FWC on 1978 Catalina 30

[rheaton]

Folks, I recently purchased the Moyer Fresh Water Cooling kit. I plan to install it onto my A4 in my 1978 Catalina 30. Space is a bit limited in the engine compartment. I have 2 batteries there. I would just like to ask folks if anyone here has installed FWC on a Catalina 30 of this vintage. If so, could you please share any tips or experience you have on this. Thanks, Russ

[Bob Neumann]

Fresh Water Cooling in Ericson 35-2

Russ,

I just finished installing a fresh water cooling system in my boat. The A-4 is located under the settee. Batteries are in the port compartment adjacent to the engine. The horizontal heat exchanger and electric pump share the port compartment. Attached is a photo. Let me know if you need additional information.

Bob

[rheaton]

Thank you Bob

[rheaton]

Folks, do you think the heat exchanger should be along the center line on a sail boat. The installation instructions indicated it should be the highest point in the cooling system. Based on that, because sailboats heal, I would think along the center line would be the only option. Any opinions on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Russ

[Don Moyer]

Russ,

The requirement to have the fill tube of the exchanger at the high point in the system is so that coolant will not run out of the exchanger when you remove the cap to inspect the level or refill the exchanger. Unless you anticipate having to remove the cap while sailing, it doesn't usually matter where you mount the exchanger with respect to the centerline of the boat. Many folks mount their exchangers in the port cockpit locker (Ranger 30 owners, for example) due to limited access in the engine compartment. In our Catalina 30, I mounted the exchanger under the settee somewhat to the port side of centerline.

Don

[rheaton]

Thank you Don.

[rheaton]

Don, by settee do you mean engine compartment. On my Catalina 30 the compartments, under the side bench seats, don’t seem to have room to fit the exchanger. May I ask, on your Catalina 30 did you have the batteries collocated in the engine compartment on your Catalina 30. One place I see where I install the heat exchanger would be in the engine compartment between the engine, carburetor side, and my batteries. It would fit here, but having it here would make it difficult to remove the batteries. I believe I saw somewhere, that some folks relocate their batteries to the space beneath their navigation station.

[Don Moyer]

I did mean the settee, and our batteries were located under the nav station.

Don

[sastanley]

Russ,

From what I can tell, the newer C-30's (newer than ours, I have a 1977), relocated all of the electrical stuff to the nav station area, including the batteries, and then also installed horizontal chart tables, which probably created more room for the wiring in the back. This makes sense to me, as my panel right now is at the aft section of the galley, my battery switch is under the stove and the batteries are port side, in the engine compartment, as yours are. If the batteries weren't there, it would be cavernous in the engine compartment! The only advantage I can see to this older design is the back of the panel is easily accessible via the sail locker, however, probably susceptible to more corrosion since it is in the elements more than if everything was contained in the cabin.

Good luck with your install. I don't really have anything of value to add except to provide the little bit of history I have about our design. I have just gotten my engine running a little better, FWC is off the radar for me at the moment, but seems to be an excellent way to preserve the A-4's block and various water jackets..I do have moderate corrosion around the block (and an MMI manifold previously installed) which I suspect is the result of 30 years of raw water cooling.

[rheaton]

Don and Shawn, thanks to both of you for your information. I beleive I will build a battery box under my nav station.

Happy motoring.

Take care,
Russ

[sastanley]

please keep us informed!

Russ...even though it isn't specifically A-4 related, I'd be interested in the progress of your battery box install.

If my wife and I spend as much time on the boat as I hope, I may add more amp hours to the house battery, and would likely relocate the batteries under the chart table. I'd be interested in any design ideas & other success you have with the project.

[rheaton]

Folks, I will post my progress. The cabinet under my navigation station would easily fit two batteries.

The floor in this cabinet is removable providing access to the bilge. My sink water pump is located in this area. There area beneath this floor is angled, because of the hull shape, but I could use some space here if necessary.

I will need some kind of battery box to secure the two batteries. I had thought about either making a box out of plywood, or using two plastic battery boxes. If plywood is used, it must be sealed with a few coats of epoxy and possibly fiber-glassed. Which ever box solution is used we need to secure it with bolts, or straps. I need to allow the batteries to be accessed and removed.

I will go to the boat today or tomorrow to take more measurements.

If anyone else has a Catalina 30 with batteries under their navigation station, I would love to see a diagram or picture of your configuration.

Thanks,

Russ

[sastanley]

Russ,

Check out www.catalinathirty.com

Boyd, (who has been seen on this board) has done extensive work to hull #8..I think one of those projects is moving batteries.

Also check out the Catalina30 Yahoo Group. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Catalina30/

Good Luck,
Shawn

[Overspendin']

Russ - Sorry but I haven't moved my batteries but I did add a third starter battery and located it under the nav station.
This is one of the few projects I failed to document on my website.
As far as the cooling system goes, my boat came with one already installed.
The entire setup is housed behind the galley sink, the heat exchanger is bolted to the interior cabinet wall (the aft dining bench backrest) and is conected via hoses run through the bottom of the cabinet.
Probably best to remove the entire cabinet for the install, it's a lot easier than you might think.
For us this location works great, never had any issues.
Boyd at www.catalinathirty.com

[rheaton]

Thanks Shawn, I did look at those sites, and every other site I could find in google. I didnt see any pictures or diagrams of the batteries under the nav station. I did go to my boat. There is not much room under the nav station compartment floor to use. My plan now is this. I will make a floor covering for nav station compartment using a 5/8 " piece of plywood. I will epoxy seal this. I will bolt this to the hull liner which now supports the current floor board in this nav compartment. I will bolt my battery hold downs to this new 5/8 " plywood. The battery hold downs are the ones I currently have in the engine compartment.

Thanks all for your feed back.

Take care,
Russ