I recently put a deposit down on a new Catalina 470 and have a few questions for larger Catalina owners. 1) What options are better installed by Catalina vs local(given competent local craftsmen??? 2) standard main or rollerfurling - advantages and diasadvanatages??? Thanks, Bill
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Options
What options are you considering? I supose that the factory canvas might be simpler to buy and cheaper for a decent quality. If you want custom canvas, you might have more flexibility on your own. Most everything else is probably cheaper dealer or localy installed. On my new C-36, we had most everything (instruments, stereo, autoprop, etc.) installed by the dealer's technician. We had it done our way for less. I have no experience with roller mains. Ask on the sailnet Catalina forum or on Cruising world forum. If the weight of raising the main worries you, think about a power winch. A good friend has a new Tartan 4500(?) and the power winch makes it a breeze to sail.
What options are you considering? I supose that the factory canvas might be simpler to buy and cheaper for a decent quality. If you want custom canvas, you might have more flexibility on your own. Most everything else is probably cheaper dealer or localy installed. On my new C-36, we had most everything (instruments, stereo, autoprop, etc.) installed by the dealer's technician. We had it done our way for less. I have no experience with roller mains. Ask on the sailnet Catalina forum or on Cruising world forum. If the weight of raising the main worries you, think about a power winch. A good friend has a new Tartan 4500(?) and the power winch makes it a breeze to sail.
furling mains
I've chartered boats with furling mains before, and I didn't like it. the ones I've had were tempermental (one got jammed) and I've been told they're not as efficent as a battened main, which makes sense to me. The power winch is a great option. Using that, I've seen a 5 year-old girl raise a full-roach main on a 45 foot boat! Can't beat that. Where a furling main makes sense, I think, is in an area where you have to reef a lot. Reefing is snap. On SF Bay, where you reef a lot more than you don't, a furling main would be great! No baggy sail hanging of the boom, no lines to tie, little friction; you just set the amount of sail you want and go.
I've chartered boats with furling mains before, and I didn't like it. the ones I've had were tempermental (one got jammed) and I've been told they're not as efficent as a battened main, which makes sense to me. The power winch is a great option. Using that, I've seen a 5 year-old girl raise a full-roach main on a 45 foot boat! Can't beat that. Where a furling main makes sense, I think, is in an area where you have to reef a lot. Reefing is snap. On SF Bay, where you reef a lot more than you don't, a furling main would be great! No baggy sail hanging of the boom, no lines to tie, little friction; you just set the amount of sail you want and go.
Options for your 470
I remember an article that was written, I think by Bill Lee of ULDB fame, that advised that that three biggest choices you can make that affect your boat's performance are: 1. Regular main over roller furlng - roller furling means zero roach and significantly reduced sail area 2. Fin keel rather than winged 3. Folding prop rather than fixed blade prop. It all depends though on what you want to use the boat for, and whether you want to be able sail past all the other folks with 470's. I sail on SF bay and have a C42 with full batten main and dutchman system. The full battens make a big differenc in reducing noise and wear and tear on the sail when luffing and the dutchman system makes the main very easy to deal with. I like to sail the boat very hard in the heavy san francisco bay winds and after 7 years I took the orginal catalina main into the sailmaker to have a couple broken sail slides replaced. I also told the sailmaker to make any other repairs necessary - He could not find any other damage to repair. I am envious of you new boat.
I remember an article that was written, I think by Bill Lee of ULDB fame, that advised that that three biggest choices you can make that affect your boat's performance are: 1. Regular main over roller furlng - roller furling means zero roach and significantly reduced sail area 2. Fin keel rather than winged 3. Folding prop rather than fixed blade prop. It all depends though on what you want to use the boat for, and whether you want to be able sail past all the other folks with 470's. I sail on SF bay and have a C42 with full batten main and dutchman system. The full battens make a big differenc in reducing noise and wear and tear on the sail when luffing and the dutchman system makes the main very easy to deal with. I like to sail the boat very hard in the heavy san francisco bay winds and after 7 years I took the orginal catalina main into the sailmaker to have a couple broken sail slides replaced. I also told the sailmaker to make any other repairs necessary - He could not find any other damage to repair. I am envious of you new boat.
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