I have read that the 11 hp diesel motor for a Catalina 30’ is not enough, that it is way under powered. I am looking to buy a 1980 – 1984 or so Catalina and have been making the engine a priority in my looking. Am I being to picky? I am going to be sailing in San Diego bay and likely a trip to Catalina Island, Long Beach etc. Are there any “best” years for the Catalina 30’? Is there anything else I should be looking for? I did download and read the review from the Practical Sailor. -CW
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Ron
Motor Power
I have a 1979 30 Cat. I also a 11 hp. diesel that gets me out on a good day 6.0 knots and then Im under sail. Sure they maybe under powered how ever this a sail boat. New modles have larger engines, or you could change out to a larger if needed at a later time. Good luck. Ron
I have a 1979 30 Cat. I also a 11 hp. diesel that gets me out on a good day 6.0 knots and then Im under sail. Sure they maybe under powered how ever this a sail boat. New modles have larger engines, or you could change out to a larger if needed at a later time. Good luck. Ron
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Jon
8 is enough for me
Hey Ron, Bottom line is you should make whatever you think is important as a priority. That being said I have a old 27 that was re engined with a 8 Hp Yanmar. It works fine for me. I motored all the way from Ventura to Long Beach when there was no wind and it pushed me along just fine. Hope this helps
Hey Ron, Bottom line is you should make whatever you think is important as a priority. That being said I have a old 27 that was re engined with a 8 Hp Yanmar. It works fine for me. I motored all the way from Ventura to Long Beach when there was no wind and it pushed me along just fine. Hope this helps
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Chip Willis
Ventura to Long Beach
You said, "Hey Ron, Bottom line is you should make whatever you think is important as a priority. That being said I have a old 27 that was re engined with a 8 Hp Yanmar. It works fine for me. I motored all the way from Ventura to Long Beach when there was no wind and it pushed me along just fine. Hope this helps " Can you tell me how long that took? thabks -CW
You said, "Hey Ron, Bottom line is you should make whatever you think is important as a priority. That being said I have a old 27 that was re engined with a 8 Hp Yanmar. It works fine for me. I motored all the way from Ventura to Long Beach when there was no wind and it pushed me along just fine. Hope this helps " Can you tell me how long that took? thabks -CW
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Don Guillette
Chip: I don't think the 11HP diesel is adequate for a C30. Catalina discontinued that application shortly after installing it. It is OK in flat water but is inadaquate in any other conditions. Coming up the coast from San Diego could be a tough row to hoe. You'd be heading right into the wind and chop. Here's another reason - a Catalina 25, which weights about 4000 lbs, is mormally powered by a 9.5HP OB. The C30 weights about 10,000 lbs - unloaded. Based on that alone, I don't feel the 11HP is a adequate power plant. I have a 1981 C30 that is powered by a 25XP (23HP) and my boat is FOR SALE. The previous owner replaced the Atomic 4 (a great engine)with a 25XP engine. The 25XP has only 400 hours on it. My boat is located in Long Beach. If your interested in any details regarding my boat please contact me at yankee3223@juno.com. The boat is completely refitted with Garhauer equipment and also has a teak/holly floor plus a million other upgrades.
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Stu Jackson C34 1986 #224
Not an Issue
Chip When thery made the boats of the years and HP you are considering, they thought that that was TREMENDOUS hp compared to what they'd get from an outboard, and were switching over from the Atomic 4 gas engine to safer diesel. It worked then, why not now? So, they put 400 HP engines in VW beetles, so what? Of course builders will put larger HP engines in newer boats of the same size. Reason is that the engine manufacturers started making more HP in smaller packages. As someone said, it's a sailboat. San Diego? You could do with a 5 HP outboard on a C30. I have what is now considerd to be an ancient C34 with a measly 21 hp engine, the newer C34s have 35 HP engines. Same boat. I keep my bottom clean, keep the engine up to snuff, and never have a problem with currents in the SF Bay. Go for it. Stu
Chip When thery made the boats of the years and HP you are considering, they thought that that was TREMENDOUS hp compared to what they'd get from an outboard, and were switching over from the Atomic 4 gas engine to safer diesel. It worked then, why not now? So, they put 400 HP engines in VW beetles, so what? Of course builders will put larger HP engines in newer boats of the same size. Reason is that the engine manufacturers started making more HP in smaller packages. As someone said, it's a sailboat. San Diego? You could do with a 5 HP outboard on a C30. I have what is now considerd to be an ancient C34 with a measly 21 hp engine, the newer C34s have 35 HP engines. Same boat. I keep my bottom clean, keep the engine up to snuff, and never have a problem with currents in the SF Bay. Go for it. Stu
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LARRY W.
11 HORSES
Chip; I used to have an '82 C-30 with the 11hp engine. It worked well for me, even with a 2-blade folding prop. I motored back from Ensenada to SD, then to Long Beach. San Diego to Long Beach took 16 hours. A diesel engine has much more torque than a gas engine. If you find a boat you like, don't let the smaller engine keep you from it. BTW, ask Don Guillette how often his boat leaves the slip.
Chip; I used to have an '82 C-30 with the 11hp engine. It worked well for me, even with a 2-blade folding prop. I motored back from Ensenada to SD, then to Long Beach. San Diego to Long Beach took 16 hours. A diesel engine has much more torque than a gas engine. If you find a boat you like, don't let the smaller engine keep you from it. BTW, ask Don Guillette how often his boat leaves the slip.
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Jon
Ventura to Long Beach
Chip, I split it into two days. First day I went from Ventura to Marina del Rey that took about 9 hours (motoring all the way, that was the flattest I've ever seen the water!) The next day was only about 6 hours from MDR to Long Beach. That totals to 15 hours but if you went straight you'd cut some time off by not going into the bay, I don't know how much. Hope this helps. Jon
Chip, I split it into two days. First day I went from Ventura to Marina del Rey that took about 9 hours (motoring all the way, that was the flattest I've ever seen the water!) The next day was only about 6 hours from MDR to Long Beach. That totals to 15 hours but if you went straight you'd cut some time off by not going into the bay, I don't know how much. Hope this helps. Jon
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Hugh V
Get the Big Diesel
Chip, All things being equal, get the bigger diesel. A lot has been said here about boats with the smaller diesels and I am certain those owners are rightfully happy with their respective motors. My experience motoring from SD to Catalina in the summer has been that you can usually expect to be motoring almost directly upwind and into the current. Summer afternoons south of Avalon can get blustery and choppy and the larger diesel will more than earn its keep here. I have been able to make good 6 kts over the bottom in pretty lousy conditions with the 21 HP universal in my 30. Conversly I have had to wait for a friend with an 11 HP motor who was making around 3kt in the same conditions. Doesn't sound like much but the difference is that he had to spend almost twice as much time in crappy conditions as I would have. In flat water and no wind conditions the 11hp will serve you well but when the weather comes up you will pay a premium. Catalina stopped putting the small diesels in the 30 for good reason. Another thought to keep in mind is that the larger diesel will help move the boat at resale time too! Good luck Hugh
Chip, All things being equal, get the bigger diesel. A lot has been said here about boats with the smaller diesels and I am certain those owners are rightfully happy with their respective motors. My experience motoring from SD to Catalina in the summer has been that you can usually expect to be motoring almost directly upwind and into the current. Summer afternoons south of Avalon can get blustery and choppy and the larger diesel will more than earn its keep here. I have been able to make good 6 kts over the bottom in pretty lousy conditions with the 21 HP universal in my 30. Conversly I have had to wait for a friend with an 11 HP motor who was making around 3kt in the same conditions. Doesn't sound like much but the difference is that he had to spend almost twice as much time in crappy conditions as I would have. In flat water and no wind conditions the 11hp will serve you well but when the weather comes up you will pay a premium. Catalina stopped putting the small diesels in the 30 for good reason. Another thought to keep in mind is that the larger diesel will help move the boat at resale time too! Good luck Hugh
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Grant
Been there.........
Hey Chip, Can't comment on the wx in Ca. However on my old 82 Cat 30 I had the 11hp. From the responses,I agree the 11 is OK in flat and calm conditions. On a single weekend on Lake Pontchartrain ( New Orleans ) I went through five thunderstorms, the fifth being a real friggin blow. At least forty knots and the waves slapped the bow to either side when trying to power into them. I learned valuable lessons on that trip. Drive into the waves at an angle to keep the boat under control. This was on a lee shore so I couldn't run and the channel was too dangerous in the storm. On that trip the extra HP would have kept me from losing more leeway. Given my druthers I would get the larger engine if available. And resale will be higher as well. Happy Sailing
Hey Chip, Can't comment on the wx in Ca. However on my old 82 Cat 30 I had the 11hp. From the responses,I agree the 11 is OK in flat and calm conditions. On a single weekend on Lake Pontchartrain ( New Orleans ) I went through five thunderstorms, the fifth being a real friggin blow. At least forty knots and the waves slapped the bow to either side when trying to power into them. I learned valuable lessons on that trip. Drive into the waves at an angle to keep the boat under control. This was on a lee shore so I couldn't run and the channel was too dangerous in the storm. On that trip the extra HP would have kept me from losing more leeway. Given my druthers I would get the larger engine if available. And resale will be higher as well. Happy Sailing
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Jack Swords
It's a sailboat!
Our Cat 30 has the 11 hp diesel. It spent 10 years in Ventura/Oxnard with many trips to the Channel Islands. Twice a year we sailed directly to Catalina and back. We found the sails to be handy in propelling the boat. She is now in La Paz, Mexico where the fuel consumption of the little engine became very important on the way down. We just can't use enough diesel and it gets old, but then again, we tend to use those sail things. Sailing boats are not about speed or appointments to be met. Plan for tides, winds, and comfort. That's a part of the enjoyment and learning curve. If you have schedules to meet, maybe a powerboat would be a better choice. I believe the A4 engine was around 30 hp, then later Catalina put the 11 hp in. Were the engineers unaware that that was a 19 hp drop? Or perhaps they intended the very reliable engine as an axillary to the sails. It comes in handy entering and leaving the slip.
Our Cat 30 has the 11 hp diesel. It spent 10 years in Ventura/Oxnard with many trips to the Channel Islands. Twice a year we sailed directly to Catalina and back. We found the sails to be handy in propelling the boat. She is now in La Paz, Mexico where the fuel consumption of the little engine became very important on the way down. We just can't use enough diesel and it gets old, but then again, we tend to use those sail things. Sailing boats are not about speed or appointments to be met. Plan for tides, winds, and comfort. That's a part of the enjoyment and learning curve. If you have schedules to meet, maybe a powerboat would be a better choice. I believe the A4 engine was around 30 hp, then later Catalina put the 11 hp in. Were the engineers unaware that that was a 19 hp drop? Or perhaps they intended the very reliable engine as an axillary to the sails. It comes in handy entering and leaving the slip.
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RonD
Engine Power
The empirical rule-of-thumb for a displacement hull is 5 HP per long-ton (2200 lb) of displacement. That should be sufficient power to achieve hull-speed for most less-than-extreme conditions. If you look at the Catalina specs for various boats, you'll see that they more-or-less follow that rule. e.g., a C320 w/shoal keel is 11,700lb and has a 27HP diesel. Having a slightly larger engine might be helpful if you tend to motor in more severe conditions with a cruise-loaded boat. Adding a crew of 4 plus fuel, water, provisions, and gear for just a few days of cruising, and towing a dinghy, easily adds 2,000-2,500lb to that equation.
The empirical rule-of-thumb for a displacement hull is 5 HP per long-ton (2200 lb) of displacement. That should be sufficient power to achieve hull-speed for most less-than-extreme conditions. If you look at the Catalina specs for various boats, you'll see that they more-or-less follow that rule. e.g., a C320 w/shoal keel is 11,700lb and has a 27HP diesel. Having a slightly larger engine might be helpful if you tend to motor in more severe conditions with a cruise-loaded boat. Adding a crew of 4 plus fuel, water, provisions, and gear for just a few days of cruising, and towing a dinghy, easily adds 2,000-2,500lb to that equation.
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Don Guillette
Mates: Lets keep sight of the original thread question being asked by a potential buyer, which was, is the 11HP engine adequate for a C30. Here's a hypothetical question you have to ask yourself - if you had a engine less catalina 30 weighting well over 10,000 lbs fully loaded and you were considering repowering with an OB, would you consider an 11 HP OB as your choice of power? The question answers itself. So if your choice is between and 11 HP and a 23HP only a fool would buy or even suggest you buy the 11HP. Additionally, your resale value on the 11 HP takes a dump as soon as you sign the papers and when you go to sell the boat your stuck with something a well informed future buyer doesn't want, unless he just got into sailing yesterday or last night. Catalina quickly realized their mistake and stopped installing that engine. Why would you want to compound their mistake? To answer Larry W question about how often my boat goes out - when your working 6 days a week, racing Wed night and Saturday, conducting sail trim seminars, have a motor home and property in AZ, sadly it doesn't leave a lot of time for sailing my C30. I wish I could find more time to sail my own boat but so many other things seem to get in the way - one of which is trying to make a few bucks to survive. Not having enough time to use my boat is one of the reasons my boat is now FOR SALE. On the other hand, if I was sitting on my rear end and unemployed, I'd have a lot of time to devote to sailing.
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Jack Walsh
11hp Enough for 30'
Having purchased an '84 C30 last July, searching high and low for one in good to very good condition, I have to say I had to make the larger engine a priority in my search. Here is why: After looking a numerous boats with the 11hp motor the overwhelming fact is the engine is old and usually not that well maintained. Even the best engine on the best '79 C30 I had surveyed for purchase, had a leak at the head. Could have been a head gasket, possibly something worse. The thing is, if it's the latter you'll spend huge money either rebuilding the motor or re-powering the boat. And because it's raw water cooled the chances of high amounts of corrosion has just gone way up. Most of the older C30's have had multiple owners and usually a few of those owners did not take good care of the motor. If your budget allows you to purchase a '84 or newer C30 you won't regret it from an engine power standpoint. -Jack Walsh s/v Starlight C30 TRBS w/tiller
Having purchased an '84 C30 last July, searching high and low for one in good to very good condition, I have to say I had to make the larger engine a priority in my search. Here is why: After looking a numerous boats with the 11hp motor the overwhelming fact is the engine is old and usually not that well maintained. Even the best engine on the best '79 C30 I had surveyed for purchase, had a leak at the head. Could have been a head gasket, possibly something worse. The thing is, if it's the latter you'll spend huge money either rebuilding the motor or re-powering the boat. And because it's raw water cooled the chances of high amounts of corrosion has just gone way up. Most of the older C30's have had multiple owners and usually a few of those owners did not take good care of the motor. If your budget allows you to purchase a '84 or newer C30 you won't regret it from an engine power standpoint. -Jack Walsh s/v Starlight C30 TRBS w/tiller
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Dan
to each his own
but Im real happy with my U25. I wouldnt want anything less. when taking a stiff wind on the nose Im glad to have the extra ponies.
but Im real happy with my U25. I wouldnt want anything less. when taking a stiff wind on the nose Im glad to have the extra ponies.
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Don
A4 on a Cat 30
A little off subject but- the Atomic 4 engine mentioned before only gives about 15 hp on the Cat30 not 30 hp- if you check the A4 specs
A little off subject but- the Atomic 4 engine mentioned before only gives about 15 hp on the Cat30 not 30 hp- if you check the A4 specs
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Tony Barra
11horse power is plenty
Having sailed my C30 for 5 years through Mexico/South Pacific ,I can tell you the YSB12 YANMAR engine is adequate in most situations.Pounding into 30+knot winds it wont do, but a well sailed C30 can/and does work well and like they say "IT's A SAIL BOAT". Tony Barra s/v PANACHE C30#436 p.s. Ihave owned this boat since 1976 and have not had any major problems with the engine.
Having sailed my C30 for 5 years through Mexico/South Pacific ,I can tell you the YSB12 YANMAR engine is adequate in most situations.Pounding into 30+knot winds it wont do, but a well sailed C30 can/and does work well and like they say "IT's A SAIL BOAT". Tony Barra s/v PANACHE C30#436 p.s. Ihave owned this boat since 1976 and have not had any major problems with the engine.
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John Olson
great post Jack
I sailed a older C 30 with freinds and In alake. It was no problem getting back to the dock they had the boat 6 years and they motersailed if they could not make head way into the wind .Its nice to have the25hp disel but they got agreat deal on the boat and loved it just the same I have the 25hp on my 88 and Its great I run at about 2200 rpms and I have good power with a three blade prop but I roll out my head said and motersail If Im In a rush to get on the road. Last year I used about 25gal disel and I think my freind used 16gal I live 21/2 hours from my boat.I need a faster truck . John Olson
I sailed a older C 30 with freinds and In alake. It was no problem getting back to the dock they had the boat 6 years and they motersailed if they could not make head way into the wind .Its nice to have the25hp disel but they got agreat deal on the boat and loved it just the same I have the 25hp on my 88 and Its great I run at about 2200 rpms and I have good power with a three blade prop but I roll out my head said and motersail If Im In a rush to get on the road. Last year I used about 25gal disel and I think my freind used 16gal I live 21/2 hours from my boat.I need a faster truck . John Olson
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