Big Catalinas - Off shore

[Patrick Woods]

I have seen a number of questions about using the larger Catalina's offshore. Most responses have indicated they are not true offshore boats.This may be a dumb question, but why not. Is the construction too light (hull, rigging etc...) or is it the layout with tanks being too small etc...Is there a web site that would tell me more about this?Thanks!

 

[Scott Douglass]

C400

Good question!! Not a dumb one...Particularly after purchasing a C400 and it arriving in Sydney early Jan 2000... Hopefully others with longer experince with the yacht can advise???All I can say is that it loved the Sail from Pittwater to Sydney Harbour last weekend with 22 knots on the nose with a 4.5 mtr swell and pretty decent current going south... Took on the swell well but, Bumpy to say the least... Otherwise enjoyable...Better Hull Speed may have made it a bit more comfortable, to take on the swells...

 

[Bob Robeson]

What makes an off shore boat?

An offshore boat is designed, commissioned and setup differently than a local or coastal cruiser. That does not mean that a good coastal cruise like a Catalina can't do extended blue water sailing if set up correctly, but it is not designed for it.Here are a few differences:* Blue water boats do NOT have wide-open cabins to be tossed around in, the quarters are smaller with lots of easy handholds.* Blue water boats do not have large open windows that allows waves to come crashing in, they have small strong ports that keep the water out.* Blue water boats do not have large companionways but small easy to cover and water limiting companionways.* Blue water boats do not have fin keels and spade rudders, but full or modified keels and skeg hung rudders. This seems to be changeing with the eimes, but still a good idea. And if you look at where the water line is on a blue water boat, half or more of the hull is below the water line for stability.* Then there are the liquid tanks, fuel, water, etc. that are larger with backups. * Other differences are in the watertight compartments and bulkheads, the sails, lifelines and rigging, even the sleeping quarters are usually different.This is just a small list to help show the difference between what would be a blue water boat and a coastal cruiser.Hope this helpsBob

 

[David Irvine]

Define 'offshore'

I think that the problem with this debate is that the definition of 'offshore' is too vague. If it is to include rounding Cape Horn then probably a Catalina of any size would not be the best choice. If you plan to sail from California to Hawaii then many Catalina models have made the trip without trouble. If you look at the hundreds of boats that do the ARC from the Canaries to the Caribbean every year, the majority are production boats such as Beneteau, Moody, Dehler etc. Catalina compares well with these makes.

 

[Claude McKernan]

It's all relative

Sailing, as with life, is a compromise. And it's really all relative to many things, including money, ability, health, time, etc. Yea, there are boats which may be more suited to crossing an ocean than a Catalina, but then many have done it in boats which are certainly less suited. If money isn't a concern, get a Swan or a Hinckley. But since you're curious about Catalinas, I'd guess that, like most of us, money is an issue. The best way to make up for any shortcomings a Catalina may have is to improve one's ability and competence in offshore passagemaking. Large Catalina's are well built boats that should be capable cruisers. I brought a 47 up the East Coast (outside) in January. I plan to cruise the world in one soon. Not the BEST boat for the job, but adequate.

 

[Bob Robeson]

Off shore?

Check out this months (July) issue of Sail magazine. It commissions both a coastal cruiser and a blue water cruiser and describes the differences and why. Good article.Bob