I would be most grateful for all opinions and advice regarding my dilemma! I am relatively new to sailing; have a family of 4. We will be coastal cruising (weekends) the Atlantic in the northeast. We believe we have narrowed the search to either a 1994 Catalina 320 or a 1998 Hunter 310. The boats are similarly equipped and in very good condition. They are essentially identically priced in the mid 50's. I suspect this is a common query not unique to our family. I look forward to all who take the time to offer their insight and perspective! Kind Regards, Morgan
- Status
Here we go.....
Oh man, here we go...agaain. I'm sure this will be an enlightening and lively post. And hopefully civil. Morgan, you've narrowed it down to two excellent choices. As a Hunter owner, I'd be biased towards the 320 (owned a H340 and it was a great boat). On the other hand I know many very satisfied Catalina owners and I respect their opinions on their boats. I'm also race crew member on a Catalina 32 and it's an outstanding boat. Hope this forum provides some worthwhile information.
Oh man, here we go...agaain. I'm sure this will be an enlightening and lively post. And hopefully civil. Morgan, you've narrowed it down to two excellent choices. As a Hunter owner, I'd be biased towards the 320 (owned a H340 and it was a great boat). On the other hand I know many very satisfied Catalina owners and I respect their opinions on their boats. I'm also race crew member on a Catalina 32 and it's an outstanding boat. Hope this forum provides some worthwhile information.
Frank, I thought you'd mention the thread last
month about O'day's vs. Catalina. I'm still hopping to hear how my wifes' Porsche was made better.
month about O'day's vs. Catalina. I'm still hopping to hear how my wifes' Porsche was made better.
hunter legend
I understand your quandry. I am looking to buy a boat I can live on and cruise basically anywhere.You may want to check a book by John Vigor,"the seaworthy offshore sailboat". It is the only book i've found that sugest modifications and production boats that are blue water friendly. My friend is redoing a cat34. Catalinas have been sailed on around the world trips. The hunter appears a more livable boat to me however. Check the perry design reviews also. Catalina and hunter. Its like my sailing instuctor told me, "I can point out a woman on the beach and say you should marry her, But she may be right for me but not for you." I like the fact that the hunter has a strongly engineered hull, and a large aft state room. I also like the nav station layout.Catalinas no slouch though. Remember a cat 21 sailed from L.A. to Hawaii. Well good luck and may the wind be at your back. Capt. Markbaby
I understand your quandry. I am looking to buy a boat I can live on and cruise basically anywhere.You may want to check a book by John Vigor,"the seaworthy offshore sailboat". It is the only book i've found that sugest modifications and production boats that are blue water friendly. My friend is redoing a cat34. Catalinas have been sailed on around the world trips. The hunter appears a more livable boat to me however. Check the perry design reviews also. Catalina and hunter. Its like my sailing instuctor told me, "I can point out a woman on the beach and say you should marry her, But she may be right for me but not for you." I like the fact that the hunter has a strongly engineered hull, and a large aft state room. I also like the nav station layout.Catalinas no slouch though. Remember a cat 21 sailed from L.A. to Hawaii. Well good luck and may the wind be at your back. Capt. Markbaby
best deal
They are both good I love my 2001-290 its not a fast boat but its a great family boat with plenty of room and comfort. Get the boat that has the most for your money, which ever one your wife likes the best, thats what I did,we both love the hunter look and the arch was a big plus and all the room below and in the cockpit is great with the wheel,good luck and happy sailing. nick
They are both good I love my 2001-290 its not a fast boat but its a great family boat with plenty of room and comfort. Get the boat that has the most for your money, which ever one your wife likes the best, thats what I did,we both love the hunter look and the arch was a big plus and all the room below and in the cockpit is great with the wheel,good luck and happy sailing. nick
Your choice !
Morgan, the bottom line here is it is your choice! Both boats are capable of coastal crusing in New England (your first criteria) You make the next choice as to what is important-the Catalina is slightly larger(length overall and beam) while not a lot larger it does make a difference if you are going to spend alot on time on the boat.(on the water and on the dock). You did not mention condition of either boat.Does one have more options then the other (refrigeration, a/c,heat,sails etc etc)Does either one need canvas or sails that will be expensive vs the other not needing anything?And in the end what will either boat really be able to be bought for-asking price and selling price can differ quite a bit.What boat jumped out and and really got you going? That is just as important as price,etc. Sorry I may have added to your quandry but both are good boats and you will do well with either! Good Luck !
Morgan, the bottom line here is it is your choice! Both boats are capable of coastal crusing in New England (your first criteria) You make the next choice as to what is important-the Catalina is slightly larger(length overall and beam) while not a lot larger it does make a difference if you are going to spend alot on time on the boat.(on the water and on the dock). You did not mention condition of either boat.Does one have more options then the other (refrigeration, a/c,heat,sails etc etc)Does either one need canvas or sails that will be expensive vs the other not needing anything?And in the end what will either boat really be able to be bought for-asking price and selling price can differ quite a bit.What boat jumped out and and really got you going? That is just as important as price,etc. Sorry I may have added to your quandry but both are good boats and you will do well with either! Good Luck !
stand back and pretend
your at the wheel. then buy the one that looks the best on you! if she makes you proud, that's your boat!
your at the wheel. then buy the one that looks the best on you! if she makes you proud, that's your boat!
Fred...it was tempting but,.
That was an inviting post to dive into (Catalina vs Hunter aka Porsche versus whatever) but it ended up waaa-aaay off the path of the original post. Morgan's post is real straightforward and we ought to keep it on that track. But for the record, I've owned, driven, and raced Porsches for 13yrs. Nothing even comes close. But back to sailboats. Here are my personal likes regarding Hunters: Traveler arch. I like the open clean cockpit. Years back I had a "booming" incident that put 38 stitches in my expanding forehead. I like a lot of boom clearance. B&R rig. My experience is this is the simplest rig to sail and I've yet to encounter conditions where I didn't have confidence in it's strength. The small jib/big main is an easy sailplan to single-hand. Interiors: I think the newer Hunter interiors are first class. And big. Cockpit: Again, the newer Hunters have huge cockpits. Customer Service. My 3rd Hunter and these folks are first class also. For Catalina: Looks. I've always admired the classic lines of the Catalinas. One of the prettiest boats on the water. Hunter's design tend to be more contemporary. The looks are pretty subjective. Catalina has a very loyal following. They must be doing a lot of things right. And they make a lot of boats. They seem to just keep refining a good solid design. Kinda like those Porsches. COULDN'T HELP THAT ONE. Morgan, like Dan said. Sit back and imagine yourself at the helm. If it looks good from there, then that's the boat for you. There's a lot to be said for thinking with your head, but don't underestimate the importance of thinking from your heart too.
That was an inviting post to dive into (Catalina vs Hunter aka Porsche versus whatever) but it ended up waaa-aaay off the path of the original post. Morgan's post is real straightforward and we ought to keep it on that track. But for the record, I've owned, driven, and raced Porsches for 13yrs. Nothing even comes close. But back to sailboats. Here are my personal likes regarding Hunters: Traveler arch. I like the open clean cockpit. Years back I had a "booming" incident that put 38 stitches in my expanding forehead. I like a lot of boom clearance. B&R rig. My experience is this is the simplest rig to sail and I've yet to encounter conditions where I didn't have confidence in it's strength. The small jib/big main is an easy sailplan to single-hand. Interiors: I think the newer Hunter interiors are first class. And big. Cockpit: Again, the newer Hunters have huge cockpits. Customer Service. My 3rd Hunter and these folks are first class also. For Catalina: Looks. I've always admired the classic lines of the Catalinas. One of the prettiest boats on the water. Hunter's design tend to be more contemporary. The looks are pretty subjective. Catalina has a very loyal following. They must be doing a lot of things right. And they make a lot of boats. They seem to just keep refining a good solid design. Kinda like those Porsches. COULDN'T HELP THAT ONE. Morgan, like Dan said. Sit back and imagine yourself at the helm. If it looks good from there, then that's the boat for you. There's a lot to be said for thinking with your head, but don't underestimate the importance of thinking from your heart too.
Frank, there is another test too
You've got the right boat when after you park her and walk away,YOU CAN'T HELP BUT TURN AROUND AND ADMIRE HER. I've got the right boat but my wife has a Porsche. ;D
You've got the right boat when after you park her and walk away,YOU CAN'T HELP BUT TURN AROUND AND ADMIRE HER. I've got the right boat but my wife has a Porsche. ;D
Happy Hunting
Buy the Hunter and don't ever look back, especially at another type sailboat. I just bought a 1984 H31,sure it needs some work, what boat doesn't. Their is something about the Hunter mystic,believe me,you'll fall in love too. Coyote-Craig P.S.still on our honeymoon
Buy the Hunter and don't ever look back, especially at another type sailboat. I just bought a 1984 H31,sure it needs some work, what boat doesn't. Their is something about the Hunter mystic,believe me,you'll fall in love too. Coyote-Craig P.S.still on our honeymoon
The one you like
These are both great boats. The best advice is realy to take the one that you like. I do advise you to daysail, or charter both boats if you can. Also, lie down in all of the bunks on both boats. In my opinion the aft bed ranges from good (although starved for fresh air) to lousy for two people depending on design details. I would also add that Catalina does support the systems in their boats with parts and upgrades much longer than Hunter. The Admiral and I have chartered a Hunter 340, and a Catalina 34 in the past two summers, and we learned a great deal! Most important is that the Admiral much prefers the big main and fractional foresail because they are easier to handle. She found cranking in the big genny that drove the Catalina 34 to be hard and tiresome. For what it's worth, we would take the Hunter in the 34 foot length based on the ease of handling the big main versus a big genny, the arch, and the interior layout details of the boats we sailed. But we very much enjoyed both boats. David Lady Lillie
These are both great boats. The best advice is realy to take the one that you like. I do advise you to daysail, or charter both boats if you can. Also, lie down in all of the bunks on both boats. In my opinion the aft bed ranges from good (although starved for fresh air) to lousy for two people depending on design details. I would also add that Catalina does support the systems in their boats with parts and upgrades much longer than Hunter. The Admiral and I have chartered a Hunter 340, and a Catalina 34 in the past two summers, and we learned a great deal! Most important is that the Admiral much prefers the big main and fractional foresail because they are easier to handle. She found cranking in the big genny that drove the Catalina 34 to be hard and tiresome. For what it's worth, we would take the Hunter in the 34 foot length based on the ease of handling the big main versus a big genny, the arch, and the interior layout details of the boats we sailed. But we very much enjoyed both boats. David Lady Lillie
just checked sail calculator
it gives several measures of seaworthiness such as motion comfort and capsize ratio etc. The Catalina 320 looks much better by the numbers. The Hunter is probably a little faster. It has a better sail area/displacement ratio. The catalina is less likely to roll and should be more comfortable during rough conditions. I've been looking at a 320 at my marina it is a very pretty boat and I would buy it if we had the money. The ratios are just an indication of performance but helped me decide on which boat to buy. I couldn't decide between a pearson 323 or a catalina 30. By the numbers the pearson was a more seaworthy boat and to date we are happy with our choice. But it was a hard choice.
it gives several measures of seaworthiness such as motion comfort and capsize ratio etc. The Catalina 320 looks much better by the numbers. The Hunter is probably a little faster. It has a better sail area/displacement ratio. The catalina is less likely to roll and should be more comfortable during rough conditions. I've been looking at a 320 at my marina it is a very pretty boat and I would buy it if we had the money. The ratios are just an indication of performance but helped me decide on which boat to buy. I couldn't decide between a pearson 323 or a catalina 30. By the numbers the pearson was a more seaworthy boat and to date we are happy with our choice. But it was a hard choice.
Catalina 320
Pending results of survey, I'd go with the Catalina 320. This boat will probably be less tender than the Hunter as it has more beam and considerably more weight making it ideal for wife and fam. The 320 Cat is a more liveable boat. The aft stateroom is very usable with plenty of ventilation. 27 hp versus 18 hp. More hullspeed, more topside storage, more standard equipment. I love mine. Bill
Pending results of survey, I'd go with the Catalina 320. This boat will probably be less tender than the Hunter as it has more beam and considerably more weight making it ideal for wife and fam. The 320 Cat is a more liveable boat. The aft stateroom is very usable with plenty of ventilation. 27 hp versus 18 hp. More hullspeed, more topside storage, more standard equipment. I love mine. Bill
Thankyou for your kind opinions!
I am sincerely appreciative of all the sage advice. I will endeavor to keep you posted. Kind Regards, Morgan
I am sincerely appreciative of all the sage advice. I will endeavor to keep you posted. Kind Regards, Morgan
Some ideas, the good band ad ugly.
Try to avoid Balast, Keel, Anchor, Roach, Clew (hasn't got a), Prudence (Prudence Island RI), Dodger. You could try Nantucket, Valiant, Sabre, Bimini, or Allie (as in Allie Kat named for my daughter Alexandra) Good Luck Russell
Try to avoid Balast, Keel, Anchor, Roach, Clew (hasn't got a), Prudence (Prudence Island RI), Dodger. You could try Nantucket, Valiant, Sabre, Bimini, or Allie (as in Allie Kat named for my daughter Alexandra) Good Luck Russell
Sailboat calculator.
Here is a link to what I believe Tom was referring to. http://image-ination.com/sailcalc.html
Here is a link to what I believe Tom was referring to. http://image-ination.com/sailcalc.html
Frank Ed's link is what I was refering to
We started looking for a new boat a couple of years ago. I read some books and talked with my wife. She was adamant that she wasn't ready to cross oceans but would be willing to coastal sail. She wanted a stout boat that was comfortable not too small. We decided that our goals were to sail around the east coast,gulf coast and the Bahamas. We decided that 30-35' was the right size. Knowing that these areas often have light winds and shallow water we wanted something with a reasonable PHRF and less than 5' draft. After my reading capsize ratio's became important and motion comfort. Supposedly a boat with a capsize ratio greater than 2 is not safe for off shore use and a low motion comfort ratio will beat you up in rough conditions. My first loves were the Cape Dory 30 and Allied Seawind. They are awsome boats but would be awfully slow according to their PHRF's. We looked at the Cape Dory 30 and I couldn't stretch out in any of it's berths. The SeaWind in good condition was out of our reach financially and my wife refused to consider a rough one that I found in Panama City,Fl. I considered parameters and entered them into the sail calculator and the Pearson 323 was on the list. We saw one at Turner Marine in Mobile but it was sold before we could make an offer. We looked at several and Finally bought one in Niceville,Fl. In retrospect; We got into a hurry and were tired of looking. We are happy with the P323 but probably paid too much. We had fallen in love with the design when we should have kept our options open by looking at other designs. We liked the Catalina 30 and it has about the same room as a P323. But the C30 has a capsize ratio of 2 and a motion comfort ratio less than the P323. Our experience is that the C30 does bounce around more and is more tender but would probably have worked for us. Choose your boat carefully as it is a buyer's market which means that once you buy a boat it will be hard to sell. Hope this helps in you shopping. Except for a few items after all is said and done we are very happy with our choice and it fits our needs and resources very well.
We started looking for a new boat a couple of years ago. I read some books and talked with my wife. She was adamant that she wasn't ready to cross oceans but would be willing to coastal sail. She wanted a stout boat that was comfortable not too small. We decided that our goals were to sail around the east coast,gulf coast and the Bahamas. We decided that 30-35' was the right size. Knowing that these areas often have light winds and shallow water we wanted something with a reasonable PHRF and less than 5' draft. After my reading capsize ratio's became important and motion comfort. Supposedly a boat with a capsize ratio greater than 2 is not safe for off shore use and a low motion comfort ratio will beat you up in rough conditions. My first loves were the Cape Dory 30 and Allied Seawind. They are awsome boats but would be awfully slow according to their PHRF's. We looked at the Cape Dory 30 and I couldn't stretch out in any of it's berths. The SeaWind in good condition was out of our reach financially and my wife refused to consider a rough one that I found in Panama City,Fl. I considered parameters and entered them into the sail calculator and the Pearson 323 was on the list. We saw one at Turner Marine in Mobile but it was sold before we could make an offer. We looked at several and Finally bought one in Niceville,Fl. In retrospect; We got into a hurry and were tired of looking. We are happy with the P323 but probably paid too much. We had fallen in love with the design when we should have kept our options open by looking at other designs. We liked the Catalina 30 and it has about the same room as a P323. But the C30 has a capsize ratio of 2 and a motion comfort ratio less than the P323. Our experience is that the C30 does bounce around more and is more tender but would probably have worked for us. Choose your boat carefully as it is a buyer's market which means that once you buy a boat it will be hard to sell. Hope this helps in you shopping. Except for a few items after all is said and done we are very happy with our choice and it fits our needs and resources very well.
resale value / maintenance
look at similar boats and compare original value to resale in your area. also, if it is a project boat, some people with hunters say they put things where they are difficult to replace. i like catalinas (have had a 30, 36, 38) i respect hunters, i hate beneteau. all other posts were good advice too. rt
look at similar boats and compare original value to resale in your area. also, if it is a project boat, some people with hunters say they put things where they are difficult to replace. i like catalinas (have had a 30, 36, 38) i respect hunters, i hate beneteau. all other posts were good advice too. rt
4 years difference but same price?
Both are production boats of similiar size, both have about the same equipment and both are priced about the same but one is 4 years newer. That must be indicating something? One may have just been put on the market longer, and price may have dropped. One may bargin the price down, one may already be at the bottom of their range. Or there is an issue with one.
Both are production boats of similiar size, both have about the same equipment and both are priced about the same but one is 4 years newer. That must be indicating something? One may have just been put on the market longer, and price may have dropped. One may bargin the price down, one may already be at the bottom of their range. Or there is an issue with one.
- Status