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PHOTO GALLERY

Photographs of my Catalina 250

Lorelei's First Bottom Job
[August 2000]
Josh at Yacht Harbor prepared the bottom by power washing and applying a wash of muriatic acid. The boat had been in a wet slip for five or six months without the protection of bottom-paint. Even my regular brushing of the bottom did not keep it from acquiring a green smile from the algae. I opted to not apply an epoxy barrier coat as Catalina Yachts uses vinylester resin in its hull lay up which should provide acceptable blister protection. If blisters do appear in the future, I might have to apply an epoxy barrier coat. Josh used a non-sanding primer (which causes the light blue tint in the photos) and then applied two to three coats of VC-17 (blue). There was a noticeable increase in speed of 1/2 to 1 knot after the VC-17 was applied.

Total project cost: $974 including lift fee, labor, materials and sales tax.

[Click on images for a larger version]

Lorelei is secured in Yacht Harbor's hydo-hoist

Masking tape has been applied along the boot stripe

Many of us never see our centerboards, except retracted while on the trailer
A closer view of the centerboard and the cable attachment. Obviously, the centerboard's light weight makes this attachment point possible

The centerboard's cable is routed aft through a sheave.
A turning ball allows the cable to be routed up through the hull