350 Review - March Sailing Magazine

[Gary]

nav station

Wish they would increase the size of the nav table as it doesn't really look large enough to easily accomodate a chart book. Are the vhf, AM/FM radio and tank monitor now mounted above the electric panel?GaryC350 Duet #125

 

[Bill]

Nav Station

YES above the ele panel. Nav Station is probably big enough for a 13" TV. Great.

 

[Blair Dehuff]

Nav Station

Guess #116 has the new nav station configuration you refered to, as I upgraded to the flat screen TV and DVD. I didn't know about removal of the TV cabinet, or that the flat screen TV is now mounted on the wall between the head and the table. I wonder what other changes they made I don't know about?Blair

 

[No Doz]

C350 Design Changes

The concerns you are expressing are valid.Have any of you considered sending this thread to Catalina Yachts, Frank or Gerry, instead of just complaining about it through this forum or your dealers?Just a thought...

 

[Chic Lasser]

Changes

We own a 36 MkII and changes have been few and far between on our boats. At least they are looking at the boat. Not sure I would be too happy with changes that are being made. My dealer has told me from the start that Catalina has a policy of making ROLLING CHANGES so as to not encourage customers to wait for the new improved version. As an example the MkI to MKII conversion took roughly 150 hull numbers to be complete. Earliest hulls were a MkI deck with a MKII interior then the switch over. This occured over a period of 16 months. Our boats have a TV cabinet as you know and I am not sure if I like it or not. We to are leaning flat screen and it poses a mounting and location problem. The difference is I bought ours knowing this. Good Luck Very interesting to hear you guys talk though

 

[Gary]

Nav station changes

Like I said in a previous post, I actually prefer the new nav station area. To me the nav station area should be uncluttered with easy access to everything and be very funtional. The new design seems to accomplish that. Wish the nav table was a little larger. The TV cabinet looked good and provided some much needed storage area for larger items but given the choice, I would have gone with the newer nav station design. My main concern looking at the picture was that the side window had been removed but it was just the sun glare that made it look like it was missing. I knew about the overhead hatches already. Some of the changes most certainly are due to production cost controls or supplier & component quality issues, but many are also driven by customer feedback. Catalina has always been very good at listening to their customers and making changes as appropriate.The bad news for me is that if your hull is delayed, then mine will be also. It's starting to sound like a late April delivery for me. I'm missing some great sailing days out on SF Bay.Regards,Garyc350 #125

 

[Blair Dehuff]

Nav Station

Gary,I agree with your comments about the more open nav station. Fortunately, I opted for the flat screen. Unfortunately, not everyone does and this presents a problem of how to mount a conventional CRT TV. This may be a rude surprise for those who recently ordered a 350 expecting it to have a TV cabinet. Problem is Catalina makes these rolling changes without telling the dealers. The customer does not find out unless he happens to read it in a forum like this one, or worse - he gets a surprise when his boat is delivered. Communication is lacking.Re the opening ports, Pat Garfield advised me that she spoke with Gerry Douglas and Frank Butler this morning. She informed me that the overhead opening ports have not changed. They are all still there (apparently including the one's closest to the nav station and the galley.) So, there seems to be some confusion in this thread on this issue.By the way, she also mentioned Catalina has recently changed the door hardware to something much better. Your delivery may not be substantially delayed. Mine is only a week late. Not too bad considering my first boat from Catalina was 2 MONTHS late.Blair DehuffSierra Dream #116

 

[Bill]

Did Email Catalina

They informed me that they decided to go to the flat TV as an option and in turned took out the cabinet. Period. Isn't that nice. Of course I am not sure why you would take it out of the units in which the flat TV wasn't offered as an option. Guess I'll throw out the 13" TV/DVD combo, since it no longer fits anywhere and live without. That what I get for not taking the over priced factory installed TV option, bet if I had bought the TV option there would be a cabinet in there, don't believe they would of just thrown in a flat TV.Guess they showed me.

 

[John]

Ports vs. Hatches

The "confusion" seems to be in the terminology--hatches vs. ports. What was eliminated after the first few 350s were two small hatches on the coach roof, one above the galley and one above the nav station. There were no opening ports eliminated. There are still six---two in the forward cabin, one in the head, one in the saloon on the starboard side, one in the galley, and one in the aft cabin.

 

[Blair Dehuff]

Nav Station Changes

Bill,Would a wall mount TV bracket work for you where the cabinet used to be? There are all kinds of them on Ebay for $39.95. They are for TV's from 13" up to 25" and for DVD's/VCR's. I saw one that swivals 280 degrees and tilts 8 degrees.