310 vs. 320 as a family boat

Tom J · Nov 16, 2012

The 310 really is a boat built for couples, as you said. We currently live aboard 4 months of the year, and have, in the past, lived aboard as long as 10 months. So, in our case, the aft cabin is usually filled with plastic bins for storage. In your case, though, the aft cabin would be available for kids and/or guests. Kids, especially, seem to love crawling back there. So cruising weekends or mostly day sailing should be fine. And, yes, she is a safe, stable and easy boat to sail. Good luck and have fun!

iSailor · Nov 16, 2012

I am near the end of the first season with our 310 and I have a 6 year old daughter as well. I find the 310 really user friendly and a decent size. I had to rig up a converson for my dinette table to use it as a berth.

We looked at a 320 before buying the 310. The 320 seems to be a much larger boat than the 310, I think the 320 is actually a 34' boat. We chose the 310 because it fit my wallet a little better and it is still plenty boat for us.

gpd955 · Nov 16, 2012

Bought a 310 several years ago, switching from a 79 C30. The 30 was able to accommodate our family of 5 but when we bought the 310, the girls were adults and, since they hated the boat anyway (no AC, no electricity for texting while underway, etc) we took them out of the equation.

The 310 works great for the two of us and our 9 year old son. We labeled the aft cabin "Mates Quarters" and he took to it very well. He has plenty of room for himself and his hermit crabs and we make him responsible for the maintenance of his area. He also sails the boat well.

If the one you are looking at has a convertible dinette, that would be an added bonus. We thought that was going to be an issue but we don't even notice the fact that we don't have it. I fit nicely (lengthwise, not so much width) on the dinette seat if I just want to take a shirt nap.

You won't go wrong with either boat but if you choose the 310 it will likely work out for you. The slightly reduced cabin space is a small price to pay for the roomy forward berth.

Good luck and welcome to the dark side.

NC-C320 · Nov 16, 2012

I have a Catalina 320 and like it very much. As to having a convertible dinnette, I assume that you mean one that can be lowered and used as an additional bunk. The Catalina 320 has this feature also, including a cushion filler to fit on the table. I have never used mine in that mode however. The C320 is a little larger than the C310, and I personally preferred it over the C310...but C310 owners probably feel the other way. If you are going to have kids or guests on board, every bit of extra room that you can get should be useful. I also believe that the main cabin is a little larger on the C320. But the primary difference, as I recall, is that the C310 has the captain's bunk forward, the C320 has it aft under the cockpit (plenty big also). Look at both, and select the one that you and your wife prefer.

Stu Jackson · Nov 16, 2012

Whatever you choose, and they're both great boats, please do two things:

1. Get INTO the berth you plan to use and see if you fit comfortably

2. Find how easy it is to check the oil dipstick, regularly, every time before you start the engine.

Good luck, happy hunting.

gpd955 · Nov 16, 2012

Stu Jackson said:
2. Find how easy it is to check the oil dipstick, regularly, every time before you start the engine.

If it's the M25XPC, which it should be, it's amazingly easy. As is most of the stuff on the engine as it is situated in the 310. Another excellent feature.

Witzend · Nov 17, 2012

Not sure how many time I check the oil in a season, doesn't burn it or leak, but I do check the packing gland often and it is almost as accessible as the engine, great attributes. But as with everything on a boat, there are trade offs. You will find one of them about 3am when exiting the head and ramming your toe into the "Dog House" (engine cover). That extra foot really makes a difference.

FastOlson · Nov 17, 2012

mlynch66 said:
My question concerns the relative merits of the 310 as a family boat. My wife and I are moving from power to sail (we both grew up sailing and are done flirting with the dark side). We have one six year old daughter who likes boats too, thank goodness. We will sail in Long Island sound, mostly day sailing, but will spend weekends on the boat, often hosting friends and another kid or two for the day (and maybe for a night once in a while) and make occasional trips to Block Island, up to Newport and (perhaps) Nantucket and Buzzard's Bay. We are looking for a safe, stable and easy boat to sail -- a good, easy to sail family cruiser, in short.

The 320 obviously fits this bill, but a 2002 310 (which claims to have--unusually I think- a convertible dinette) has caught our eye. Any thoughts on how this boat, built for couples, would work for a small family with the above demands?

Not knowing what your budget parameters are (and just what boats are for sale in your area...) I would really reccommend that you also look at a Catalina 34. I believe that it is a better-sailing boat, in general.

paulj · Nov 17, 2012

mlynch66

"Not knowing what your budget parameters are (and just what boats are for sale in your area...) I would really reccommend that you also look at a Catalina 34. I believe that it is a better-sailing boat, in general."

I agree with this guy FastOlson...........

paulj :troll:

Witzend · Nov 17, 2012

Yea, the 310 is a bit of a butter tub in a quarter sea, has more to do with the wing keel, never sailed a full keel 310.

Stu Jackson · Nov 17, 2012

witz, almost all the mid-sized Catalinas get hammered in quartering seas. It's the nature of the beast where the motion induced is both fore and aft, and across the beam: I call it the "corkscrew." Wing keel vs. fin keel has nothing to do with it. Having never sailed on a full keeled boat, I couldn't say, but would "assume" that it would be true, too. (Any takers?)

Witzend · Nov 17, 2012

The full keel option provides additional lateral stability and lift for better up wind performance, if you cruising territory depth allows for it.

MarkZ · Nov 18, 2012

My wife and I have been sailing in our 310 with our two kids since 2004. Our kids are now 10 and 12 and we still feel there is plenty room for weekend sails. We use our boat about every other weekend March thru November and even spend ten days on it in July. And we are away from the dock nearly every time...anchored overnight. Ocationally we'll even bring along another guest! Certainly I would prefer to have something in the fifty foot range, but for now our 310 suits us just fine.

Maine Sail · Nov 18, 2012

Both great boats based on basically the same hull. For us we did not like the cramped feel of the 320 v-berth and we really dislike sleeping in an aft cabin. So the choice was easy. You have to weigh what works for you and what does not. Some folks are not adverse to sleeping aft and stuffing the kids in the v-berth, we are so we chose the 310....

Pompadi · Nov 20, 2012

We looked at a few used 320's and then bought a new 309
The saloon feels more spacious and the self furling main is perfect when you're light on crew
I regularly take the boat out on my own and never have to leave the cockpit to adjust and reef sails
4 adults sleep comfortably, and we spend 2 weeks living on board with our son over Xmas
The only down side is we pay too much for Catalina's in Australia

310 vs. 320 as a family boat

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