I’m looking to buy a 2003 Catalina 36 MKII. I’m planning on looking at the boat in person in a couple weeks. Looking for a checklist of things I should check or ask about. I’m particularly interested in learning about common issues owners have with this boat.
Looking at a Catalina 36 MKII
- Thread starter Jim Nortz
- Start date
The best sailing vessel ever built.
View Sail La Vie | 1999 Catalina 36 MK II
There are some known port leaking problem. Check the engine and see if much modification has been done with the rig. If so it may need to be restored.
It is a costal cruiser. If it is a fin keel and standard mast you can go into wind as high as 30 degrees.
Post images.
View Sail La Vie | 1999 Catalina 36 MK II
There are some known port leaking problem. Check the engine and see if much modification has been done with the rig. If so it may need to be restored.
It is a costal cruiser. If it is a fin keel and standard mast you can go into wind as high as 30 degrees.
Post images.
Thanks Joe. This is very helpful. It is a fin keel and has a 53 ft mast. How well does the boat handle in 25 - 30 knots?
May I kindly suggest when discussing boat performance to specify whether you're reference to wind angle and speed is either True or Apparent. I know you're talking about 30 degrees apparent wind direction, because no boat can sail in 30 deg. true. But, hey, you never know, heh, heh.
H
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,610
Jim.
The MK1 and MK2 have the same solid built hull.
With nearly 12ft beam drawn well back you get what many call a spacious cockpit to enjoy. The Fin keel will sail better than the shoal keel.
Leaks from the ports have been reported. When you haul the boat check the keel for signs of grounding. On the earlier boats the shoal keel was shorter than the rudder. This resulted in rudder groundings or damage when placed on the hard.
Examine the bow stem for signs of corrosion. Inspect the anchor locker to assure that the drain has not been damaged. On th eolder boats the dran runs out to the bow. This has been a spot of leaks that appear under the V-Berth.
From 15-30 knots the boat is a great preformer. You'll want to reef the main as the winds pick up. I have seen the best speeds with the boat at 15º heel. The reaches have been exciting with the boat testing the displacement hull speed limits.
The MK1 and MK2 have the same solid built hull.
With nearly 12ft beam drawn well back you get what many call a spacious cockpit to enjoy. The Fin keel will sail better than the shoal keel.
Leaks from the ports have been reported. When you haul the boat check the keel for signs of grounding. On the earlier boats the shoal keel was shorter than the rudder. This resulted in rudder groundings or damage when placed on the hard.
Examine the bow stem for signs of corrosion. Inspect the anchor locker to assure that the drain has not been damaged. On th eolder boats the dran runs out to the bow. This has been a spot of leaks that appear under the V-Berth.
From 15-30 knots the boat is a great preformer. You'll want to reef the main as the winds pick up. I have seen the best speeds with the boat at 15º heel. The reaches have been exciting with the boat testing the displacement hull speed limits.
Jim, I sail in San Francisco bay and 20 and 30 knot winds are expected always. She does very well, I use full main and 70% jib, perfectly balanced at 30 knot wind. I have sailed as high as 52 knot wind gust, you have to learn to react to the change in conditions. A Standard mast length is 42 feet above the deck. If yours is 53 above the deck, you have a tall rig. Those are for much lower wind area. You will have to reef the main and the jib. Do you have inmast main or standard main with slugs? Photos?
It can handle waves as high as 13feet, 1/3 of its length. It is not easily capsized.
It can handle waves as high as 13feet, 1/3 of its length. It is not easily capsized.
John & Joe,
Thank you very much for your kind responses. In answer to your question Joe, it is a standard main with slugs and has 2 reefing points. I'll be looking at the boat November 20th. If it looks good, I'll schedule a survey.
Kind regards,
Jim
Thank you very much for your kind responses. In answer to your question Joe, it is a standard main with slugs and has 2 reefing points. I'll be looking at the boat November 20th. If it looks good, I'll schedule a survey.
Kind regards,
Jim
Jim - thanks for your post here. I am looking at a Catalina 36 Mk II also. I am wondering some of your same questions. Can you provide us with an update? Did you purchase it? Any pertinent information to share?
I just sold an O'Day and bought a 94 C30. The build quality is nowhere near the same. Thinner glass in many areas, very thin gelcoat, lots of cost cutting measures, lack of hull support which is causing a log of spider cracks. If the difference between an O'Day and Catalina is this great, you may be even more disappointed between a Catalina and a Beneteau
I just purchase my 2001 36 MkII two days ago! I am about to make the seven day trip from NC to VA so I won't comment on the sailing traits. (I have sailed on many Catalina's before and have found them to be quite delightful.)
I looked at Hunters and Beneteaus as well as two Catalinas. What sold me was that only the Catalina had a solid fiberglass hull instead of a cored hull. It isn't that a cored hull is necessarily bad but the older the boat, the more likely that somewhere along the line, some incident may have compromised the outer hull. That could lead to rotting of the core. That can only be found through the survey out of the water. (I also liked the four winches on the Catalina instead of just two.)
My biggest concern was the engine. I recommend that as part of the survey, have the oil and transmission fluid sent to a lab for analysis. That will tell a lot! Check all the hoses. (I had many of mine relaced.) I also replaced all the filters and impeller. I wanted peace of mind from the start! Before the survey, you can do a poor man's test. Pull the dip stick. It's OK that the oil is bitch black. The oil should still feel thick and viscous, meaning that it hasn't broken down. It should smell like oil, not foul or like fuel. It should not be gritty.
Check the stuffing box. The occassional drip is expected. Check the keel bolts. No corrosion. When it is out of the water, check for the "Catalina Smile". That could be red flag if significant. (Mine did not have the smile!) They will also check for blisters. Some minor ones are OK. (Again, mine had none.) Check that the Cutlass bearing is in good shape. (No wobble)
Check for signs of hatch/port leaking. Check that the windlass works. Steering should be firm, no backlash. Check the chainplates for corrosion. Make sure the head is completely functional and does not leak. (I replaced my head.) Make sure the fresh water system and heater work. Check that the stove and oven and the LPG solenoid work.
Go through all of the functions on the boat that are controlled by the breaker panel. When I bought my boat, I knew that it needed some attention and that was baked into the price but the boat had to be Functional (everything worked as stated by the owner), Safe (sound hull, standing and running rigging, life lines, etc.) and Navigable (all in compliance with Coast Guard regs).
Oh. Most important! Does the stereo work!
Do as much of this on your own as you can. A survey will do it all again but if you find these issues before hand, you can walk away before you have the expense of the survey.
Good luck!
I looked at Hunters and Beneteaus as well as two Catalinas. What sold me was that only the Catalina had a solid fiberglass hull instead of a cored hull. It isn't that a cored hull is necessarily bad but the older the boat, the more likely that somewhere along the line, some incident may have compromised the outer hull. That could lead to rotting of the core. That can only be found through the survey out of the water. (I also liked the four winches on the Catalina instead of just two.)
My biggest concern was the engine. I recommend that as part of the survey, have the oil and transmission fluid sent to a lab for analysis. That will tell a lot! Check all the hoses. (I had many of mine relaced.) I also replaced all the filters and impeller. I wanted peace of mind from the start! Before the survey, you can do a poor man's test. Pull the dip stick. It's OK that the oil is bitch black. The oil should still feel thick and viscous, meaning that it hasn't broken down. It should smell like oil, not foul or like fuel. It should not be gritty.
Check the stuffing box. The occassional drip is expected. Check the keel bolts. No corrosion. When it is out of the water, check for the "Catalina Smile". That could be red flag if significant. (Mine did not have the smile!) They will also check for blisters. Some minor ones are OK. (Again, mine had none.) Check that the Cutlass bearing is in good shape. (No wobble)
Check for signs of hatch/port leaking. Check that the windlass works. Steering should be firm, no backlash. Check the chainplates for corrosion. Make sure the head is completely functional and does not leak. (I replaced my head.) Make sure the fresh water system and heater work. Check that the stove and oven and the LPG solenoid work.
Go through all of the functions on the boat that are controlled by the breaker panel. When I bought my boat, I knew that it needed some attention and that was baked into the price but the boat had to be Functional (everything worked as stated by the owner), Safe (sound hull, standing and running rigging, life lines, etc.) and Navigable (all in compliance with Coast Guard regs).
Oh. Most important! Does the stereo work!
Do as much of this on your own as you can. A survey will do it all again but if you find these issues before hand, you can walk away before you have the expense of the survey.
Good luck!