SweetPeaProjects

This is the projects page for Sweet Pea, a 1983 Catalina 22.

Starboard Bulkhead

As with Night Breeze, upon inspection, it was found that the starboard bulkhead was severly rotted.

Before picture:

New bulkhead cut out:

New bulkhead finished and installed:

Hatch boards:

Here's a picture of the original crib boards:

Based on a discussion about using PVC trim boards for hatch boards - I experimented with making hatchboards out of PVC 1x9's:

If this works, the boards will be rot proof, and require little or no maintenance. After cutting, routing, and sanding the boards, they may need a coat or two of oil based paint to make them look nice. As for PVX boards: They are very easy to cut and route. However, they don't go through the thickness planer very well. A coat or two of paint would be MUCH easier than lots of varnish, and probably last MUCH longer - but PVC just doesn't give the same satisfaction as working with wood...

Here's the PVC boards installed:

I'll probably replace the pvc hatch boards as soon as I get a chance. The PVC rails turned out to be very weak, and I wasn't able to mount them with good spacing between the internal vs. external trim strips. Now that I know what I know, I should be able to work out strips and boards that will fit nicely. :)

Mast Lights:

The steaming light and mast head (anchor) lights were broken. I purchased two LED all-round post mounted stern lights. These were cannibalized to make a new mast head and steaming light. At some point in the future, it would be nice to have a deck light as well, but no one makes a LED deck light, or at least a steaming/deck light combination with a LED steaming light.

Here's pics of the new mast lights:

Note that the windvane needs to be replaced.

Electric Outboard:

The 10HP Torqeedo 4R electric outboard was moved from Night Breeze (my C-30) to Sweet Pea. The batteries (at least for now) are being stowed in the port locker below where the gas tank was held. This is at least load in the boat.

The 10HP electric outboard should be well more than enough to drive the C-22, and it was available on hand. The Torqeedo 2R would probably be a better match, and would allow using a 24V system - which would be preferrable in terms of initial cost, weight, storing, and maint. However, the one advantage of the 48V system is that it will allow lower current drain from the battery for the same amount of power - hopefully leading to longer battery lifetime. If this motor stays on this boat, I'll need to invest in a second battery bank as a backup.

Electric drive has been a curiosity for me, and is extremely appealing from a maintenance perspective (no oil changes, no lower unit work, no impeller, no spark plugs, no gas mixing....). I'm VERY anxious to take the boat out and see how well it handles with this motor!

SUZUKI OUTBOARD

To prepare the boat for sale, I had to replace the electric outboard. The electric outboard and battery system is far too expensive to be able to sell on this type of boat.

The boat will be fitted with an '86 Suzuki DT4 4HP 2 stroke outboard.

The motor had been sitting in my storage shed untouched for at least 5 or 6 years.

The serial number lookup was from the Browns Pointe Marine web site:

http://www.brownspoint.com/store/pc/suzuki/dt4.asp

That web site also had the exploded parts diagram for the motor, water pump, and carburetor.

To get the motor back into running condition, the following was completed:

1) Water pump kit (impeller, gaskets, new key) was ordered and installed. This actually went VERY smoothly. I guess with the motor being so much smaller than what I'm used to working on before, and having watched videos, and seeing the same job done on a large out drive...

2) The kill switch in the throttle handle was non-functional. Replaced and re-wired switch. New switch was installed in the knockout on the front of the motor. Push to kill motor.

3) Replaced spark plug.

4) Carburetor was removed and sprayed with carb cleaner, cleaned up, re-installed. Then removed "pilot screw" (idle setting screw), cleaned, sprayed carb cleaner in hole, blew out with compressed air. Motor now starts, runs, and idles.

Note: There is a gas cutoff valve on the starboard side of the motor just under the motor case! This must be open for the motor to start / run. :)