I am a perspective buyer for a Catalina 27. Most of the boats I look at are dinette models but there are a few traditional layouts around as well. Does anyone have an opinion as to what is the best layout?
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Peter
Traditional all the way
I've had my traditional Cat 27 for over 13 years, and before that had a Coronado 25 (another "Butler boat") for 15 year that had a dinette interior. I've also sailed fairly frequently on a 27 with dinette arrangement. The problem with the dinette is the fact that you only use the table occasionally, yet the thing takes up almost half the cabin all the time. Any time you want to go up to the V-berth or head, it's in the way. My head is rarely used, so I store my inflatable dinghy in it's bag there. On a dinette, I wouldn't be able to get it past the table. The table edges on a dinette are dangerous in a seaway compared to the soft cushions of the traditional. Also, rail handholds on both sides of the ceiling on a traditional fall more easily to hand when you hit a big wave than they do above the dinette. And the dinette is really crowded for seating 4, while the fold-out traditional table, while still snug, is much better. (In either case, you better be young and supple.) Stowage cubic ft seems to be about the same, but the long compartments under the berths in the traditional seem to be more usable than the short ones in the dinette. If you plan to race, you need the openness of the traditional interior to haul around sails, pack 'chutes and such. If you're looking at a dinette one with galley opposite the dinette rather than in the port aft corner of the cabin, you'll find that it gives you almost no counter space (unless you consider the dinette table a "counter"), less headroom over the stove and icebox, and much less ventilation from the stove. With either, you can install a fold-down counter extension over the berth in front of or behind the galley that almost doubles your counter space, but it's more convenient to the stove in a traditional. When necessary, I can use my fold-down table as a chart table (you can a full-time dinette also, but the dinette encourages you to sit down to navigate, which, makes you less help to those driving. The assertion that the dinette becomes a double berth just is not true, if you & partner both have any hope of actually sleeping. And the best reason, if you install the LCD TV and DVD player on the portside, just aft of the main bulkhead on a traditional, it's easily viewable for up to 3 people sitting on the stbd. side settee. Try that on a dinette! The key issue is less space to move around below.
I've had my traditional Cat 27 for over 13 years, and before that had a Coronado 25 (another "Butler boat") for 15 year that had a dinette interior. I've also sailed fairly frequently on a 27 with dinette arrangement. The problem with the dinette is the fact that you only use the table occasionally, yet the thing takes up almost half the cabin all the time. Any time you want to go up to the V-berth or head, it's in the way. My head is rarely used, so I store my inflatable dinghy in it's bag there. On a dinette, I wouldn't be able to get it past the table. The table edges on a dinette are dangerous in a seaway compared to the soft cushions of the traditional. Also, rail handholds on both sides of the ceiling on a traditional fall more easily to hand when you hit a big wave than they do above the dinette. And the dinette is really crowded for seating 4, while the fold-out traditional table, while still snug, is much better. (In either case, you better be young and supple.) Stowage cubic ft seems to be about the same, but the long compartments under the berths in the traditional seem to be more usable than the short ones in the dinette. If you plan to race, you need the openness of the traditional interior to haul around sails, pack 'chutes and such. If you're looking at a dinette one with galley opposite the dinette rather than in the port aft corner of the cabin, you'll find that it gives you almost no counter space (unless you consider the dinette table a "counter"), less headroom over the stove and icebox, and much less ventilation from the stove. With either, you can install a fold-down counter extension over the berth in front of or behind the galley that almost doubles your counter space, but it's more convenient to the stove in a traditional. When necessary, I can use my fold-down table as a chart table (you can a full-time dinette also, but the dinette encourages you to sit down to navigate, which, makes you less help to those driving. The assertion that the dinette becomes a double berth just is not true, if you & partner both have any hope of actually sleeping. And the best reason, if you install the LCD TV and DVD player on the portside, just aft of the main bulkhead on a traditional, it's easily viewable for up to 3 people sitting on the stbd. side settee. Try that on a dinette! The key issue is less space to move around below.
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Peter
Traditional
I liked the traditional from the start, and I looked forever to find one that was in half decent condition. I think that most of the C27's out this way are dinette. My wife and I like to lounge and read on the settees, something that you can't really do with a dinette. Peter
I liked the traditional from the start, and I looked forever to find one that was in half decent condition. I think that most of the C27's out this way are dinette. My wife and I like to lounge and read on the settees, something that you can't really do with a dinette. Peter
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David H
Another opinion for dinette
I moved up from a '74 22' Catalina to a 27' dinette model. Perhaps it is because I was used to the table on the 22'that I was drawn to the dinette model. We always used the dinette on the 22, with the slide away galley the settee was small. So the space on the 27' seams HUGE! Our boat is for crusing/gunkholing, Not racing! It's our RV. We sail the inland waters of south Puget Sound. I looked at a lot of 27'catalinas, all were traditional models with the corner galley. I never saw one with the galley midship. While there is more room in the traditional with the table up, it seams more cramped with the table down(IMHO). With the drawers that I added under the dinette seats I'm not digging thru lockers to find things. The tv/dvd is another mater, it gets moved around depending on what were doing, cooking, eating, relaxing in the cockpit. I have a microwave mounted under the dinette, with 4 at the table it's in the way, but it's usually just the two of us. The quater bearth was given up to install a hot water heater and a fridge (that or port locker and the settee). I must also add that I have a diesel auxillary which takes up the basement. So with the boat all rigged out for camping/crusing there isn't a lot of room inside. And the head is used often, after all the beer and wine has to go somewhere! The dingy is a hard bottom and is towed behind the boat. So the real question is what are you going to use the boat for? How many are staying on the boat? Where are you sailing? Tomato/Tamato As long as it's a Catalina.
I moved up from a '74 22' Catalina to a 27' dinette model. Perhaps it is because I was used to the table on the 22'that I was drawn to the dinette model. We always used the dinette on the 22, with the slide away galley the settee was small. So the space on the 27' seams HUGE! Our boat is for crusing/gunkholing, Not racing! It's our RV. We sail the inland waters of south Puget Sound. I looked at a lot of 27'catalinas, all were traditional models with the corner galley. I never saw one with the galley midship. While there is more room in the traditional with the table up, it seams more cramped with the table down(IMHO). With the drawers that I added under the dinette seats I'm not digging thru lockers to find things. The tv/dvd is another mater, it gets moved around depending on what were doing, cooking, eating, relaxing in the cockpit. I have a microwave mounted under the dinette, with 4 at the table it's in the way, but it's usually just the two of us. The quater bearth was given up to install a hot water heater and a fridge (that or port locker and the settee). I must also add that I have a diesel auxillary which takes up the basement. So with the boat all rigged out for camping/crusing there isn't a lot of room inside. And the head is used often, after all the beer and wine has to go somewhere! The dingy is a hard bottom and is towed behind the boat. So the real question is what are you going to use the boat for? How many are staying on the boat? Where are you sailing? Tomato/Tamato As long as it's a Catalina.
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rsn48
David, where is the microwave
I too have the dinette model and have been racking my brains trying to decide where I will put a microwave. I don't quite get your statement that your microwave is under the dinette. How do you lower the table to sleep with the microwave there? I just can't visualize where your keep the microwave, but hope it is doable in my boat.
I too have the dinette model and have been racking my brains trying to decide where I will put a microwave. I don't quite get your statement that your microwave is under the dinette. How do you lower the table to sleep with the microwave there? I just can't visualize where your keep the microwave, but hope it is doable in my boat.
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David H
It's on the floor
I found the smallest microwave I could. Right now it sits on the floor under the table straped to the table leg, so it dosen't go flying. I still have to mount it to the bottom of the table, your knees just clear it. The table will still drop to make the dinette a bed. I thought of mounting it over the galley but it would have been a real head banger. I Thought of mounting it to the backrest of the aft dinette seat, but when you sit you bang your head. I thought of the locker on the port side foward of the galley but its just too small, the hanging locker space is to valuable to put it there. that left under the table or above the companion slide under the doger.....HMMMM!!! If I could lay it on its back or stand it on end it would be no problem.;D
I found the smallest microwave I could. Right now it sits on the floor under the table straped to the table leg, so it dosen't go flying. I still have to mount it to the bottom of the table, your knees just clear it. The table will still drop to make the dinette a bed. I thought of mounting it over the galley but it would have been a real head banger. I Thought of mounting it to the backrest of the aft dinette seat, but when you sit you bang your head. I thought of the locker on the port side foward of the galley but its just too small, the hanging locker space is to valuable to put it there. that left under the table or above the companion slide under the doger.....HMMMM!!! If I could lay it on its back or stand it on end it would be no problem.;D
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rsn48
David....Or you could try...
Some use the area in the V Birth just forward of the head area. It has a board covering it so the cushions will lay properly, but you can build a small stand for the microwave to sit on it raised above the bottom deck. Or you could make a compartment on the bulkhead in the head, with the back of the compartment going into the V Birth. Only one person sleeps in the V Birth on my Cat; the other side is for sails.
Some use the area in the V Birth just forward of the head area. It has a board covering it so the cushions will lay properly, but you can build a small stand for the microwave to sit on it raised above the bottom deck. Or you could make a compartment on the bulkhead in the head, with the back of the compartment going into the V Birth. Only one person sleeps in the V Birth on my Cat; the other side is for sails.
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David H
Thanks
rsn48 thanks for the other ideas. We use our v-bearth so I wouldn't want to loose the space, Still debating on adding more drawers in that little space under the v-berth board.
rsn48 thanks for the other ideas. We use our v-bearth so I wouldn't want to loose the space, Still debating on adding more drawers in that little space under the v-berth board.
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