[C38] Cutlass Bearing Strut Faring

Mon Nov 15 12:10:20 EST 2010

Well guys, I'm so glad that Tom is still watching the list, otherwise, I
would have never known that there was a different shoal draft model.....
This is very good for our web, so we can put it on history, or something
like that.....
Just to have a closer date for the change, I sent an email to Larry Bruce,
owner of Tranquility, hull#96, which is a shoal draft and right next to
Renata on the production line......Hopefully, he'll have some pics so we can
check that out. I someone has a shoal draft model with a hull # below 95,
I'll really appreciate some keel pics.

Regards,
Max

2010/11/15 Bill Haynes <hayneswm at charter.net>

> Here are a couple pics of the shoal draft keel on Zephyr, our 1982 Catalina
> 38, production #181.  She performs extremely well (as apparently they all do
> :-) and has won all 6 regattas she has been entered into since we moved her
> to Panama City, FL.  Hope this is useful info to this discussion.
>
> Bill Haynes
> Athens, GA
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom T." <tdtron at earthlink.net>
>
> To: "Catalina 38 Listserve" <listserve at catalina38.org>
> Sent: Sunday, November 14, 2010 1:10 PM
>
> Subject: Re: [C38] Cutlass Bearing Strut Faring
>
>
>  Interesting discussion on keels as Chuck points out.
>>
>> Chuck, the long keel skeg on my 38 was actually an extension of the bilge
>> so zebra mussels would not be a problem unless I sank the boat.
>>
>> The keel on my boat was low aspect ratio and longer fore to aft than it
>> was
>> deep.  I am not sure but I would expect the shoal draft version has more
>> wetted surface than the deep keel which is more efficient.
>>
>> I wish I had a photo of my keel but my keel bolts extended into the keel
>> forward next to the head to just fore of the engine door aft.  The long
>> skeg trailing from the keel to the cutlass bearing/prop also helps the
>> shoal draft version avoid the famous "death rolls."
>>
>> I'm pretty sure that photo linked below is for a deep version that has met
>> a saw somewhere and time since leaving the California factory.  That
>> remaining little stub of a keel shown is about half the size of  my keel.
>> The profile shown on the brochure at the C38 website shows the lines of
>> the
>> shoal draft keel but fails to show the skeg extension of the bilge to the
>> prop.
>>
>>
>> Tom Troncalli
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  [Original Message]
>>> From: Chuck Finn <charles at finn.ws>
>>> To: Catalina 38 Listserve <listserve at catalina38.org>
>>> Date: 11/14/2010 12:50:31 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [C38] Cutlass Bearing Strut Faring
>>>
>>> Excellent discussion!  This is why our Association is so important to
>>> all of us!  Thank you everyone for contributing!
>>>
>>> Here is what I know from my research on this over the years.
>>>
>>> 1.   I seriously looked into shortening my keel a few years back as
>>> there is a set of locks leading the the St. Lawrence Seaway that allow
>>> drafts less than six feet.    Mars Metals out of Canada has made
>>> "torpedo" bulbs for C38s and has the mold in storage.  Their calculation
>>> was I recall, that a five foot draft would require an additional 500
>>> pounds of lead.
>>>
>>> 2. The Yankee 38s did not come in a shoal keel as far as I can tell.
>>> But, their fin keel design was different than Butler's, so we can
>>> probably surmise that Catalina experimented a bit with the keel in the
>>> beginning.  I certainly would if I were them and kept seeing the
>>> "Catalina Smile!"
>>>
>>> 3. Until this discussion, I had not seen a shoal draft version of our
>>> boats that had the keel faired the way Tom T. describes.  The ones I had
>>> seen looked pretty much like the 1981 model at this website:
>>> http://boats.iboats.com/1981-catalina-38/664532.html
>>>
>>> 4.  When I was investigating a shoal draft modification,  I had been
>>> told by someone at Catalina that the shoal keel bolt configuration was
>>> the same as the deep draft keel.  About 10 or so years back, I recall
>>> that Catalina even had some shoal drafts keels available....  I have no
>>> way of verifying any of this other than my old and sometimes faulty
>>>
>> memory!
>>
>>>
>>> My best guess then is Catalina had two keel molds and could choose which
>>> one to bolt on to their standard hull based upon the order.  Fairing the
>>> keel to the hull is a labor intensive job, which probably allowed the
>>> workers and designers some latitude to experiment.   And that is what
>>> they did.....   probably to see if they could reduce the prop walk.   I
>>> don't think there is any structural aspect to this modification as the
>>> two support points for the prop shaft are the motor/transmission mount
>>> and the cutlass bearing (packing gland is about keeping water out and
>>> does not support).
>>>
>>> Tom, how did you keep this long shaft tunnel clean?  Zebra mussels up
>>> here would soon pack this tunnel over a summer.
>>>
>>> Thanks again to everyone who contributes!
>>> Chuck Finn
>>> Commodore
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 11/14/2010 10:27 AM, Max Soto wrote:
>>> > What a Dilemma!!
>>> >
>>> > Dan, do you have a pic from Blonde Starnger's keel??? There are only
>>> > 13 boat from Renata to Blonde Starnger, and both are 1981 models..
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Renata's keel with skeg is the most different one that I have
>>> > seen.I've been collecting pics from C38's for sale, because Estancia
>>> > was such in bad shape and modified when I bought it, that I needed
>>> > lots of pics in order to tell what was original and what wasn't, and
>>> > of course to get tips from other  boats..
>>> >
>>> > Tom, I'm going to put a production change on the table for the
>>> > following reason:
>>> >
>>> > The  silhouette on the original brochure does shows a slightly larger
>>> > keel trunk, and one of the most notable differences is the back edge
>>> > of the keel (just forgot the technical name!) is perpendicular to the
>>> > water line. Let's call it straight!!!!  The deep keel version is
>>> > angled, even if the keel draft has been reduced, you'll be able to
>>> > tell because of this, but if you look at the attached pic from Chute
>>> > the Breeze or the other one I sent a couple of days a go, it looks
>>> > just like the shoal keel on the brochure, straight down! without an
>>> > angle, that's why I always tought that I had these pics from shoal
>>> > draft versions!
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > One more thing, Estancia is 1982, and came with the 1982 brochure
>>> > (which is older than the one on the C38 web), and shows no  skeg >
>>> either.
>>> >
>>> > My opinion, evidence shows two shoal draft versions, so who will be
>>> > able to confirm a production change???????????
>>> > Just found another  shoal draft pic on Calatlinaowners.com, has been
>>> > attached also..
>>> >
>>> > Tom, there is  a known cure for the loss of a C38, but it requires
>>> > lot's of money in order to get a newer and bigger boat!!!! Just make
>>> > sure that this boat is faster than a C38, other wise, not worth
>>>
>> it....LOL
>>
>>> > Regards,
>>> > Max
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>

-- 
Max Soto
C38 #198 ESTANCIA
Puntarenas, Costa Rica
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