Wellcraft Californian 34 LRC HIN

The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Fighterpilot

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2011
Messages
380
Been searching the site to find explanation of a Californian HIN. Haven't found it yet. Can anyone post a deciphering of one.

Does the electrical schematics talked about in the Wellcraft Californian post list the electrical diagrams for the engine water temp gage and the tach gages for the Cat 3208 engines in the subject boat?

Thanks

*

*

*

*
 
I asked Gil Marshall, President of Navigator/Californian Yachts and the son of Jule Marshall, about decoding the HIN, but he told me that the files were lost during the company's sale to Wellcraft and Carver and transfer back to Navigator. As far as he know, no records exist today.

My HIN is JCM034010277. He said that he thought the JCM indicated a California-built model (I think he said "Jules California Marshall", the 034 is the length of 34 ft and the 77 is the model year. The 0102 is up for grabs...I was thinking first model year, second hull...but that's just my guess. Does any of that seem to make sense considering other HINs?
 
As stated in previous posts this is my HIN:

JCM037550776

However the Marshal Boat Company tag on the cable chase in the cabin say

serial number: *37-55

So I think the boat length is 37' and the sequence number is 55

07 *Month July, Maybe?

76Year 1976

That is my guess and I'm sticking to it!

*

Larry B
 

Attachments

  • 24-09-11_1150.jpg
    24-09-11_1150.jpg
    128.2 KB · Views: 211
Ok, the boat I am looking at is JCM34212M83H. California built, 34 foot, ???, M?, 1983 model H?. Would the 212 be sequence? Did they build 212 boats a year of any of their sizes? Maybe total built? Maybe 21st built and the other 2 is February. But what would the M be? Some boats use alphabet for the month, but if they don't use some letter such as i than M would work as the 12th month. Did they put tags on the 34s?

Would they use a 1 and 3/8 shaft with the 3208 Cat? I believe original specs listed a 1 and 1/4 shaft. Thanks
 
Fighterpilot wrote:
Ok, the boat I am looking at is JCM34212M83H. California built, 34 foot, ???, M?, 1983 model H?. Would the 212 be sequence? Did they build 212 boats a year of any of their sizes? Maybe total built? Maybe 21st built and the other 2 is February. But what would the M be? Some boats use alphabet for the month, but if they don't use some letter such as i than M would work as the 12th month. Did they put tags on the 34s?

Would they use a 1 and 3/8 shaft with the 3208 Cat? I believe original specs listed a 1 and 1/4 shaft. Thanks
*There is so much we don't know about these boats. *Both Flywright and Capn Craig know more about 34's than I do. *I think Capn Craig has some literature on Cali's that he was going to share with us, when he gets time. *Maybe there is some info there to help you. *Not many of the 34' Cali's appear to have tags and we don't know why.

1 3/8 shafts are what I have on my 6.354 Perkins n/a's. *I was always led to believe that 3208's even in n/a's had 1 1/2" shafts. *You might ask Per, he has 3208's in his 38'.
 
Looked at the boat yesterday. Much to my surprise the shafts are 1 and 1/2 inches. I hadn't heard anything about that size shaft being in a Californian 34 before Eldelweiss's post. Thanks.
 
My interpretation of the HIN would be:** JCM, Marshall Boat Company,* 34, hull size,* 212, sequence #* M, Model????* 83, year of mfg.* H, eighth letter= 8th month = August build.** I have seen a explanation of this written, but I can't seem to remember where.

I remember this because of an ongoing painfull experience.* My surveyor noted that the HIN number on my CG documentation papers was wrong when I bought the boat.* M82J at the end was recorded on the paperwork as M32J.* When you look at the HIN molded into the transom, it is easy to see how the error was made.* The 8 character was tipped to the side when the hull was molded, making the loops to the left of the character very shallow compared to the right side which are deeper.* I discussed this with my marine title guy.* We provided a copy of the survey, as well as a photo of the HIN.* From the photo, you could see that it should be 82 not 32 since a 3 occurs a few characters ot he left, and it has a squared top half as opposed to the rounded loops of the eight.* And, using common sense, it could not be possible that the number was M32J since the boat could not have been molded from fiberglass in 1932.* Should be an easy fix, right?* Wrong!* two and a half months after getting the application, the CG*decided they needed a*better photo and rubbing.* The boat was 500 miles from my home, so it took a month and a half before I could get there to satisfy this request.* Then 3 months later they decided they need a signed, notorized affidavit saying that I took the photographs.* It has been three months since they have recieved that and still no documention papers.* The PIA continues.

My electrical drawings do not show the Cat engine option.* All mine say Perkins just above the title block.* I doubt there is much if any difference though.*

My boat has 1 1/4 shafts with the twin 200 Perkins.* I wish they were bigger, as they represent the weak link in the drive line in my opinion.* My guess, it was a cost thing.* As the engine options go from small to larger, you can keep the drive train*the same by reducing the grear box reduction,* mine is 1.5:1.* That allows faster shaft speeds that reduces the need for heavier shafts as torque is reduced.* I wish I had 1 3/4" shafts or at least 1 1/2", and a 2:1 gear.* I suspect would*have*far less chance of bending them.* And the slower props would vibrate less. But it would be an expensive conversion*
 
Chris Craft used similiar numbering. I think the H for August is a safe bet. Anyway made an offer on the boat tonight and it was accepted. Now to get survey and start some TLC. Fuel tank leaking, one tach not working, one temp gage not working, and electric pump out motor seized. Some rust on motor mounts and one starter. Fuel tanks appear to be in good shape, but not sure where leak is in the one tank. Wood railing around the cockpit will need attention in that need to refinish somehow. Faded and appears to be just raw wood. Any suggestions? Red Westerbeak gen which I believe is about 7.5kw. New 16000 btu a/c ducted to forwarded bunks and the cabin. Not sure it will cool it here in Florida but time will tell. Batteries outboard of port engine-- a bear to get to.

Capn Craig, if your electrical drawings give any indication as to color coding of the temp gage and tach I would appreciate a shout on that. Thanks
 
FP, Congrats on your choice. I hope it works out. Got any yachtworld links? Keep us posted on your survey.

When I bought my 34, the port tach didn't work. Whenever the alternator on that side stopped charging the batts, the tach would stop. Both alts were wired to charge both batts thru the Perko switch in the all position, so with a light charge requirement, the more powerful stbd alt would take over and the port alt would quit, and take out the tach with it. When the batts were in need of a reasonable charge, both alts came online and the tachs both worked.

Since I rewired each alternator directly to each battery bank, my tach problems have all but disappeared.
Maybe we're looking at at least two different HIN numbering systems since the earlier HINs did not include letters after the first 3 characters. Perhaps Marshall and Wellcraft (and maybe even Carver) used different systems.
 
Survey set up for Thursday. The only place the boat was listed was on Ebay--which has expired but still may be there. If not there maybe i can figure out how to send a picture or two. Big issues, even before the survey, are sorting out the leak in the port fuel tank and determining if the port engine is running warm, 190 degrees at WOT, even though it is making 2800rpm or is it the gage. I suspect it is NOT the gage. Could be impeller or any tendency for the Natural 3208 to develop scales in the cooling system? Thanks for all your help.
 
My HIN is JGM34204M83B and the serial number on the cable chase tag is 3420483. The boat is a 1983 34' LRC built in California then shipped to Florida. It has 3208'S. The boat is now in PNW.
 
Mgtdguy--thanks for the information. Assume you have the 3208Naturals. Can you cruise at 16 knots with 2500rpm or less? I hope to be able to get at least 16knots. Part of our use will be to run 24nm to the pass into the Gulf and than out at least 24 more miles for some bottom fishing. Don't mind the fuel costs but even at 16knots it is a 3 hour trip. I traded off speed for comfort, but will be disappointed if we can't cruise at 16knots. Thanks.
 
Yes they are 3208 N. I bought the boat about a month ago and the following week had to leave for Calif. so I only have one trip in the boat. As I recall 16 knots is about 2400 rpm.
Kept the speed to around 11 knots at 1700 rpm but did spend about 20 minutes at 2450 rpm until we got to the fog bank and slowed down. I think a sustained speed of at least 16 knots will be no problem for you.
 
190 degrees is not really running warm from what i recall... i seem to recall 210 degrees being a concern.
operating temp is right around 180 or 190, i dont think this would be a big concern for me.

regarding the wood... it is what makes a californian look great and at the same time it is what makes boat owners squirm... varnishing.

my rails and doors were in real bad shape when we got our boat in 2010, we had professionals remove the old varnish, sand it down and re-do the varnish.
the result was amazing, now it looks great. but it did cost me a couple of "boats"
 
Survey found a very small leak in a water hose on the port engine and the water level was down about 3 gal. Hope that was the problem and not a gasket. Boat is on the hill getting bottom job as well as that hose replaced.

I asked the owner about the wood rails. He said he had sanded, varnished, multiple coats and finally gave up. Other than looks what happens if I leave them in their unvarnished, weathered conditon. For us it is a fishing boat and will have blood and guts all over the deck as well. Thanks
 
We use ours a lot as a fishing boat too, lots of bottom fishing, salmon in the fall and crabbing. *

I have done the wood rails and gunnels both ways. *However, for the two or three years I let it go natural, I didn't like the way the teak was aging and wearing. *It would get slimmy and a few seams opened. *I was constantly scubbing the slime off of it with a brush and salt water and the wood was easily dented and scarred from the abuse of fishing.

Then they came out with a product called Cetol, worked great on the rails. *I stripped it once to bare wood and put on three coats of Cetol regular. *Then every spring, I give it a light sanding with 200 grit paper (just basically knocking the glaze off and rough up *the surface) and sand out any wear points or areas where finish has pealed and coat these with Cetol regular. *Then I put on a coat of Cetol light over the whole thing. *Takes me about one weekend to do this and you're good for the fishing season. *In Florida you have more sun than here in the PNW, so maybe you're going to have to do another coat in the fall?

This won't be a perfect, flawless, "dock queen" mirror surface, but it will be very presentable and will protect the wood from damage.
 
I think for me it will be Cetol time than, when they get slimmy. Right now they are dry and no appearance of seams. Don't need "dock queen looks" but do want to protect the wood. Thanks


-- Edited by Fighterpilot on Monday 24th of October 2011 05:37:23 AM
 
Hello all...
I bought my Californian just a couple of months ago, starting to know her and looking for info like everyone. My HIN is JGM34230M84K, guess is a 34 made in 84. Got the 3208NA, top 14knts at 2400rpms, cruise at at confy 12Kts at 2100rpms, 10gph. I've read here of 14-16 knts on same engines, my Cats run smoke free up to wot, but I get only 14knts. If I can cruise at 14 and top at 16-18, I would never sell this boat! I have not had a chance to check prop size, they are 3 blade. I've read here of factory prop 24X22 4 blade.
 
Last edited:
Congrat on your purchase. The Californian's are a great boat and you should have many years of service from her.

I don't have the Cat Diesels but some of the other Californian owners on here do and can help you out with the engine loading questions.

Larry B.
 
Based on what little I've been able to discern about Californian HINs, the J and M designate it as a Jules Marshall designed boat. Mine is "JCM034020177" with the C meaning built in CA. This is from Gil Marshall, Jules' son.

I figured the 034 means 34 footer and 77 is the 1977 build year. I asked Gil about the 0201 but the papers have been lost through several corporate sales and he could not definitely determine the meaning.

If yours is a 1984, it would be a Wellcraft model built in ? Florida? . Do you have aluminum window frames and white panel doors?

No Cats here, either. But according to Gil Marshall, the 34 with the Cats was his favorite for its speed.

Here are some articles you might find interesting. http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s24/34-californian-articles-specs-factory-options-list-4314.html
 
Ohanna

My new Califonian...
 

Attachments

  • sue.jpg
    sue.jpg
    116 KB · Views: 859
Congratulations and welcome aboard. Mine is a 82 model and a early Wellcraft product though I believe it was built in California. I have 200 hp 6 cyl Perkins 354's turbo after cooled engines. The horsepower is 10HP per engine less than the Cats but from what I can tell they performed slightly better at WOT than the Cats due to their somewhat lighter weight. I get 20, 21mph out of them on gps. Mine came to me with 21x21 3 blade props running thru 1:1.52 Borg Warners. If you look in the archives you may find they came with 22x22 3 blades new with the 200 Perkins. I don't recall seeing specs on the 210 Cats. Based on my boat which has undoubtedly gained weight over the years (me too) It could not get up to RPMS w/ 22x22 props. I just this late summer ran across a pair of 21x19 4 blades that I bought off Ebay. I am absolutely happy with them. They rum very close to the 21 x 21 3 blades I had but they are a bit faster I think. RPM is very similar at 2450 WOT. They get a better bite and are smoother. I had both 3 blade props tuned and balanced at a quality prop shop. One thing I garnered from the top shelf prop shop was that pitch is somewhat less than a perfect measurement to spec. Their computer measured inspection report revealed to me that pitch is the average of all blades measured at all locations and is not a perfect measurement. Mine were to spec but that only means they were within tolerance, not that they were perfect. My new to me 4 blades were apparently recently serviced but I don't know when and I did not get an inspection report. I take from this that 19 pitch might have been a half inch or more off. What I do know is that I am very happy with the performance. Mathematically they should over rev based on what I had, but hey don't. The variable that is not easy to predict is slippage. I am an engineer and the thing I learned over the years is don't trust the inspection measurements but to use them as a guide. I don't know what you have as to reduction ratio, but I am curious.
I have trim tabs on my boat. If you research the archives about trim tabs you will probably conclude trim tabs have not much use on a trawler. It would be my experience that this totally is wrong for a semi planing hull such as the 34 LRC with enough horsepower to actually plane the boat. I would not give up my trim tabs for anything. The Glendenning synchronizer I could live without..
I know that I will be considered as totally crazy to say this, But that be as it may, My goal is to record a video of me waterskiing behind the trawler. I know it can be done but I'm too fat and old to hang on long enough to get up to speed. I'll spend my long winter months snowmobiling and trying to figure a safe way to get up on skis. while the boat gets to planing speed. Video to follow, I'd rather be confirmed nuts than to be suspect nuts.
 
I know that I will be considered as totally crazy to say this, But that be as it may, My goal is to record a video of me waterskiing behind the trawler. I know it can be done but I'm too fat and old to hang on long enough to get up to speed. I'll spend my long winter months snowmobiling and trying to figure a safe way to get up on skis. while the boat gets to planing speed. Video to follow, I'd rather be confirmed nuts than to be suspect nuts.

Capn Craig
Now don't do something to hurt yourself here!!! We would all be just as happy to see a video of a bikini swimsuit model skiing behind your boat.....:thumb:
 
Larry, your concern is appriciated. but I am faced with a long winter layoff with out any recomish leftover. While I was driving downriver to the restover place, I noted that I could ski at that fast speed. I appreciate the opportunity to make it happen. I'm not sure it doesn't require a second boat to achieve ski speed. That said how do you transfer pull between
boats???? That will be the conversation over beers on snowmobile trips
 
Hello all...
I bought my Californian just a couple of months ago, starting to know her and looking for info like everyone. My HIN is JGM34230M84K, guess is a 34 made in 84. Got the 3208NA, top 14knts at 2400rpms, cruise at at confy 12Kts at 2100rpms, 10gph. I've read here of 14-16 knts on same engines, my Cats run smoke free up to wot, but I get only 14knts. If I can cruise at 14 and top at 16-18, I would never sell this boat! I have not had a chance to check prop size, they are 3 blade. I've read here of factory prop 24X22 4 blade.

What is rated max RPM at WOT for those engines??? I am under the impression based on a quick google search that max RPM for that engine is 2800. If you are only getting 2400 with the power lever firewalled, then you are overpropped and that is not good for the engines...especially if you run them hard which it seems you do. I do believe a 3208NA is more tolerant of being overpropped since they do not deal with the higher temps of turbocharged versions.

To give you an idea. My Cummins 330Bs also have a 2800 max rated RPM. I run them at 2400. BUT, WOT I can achieve about 3100RPM....meaning I am underpropped and the engines are not working as hard. If all I could achieve was 2400 at WOT, my engines would be cooked in about 1000-1500 hours. I do believe a highly boosted Cummins is a bit of different animal than an NA 3208. But you are doing your engines a diservice if all you can get is 2400 WOT. And their service will be drastically reduced over time. It would not be nearly as detrimental if you were running around 1500RPMs.

PS...you will likely LOSE speed if you take pitch out of your props.
 
Thanks All...
Capn...For now, I'm just enjoying the ride and cruising along at 10-12knts, 2000-2100RPMs. Fist assigment is to see what props I've got now. They are 3 blade, not sure on the size. Previous owner just installed new gearboxes on both engines, but he said that they were 1:1 ratio. I've read that the spec prop with the Cats was a 3 blade 22X21 and WOT would get about 21MPH. I'm getting her out of the water in Feb and then I'll know what's really on there. Bottom paints still pretty good, no serious fouling, props are clean, but painted with anti-fouling, anodes are almost gone, and I'm sure, like your's, she's gained a few pounds, she got new 200ft of anchor chain. I've sailing for over 30 years, first boat with full chain and I am about to sell it, I cannot see the use of so much weight on the boat for regular anchoring. I think I can save 3-400 pounds there. Anyways, we did experiment with a friends Ronin 38 with TA Detroits and the difference with 4 blade props was amazing. As I mentioned, the Cats are suposed to do 2800 at wot, mine do 2500rpm aparently by governor, they do not go beyond that. Underway with a clean botom the do reach the 2500rpm with no smoke, with a dirty botom they do smoke a bit at the top. The performance curve shows 489 lb of torque@1500 and 454@2000, torque drops to 390lb@4800, guess it will be bit fun playing with the props
 
Have you joined www.boatdiesel.com? It's worth the few dollars per year for the membership. You'll be able to size your props properly for your 3208na engines and obtain help from engine/prop guys which make their living working on your setups like yours. Your transmissions are probably not 1:1. Most likely 2.5:1 or so. Check the serial numbers and other information on the plates attached to the transmissions.
 
Thanks, I will. found strange a 1:1 trans....
 
Back
Top Bottom