Comparing C350 and C36MKII my opinion (long?)
I have the C36MKII ('99 vintage) and I love the boat and I spent quite a lot of time on the C350 at the AC expo. Here are my observations and comparisons of the 2 boats.....obviously this is NOT a complete or exhaustive comparison, but a start of a few things to discuss.Looks -- (Purely subjective and my own opinion)Advantage C36MKII -- Though the C350 is not a lot different and looks very similar, I have to agree with a previous poster and say that due to the 'apparent' higher freeboard and wider stern it is starting to look alot more like (yikes) a Hunter and the newer dockominiums.....though due to very good use of windows and design they look a LOT better than the Hunter's.Cockpit Layout -- Advantage C350Very similar in many ways but I give the edge to the C350 due to the fact that Genny Winches are back next to the helm and make it easier for the skipper to singlehand & trim sheets without turning on the autopilot and going forward like on the C36MKII. Plus they have the sheet bags up on the coachroof not on the bulkhead, thus allowing passengers leaning up against the bulkhead not having to be against all the lines.Lazerrette storage -- Big Advantage C350Due to the wide stern the C350 is able to have an absolutely huge lazerrete on the boat. I think you could fit 10 Cubans down there. That is one thing I miss on the C36MKII, It would be great for things like a cruising spinnaker which In have to keep somewhere below.Salon -- Advantage C36MKIII think this is no contest. Just the volume is greater, plus the capability of the C36MKII to put the dining table up out of the way, down or all the way down to make a huge romper room bed area is great. Plus I think the layout and the openness and the ability to watch TV or socialize is superior. I think the C350 is nice, but the space is skewed on an angle, and I don't love the salon table on it. BTW, the reason the space in the salon of the C350 is skewed and smaller is because the C350 has a separate shower stall, which leads us to.......---->>>Head -- Advantage C350It has a separate shower stall -- 'nuff said. That would be enough, but it also has an electric head with macerator built in that is "supposed" to fill up the holding tank slower than a manual pump head...that remains to be seen. Holding Tank -- Advantage C350At 22 gallons the C350 is much better than the (almost inadequate?) 17 gallons that the C36MKII has. I know I wish my boat had a bigger holding tank.Main berth -- Advantage C350Innerspring mattress and walk around bed -- Also at the expense of a smaller salon area and higher freeboard needed.Galley -- Tie ?The C350 has the "refrigerator door" down low that opens outward that makes it easy to retrieve things from the bottom of the refrigerator. Also makes it easier for kids to get stuff (at the expense of losing some colder air?). But I "like" the C36MKII galley right at the bottom of the stairs. It makes it very easy to throw garbage, bottles and cans right into the sink down the companionway..;-)Windage/Freeboard -- Big Advantage C36MKIIThough Gerry Douglas said at the AC show that freeboard of the C350 is the same as the C36MKII, I still believe that it has a lot more "volume" of windage available above the waterline than the C36MKII. This will matter somewhat when docking or pointing into the wind. Also, it is going to be a lot easier to step onto the boat off the dock and I believe the C350 will need steps for the "vertically challenged" out there.Sailing in Light Air - Advantage C350I have not sailed the C350, but all indications (D/SA, etc) point to this being a faster boat in light winds. Plus I think that the C350 might get a faster rating than the C36MKII and Gerry Douglas said it should be a "small bit" faster also...(to be seen)Sailing in Heavy Air - Advantage C36MKIIThe C36MKII is a surprisingly capable boat in heavy air. In fact it likes to really run in winds above 15kts, much more than in winds below 7kts. Being a heavier boat and a more traditional hull, tends to make me believe that it would also be more comfortable in sustained heavy winds and waves also.Deck features - Plus C36MKII - Outside Toerail for outside Genny Track (The AC C350 did not have this)Plus C350 - Split Anchor locker and dual Anchor rollersPlus C36MKII - Level side decks (though it could be argued that the angled decks on the C350 allow a more level surface when going forward on the weather side when the boat is heeling)Plus C350 - opening lockers in the Sugar Scoop transom (due to the fact that the stern is so much wider)Misc. -- there are a lot of new little gizmo's that the C350 has. Not that they are that big a deal, and you might not even like them, but it was nice of Catalina to incorporate into the boat.--->>>Water manifold -- All Fresh water is fed into a single manifold then to the plumbing. This allows isolation of plumbing circuits in case there is a leak or fault with one faucet or something.Built in Dingy engine mount -- Nice addition to boat, most people add one anywayCockpit table/storage compartment -- Lots of pro's and Cons...personally, I think the solid teak one they had at the boat show looked very nice but I'm not sure I would like that as a permanent structure in my cockpit.Solid/rectangular Pedestal -- Lots of pro's and Cons....It is easy to add instrumentation to this one though. Very functional but not as appealing to the eye as the traditional pedestal.Single lever Throttle/Gear -- I never used one, but I think I would like to have it on my boat. Having only one lever to deal with when maneuvering in tight quarters would be a plus.Did I miss anything else..;-)....lol