Finally got to see the C350

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

Jack

C-350 with RL70CRC+ and ST5000+

Andy, We ordered our C-350 with the RL70CRC+ and ST5000+. We're interested in your experiences with this combination. Is your dealer working with Raymarine to resolve, or are you in direct contact with Raymarine to resolve? I enjoy reading your posts about your C-350. We're looking forward to getting ours. Thanks, Jack
 
B

Bonnie

Radar Dome Mounting

Andy Did they mount the dome on the mast or a tower? Do you know how the factory installations are done? Keep me posted on the interface issue with your autohelm and table situation. We have ordered both.
 
C

Chris Hyland

Raymarine products

Andy, It's truly amazing how well these products work. I have the 520 chartplotter at the navstation and the RL70RC (not color) at the helm and the ST6000+ under deck autopilot on a 2001 C36. I also have the 120 waas GPS receiver. I set a waypoint on a green can 15 miles away from present position. I ran with the autopilot in tracking mode and I let it run to the last minute. At 50 feet off the can I steered off course. The boat would have hit the can! From 15 miles away! Enjoy! Chris
 
A

Andy

Radar Mounting

The 2kw radar was mounted on the mast by the dealer (purchased aftermarket). I believe this is the best place for it. (On the 350 anyway). We have the RayMarine mount as well. There is no problem with the Genoa and the Radome on the mast. I will keep you posted regarding the 5000+ function as you requested. I hope to get this fixed in the next week. The RayMarine Chartplotter Radar is very good. If you plot a waypoint at a fixed marker and engage the auto pilot to track, you will hit the marker. Place your waypoints between red and green, not on them. This also applies to narrow harbor channels. Again, i am going to start an "official" 350 owners association. Provide me your e-mails so that I can forward information. We will need some sort of dues to establish and maintain a web site with real time chat, forums, user tips and so forth., We will have an on-line Catalina 350 store and organize summer and winter get togethers. I need help with this so if anyone is offering assistance, please let me know. You can e-mail me at catalina350@mail.com Best, Andy
 
A

Andy

Autohelm 5000+/RL70CRC+

I am working directly with RayMarine on this. I just moved the boat out of the dealer’s marina. It's been there a while and I really wanted to start cruising with the boat. (Hard to do in Philadelphia area). The dealer would have resolved the problem I am sure. If I can't get it done, then I can still fall back on the dealer. I am puzzled as to why it stopped functioning. It was working great at first. Maybe the addition or installation of the RL70CRC+? When auto is selected, the 5000+ head does think it is engaged as it provided every indication of so. But it will not engage the clutch (below decks). We'll see. I'll let you know. Owners Association will launch soon Andy Catalina350@mail.com
 
J

Jack

C-350 email list

Andy, et al, I thought I saw that Sailnet was going to start a C-350 email list. Not sure if it ever got off the ground. Jack
 
J

Jonathan Hiron

350 Dinette Conversion

Was at a boat show in Vancouver on the weekend and had an opportunity to see the new 350. There have been comments with regards to the dinette conversion already but would like to entice more. It is a point of concern for my wife and I. We will have times where we have 4+ people on-board. Thus the consideration of the dinette conversion or possibly another boat. Concerned that the large table along with the settee twin table may not truly be enough for 6 individuals. Can four really eat in comfort or will it be a cram? How effective / comfortable is the bed. (Have read current posts)? Will the bench seat stick out so much when people are seated that it blocks passage to the head? Unfortunately the boat I saw did not have the bench seat or dinette conversion. Regards Jonathan
 
A

Andy

Catalina 350 Dinette Conversion

RE: Large dinette table.... With the larger dinette table installed and the bench seat in place, 4 people can very comfortably be seated and enjoy a good meal. Yes, there is walk around room to get to the head as well. The bench seat easily folds up and can be stored in the aft cabin out of the way. There is so much room n the aft cabin that you can still nap there even with the berth conversion cushions and bench seat stored there. The bench seat is easily knocked around. We put a capet (rectangular area type rug) down in the main salon to reuce this. We often cruise with 8 on our Catalina 350, 4 adults, 4 kids. There is more than enough room for all at the dock and underway. We had our first "party" on the boat last weekend with about 10 people. We were very impressed with how much room there was both above and below decks for everyone to sit comfortably and get where they wanted to on the boat without cramping for space. I could probably take pictures of the dinette conversion and bench seat in place and e-mail them to you if you would like. Let me know.. All the best, Capt'n Andy
 
M

Mark

350 in SF Bay

Joe, I think I have seen that you have a lead on the 350 in SF. But I'll add a comment. I have the first 350 here in SF Bay it is indeed at over at Farallone yatchs sales in Alameda. They are located at 1070 Marina Village, ask for Roger Frizzelle, he will let you look at my boat. The second boat on SF Bay is just being delievered this weekend to its new owner. I think it is going over to Berkley. I have hull #19 and have been very happy with it. We have the in mast furling and that works great. The boat sails great on all points and with the in mast furling I can reduce sails without having to leave the cockpit. On labor day weekend we were out in 25+ knot wind between Alcatraz and Angle Island doing about 8.3 knots with both sails reefed in about 75% and the boat was great fun to be in. Mark
 
M

Mark

Autohelm 5000+/RL70CRC+

I have the same setup on our 350. (Autohelm 5000+/RL70CRC+/120 GPS) We had the factory do the basic setup but the dealer had to install the raydome once the boat got trucked to California. We had a number of small problems getting all of the pieces to work which finally end in having the RayMarine tech fly out to get it all straight. The whole system works great. I have added a laptop down at that navstation and I can setup everything from there. I too have found the accuracy of the system to be dead on. The ability to run the chartplotter with the radar overlay is really neat. We tend to have a fair amount of fog here in SF Bay and this feature will make navigation in this condition a lot easier. Mark catalina350@earthlink.net Autohelm 5000+/RL70CRC+ Submitted by Andy of New Jersey/ Maryland on 09/24 at 02:31PM regarding General_interest I am working directly with RayMarine on this. I just moved the boat out of the dealer’s marina. It's been there a while and I really wanted to start cruising with the boat. (Hard to do in Philadelphia area). The dealer would have resolved the problem I am sure. If I can't get it done, then I can still fall back on the dealer. I am puzzled as to why it stopped functioning. It was working great at first. Maybe the addition or installation of the RL70CRC+? When auto is selected, the 5000+ head does think it is engaged as it provided every indication of so. But it will not engage the clutch (below decks). We'll see. I'll let you know. Owners Association will launch soon Andy Catalina350@mail.com
 
J

Jonathan Hiron

Andy

Great response, thanks for a quick reply. Would very much appreciate pics (jhiron@vorado.com if email needed). Do you feel that the sturdiness of the folding bench will hold up to high usage? We love to socialize for hours down below and I am also concerned with the comfort of sitting for longer periods. Have considered modifying and adding a removable backrest. After being inside, the far starboard side settee is somewhat a long way especially since we like to play a lot of board games, which would be out of the question with the settee. Wow 10 people and not too crowded. Even 8 under sail does seem like a large party. How large a party do you think you would over-night cruise with? We usually cruise with no less than 4 and often 6. A larger tri-cabin is out of the question right now so am trying to find a comfortable 2 cabin for our needs. Comfort for 6 is a must. I was impressed with the roominess of the 350. The admiral thought that the head made the main cabin seem short and somewhat confining in appearance. The beam makes up for some of that. She is trying to steer me towards the Jeanneau 37 with the more open cabin layout. She believes it provides for better socialize and feels less claustrophobic. Must please the admiral but hopeful over the next month or two I will sway her towards the 350 and dispel her concerns. Thanks Jonathan
 
B

Bill

Johnathan...............

the admiral should compare a few other things between the two boats, the galley, the head and the staterooms. I too looked at the Jeanneau 37 and found the staterooms cramped and the galley just about worthless. Plus, the Jeanneau has a metal holding tank (ask Peggie what she has to say about those) and a cast iron keel. Also, the engine is only 27hp for a boat of about the same weight as the 350 which has a 35HP 4-banger. What I planned to do with the bench was to take the cushion off, throw the rest away and build a teak box with a hinged lid and put the cushion back on it. Then I'd install dividers inside for pots n pans and other stuff. Rubber feet on the box should keep it from sliding around.
 
J

Jonathan Hiron

Bill

You raise very valid points. I hadn't mentioned the things she likes. The galley is second to none. It is absolutely her favorite and we were looking at boats up to 44'. Likes the head but also had no complaints of the J37. Definitely the 350 is better. Did not know about the holding tank. Definitely the engine is undersized and will likely be an issue and at minimum would require a 3 blade prop. This still may be insufficient. There have been many debates over cast iron keels but having sailed many Catalina 27s with 20+ yr old cast iron keels hasn't been an issue. I prefer a lead keel but am not scared off by a cast iron. Your plans for the bench are great. We noticed a lack of good storage space for large pots and you have solved that problem. An excellent idea. We really do love the boat it is more that she felt claustrophobic to some degree and there is not much I can do for her with that regards. Appreciate your feedback. Jonathan
 
B

Bill

Johnathan

I understand your wife's misgivings about the feel of the salon, it's actually the part of the boat I liked the least. The difference between the 350 and other comparable boats is that the 350's space is beamwise while the others are lengthwise and the lengthwise effect seems to feel more spacious even though it's not.
 
T

Tom

Bill, Maybe thats because open beamwise space is

not the greatest thing to have on a boat down below. If your boat is getting hit by a beam sea, there is more room to go flying.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top Bottom