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Cal 29's-Frequently Asked Questions
Since retiring and returning from my offshore trip, I have received inquires from many Cal 29 owners or potential owners. Unfortunately, due to a computer glitch, I lost many of these but on this page are some of the latest. They may be helpful to others and, as always, I am happy to field questions or comments by e-mail.
How big an Ice box or Fridge do I need? -Page 1
How about a fully battened sail? -Page 1
How did you install a holding tank? -Page 1
Change the windows/was the rudder a concern? -Page 1
What to check on a survey? -Page 2
How about a fully battened sail? -Page 1
How did you install a holding tank? -Page 1
Change the windows/was the rudder a concern? -Page 1
What to check on a survey? -Page 2
What about a staysail? -Page 2
How about propane? -Page 1
What Software for navigation? -Page 1
A New Cabin Sole - Page 2
How about propane? -Page 1
What Software for navigation? -Page 1
A New Cabin Sole - Page 2
How big an Ice box or Fridge do I need?
Which galley lay out do you have? If the layout which is one long counter against the starboard side the ice box is forward under the counter. It is quite deep and I thought it a good size including an odd bit that shapes backward. As an aside, to go offshore I modified my ice box by making it smaller and installing a 12 volt refrigeration unit. Since there was little room to add insulation on the outside, I made a box to go into the icebox and insulated the space between the two and sealed up all the inside one. Installed the little refrigeration unit in the cupboard forward of the ice box. Without the need for ice the new box was more than large enough for offshore with passages of up to 28 days. Of course, I had upgraded the electrics as well to handle it but that is another story.
Which galley lay out do you have? If the layout which is one long counter against the starboard side the ice box is forward under the counter. It is quite deep and I thought it a good size including an odd bit that shapes backward. As an aside, to go offshore I modified my ice box by making it smaller and installing a 12 volt refrigeration unit. Since there was little room to add insulation on the outside, I made a box to go into the icebox and insulated the space between the two and sealed up all the inside one. Installed the little refrigeration unit in the cupboard forward of the ice box. Without the need for ice the new box was more than large enough for offshore with passages of up to 28 days. Of course, I had upgraded the electrics as well to handle it but that is another story.
How about a fully battened sail?
I had a fully batten main built for my Cal 29 and used it for 6 years. Except for a BIG caveat for offshore (below), it was great. Much better shape almost all the time, certainly more powerful with the bigger roach and I am convinced less wear and tear on the sail (better shape, less stress - no leach flap, better storage). In fact, there is a real art to learning the best sail setting since most any look good. Handling was easier to with lazyjacks as it just fell very neatly. I then converted to the Dutchman system as well and ease of handling was even more enhanced. The sail would come down so neatly that sometimes no fixing was needed to put the cover on. The one batten would just twang the backstay sometimes but even after 6 years this seems to do no harm. I did not go to the expense of fancy bat cars and such but I did have a new track installed (it needed it anyway) so everything ran up and down smoothly.
Offshore, was another story. The battens insisted on working out the all pockets at the roach. I had them reinforced and reworked in Hawaii but 1000 miles on they were coming out again which was a real pain to fix. One went through the blades of my wind generator. The solution was by a sail maker in Papetee who attached the same sort of fittings to the roach end of the pockets as to the leach end - the plastic thingys that the batten could not get through. He also pointed out that I had the round battens which were much more susceptible to this problem then the flat ones. The Dutchman system also was a problem offshore as the wear at the little circle plastics the guide lines go through caused holes around them. For coastal cruising ( and I did lots) I highly recommend the fully batten system and the Dutchman to go with it.
I had a fully batten main built for my Cal 29 and used it for 6 years. Except for a BIG caveat for offshore (below), it was great. Much better shape almost all the time, certainly more powerful with the bigger roach and I am convinced less wear and tear on the sail (better shape, less stress - no leach flap, better storage). In fact, there is a real art to learning the best sail setting since most any look good. Handling was easier to with lazyjacks as it just fell very neatly. I then converted to the Dutchman system as well and ease of handling was even more enhanced. The sail would come down so neatly that sometimes no fixing was needed to put the cover on. The one batten would just twang the backstay sometimes but even after 6 years this seems to do no harm. I did not go to the expense of fancy bat cars and such but I did have a new track installed (it needed it anyway) so everything ran up and down smoothly.
Offshore, was another story. The battens insisted on working out the all pockets at the roach. I had them reinforced and reworked in Hawaii but 1000 miles on they were coming out again which was a real pain to fix. One went through the blades of my wind generator. The solution was by a sail maker in Papetee who attached the same sort of fittings to the roach end of the pockets as to the leach end - the plastic thingys that the batten could not get through. He also pointed out that I had the round battens which were much more susceptible to this problem then the flat ones. The Dutchman system also was a problem offshore as the wear at the little circle plastics the guide lines go through caused holes around them. For coastal cruising ( and I did lots) I highly recommend the fully batten system and the Dutchman to go with it.
Did you change the windows and was the rudder a concern?
I took out the windows (not the little ones in the head and hanging locker) out frames and all. Then at a plastics shop I had them cut out 4 pieces the shape of the frames( I think it was about 1/4 inch or a little less thick Plexiglas) but with about a 1 and 1/4 inch oversize. This was cheap - about $25 if I recall. I held the plastic up to the hole in the cabin and drilled through the plastic and the cabin side about every 6 inches with extra holes at the corners. I used a bolt with good sized washers on both sides and bolted through the holes using silicon sealant all around the outside edge of the plastic and at each hole. Once the old windows were out the whole job was about 2 hours. From the outside it looked just fine and I did not do anything to the inside since it looked OK and I had simple curtains anyway which hid any rough look. Never any leaks for my voyage and I was confident that the windows could take a knock down. (You can sort of see how the windows look in the picture For Foredecks)
I never had any concerns about the rudder tube on my boat. I knew it was super strong since once years ago I grounded when the tide went out with the entire weight of the boat resting on the rudder (another story) and no damage to the tube. Maybe yours is constructed differently though? The rudder itself is another story. Offshore, mine kept separating along the trailing edge and then forward to where it goes around the shaft. This meant
lots of hanging over the stern and staring at it while thrashing along at sea - not that the looking did any good except worry me. It never failed and I understand that inside the Cal 29 rudder instead of just strips of metal
there is like a little SS rudder over which the FG is laid. I am not sure. Every time I went into port for awhile I had the rudder redone as the separating was super nerve hurting. I did this three times. If I had to do it again, I would take the rudder right apart and add some support stringers and re-glass completely and pray.
I took out the windows (not the little ones in the head and hanging locker) out frames and all. Then at a plastics shop I had them cut out 4 pieces the shape of the frames( I think it was about 1/4 inch or a little less thick Plexiglas) but with about a 1 and 1/4 inch oversize. This was cheap - about $25 if I recall. I held the plastic up to the hole in the cabin and drilled through the plastic and the cabin side about every 6 inches with extra holes at the corners. I used a bolt with good sized washers on both sides and bolted through the holes using silicon sealant all around the outside edge of the plastic and at each hole. Once the old windows were out the whole job was about 2 hours. From the outside it looked just fine and I did not do anything to the inside since it looked OK and I had simple curtains anyway which hid any rough look. Never any leaks for my voyage and I was confident that the windows could take a knock down. (You can sort of see how the windows look in the picture For Foredecks)
I never had any concerns about the rudder tube on my boat. I knew it was super strong since once years ago I grounded when the tide went out with the entire weight of the boat resting on the rudder (another story) and no damage to the tube. Maybe yours is constructed differently though? The rudder itself is another story. Offshore, mine kept separating along the trailing edge and then forward to where it goes around the shaft. This meant
lots of hanging over the stern and staring at it while thrashing along at sea - not that the looking did any good except worry me. It never failed and I understand that inside the Cal 29 rudder instead of just strips of metal
there is like a little SS rudder over which the FG is laid. I am not sure. Every time I went into port for awhile I had the rudder redone as the separating was super nerve hurting. I did this three times. If I had to do it again, I would take the rudder right apart and add some support stringers and re-glass completely and pray.
How did you install a holding tank?
Yes I did add a holding tank but my considerations may have been different then yours. Where I live( British Columbia) the need for a tank was just starting when I did it. I put it in in case I visited the USA or when I went offshore, any other place where I could not discharge straight out. Therefore I did not need a lot of capacity or worry about keeping the stuff in the tank for long periods. My Cal 29 had the layout where the head was just behind the v-berth on the port side. Behind the head towards the port hull there was a small bulkhead running for and aft with some space behind it. In there I put a 10 gallon collapsible flex tank - you can get these through West Marine. It fit in nicely and adapted to the curve of the hull. I tied it very securely by ropes from the grommets provided and made sure there were no sharp points for it to rub on or be punctured by.
For plumbing: I can't remember the actual hose pattern but there was a Y valve in a hose going from the head to tank - one way directed the stuff straight out and the other into the tank. On the outlet side of the tank, another hose going to a small macerator pump (with a switch on the bulkhead) and then to the discharge through hull again. The idea was that most of the time I could
discharge direct . If I needed to use the tank then I turned the valve so the stuff went into it. To empty it I turned the other valve, ran the pump and out it went. I did not put a hose in for pump out stations as I was counting on going out to where I could pump right out. It should not be too difficult to add that extra hose. The West Marine catalogue shows several diagrams for hose layouts with a pump and you can select one of those and modify it as you wish. There is not much choice of where to put a tank on the Cal 29 if it was laid out like mine. The v-berth already had the water tank. One choice I considered was under the forward seat in the cabin just outside the head door but I really wanted that for storage and did not relish a tank in the main cabin. I never figure out any other alternate. Be sure and spend the money for the best hose you can get made for such use and the best quality for the other components. This is one area not to skimp since any problems are so unpleasant. This does make the project expensive but if you need a holding tank there is not much choice. By the way I considered a manual pump instead of the electric macerator one but after comparing the cost, the space issue and the convenience the electric was the only choice. It uses a lot of amps when running but it only runs for less then a minute each time you use it.
Yes I did add a holding tank but my considerations may have been different then yours. Where I live( British Columbia) the need for a tank was just starting when I did it. I put it in in case I visited the USA or when I went offshore, any other place where I could not discharge straight out. Therefore I did not need a lot of capacity or worry about keeping the stuff in the tank for long periods. My Cal 29 had the layout where the head was just behind the v-berth on the port side. Behind the head towards the port hull there was a small bulkhead running for and aft with some space behind it. In there I put a 10 gallon collapsible flex tank - you can get these through West Marine. It fit in nicely and adapted to the curve of the hull. I tied it very securely by ropes from the grommets provided and made sure there were no sharp points for it to rub on or be punctured by.
For plumbing: I can't remember the actual hose pattern but there was a Y valve in a hose going from the head to tank - one way directed the stuff straight out and the other into the tank. On the outlet side of the tank, another hose going to a small macerator pump (with a switch on the bulkhead) and then to the discharge through hull again. The idea was that most of the time I could
discharge direct . If I needed to use the tank then I turned the valve so the stuff went into it. To empty it I turned the other valve, ran the pump and out it went. I did not put a hose in for pump out stations as I was counting on going out to where I could pump right out. It should not be too difficult to add that extra hose. The West Marine catalogue shows several diagrams for hose layouts with a pump and you can select one of those and modify it as you wish. There is not much choice of where to put a tank on the Cal 29 if it was laid out like mine. The v-berth already had the water tank. One choice I considered was under the forward seat in the cabin just outside the head door but I really wanted that for storage and did not relish a tank in the main cabin. I never figure out any other alternate. Be sure and spend the money for the best hose you can get made for such use and the best quality for the other components. This is one area not to skimp since any problems are so unpleasant. This does make the project expensive but if you need a holding tank there is not much choice. By the way I considered a manual pump instead of the electric macerator one but after comparing the cost, the space issue and the convenience the electric was the only choice. It uses a lot of amps when running but it only runs for less then a minute each time you use it.
How about propane?
I used propane quite happily. I put a floor and walls in the starboard cockpit locker with a board vertical to divide it in half - all well glassed to be air proof. It doesn't matter if the top/lid is air proof since propane falls. The back half held junk. The forward half held 2 West Marine aluminium 10 pound horizontal tanks. Off of those I had a dual fitting so that I could turn off one tank and just use one (thereby always having a backup). Next a fitting to take the Force 10 barbecue hose then the regulator and then a solenoid, then a fitting to split the line in two - one line for the stove and one for the heater. The solenoid was wired to a switch over the stove in the galley with a red light if active. The hoses ran from the locker through the bulkhead to the rear of the 1/4 berth with rubber grommets to keep the seal in the locker and to avoid fray to hoses. The locker itself had a 1/2" through hull connected with a hose to another 1/2" through hull exiting the hull just below the level of the floor of the locker. It was never any problem the very few times water would enter since it was confined to the locker and drained right out again along with any propane.
The stove was a Force 10, 3 burner with oven and broiler - expensive but super. The heater was a Cat platinum wall heater mounted in the thin wall under the ice box area. It put out plenty of heat, had a thermostat and was safe but it was not too reliable. It also did not require a real chimney - just a hose to a supplied low profile fitting in the cabin wall. For the cockpit locker, if I wanted to save and were doing it again, I would just make the locker a little taller (floor lower) so it would take a 20
pound or 2 10 pound regular el cheapo tanks. As for safety, this was never a concern to me. I regularly did the soapy water routine on the fittings, made sure the hoses were not chaffing, the stove and heater both had safety cut-offs if no gas was coming in, turned off the tanks at the tank when I was through for the day and I had a bilge pump mounted right at the bottom of the deep bilge at the rear of the keel. Since propane flows like water I would run the pump once in awhile just to make me feel good. If you are really nervous there are lots of sniffers out there you can mount to give an alarm although I never could see the need and hated the start up "I am working" sound. To me propane is the superior cooking fuel - clean and hot and easy to get anywhere. Diesel you know is messy and
cool and kerosene is just dumb. I had a serious fire on a Catalina 22 years ago with alcohol when its invisible flame flared and caught some curtains—20 miles from shore and single handing so it was not noticed until I came down to turn the bacon and found the side of the cabin blazing.
I used propane quite happily. I put a floor and walls in the starboard cockpit locker with a board vertical to divide it in half - all well glassed to be air proof. It doesn't matter if the top/lid is air proof since propane falls. The back half held junk. The forward half held 2 West Marine aluminium 10 pound horizontal tanks. Off of those I had a dual fitting so that I could turn off one tank and just use one (thereby always having a backup). Next a fitting to take the Force 10 barbecue hose then the regulator and then a solenoid, then a fitting to split the line in two - one line for the stove and one for the heater. The solenoid was wired to a switch over the stove in the galley with a red light if active. The hoses ran from the locker through the bulkhead to the rear of the 1/4 berth with rubber grommets to keep the seal in the locker and to avoid fray to hoses. The locker itself had a 1/2" through hull connected with a hose to another 1/2" through hull exiting the hull just below the level of the floor of the locker. It was never any problem the very few times water would enter since it was confined to the locker and drained right out again along with any propane.
The stove was a Force 10, 3 burner with oven and broiler - expensive but super. The heater was a Cat platinum wall heater mounted in the thin wall under the ice box area. It put out plenty of heat, had a thermostat and was safe but it was not too reliable. It also did not require a real chimney - just a hose to a supplied low profile fitting in the cabin wall. For the cockpit locker, if I wanted to save and were doing it again, I would just make the locker a little taller (floor lower) so it would take a 20
pound or 2 10 pound regular el cheapo tanks. As for safety, this was never a concern to me. I regularly did the soapy water routine on the fittings, made sure the hoses were not chaffing, the stove and heater both had safety cut-offs if no gas was coming in, turned off the tanks at the tank when I was through for the day and I had a bilge pump mounted right at the bottom of the deep bilge at the rear of the keel. Since propane flows like water I would run the pump once in awhile just to make me feel good. If you are really nervous there are lots of sniffers out there you can mount to give an alarm although I never could see the need and hated the start up "I am working" sound. To me propane is the superior cooking fuel - clean and hot and easy to get anywhere. Diesel you know is messy and
cool and kerosene is just dumb. I had a serious fire on a Catalina 22 years ago with alcohol when its invisible flame flared and caught some curtains—20 miles from shore and single handing so it was not noticed until I came down to turn the bacon and found the side of the cabin blazing.
What Software for navigation?
My favourite which I used exclusively offshore through my laptop was Waypoint for Windows which I just checked for and found at
http://www.promarsoftware.com/
I don't know if the latest version they are offering is the same as the one I had (Vs.2.04) but it was simple, gave me what I wanted and easily connected to my GPS and laptop. Alternatively, I could just enter the information from the GPS manually into the laptop and it gave me the essentials I wanted. It also printed up a nice record of all the days and navigation for the voyage.
My favourite which I used exclusively offshore through my laptop was Waypoint for Windows which I just checked for and found at
http://www.promarsoftware.com/
I don't know if the latest version they are offering is the same as the one I had (Vs.2.04) but it was simple, gave me what I wanted and easily connected to my GPS and laptop. Alternatively, I could just enter the information from the GPS manually into the laptop and it gave me the essentials I wanted. It also printed up a nice record of all the days and navigation for the voyage.
