I have a Mk 1 1984 C36. There has never been an issue with the power of the starter battery before. It is isolated from the rest of the circuitry. Inexplicably, after returning to the dock after running the engine for 3 hours, there was no juice in the battery when I tried to restart the engine. Since then the battery and the alternator have checked out fine. Does anyone have an explanation for this? The mechanics in my local boatyard cannot find a cause. I'm reluctant to take the boat out again until the cause is found and repaired.
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Owner of a Mk 1 C36 Hull # 379 commissioned December 1984.
Fin keel, standard rigging.
Boat is based in Nanaimo, B.C., Canada, where you will find one of the finest cruising areas in the world.
Indicating you can now leave the dock, how did juice get back into the battery? Other than your engine not starting, what other method did you use to determine there was no juice in the battery?
Nick Caballero
Retired C36/375IA Mk II Technical Editor
The starter motor sounded like one in a car when there is no battery power. Perhaps it was the actual motor which was the problem, and not the battery. Actually, the battery checked out fine afterwards, and the engine has started normally since.
Owner of a Mk 1 C36 Hull # 379 commissioned December 1984.
Fin keel, standard rigging.
Boat is based in Nanaimo, B.C., Canada, where you will find one of the finest cruising areas in the world.
When there is no charge in a battery, the starter motor makes no sound. When low power reaches the starter, you generally get a chatter or clicking sound. I'm assuming you heard chatter or clicks. If so, almost always a weak battery or bad connections.
Assuming now you're plugged into shore power and everything now checks out, this tends to move the diagnosis to alternator or regulator. That's where I'd be checking.....
Nick Caballero
Retired C36/375IA Mk II Technical Editor
I'd agree with Nick that it is usually a battery or connection problem. There are lots of connections from the battery terminals to the solenoid to the starter that could have some corrosion. Since you have a Mark I, the ammeter upgrade fix listed on the web site is essential. This greatly increases starting power. I went through that on my old C30.
I zoned in in on the 3 hr running time. That could have let a lot of heat build up in the starter and made a marginal starter not work.
Gene Foraker
Sandusky Yacht Club
Sandusky, OH
1999 C36 #1786
Gypsy Wagon