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Owner Upgrades
C36 Mk I Upgrades
9.23.2006
I recently completed a few upgrades on my 1991 Cat 36. If I must say, the TV installation came out beautifully. I have written them up below. I tried to stay brief for the sake of the article, but will happily share detailed instructions to anyone who is interested.
Install an electronic tank monitor system
4.9.2006
Tired of crawling under a mattress and pulling out boards to check your holding tanks? Frank Plumptre has a solution, and he not only installed a Snake River tank monitor system (electronically monitors 4 holding tanks) -- Frank also shared the process step-by-step with photos & details.
Make your own v-berth mattress set
4.6.2006
Living article: With a 5-hour drive to his boat (which is still on the hard) William Matley can't finish this article for about a month. However, this is something many owners will want to follow, and since there's enough of the article done, we decided to post what's done and allow the article to grow. This also allows owners to contact William with questions before it's done. So if you'd like to build your own mattress, grab your wire cutters and click here.
Refrigeration Upgrade
1.16.2006
Over the last 16 months I have been on what some people may call a “Mission” to upgrade the refrigeration system of our 1995 C36 MKII Spendin Time.
Relocating Nav Instruments
3.20.2005
I have for most of my sailing life been a "Single Handler" meaning that most of my electronics etc. have to be located in the cockpit. Even if one is not single handling a boat I have been always amazed by boats where radar, loran, GPS, Chart plotters and radios being located below decks...
LCD TV Installation
1.24.2005
After 4 years of watching our 13” TV/VCR combo, installed in the area designated for a TV set on the starboard side of the salon area, we decided to make the move to a bigger, space-saving LDC flat screen unit...
Starter Battery and Link 10 Installation
1.18.2005
A series of photos illustrating how to install a starter battery and Link 10 monitor.
Shower Curtain Upgrade
8.1.2004
Avoid the mess in the head with a surround shower curtain. See how Peter used standard curtain rods to create a surround curtain.
Instrument Panel Upgrade
4.28.2004
There have been multiple changes to the C36 engine panel over time and walking down the dock, I started to get a lot of panel envy when I would look at the new style engine panels.. Pretty new gauges, lights and buttons... Aahhhh... I wanted one bad!
Replacing a Worn Cabin Sole
I've started to replace the cabin sole on my C36. Here are some "in progress" photo's for the site...
Install a Radar/Chartplotter
Here is the latest in my series of documented upgrades for Lara. This one was a bear to do and took most of the season to complete...
Emergency Start Battery Upgrade
The stock battery arrangement of two separate 4D cells in the MKII is adequate, but not optimal. Combining the 4Ds allows double the amp hours available while under sail, or at anchor, before discharging any one battery to the critical 50% level. Using refrigeration and many of the other modern electrical conveniences can deplete a single 4D too quickly. However, by tying the two batteries together there is the possibility of depleting all the electrical power.
Wine Rack Upgrade
This is our way of taking advantage of the unused space underneath the chart table (who uses a chart table today anyway - we have a chart plotter on the binnacle) and safely store your precious vintages.
Corner Leaf Table Upgrade
Last October we went to the Annapolis boat show - a magnificent show in one of the most beautiful areas we've ever been. We got to go on an Oyster 49 - Oyster's entry level boat at "about a million, U.S." the salesman said. Our favorite was the Moody 53 - at $729k boat show special. :o(. One slick thing they did to add interior space was a table where the four corners folded in...
Drop Leaf Table Upgrade
Based on recent discussions on the Sailnet mailist, C36 owner Bob Roell shares building his own drop-leaf table.
Main Cabin Mast Wrap
It looks great and is a real hit with friends.
Installing a new Edson Pedestal on a C36 MkI
I thought some owners of older C36's might be interested in my latest project...
Companionway and Cockpit Upgrades
Let's face it, those standard hatch boards are absolutely solid and practical - but they're also ugly, they block light and air, and they're inconvenient to use. This page is dedicated to those who have made improvements.
Installing a Vacu-Flush Head
A subject we don't like to discuss but for we sailors that spend a lot of time on the water away from home this installation sure makes sense.
Upgrades to the V-berth, Galley and Nav Station
Replacing the mattress makes cruising easier on the back; replacing the galley faucet; speeding up sink drainage; and several Nav Station additions.
Make "Useless" Space Useful
Moving the fire extinguisher from the alcove under the stove left a small, "useless" space. "Good place for a drawer or something...", I said to myself.
Installing an Air Conditioner
What a cool idea! AC was in Bill's boat when he purchased it, but this article shows exactly where every component and duct is located.
Installing a Ram Mic
This article describes how to install a Ram Mic for your VHF radio in the cockpit.