When I'm trying to open/close the dorade vent, the little knob under the dorade just spins and spins and......
This may be one of the more obvious/simple questions in the forum, but is this the way that it's supposed to work? I've only had my '88 Catalina 36 since June of this year, but I'm still trying to figure this out (without removing the assembly from the deck) How do I know if I've closed the vent?
Thank you for any advice.
—
John & Tina Lastovica
"Airborne"
1988 Catalina 36 Hull No. 865
Lake Huron
John,
I have this on my todo list. When you get to the mechanism I think you will find that a nut is turning with the screw the knob is attached to. This just allows you to spin the cap and not close it down, or open it. I think one of the nuts needs to glued (locktite) or brazed to the support assembly so it does not turn and it will then go up and down.
Gary Bain
S/V "Gone With The Wind"
Catalina 36', Hull #: 1056, Year: 1990, Engine: M-35
Standard Rig
Moored: Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Home: Auburn, Maine
In our 1991 C36, the vent (a Vetus product) opens by turning the knurled nob down below in a CLOCKWISE direction. That actually causes the top part of the vent (the mushroom top) to rise, allowing air to flow in. The threads are fine, so it spins a fair amount until it is open (or closed). Take a flashlight and look up at what is happening as you turn the knob
I learned about this the hard way (like many things on the boat). I had assumed (incorrectly, it turns out) that the vent was open when the knob was turned counter clockwise to the maximum position. That was the way it was when I purchased the boat. Five years later, after removing the dorade box on top to paint it, I realized that the vents had been closed for 5 years, when I thought they were open! Man, was I embarrassed about having to admit that one to the Admiral. Our climate is cool enough (and windy enough), even in the summer, that I never thought much about bringing air into the boat, since I had the ports open regularly.
--Nelson
Nelson Lee, "Stella," 2002 C36, hull 2069, Universal M35BC, berthed Sausalito, CA
It's easy to remove the Vestus dorade box; just 6 small screws and it and the funnel are clear so you can get to the mushroom cap. (Check for wasps, first!) From there, you should be able to see the complete mechanism.
Once you have access to the threaded shaft, a light lubing with a silicon grease will prevent the threads from sticking. Then, you can quickly open or close the cap with a quick spin.
Fair Winds,
Glenn "Chooch" Jewell
Nautae Luna 1232 (RIP Tara 389 Hurricane Sally 2020)
GO NAVY - BEAT ARMY!
As Chooch said- this is an easy fix. I just did one of my dorades as he described.
I will do the other one in the spring.
I plan to use some blue locktite stuff (can't recall the real name!) so the knob does not keep spinning off!
Laura Olsen
Past Commodore
S/V Miramar
hull 938 (MKI 1989, TR,WK, M25xp)
Edgemere, MD
Thanks, everyone! A little information went a long way, saving me some disassembly. After reading that clockwise opens the vent, I spun the knurled knob counterclockwise for quite a few turns (yes, the threads are very fine) and lo, and behold, it stopped! Apparently, I just needed to keep turning the knob in the correct direction long enough to actually close the vent. Now I know - thanks again! Next step is to clean the black gunk from the topside interior and install the new cowls that just came in from Catalina Direct.
John & Tina Lastovica
"Airborne"
1988 Catalina 36 Hull No. 865
Lake Huron