[C320-list] First time out and QUESTIONS!

[Brad Kuether]

Frank,

I will take a picture, best way to explain.  I took it off and brought it 
home.

Its a GREAT idea, I am just wondering if I am loosing some turning ability 
with it on.

-Brad, Mary, Monica, and Jarod
"Independence"
2004 Catalina 320 Hull 1006
Middle River, MD


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Larry Frank" <WindSwept at stx.rr.com>
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Sent: Friday, July 31, 2009 8:01 AM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] First time out and QUESTIONS!


> Brad,
>
> It looks like you already have a number of good answers.
>
> What do you mean by a "rubber snubber".  How is it attached?
>
> Larry
> WindSwept C320 #246
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Brad Kuether
> Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 11:20 PM
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: [C320-list] First time out and QUESTIONS!
>
> 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
>
>
>