Greetings fellow A4 operators

[JNeirinck]

I'm the proud new owner of a 1971 C&C 35 mk1 with its original Universal A4 which shows 785 hours on the Hobbs meter. Boat has spent its life in fresh water exclusively in Lake of the Woods, Ontario. Been on the hard for the past 4 years as its original owner, who bought the boat new from the Toronto boat show in 1971, encounterd some health issues. So I'm only the second owner and looking forward to the spring.
First order of business, after this intro, is to order a Moyer manual.
Second order of business is to decide what improvements or upgrades to do to the engine. I've read a lot of the posts on the forum already and will be doing the Thatch mod as it seems to make a lot of sense. Appreciate any input or suggestions on what other items the experienced forum members would consider 'must do' upgrades.
Cheers. Jim

[joe_db]

Welcome from a fellow C&C 35 MK I owner

Very first order of business:
If you have ANY of the original fuel tank and hoses, they are long due for replacement. The 90 degree fitting tucked under the cockpit for the fuel fill is not even close to being fuel rated.

[Al Schober]

I go along with Joe - stay safe, then worry about the mechanics and electricals.
On purchase of our Tartan 30, the Admiral wanted a fume sniffer. In many years, it's done it's job twice - neither related to the engine. First time was a jug of outboard fuel in the lazarette that got onto its side and was slowly dripping. Sniffer caught the fumes settling into the bilge. Second time was during fueling - sniffer went off. Cause was an old rotten crumbly hose between the fill and the tank.

[JNeirinck]

Thanks Joe that is an excellent suggestion!

[joe_db]

I found out the hard way - added 5 gallons of fuel and only about 2 went in the tank and 3 went in the bilge
I got a local welding shop to fabricate a 90 degree elbow to replace the thing C&C stole from the bathroom sink.

Thanks Joe that is an excellent suggestion!

[TomG]

Jim,

Congratulations and welcome aboard.

I've been in the A-4 fraternity now for about 5 years. You'll be hard-pressed to find a better source of A-4 (and sailing) wisdom and camaraderie than this forum.

There are many updates and upgrades you might make to your A-4 including a bigger alternator, fresh water cooling (FWC), electronic ignition (EI), fuel filtering, etc. You will need to decide where the limited boat bucks go to achieve the best value. Most A-4 owners consider converting to FWC to be one of the greatest improvements you can make to the engine. Depending on your boat, this can be easy or very difficult. If you are looking for the "low-hanging fruit", I'd say a good fuel filter/water separator with a polishing filter between the fuel pump and the carb is on that list and very nearly a necessity on the updraft Zenith carb. The "extendo-bolt" for the water pump is also a clean kill and will save you a lot of swearing when the time comes to replace the pump. My boat came to me with an A-4 that had just been rebuilt by Moyer, so many upgrades were already added like EI, the extendo-bolt, and the cooling bypass valve. I have since upgraded to a bigger alternator and added the EWDS (Early Warning and Diagnostics System). I really like the EWDS. I also added an exhaust pressure gauge that came in really handy during a troubleshooting moment. Finally, I upgraded my exhaust system to the MMI Standpipe for Tartans.

Good luck with your new boat!

[sastanley]

Jim, welcome. We were all A4 n00bies at one time or another. We are all here to help.

The Moyer Manual is definitely the first order of business..and not just because they host the site..it is extremely thorough and referenced often. I got lucky..my boat (2nd owner) came with one, which is how I found this forum.

[Al Schober]

Hey Shawn,
Went sailing today - got in about 10 races, 8 other boats. Lots of starts, lots of mark roundings, lots of crossing situations. Best finish was a second..
This is radio control sailing - boats we were racing today are 3' long, 6#. You control sail trim and steering (what could be easier?). I've got a boat under build in the basement - 5' long, 24# (different class).
Check out www.theamya.org

[JDK]

greetings from Florida, where i stay as far upriver from the salty salty gulf as much as i can with my somewhat corroded original A4 in my 1967 C&C Corvette 31 that i live on........trying to put a new indigo prop on this week, not much solar as its been cloudy so i get to run the a4 in the morning to recharge and again in the evening to power the christmas lights, light, tv, fan and stuff.....

[JDK]

Welcome from a fellow C&C 35 MK I owner

Very first order of business:
If you have ANY of the original fuel tank and hoses, they are long due for replacement. The 90 degree fitting tucked under the cockpit for the fuel fill is not even close to being fuel rated.

i wonder if this is the source of my occasional gas smell every time the tank is full all the way and hasnt been run down at all yet......tightening up the clamps certainly didnt help.....iv got a cool new light that will be perfect to shove in there.....my tank is original as far as i know, says Tempo LongCruise brand with "plasti" something or other.....

[joe_db]

Please do check!
The original 60s/early 70s metal tanks C&C used were frequently ternplate, which means they are rusted through or just about to rust through. They can rust from the inside out or the outside in or both. The fill, vent, and supply hoses were made well before ethanol gas was invented and will rot from the alcohol if not old age in general.
The 90 degree fitting on top of the tank on the 35 is a kitchen-sink thing and in no way rated for fuel. Ethanol will rot that too. At first it just weeps gas and then it will come completely apart

[JDK]

There isn't a marina in South Florida that sells gas with ethanol in it, don't think there ever has been, I mention it because over the months I hear over and over "ethanol" and I'm like "how would that even get in my tank, I don't buy land gas for a dollar less like a miser" LOL

[joe_db]

The original hoses would be shot anyway, ethanol or not, after all these years.

[JDK]

Thing is I'm positive those hoses are only 10 or 15 years old, boat had a major redo once......but a crappy leaking elbow up there above the tank under the floor goes along with my suspicions so I'll definitely check it out whenever I crawl in there somehow