Need Help in Search for a Catalina

[Chick]

Mike,

I just joined this forum. I have owned a 2000 Catalina 36 Mk II since May 2004. I have cruised up and down the ICW every year between Norfolk VA, and Stuart, FL each year. I am willing to share my experiences and suggestions, if you are interested. I am currently in FL and plan to make the return trip to Norfolk around the end of April or early May. I have also sailed to the Bahamas and to France via Bermuda and Azores , albeit not on my boat. After the holidays, I will give you some insights into my experiences regarding requiste equipment and skills needed for long distance cruises and traveling the ICW. Trust me the differences between the two are significant.

 

[Stu Jackson]

In addition to the great advice offered so far

consider getting into the Catalina Association websites. Each of the boats in your size range have websites built by volunteers who own and appreciate their boats.

For our C34s, go to www.c34ia.org. We also have a very active Message Board at http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?board=11.0

The support offered by these forums, including this one, provide you with "asked-and-answered" questions that will give you an idea of what issues you are facing, and the SOLUTIONS that other owners have already found. Why reinvent the wheel?

An example of boat selection questions: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4558.0.html

We've had a group of our C34s sail to the islands. Poke around our website and others.

Also, for our boat, most have found that the "aft master stateroom" is NOT and have moved to the V berth because it is HUGE! That said, go sleep on different boats, because for instance, while the C34 and C36 seem similar in terms of size, the layouts down below are completely different.

Catalinas also have Mark I and Mark II models, with identical hulls but different cockpit arrangements.

You also need to begin to think of boat SYSTEMS: i.e., electrical, sails, plumbing, engine, etc.

The best reference for that, I believe, for new and/or old boats, is Nigel Calder's "Boatowner's Manual for Mechanical and Electrical Systems." Read it and start learning about batteries, power system management, engines, etc.

The differences between a Catalina and a Hans Christian is the difference between a VW bug and a Mercedes in some cases (owners of these boats - please - I'm not knocking your boats), so you may want to start looking at Internet resources about different kinds of boats, because while a C42 or C387 may be offshore rated and safe as a Hans Christian, they have completely different under-bodies (hull shape, keels, rudders) and perform differently. Where you plan to go is very important in this decision making process, including the depth of the water and the depth of the boat's keel.

 

[sailorboy8262]

If your in the Manistee Mi, area this summer I'll be happy to take you out on my Catalina 50 and give you a free lesson.