inspecting a Catalina 30

[Tally Ho]

My 1988 O’Day 322 (now 37 years old) was about 27 years old when I bought her. Great condition, and she still is. Yes, I have replaced sails, prop shaft, upgraded the prop, etc. but she has been a dependable, well-maintained boat for me that hasn’t cost me too much other than the things I have chosen to upgrade. I paid $22,000 for her about 10 years ago.

Good boats are out there. I passed on several that just didn’t seem good to me. So my advice is,if you don’t love it right off the bat, and you have some serious concerns (engines would be a serious concern to me because of the cost to replace), I would pass.

If your budget only allows for 70’s vintage boats, then you may have to make some compromises, but make sure the boat speaks to you, and doesn’t have any major red flags. And get a survey once you have picked the boat YOU think is solid. Don’t waste money on surveys just to have them confirm the bad condition you already knew was there.

Greg

 

[john6206]

Believe me @Scott T-Bird, I’ve thrown these numbers around in my head a lot.

Right now, this boat is the most promising boat within a reasonable radius for under $50k, and it’s VERY MUCH under 50K. I suspect more boats will come on the market as spring gets closer.

My pre-survey inspection tells me this one is in better shape than the boats that are newer and more expensive. The current owner has clearly done a good job of protecting his investment. If the snow ever melts we’ll see what the professional surveyor says about that. Either I’ll buy a boat, or I’ll get a really expensive lesson in how to inspect a boat. Either way I think I come out on top.

the good news is, I really like sailing my current boat. I wouldn’t be broken hearted to spend another year trailer sailing, in fact, I had some pretty cool plans. So I’m fully prepared to walk away if this looks like project. I kinda like the projects, but I’d rather spend more time sailing.

 

[DArcy]

I bought a 38 year old boat. I looked at quite a few boats over a couple of years, some were newer, some were older. When I first saw and stepped aboard my current boat I was hooked, I wanted that boat. Just after we made the transfer of ownership, the first time I was climbing aboard owning the boat, a guy walking by said "that's a beautiful boat". I'll call that Kismet.

My previous boat was even older and needed constant work. I didn't mind the work but I wanted to do the work on a boat that I really enjoyed. Older boats certainly do require a lot of effort to keep them going, and when you first acquire a boat there are going to be things you want to fix or modify. I did a lot in the first couple of years, and I still have a list of projects to work on, but I enjoy that as much as sailing.

Buying a boat is not a rational decision. They cost money, you won't recoup what you put into it. If you enjoy what you do with the boat, be it sailing, marina camping, fixing it up... then it is worth it.

 

[john6206]

@DArcy
It's kind of a strange combination for me.
The Catalina 30 was never my "dream boat."

There is a "Vineyard Vixen" for sale in northern Michigan that I think is stunning - or more accurately, could be stunning with a lot of work. I would LOVE working on that boat. I've built one boat and done projects on two others, I'm a hobbyist woodworker with modest skills, I think I could do a lot to bring that boat back to . . . something - and it has a lot of upsides. It's just that it also has a lot of downsides. The canoe stern means it is a 30' boat with the cabin of a 24footer, there is essentially no galley, the massive Hoyt jib boom promises to make single handing easier, BUT I'm not a fan of the look . . . etc. Still, I do find myself checking now and then to see if it's still on the market.
Pretty boat.

There is a boat in Ontario that excites me. It's an 8 hour drive depending on bridge traffic, and I'd need to make that trip quite a few times before the boat would be ready for launch - or just decide I'm living in Tobermory for most of May. It doesn't need a ton of work, but it needs some time, and the trip across (or around) Lake Huron is fairly intimidating in a new-to-us boat.

The Catalina 30 hits all of our practical needs, it's 100 nm from out slip, and 2 hours from my house by car. Previous owner has done most of the projects that I would have done if I owned her when he did - and he did them really well. As we enter our 60's we had an interesting "needs" list - like "getting from the cockpit to the cabin can't be treacherous," and "hot water." Things we didn't consider when we bought the current boat.

And honestly, IT IS an attractive boat. A bit generic maybe, but mostly because there are so many of them. In some ways I think 7000 Catalina 30 owners can't be wrong.

And I'm not talking about marrying it. I see it as a minimum of three years, and a maximum of ten. Yes, I know people who are in their mid 80s and still single handing large boats, and I'm taking care of my health, but looking at my older siblings, I think I'll be doing well if I can single hand a kayak 10 years from now.

We'll see how the survey goes. We still have time to drive to Tobermory.
Boat shopping is a fun way to spend the winter.