Need advise on buying a Catalina 28

[Larry Dean]

Does anyone have any advise on specific things I should be looking for as I shop for a used Cat 28? I've looked at 27 and 30's but feel the 28 should be fine. I'll be doing some coastal cruising but nothing heavy. Thanks.

 

[LaDonna Bubak - Planet Catalina]

Get it surveyed

The best thing I can recommend is to get it surveyed by a professional. Look in the phone book, don't necessarily use the one a broker suggests.But for the initial look-see, test the engine, check the standing & running rigging, check the thru-hulls for corrosion, check the keel bolts for same, condition of the sails, functionality of the head/galley, etc. etc. I checked out a book from the library on performing your own survey and went over each item with a fine tooth comb. I didn't have my boat surveyed cuz it was pretty darn cheap but for a 28 you're gonna be laying out some dough & I'd pay the $500 to make sure everything is in good condition. Remember, YOU are buying the survey and the current owner doesn't have a right to even LOOK at it if you don't want him to. This means if the surveyor says the boat's worth $3000 more than the asking price, you're getting a good deal. But if there's a problem, prices can be negotiated with a professional survey. And if, for some reason, you survey a boat & end up not buying it, you can offer to sell the survey to the owner (half the cost is customary).LaDonna

 

[Bob Carlton]

I bought one a year ago.

I moved up from a 1973 24' Cal to a 1994 Catalina 28 so there were a number of differences, in size, ammenities and some drawbacks(newsflash-bigger boats cost bigger $ but you never see a U-Haul behind a hearse). I've got a winged keel with a tall rig and I think my 28 points better than the Cal ever did (even though the Cal had a fin keel). Some claim that the wing keel doesn't point well compared to the fin keel, so you might consider that issue. Different years have slightly different ammentities so you might want to figure out if you are looking for later or earlier models. For instance, my 1994 has built-in stern seats which are pretty great. I don't believe earlier models had those. Conversely, the newest models don't seem to have any outside wood (like on the combing box) although the 1994 model does. If you like some outside wood, you won't get much on the newer models.Check the ball valves on the through hulls. Plastic ones like mine could be a problem. I've got one sticky one and one that broke in the closed position. This is not a problem specific to the 28' boats but it is the only problem I've had. Storage is fairly limited but the headroom in the cabin and the room in the cockpit are terrific for a boat this size. The 10' beam makes the boat feel like a "big" boat, particularly coming from an 8' beam. I love the way the boat sails and agree that it's a great "in between" size. Mine also came with a bimini to which I was initially indifferent. But I've been amazed at how much it has increased our enjoyment of the boat. It makes the cockpit much more enjoyable on hot days, provides additional usable space on rainy days and keeps the cockpit cleaner. Hope this helps.