Cruiser 33 upgrades

[rayjones]

Hi all. I have a 2015 33 and wonder if anyone has any info on the following?
1 I am looking to have all lines lead to the cockpit and ask if it is possible/easy/a hassle to retro fit deck organisers and rope clutches. I have looked under the existing fittings and cannot see how to do this without attacking the roof "linings"
2 is it possible to replace the vhf 300 aid receiver with the 600 transponder model?

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

[Symphony]

Assume you have one of the earlier ones fitted with just one bank of organisers. Mine, built in July 2015 has a bank either side and the port side has a double on top of it. I have in mast and all lines lead back except the topping lift and the main halyard as generally speaking these two do not need any adjustment when sailing. So on the port side I have main outhaul, genoa halyard and spinnaker halyard and on starboard the two lines for mainsail furling. The main halyard goes through a clutch on the mast, but the halyard is long enough to take to the winch in the cockpit  for raising. Obviously if you have a battened mainsail the layout is different.

To increase the number of sheaves on the organisers you can either fit a 3 sheave if you only have a 2, or double deck them using longer bolts. The fittings (neither clutches or organisers) are not through bolted but the fastening go into tapped holes in aluminium plates bonded in. The raised area around the fittings is the area of the plate. So if you are adding a clutch you drill and tap for the threads. Coat the screws with Duralac to reduce the chances of corrosion and bed the clutches on silicone sealant if you are using Spinlock clutches. There is space for additional turning blocks on the mast step.

Can't help on the radio.

[tiger79]

2 is it possible to replace the vhf 300 aid receiver with the 600 transponder model?

Not really.  The VHF300AIS is a VHF radio which has a built-in AIS receiver.  The AIS600 is only a transponder - no VHF radio.  So perhaps you simply keep the existing VHF300 and add a separate transponder (doesn't have to be Garmin).

[rayjones]

Assume you have one of the earlier ones fitted with just one bank of organisers. Mine, built in July 2015 has a bank either side and the port side has a double on top of it. I have in mast and all lines lead back except the topping lift and the main halyard as generally speaking these two do not need any adjustment when sailing. So on the port side I have main outhaul, genoa halyard and spinnaker halyard and on starboard the two lines for mainsail furling. The main halyard goes through a clutch on the mast, but the halyard is long enough to take to the winch in the cockpit  for raising. Obviously if you have a battened mainsail the layout is different.

To increase the number of sheaves on the organisers you can either fit a 3 sheave if you only have a 2, or double deck them using longer bolts. The fittings (neither clutches or organisers) are not through bolted but the fastening go into tapped holes in aluminium plates bonded in. The raised area around the fittings is the area of the plate. So if you are adding a clutch you drill and tap for the threads. Coat the screws with Duralac to reduce the chances of corrosion and bed the clutches on silicone sealant if you are using Spinlock clutches. There is space for additional turning blocks on the mast step.

Can't help on the radio.

Thank you for the info.
I have slab feeding and have modified so that I can reef from the cockpit at the expense of the spinnaker halyard and out haul which are now at the mast. This enable me to ultimately lead everything aft. Thanks again.

[rayjones]

2 is it possible to replace the vhf 300 aid receiver with the 600 transponder model?

Not really.  The VHF300AIS is a VHF radio which has a built-in AIS receiver.  The AIS600 is only a transponder - no VHF radio.  So perhaps you simply keep the existing VHF300 and add a separate transponder (doesn't have to be Garmin).

Thank for the info. Just interested in upgrading so that I can transmit as well as receive ais

[Kibo]

As Tiger says the 300 is an AIS receiver and the 600 is a transponder/receiver. You can do it...... I have....

I had the 300 as standard on my 2014. I fitted the AIS 600 into the system using the NMEA connectors and a power connector, then turned off the AIS receiver in the 300 radio via the handset menu and it all works fine. The 300 is now just my VHF radio and the 600 receives and transmits fine.

When fitting the 600 there is a VHF aerial splitter which allows you to fit the 600 without the need to run a separate aerial since it connects into the existing VHF antenna. This had mixed reviews about whether this can reduce the range or signal strength of the VHF radio but they were not conclusive.... I went with the VHF splitter and in 2 years of regular usage (we liveaboard 4 months of the year and use the radio almost daily for cruisers nets, docking etc) I have had no issues with either the VHF range or the AIS

Good luck with the install if you decide to go with it.

[tiger79]

As Tiger says the 300 is an AIS receiver and the 600 is a transponder/receiver. You can do it...... I have....

I had the 300 as standard on my 2014. I fitted the AIS 600 into the system using the NMEA connectors and a power connector, then turned off the AIS receiver in the 300 radio via the handset menu and it all works fine. The 300 is now just my VHF radio and the 600 receives and transmits fine.

Of course you can do it, but the Garmin AIS600 is over £600, and you can buy a better-spec transponder for £200 less.  So unless you have shares in Garmin, why choose the AIS600?

[Kibo]

Thanks Tiger

I decided to stay Garmin ......should also say I buy in USD so prices are a little lower here ...... I will have to ask my broker but Inthink Garmin just might be in my portfolio