Re: Ready to buy Cal 31

I have owned a 1979/1980 CAL 31 for 8 years now. I bought her for light air sailing in the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound. Here is my one dislike of the boat's sailing ability; she pounds going to weather due to her broad bow and flat bottom. She is pretty tender so if you live in high wind/high wave area you might rethink the basic choice of model. Even in flat water (often found in Puget Sound), if you keep too much sail up while sailing upwind, she heels enough to slide sideways badly. For light air on any point of sail except close hauled she fly's. We love her interior that has the large work/cooking surface over the extra-large refrigerator. What to LOOK FOR: 1. Rudder stainless structure coming apart inside rudder / breaking loose from the rudder post. (not my boat but a known problem) 2. Rudder "Bearings" too loose on the rudder post. My boat has this problem. 3. Stanchions loose and bad deck core under them. My boat had this problem - except my deck seems to be all cored with a closed cell foam which has kept the deck core almost perfect for all of its 35 years. Some Cal 31s have of plywood in the deck and are prone to core rot. 4. I have seen CAL 34's with sagging deck under the mast which were constructed very similarly under the mast. The deck under the mast should be the highest point of the deck. Us a straight edge to verify. 5. Here is a quote from http://thenetbenefit.com/Cal_Boats/history.asp The Cal Yacht factory was moved to Tampa, Florida in January of 1981. {other sources say early 1980?) The factory remained in Tampa until March of 1985. It was then moved to Fall River, Massachusetts and was managed by Jim Hunt, son of yacht designer C. Raymond Hunt. Bangor Punta also owned O'Day Yachts and Prindle Catamarans. I've read that the boats made in Florida are significantly inferior build quality than those made in California. I have no firsthand knowledge of this though. I am not sure how to tell where the boat was made either. Thudbranch S/V Evania - a 1980 Cal 31

Thanks Thudbranch. Appreciate the"What to look for list"! There is some indication this boat originally had a tiller. Your list will encourage close scrutiny of the linkage and other points you noted. I am currently trying to find out location of manufacture with hopes it is CA. This boat has been in Everett for 15 years. I live in Tacoma and am not a racer. Valuable info on sailing characteristics- thanks. Wife is non-sailor but has bought into the idea. As you know, the interior is a good selling point for her and she likes it. so ... in spite of the sailing characteristics I think the 31 will work well for us. Sounds like I should not be shy to reef early. The review (link below), that you've probably seen, indicates the deck had foam core except where "heavy hardware" is placed. Current owner said he as re-bedded stanchions every two years so I am hopeful that will check out okay. Dumb question but do you know how I can find the hull#? I suppose it is part the the ID#. Do you know what your # is. Thanks again. On Wed, Dec 9, 2015 at 5:39 AM, GregBranch th… [at] hotmail.com [Cal_Boats] <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: > > > I have owned a 1979/1980 CAL 31 for 8 years now. I bought her for light > air sailing in the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound. Here is my one > dislike of the boat’s sailing ability; she pounds going to weather due to > her broad bow and flat bottom. She is pretty tender so if you live in > high wind/high wave area you might rethink the basic choice of model. Even > in flat water (often found in Puget Sound), if you keep too much sail up > while sailing upwind, she heels enough to slide sideways badly. For > light air on any point of sail except close hauled she fly’s. We love her > interior that has the large work/cooking surface over the extra-large > refrigerator. > > > > What to LOOK FOR: > > 1. Rudder stainless structure coming apart inside rudder / breaking > loose from the rudder post. (not my boat but a known problem) > > 2. Rudder “Bearings” too loose on the rudder post. My boat has this > problem. > > 3. Stanchions loose and bad deck core under them. My boat had this > problem – except my deck seems to be all cored with a closed cell foam > which has kept the deck core almost perfect for all of its 35 years. Some > Cal 31s have of plywood in the deck and are prone to core rot. > > 4. I have seen CAL 34’s with sagging deck under the mast which were > constructed very similarly under the mast. The deck under the mast should > be the highest point of the deck. Us a straight edge to verify. > > 5. Here is a quote from > http://thenetbenefit.com/Cal_Boats/history.asp > > The Cal Yacht factory was moved to Tampa, Florida in January of 1981. > {other sources say early 1980?) The factory remained in Tampa until March > of 1985. It was then moved to Fall River, Massachusetts and was managed by > Jim Hunt, son of yacht designer C. Raymond Hunt. Bangor Punta also owned > O’Day Yachts and Prindle Catamarans. > > I’ve read that the boats made in Florida are significantly inferior build > quality than those made in California. I have no firsthand knowledge of > this though. > > I am not sure how to tell where the boat was made either. > > > > Thudbranch > > S/V Evania – a 1980 Cal 31 > > > > > -- Thomas Brooks 253-431-6694

I know 2 Cal31s in my harbor, both with wheels, have never heard of a tiller 31. What makes you think it was originally tiller steered?David Dobbs, Cal29 411 On Wednesday, December 9, 2015 8:26 PM, "Tom Brooks ja… [at] gmail.com [Cal_Boats]" <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: Thanks Thudbranch. Appreciate the"What to look for list"! There is some indication this boat originally had a tiller. Your list will encourage close scrutiny of the linkage and other points you noted. I am currently trying to find out location of manufacture with hopes it is CA. This boat has been in Everett for 15 years. I live in Tacoma and am not a racer. Valuable info on sailing characteristics- thanks. Wife is non-sailor but has bought into the idea. As you know, the interior is a good selling point for her and she likes it. so ... in spite of the sailing characteristics I think the 31 will work well for us. Sounds like I should not be shy to reef early. The review (link below), that you've probably seen, indicates the deck had foam core except where "heavy hardware" is placed. Current owner said he as re-bedded stanchions every two years so I am hopeful that will check out okay. Dumb question but do you know how I can find the hull#? I suppose it is part the the ID#. Do you know what your # is. Thanks again. On Wed, Dec 9, 2015 at 5:39 AM, GregBranch th… [at] hotmail.com [Cal_Boats] <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: I have owned a 1979/1980 CAL 31 for 8 years now. I bought her for light air sailing in the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound. Here is my one dislike of the boat’s sailing ability; she pounds going to weather due to her broad bow and flat bottom. She is pretty tender so if you live in high wind/high wave area you might rethink the basic choice of model. Even in flat water (often found in Puget Sound), if you keep too much sail up while sailing upwind, she heels enough to slide sideways badly. For light air on any point of sail except close hauled she fly’s. We love her interior that has the large work/cooking surface over the extra-large refrigerator. What to LOOK FOR:1. Rudder stainless structure coming apart inside rudder / breaking loose from the rudder post. (not my boat but a known problem)2. Rudder “Bearings” too loose on the rudder post. My boat has this problem.3. Stanchions loose and bad deck core under them. My boat had this problem – except my deck seems to be all cored with a closed cell foam which has kept the deck core almost perfect for all of its 35 years. Some Cal 31s have of plywood in the deck and are prone to core rot.4. I have seen CAL 34’s with sagging deck under the mast which were constructed very similarly under the mast. The deck under the mast should be the highest point of the deck. Us a straight edge to verify.5. Here is a quote from http://thenetbenefit.com/Cal_Boats/history.asp The Cal Yacht factory was moved to Tampa, Florida in January of 1981. {other sources say early 1980?) The factory remained in Tampa until March of 1985. It was then moved to Fall River, Massachusetts and was managed by Jim Hunt, son of yacht designer C. Raymond Hunt. Bangor Punta also owned O’Day Yachts and Prindle Catamarans.I’ve read that the boats made in Florida are significantly inferior build quality than those made in California. I have no firsthand knowledge of this though.I am not sure how to tell where the boat was made either. ThudbranchS/V Evania – a 1980 Cal 31 -- Thomas Brooks 253-431-6694

Hi, most cals have their #s on the upper right outside of transom. Starts with CAB, then usually hull #, then month and year(after early 70s), Helen

Kinda' hard to explain but the pedestal is not aligned perfectly square with the for-aft line of the boat. If you stand at the helm and look down directly over the pedestal toward the cockpit floor at the two legs of the stainless arched support tube - a line drawn through those two points would not be perfectly perpendicular to the for/aft axis. It is as though it was installed with a slight twist. No sign of any other footprint on the cockpit floor. Owner said (via broker) the pedestal was the one on the boat when he acquired it 15 years ago and thinks it had a tiller at one point because there is a gooseneck for a tiller (that may be for emergency use). If that pedestal was the original it was not a very good install job. Guess it doesn't really matter if it all checks out, I'm surprised I even noticed it, but it sort of bugs me. On Wed, Dec 9, 2015 at 6:35 PM, david dobbs tm… [at] yahoo.com [Cal_Boats] < Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: > > > I know 2 Cal31s in my harbor, both with wheels, have never heard of a > tiller 31. What makes you think it was originally tiller steered? > David Dobbs, Cal29 411 > > > > > On Wednesday, December 9, 2015 8:26 PM, "Tom Brooks ja… [at] gmail.com > [Cal_Boats]" <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: > > > > Thanks Thudbranch. Appreciate the"What to look for list"! There is some > indication this boat originally had a tiller. Your list will encourage > close scrutiny of the linkage and other points you noted. I am currently > trying to find out location of manufacture with hopes it is CA. > > This boat has been in Everett for 15 years. I live in Tacoma and am not a > racer. Valuable info on sailing characteristics- thanks. Wife is > non-sailor but has bought into the idea. As you know, the interior is a > good selling point for her and she likes it. so ... in spite of the sailing > characteristics I think the 31 will work well for us. Sounds like I should > not be shy to reef early. > > The review (link below), that you've probably seen, indicates the deck had > foam core except where "heavy hardware" is placed. Current owner said he as > re-bedded stanchions every two years so I am hopeful that will check out > okay. > > Dumb question but do you know how I can find the hull#? I suppose it is > part the the ID#. Do you know what your # is. > > Thanks again. > > > On Wed, Dec 9, 2015 at 5:39 AM, GregBranch th… [at] hotmail.com > [Cal_Boats] <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: > > > I have owned a 1979/1980 CAL 31 for 8 years now. I bought her for light > air sailing in the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound. Here is my one > dislike of the boat’s sailing ability; she pounds going to weather due to > her broad bow and flat bottom. She is pretty tender so if you live in > high wind/high wave area you might rethink the basic choice of model. Even > in flat water (often found in Puget Sound), if you keep too much sail up > while sailing upwind, she heels enough to slide sideways badly. For > light air on any point of sail except close hauled she fly’s. We love her > interior that has the large work/cooking surface over the extra-large > refrigerator. > > What to LOOK FOR: > 1. Rudder stainless structure coming apart inside rudder / breaking > loose from the rudder post. (not my boat but a known problem) > 2. Rudder “Bearings” too loose on the rudder post. My boat has this > problem. > 3. Stanchions loose and bad deck core under them. My boat had this > problem – except my deck seems to be all cored with a closed cell foam > which has kept the deck core almost perfect for all of its 35 years. Some > Cal 31s have of plywood in the deck and are prone to core rot. > 4. I have seen CAL 34’s with sagging deck under the mast which were > constructed very similarly under the mast. The deck under the mast should > be the highest point of the deck. Us a straight edge to verify. > 5. Here is a quote from > http://thenetbenefit.com/Cal_Boats/history.asp > The Cal Yacht factory was moved to Tampa, Florida in January of 1981. > {other sources say early 1980?) The factory remained in Tampa until March > of 1985. It was then moved to Fall River, Massachusetts and was managed by > Jim Hunt, son of yacht designer C. Raymond Hunt. Bangor Punta also owned > O’Day Yachts and Prindle Catamarans. > I’ve read that the boats made in Florida are significantly inferior build > quality than those made in California. I have no firsthand knowledge of > this though. > I am not sure how to tell where the boat was made either. > > Thudbranch > S/V Evania – a 1980 Cal 31 > > > > > > -- > Thomas Brooks > 253-431-6694 > > > > > > -- Thomas Brooks 253-431-6694

Got this from the Cal 31 owner's manual. Tiller Steering. If your boat comes equipped with a tiller, it is important to check the rudder head and tiller bolts regularly. The rudder post should be lubricated with a heavy marine grease at regular intervals, depending on use. Joe DeMers l l I On 12/9/2015 10:05 PM, Tom Brooks ja… [at] gmail.com [Cal_Boats] wrote: > > > Kinda' hard to explain but the pedestal is not aligned perfectly > square with the for-aft line of the boat. If you stand at the helm > and look down directly over the pedestal toward the cockpit floor at > the two legs of the stainless arched support tube - a line drawn > through those two points would not be perfectly perpendicular to the > for/aft axis. It is as though it was installed with a slight twist. > No sign of any other footprint on the cockpit floor. Owner said (via > broker) the pedestal was the one on the boat when he acquired it 15 > years ago and thinks it had a tiller at one point because there is a > gooseneck for a tiller (that may be for emergency use). If that > pedestal was the original it was not a very good install job. Guess it > doesn't really matter if it all checks out, I'm surprised I even > noticed it, but it sort of bugs me. > > On Wed, Dec 9, 2015 at 6:35 PM, david dobbs tm… [at] yahoo.com > <mailto:tm… [at] yahoo.com> [Cal_Boats] <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > <mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com>> wrote: > > I know 2 Cal31s in my harbor, both with wheels, have never heard > of a tiller 31. What makes you think it was originally tiller > steered? > David Dobbs, Cal29 411 > > > > > On Wednesday, December 9, 2015 8:26 PM, "Tom Brooks > ja… [at] gmail.com <mailto:ja… [at] gmail.com> [Cal_Boats]" > <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com <mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com>> wrote: > > > Thanks Thudbranch. Appreciate the"What to look for list"! There > is some indication this boat originally had a tiller. Your list > will encourage close scrutiny of the linkage and other points you > noted. I am currently trying to find out location of manufacture > with hopes it is CA. > > This boat has been in Everett for 15 years. I live in Tacoma and > am not a racer. Valuable info on sailing characteristics- > thanks. Wife is non-sailor but has bought into the idea. As you > know, the interior is a good selling point for her and she likes > it. so ... in spite of the sailing characteristics I think the 31 > will work well for us. Sounds like I should not be shy to reef early. > > The review (link below), that you've probably seen, indicates the > deck had foam core except where "heavy hardware" is placed. > Current owner said he as re-bedded stanchions every two years so I > am hopeful that will check out okay. > > Dumb question but do you know how I can find the hull#? I suppose > it is part the the ID#. Do you know what your # is. > > Thanks again. > > > On Wed, Dec 9, 2015 at 5:39 AM, GregBranch th… [at] hotmail.com > <mailto:th… [at] hotmail.com> [Cal_Boats] > <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com <mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com>> wrote: > > I have owned a 1979/1980 CAL 31 for 8 years now. I bought her > for light air sailing in the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound. > Here is my one dislike of the boat’s sailing ability; she > pounds going to weather due to her broad bow and flat > bottom. She is pretty tender so if you live in high > wind/high wave area you might rethink the basic choice of > model. Even in flat water (often found in Puget Sound), if > you keep too much sail up while sailing upwind, she heels > enough to slide sideways badly. For light air on any point > of sail except close hauled she fly’s. We love her interior > that has the large work/cooking surface over the extra-large > refrigerator. > What to LOOK FOR: > 1. Rudder stainless structure coming apart inside rudder / > breaking loose from the rudder post. (not my boat but a known > problem) > 2.Rudder “Bearings” too loose on the rudder post. My boat has > this problem. > 3.Stanchions loose and bad deck core under them. My boat had > this problem – except my deck seems to be all cored with a > closed cell foam which has kept the deck core almost perfect > for all of its 35 years. Some Cal 31s have of plywood in the > deck and are prone to core rot. > 4.I have seen CAL 34’s with sagging deck under the mast which > were constructed very similarly under the mast. The deck > under the mast should be the highest point of the deck. Us a > straight edge to verify. > 5.Here is a quote from > http://thenetbenefit.com/Cal_Boats/history.asp > The Cal Yacht factory was moved to Tampa, Florida in January > of 1981. {other sources say early 1980?) The factory > remained in Tampa until March of 1985. It was then moved to > Fall River, Massachusetts and was managed by Jim Hunt, son of > yacht designer C. Raymond Hunt. Bangor Punta also owned O’Day > Yachts and Prindle Catamarans. > I’ve read that the boats made in Florida are significantly > inferior build quality than those made in California. I have > no firsthand knowledge of this though. > I am not sure how to tell where the boat was made either. > Thudbranch > S/V Evania – a 1980 Cal 31 > > > > > -- > Thomas Brooks > 253-431-6694 > > > > > > > > -- > Thomas Brooks > 253-431-6694 > > > > > -- *Joe DeMers - owner* Sound Marine Diesel LLC SoundMarineDiesel.com <http://www.soundmarinediesel.com/>*phone & fax (860) 666-2184*

Wow - Thanks Joe. It's' on the list of things to check. On Wed, Dec 9, 2015 at 7:36 PM, Joe DeMers je… [at] mindspring.com [Cal_Boats] <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: > > > > Got this from the Cal 31 owner's manual. > > > Tiller Steering. If your boat comes equipped with a tiller, > it is important to check the rudder head and tiller bolts regularly. > The rudder post should be lubricated with a heavy > marine grease at regular intervals, depending on use. > > Joe DeMers > > > l > l > I > > On 12/9/2015 10:05 PM, Tom Brooks ja… [at] gmail.com [Cal_Boats] wrote: > > Kinda' hard to explain but the pedestal is not aligned perfectly square > with the for-aft line of the boat. If you stand at the helm and look down > directly over the pedestal toward the cockpit floor at the two legs of the > stainless arched support tube - a line drawn through those two points would > not be perfectly perpendicular to the for/aft axis. It is as though it was > installed with a slight twist. No sign of any other footprint on the > cockpit floor. Owner said (via broker) the pedestal was the one on the > boat when he acquired it 15 years ago and thinks it had a tiller at one > point because there is a gooseneck for a tiller (that may be for emergency > use). If that pedestal was the original it was not a very good install > job. Guess it doesn't really matter if it all checks out, I'm surprised I > even noticed it, but it sort of bugs me. > > On Wed, Dec 9, 2015 at 6:35 PM, david dobbs tm… [at] yahoo.com [Cal_Boats] > <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: > >> >> I know 2 Cal31s in my harbor, both with wheels, have never heard of a >> tiller 31. What makes you think it was originally tiller steered? >> David Dobbs, Cal29 411 >> >> >> >> >> On Wednesday, December 9, 2015 8:26 PM, "Tom Brooks <ja… [at] gmail.com> >> ja… [at] gmail.com [Cal_Boats]" < <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> >> Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: >> >> >> >> Thanks Thudbranch. Appreciate the"What to look for list"! There is some >> indication this boat originally had a tiller. Your list will encourage >> close scrutiny of the linkage and other points you noted. I am currently >> trying to find out location of manufacture with hopes it is CA. >> >> This boat has been in Everett for 15 years. I live in Tacoma and am not >> a racer. Valuable info on sailing characteristics- thanks. Wife is >> non-sailor but has bought into the idea. As you know, the interior is a >> good selling point for her and she likes it. so ... in spite of the sailing >> characteristics I think the 31 will work well for us. Sounds like I should >> not be shy to reef early. >> >> The review (link below), that you've probably seen, indicates the deck >> had foam core except where "heavy hardware" is placed. Current owner said >> he as re-bedded stanchions every two years so I am hopeful that will check >> out okay. >> >> Dumb question but do you know how I can find the hull#? I suppose it is >> part the the ID#. Do you know what your # is. >> >> Thanks again. >> >> >> On Wed, Dec 9, 2015 at 5:39 AM, GregBranch <th… [at] hotmail.com> >> th… [at] hotmail.com [Cal_Boats] < <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> >> Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: >> >> >> I have owned a 1979/1980 CAL 31 for 8 years now. I bought her for light >> air sailing in the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound. Here is my one >> dislike of the boat’s sailing ability; she pounds going to weather due to >> her broad bow and flat bottom. She is pretty tender so if you live in >> high wind/high wave area you might rethink the basic choice of model. Even >> in flat water (often found in Puget Sound), if you keep too much sail up >> while sailing upwind, she heels enough to slide sideways badly. For >> light air on any point of sail except close hauled she fly’s. We love her >> interior that has the large work/cooking surface over the extra-large >> refrigerator. >> >> What to LOOK FOR: >> 1. Rudder stainless structure coming apart inside rudder / >> breaking loose from the rudder post. (not my boat but a known problem) >> 2. Rudder “Bearings” too loose on the rudder post. My boat has >> this problem. >> 3. Stanchions loose and bad deck core under them. My boat had >> this problem – except my deck seems to be all cored with a closed cell foam >> which has kept the deck core almost perfect for all of its 35 years. Some >> Cal 31s have of plywood in the deck and are prone to core rot. >> 4. I have seen CAL 34’s with sagging deck under the mast which were >> constructed very similarly under the mast. The deck under the mast should >> be the highest point of the deck. Us a straight edge to verify. >> 5. Here is a quote from >> <http://thenetbenefit.com/Cal_Boats/history.asp> >> http://thenetbenefit.com/Cal_Boats/history.asp >> The Cal Yacht factory was moved to Tampa, Florida in January of 1981. >> {other sources say early 1980?) The factory remained in Tampa until March >> of 1985. It was then moved to Fall River, Massachusetts and was managed by >> Jim Hunt, son of yacht designer C. Raymond Hunt. Bangor Punta also owned >> O’Day Yachts and Prindle Catamarans. >> I’ve read that the boats made in Florida are significantly inferior build >> quality than those made in California. I have no firsthand knowledge of >> this though. >> I am not sure how to tell where the boat was made either. >> >> Thudbranch >> S/V Evania – a 1980 Cal 31 >> >> >> >> >> >> -- >> Thomas Brooks >> 253-431-6694 >> >> >> >> >> > > > -- > Thomas Brooks > 253-431-6694 > > > > -- > > *Joe DeMers - owner* > > Sound Marine Diesel LLC > SoundMarineDiesel.com <http://www.soundmarinediesel.com/>*phone & fax > (860) 666-2184 <%28860%29%20666-2184>* > > > -- Thomas Brooks 253-431-6694

Thanks Helen. On Wed, Dec 9, 2015 at 6:39 PM, he… [at] sbcglobal.net [Cal_Boats] < Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: > > > Hi, most cals have their #s on the upper right outside of transom. Starts > with CAB, then usually hull #, then month and year(after early 70s), Helen > > -- Thomas Brooks 253-431-6694