I Want to Buy A Catalina 309, But Hunter 306 Much Less Money?

[sigbear]

I have been looking to buy a 2003-2007 Catalina 309/310, however, it seems the used Hunter 306 are more pleniful and much less money.

I always thought Catalina was 1 step above a Hunter in terms of quality, but then I am far from an expert.

I believe Hunter now sells more boats than Catalina, do you know if that is price driven?, or does Hunter actually make a sailboat every bit as good as Catalina?

The boat would be in a large lake so I don't need a blue water cruiser, but, "my recent experience" is that Hunter sailboat owners are much more willing to negotiate on price than the Catalina's I've looked at which makes me nervous.

Sigbear

 

[RECESS]

I have heard the bashing, as well as everyone else but Hunter won several awards for boats in that size range. The Hunter 31 is a beautiful boat inside. I would not hesitate with either boat. I am partial to Catalina, they have just been doing it right for so long.

 

[Bad Obsession]

Catalinas tend to keep their re-sale value much better than Hunter. That being said Hunter makes a nice boat. I loved my Hunter 22. I love my Catalina 30. Both are great boats and both have up sides and down sides.

If you can swing it, look at the Catalina 310. That is a great boat and it is a VERY big 31 foot boat (I believe that it may have been almost as big as the 320.

 

[Clark]

They vary in what they believe their customers prefer . .

I've owned Hunters and been around Catalinas and Bennies since our marina has a wide range of both in various ages. Some of the things that Catalina does is smart and some makes you wonder where their brains were. Same w/ Hunter. A friend has a C270 about the same age as our H280 and I wouldn't trade our boat for his. Now, all boats do or will leak but he has has several problems that our Hunter does not have.

I think in general, Hunter builds a lot of boats for entry level people and the price and design reflects that. Not to say they are significantly worse, just (usually) simpler and more plentiful. A couple of other data points; a new C320 was delivered here a couple of years ago and he has had to fix leaks and recently broke a thru hull. Its design was such that only Catalina supplied the part and its sitting in a sling now awaiting that part. Another friend has a Bene 32 and had a serious deck-hull problem in the stern area. The dealer finally got that fixed though.

I'm sure you know that the 309 is an updated Catalina 30 which was one of the most popular mid-sized cruisers ever built. Haven't been in a 310 yet but there is one in our marina too.

I personally would not be afraid of a Hunter; especially in an inland lake. Just pick the boat that is in the best condition and best suits your budget and needs.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Obviously you are asking for and making a value judgment based largely in perception as the market numbers indicate comparable valu of both new and used Hunters and Catalinas. Both are built to appeal to the same market at competitive price.

Far more important than the name plate on the boat is it's condition and how well it has been maintained, particularly as that relates to used boats.

Not that it is a practical comparison but if you could find two IDENTICAL boats in terms of condition, age and equipment, one being a Hunter and the other being a Catalina, two factors should guide your decision:
1. price, and
2. price.

 

[Stu Jackson]

One also has to recognize how new the boats are. The C309 has only been made for a few years. I do not know how long the Hunter 306 has been in production. Don's is correct, too.

If you haven't read this yet, employ it in your search:

http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=102541

 

[MrUnix]

Looking at the specs between these two boats, it appears that the Catalina 309 is almost 3 feet longer (32'9") than than Hunter 306 (29' 11"), and the 309 seems to be more similar (in both size and configuration) to the Hunter 326. Also, if I'm not mistaken, Catalina is still producing the 309, while the Hunter 306 is no longer in production. Might be why you are seeing lower prices for the H306 when compared to the C309.

Cheers,
Brad

 

[Steve Dion]

Part of the difference in price may have to do where the boats are built. Catalinas were typically built in So. Cal. and the cost of mfg & transportation was higher if you were purchasing one on the east coast.

Hunters are built on the east coast. The mfg costs are less there (that is why most of the mfg are moving east) and you will also have less in transportation costs.

Hunters have typically been a little more innovative in their designs and have changed their models more often than Catalina.

You are not going to find a lot of difference in the quality between these mfg on these newer boats. I have had 3 Hunters and they have been relatively trouble free. All 3 of these boats have never had blisters.

 

[seadaddler]

What year 306

I had a 2000 290 really same boat they just kept upgrading with more better improvements each year that they built them,love the boat and they sailed very well not fast but good to handle single handed.
I now have a 2007 36 and love the extra room and storage.
Nick

 

[rpwillia]

Here is the Catalina skinny

The Catalina 309 and 310 share the same hull. Inside they are a bit different and Catalina was trying to compete with Hunter on price and needed to save some money. Also some people did not like the 310 layout for a couple (personally I love mine). If you look at the 309 and 310 specs and compare them you will see the winches are smaller, you do not get the nice bed with springs and salon cushions like on the 310. The engine is smaller on the 309, and on and on.

I have also sailed on Hunters and without starting a flame war, the Catalina is more set up for sailing. They both have their pluses and minuses.

 

[Steve Dion]

I think you will find that the Catalina is better compared to the Hunter 33. Check out the LOA & LWL.

 

[Scott B]

I think you will find that the Catalina is better compared to the Hunter 33. Check out the LOA & LWL.

Seriously ??? Com'on.... have a closer look at the floor plan... there's definitely more room below in a H33 vs. C309.

LOA can be measured from different points and the shape of the hull will make a much bigger difference down below.

 

[FourPoints]

Catalina builds the boats for club racing more than crusing, and therefore is constrained by more rules on the design. The boats tend to be rated better because of this too, so they should be slightly faster in theory. However on the flip side, Hunter builds the boats with a much more innovative style as they don't often build the boats to follow club race regulations, and as a result you often end up with a boat that is more practical for weekend trips and more comfortable below with more cabin space and more functionality.

Aside from that, they are pretty comparable in quality, but my 1990 Hunter 27 is downright palacial in space and comfort when compared to the similar age Catalina 25 a good friend of mine has, and it is far more comfortable and spacious than the similar era Catalina 27's I was looking at when I bought my boat last year. Also, when looking at the Catalina's and the Hunters side by side, the 18-20 yr old Hunters all seemed to be in much better shape than the similar age Catalinas, but that's far from conclusive evidence, previous owners play such a huge factor in that it's hard to say if the difference in ageing was a result of the boat, or the owner's care of the boat.

In the end it really comes down to how you intend on using the boat, which is in better shape, and what one is chepest that will meet your needs.

 

[Chuck Creel]

all i can say is that i have owned a 1979 hunter 30 for 5 yrs and never seen a blister on her. Hulls were great back then and good n solid. She is in such good shape that i just did a $8k facelift with new awgrip paint from keel to mast step.

Like buying a used car i guess. i know what i have now and decided to keep her.
As mentioned before, alot has to de with where you sail and how often you sail.
Is it for crusing or just week end trips.
Also the layout and room below decks.

I advise everyone to shop around and look at different models.

When you find the right boat you will know it.
We spend 3-6 days at a time on our Hunter 30 and have no complaints except the alchohol stove witch i replace .

HAppy hunting.

pics before and after

 

[GKuffner]

I was going through the exact same dilemma 2 years ago. I thoroughly researched both of the boats, looking at their stats, reading reviews and taking both for a test sail. As I was getting down to the crunch I would decide to buy one boat in the morning and have completely changed my mind by the evening. Although I had owned a Hunter before, I decided to go with the C309 instead. All this to say that the 2 boats are close and that in the final decision, it comes down to a personal decision on the value you place on a couple of dozen different points. I wouldn't suggest that you don't just look at the spec sheets or the price difference, instead you have to think hard about how you would use your boat and choose the boat that will in YOUR opinion best fit the role.

I went with the C309 because I liked the lower freeboard, the ability to go forward with out bending around the shrouds, the larger cockpit and main cabin. I also liked the more robustly designed rig on the Catalina and the fact that it is an all round larger boat. I think that the Hunter would be a slightly easier boat to sail, it has a larger aft bunk, and I liked the fit and finish of the cabin as well, but I felt that these were aesthetic things and weren't sufficient to swing my decision. I also wanted a furling main and felt that the reduced sail area required for a furling main would hamper the Hunters overall sailing performance too much in light winds which we get a lot of.

I wish you all the best in making what is no doubt a tough decision.

Gary
Glory Days, C309

 

[Terry in Naples]

value for the dollar long term

Prices of used cars, boats , airplanes and especially Real Estate are market driven. Comparing how the market is treats 10- 20 year old Hunter 30's to 20 year old Catalina 30's should tell you something. Naturally condition is a factor as is location and use. However if you take a large sample you can see the Catalina retains value better than the Hunter. (I am a REALTOR and appraiser) This was a deciding factor in my purchase a few yeaers ago of a used Catalina 34 over the Hunter 34.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Prices of used cars, boats , airplanes and especially Real Estate are market driven. Comparing how the market is treats 10- 20 year old Hunter 30's to 20 year old Catalina 30's should tell you something. Naturally condition is a factor as is location and use. However if you take a large sample you can see the Catalina retains value better than the Hunter. (I am a REALTOR and appraiser) This was a deciding factor in my purchase a few yeaers ago of a used Catalina 34 over the Hunter 34.

From Yachtworld (asking prices)

Boat: Hunter 30 ................... Catalina 30
Year: 1990-2000 ..................1990-2000
Number for sale: 14.................. 21
Price range: $31k - $50k........... $26k - $56k

Removed the lowest and highest prices boat from the range above.

Although clearly not a statistically valid comparison, it is hard for me to draw the same conclusion as Terry, or any conclusion for that matter, except that there appears to be more Catalina 30s for sale (probably a function of the total number manufactured).

 

[tommays]

Well

IMHP quality aside i perfer the sailplan on the Hunter/Beneteau style large mainsail small easy to tack Jib on a fun family type boat

Grinding in a BIG headsail gets old on a family boat when a more modern design will sail just as well

 

[Bad Obsession]

Compare an older hunter 30 to an older Catalina 30. The Catalina has more space and holds its value better.

Hunter makes a good boat, there is no arguing that. They use good hardware on the boats and they have some good ideas. I think that Catalina does the same but Catalina has a more traditional look versus the Hunter that is more modern. That is purely speaking of asthetics and who likes modern versus traditional.

I would buy a Hunter and I would buy a Catalina. The boat would have to be what I wanted it to be and it would have to be the best suit for me.

There are some advantages to the rig that Hunter uses these days (like having a clear cockpit since there is no backstay) but there is also an advantage that Catalina has with their rigs. This point can be argued as far as the day is long and there is no right answer....it is just what you prefer. Get what suits you best.

For me, my Catalina 30 is perfect. It is a large 30 that has more room than any other 30 on the market. It has a shallow draft with the wing keel and it sails okay with that. It is very comfortable for extended cruises also.

 

[Steve Dion]

You also need to remember that Catalinas were typically more expensive than the Hunters to begin with. The origianl Hunter 30 sold for about $30k and there were no extras (they came with a diesel). These boats are still selling for $10-18k depending on what has been done to them.