We recently sold our Catalina 30 and I'm looking at downsizing to a 17-20 foot day sailer.
My sailing grounds are the Florida Keys and I live on the Ocean side of Marathon. My sailing will be inside the reef, but it can blow up quickly here. We can go days at a time in the winter months when the breeze doesn't drop below 15 knots. I'm looking for a boat that is relatively dry, comfortable and stable that will stand up to a breeze and a chop.
I want a boat that's lively and fun to sail, but I'm past the point where I want to be hiking out or burying the rail every time out. I want less maintenance than I had with a big boat. She'll live on the dock behind the house; and I'm looking for something I can jump on and be away from the dock in five minutes.
I prefer at least a porta-poti and enough room below to stretch out for a nap below. The "galley" will be sandwiches in a cooler and a jug of sweet tea.
I have dreams of something pretty from Herreshoff, but when I factor in budget I'm landing on the Catalina 18, so I'm asking for opinions from owners - how well does this boat fit the description above?
My experience - I started on a Catalina 22 wing keel around 2005 and stepped up to a Catalina 30 MKIII in 2008 sailing the Delaware on the 22 and Barnegat Bay on the 30.
My sailing grounds are the Florida Keys and I live on the Ocean side of Marathon. My sailing will be inside the reef, but it can blow up quickly here. We can go days at a time in the winter months when the breeze doesn't drop below 15 knots. I'm looking for a boat that is relatively dry, comfortable and stable that will stand up to a breeze and a chop.
I want a boat that's lively and fun to sail, but I'm past the point where I want to be hiking out or burying the rail every time out. I want less maintenance than I had with a big boat. She'll live on the dock behind the house; and I'm looking for something I can jump on and be away from the dock in five minutes.
I prefer at least a porta-poti and enough room below to stretch out for a nap below. The "galley" will be sandwiches in a cooler and a jug of sweet tea.
I have dreams of something pretty from Herreshoff, but when I factor in budget I'm landing on the Catalina 18, so I'm asking for opinions from owners - how well does this boat fit the description above?
My experience - I started on a Catalina 22 wing keel around 2005 and stepped up to a Catalina 30 MKIII in 2008 sailing the Delaware on the 22 and Barnegat Bay on the 30.