  
found that even mild algae growth on the paddle wheel prevents my  
speedo from working. One barnacle and it's done. I usually track my  
speed on a handheld GPS.

Hope you're enjoying the boat. Maybe hook up some time. Have you found  
Warren, Bruce, Irv & the other Middle River guys yet?

David Nolte
Beach House #4



On Aug 22, 2009, at 10:38 PM, Brad Kuether wrote:

> Thanks Paul,
>
> Just to confirm, water goes the bilge, correct?
>
> It may seem like an obvious question, but it is pan construction,  
> not quite comfortable with that yet.  My C&C had a partial pan  
> construct but you could more or less still get the hull everywhere  
> you needed to.
>
> Thanks so much for the quick response....
>
> -Brad, Mary, Monica, and Jarod
> "Independence"
> 2004 Catalina 320 Hull 1006
> Middle River, MD
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul Rickman" <ilove2sail at verizon.net 
> >
> To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
> Sent: Saturday, August 22, 2009 9:05 PM
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Knot meter cleaning.... In water?
>
>
> Brad, just unscrew the ring and pull the speedo out -- you won't  
> sink. One there is some sort of anti-leak built
> in that stops most of the water and, two -- there should be a plug  
> in that little compartment. It goes in
> just like the speedo.
>
> I use an old tooth brush to clean mine off. Really it is no big deal.
>
> Paul
> Affinity, 657
> Bay Bridge Marina
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Brad Kuether <bkuether at comcast.net>
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Sent: Saturday, August 22, 2009 9:00:21 PM
> Subject: [C320-list] Knot meter cleaning.... In water?
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> Well the Chesapeake has already claimed it first victim on my boat.  
> The paddle wheel for the knot meter stopped turning. I was thinking  
> I could dive on the boat in shallow water (would have to buy a mask,  
> etc)
> OR possibly pulling the knot meter while its in the water.... (of  
> course plugging the hole for a bit.
>
> Any thoughts on this, besides "be careful not to sink" ?
>
> If its possible and does the water just drain to the bilge?
>
> Thanks for any guidance.....
>
> -Brad, Mary, Monica, and Jarod
> "Independence"
> 2004 Catalina 320 Hull 1006
> Middle River, MD
>
>
>