Catalina 250 or Hunter 27

[Kel]

I am a novice sailor (no experience at all) and looking at purchasing a Catalina 250 with the fixed fin keel, or a Hunter 27 with the fin keel version. These yachts are second hand and the Catalina 250 was first launched Dec. 1995, whilst the Hunter 27 was launched in 1993.I understand that there are obvious differences in design of these boats. My question is: which of these do you believe would be most suitable for an absolute novice like myself, and secondly, which of these yachts are considered most highly in the yachting world. I would love to hear your comments--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Larry W.]

Cat v. Hunt

Kel; Your best bet would be a summer spent with a DINGHY LEARNING TO SAIL, before you bought anything bigger. It'll put you closer to the wind and water and make you a better sailor, then try to crew on various boats to get an idea of what you like before you buy.

 

[LaDonna Bubak - Catalina Owners]

C25

Unless you have a specific reason for getting the larger Hunter (overnighting, etc), the Catalina is a good choice for a neophyte. The Hunter requires a steeper learning curve, but not by a ton. If you really love the Hunter, go ahead and get it. Either way, I recommend hiring an instructor to give you lessons on your boat - it's a great investment!LaDonna

 

[Ajax]

Neither...

...until you get some lessons! After that the smaller boat will be more comfortable for you to handle but what I would do is get the newest boat with the most upgrades which you can afford. Don't underestimate how much time and money you will spend maintaining and upgrading a boat. Eliminate as much of that as possible at the outset. That is, unless you like doing that kind of thing which a lot of people do! I would difinitely avoid any water ballasted boat for performance reasons.