Talk me into a Catalina

[jssailem]

like Les and I that own a Catalina Yacht

You, Les, Stu... all bitten by the same contagion... Sometime I wonder if I am the one holding you guys all together... You might just wander off and be Yachties.....

 

[Will Gilmore]

boats I was looking at didn't have Bermuda rigs.

I'm interested in your distinction here. I thought all those boats had Bermuda rigs.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Meriachee]

I'm interested in your distinction here. I thought all those boats had Bermuda rigs.

-Will (Dragonfly)

You own a Catalina, or you own something else.

 

[Jackdaw]

asked if I had considered a Hunter. I said that I wasn't interested in a Bermuda rig, but the age of boats I was looking at didn't have Bermuda rigs. She showed us a couple of boats and the admiral was sold. They were roomier, with more natural light inside, and had the walk through transom. We've spend 2 weeks at a time in the San Juan Islands and around Puget Sound and have been very happy. I wouldn't consider it a blue water boat, but it seems to be perfectly suited for the type of cruising we do. There is also a very active Hunter owner's organization in Puget Sound.

I'm assuming you mean B&R rig.

 

[jssailem]

Will? Something else.
@Meriachee not everyone can own a Catalina. I know it is sad to say. Where would the excitement be in that? It would be like a world of Fords without Chevy.

 

[Meriachee]

Will? Something else.
@Meriachee not everyone can own a Catalina. I know it is sad to say. Where would the excitement be in that? It would be like a world of Fords without Chevy.

@jssailem It would be exactly that. It isn't the boat that makes the sailor, rather the quality of the beer.

 

[Michael Davis]

So we can come and have a visit then.

Always welcome John. The Government dock is even closer, just 400 meters.

 

[jssailem]

Oh boy... How is February?

 

[Michael Davis]

We'll be here if the winter rains don't wash us away.

 

[jssailem]

I hear that "303" spray helps shed Pacific NW rain. Wonder if one can bath in it?
Next couple of weeks promise to change the weather pattern that has blessed our area since April.
We South of the 49th expect to celebrate a wet Thanksgiving with a foot or more of snow in the mountains. That song "Over the Hill and thorough the woods..." may well require a sleigh or a big 4 wheel drive truck with winter tires.

 

[Simon Sexton]

You can sail a Catalina to hell and back....as long as she's been taken care of. It took me a good six months to bring my boat back up into sailable condition and to properly equipped per the Coast Guard. An older Catalina will cost you next to nothing initially, but over time the price begins to add up. I bought Valiant for $4,000, but by this time have probably invested well over $3,500 into getting her the way I want her. However, by the time you're finished dumping money in (not that that'll ever happen...it's a boat), your boat will still probably cost less than a newer one. It all depends on how badly you want to step back one day, take a deep breath, look at your finished product, and say, "Yeah. I did that." There's just something about choosing built over bought that makes anything feel more like yours.

 

[Parsons]

[QUOTE="Simon Sexton, post: 1499451, member: 139927”]It all depends on how badly you want to step back one day, take a deep breath, look at your finished product, and say, "Yeah. I did that." There's just something about choosing built over bought that makes anything feel more like yours.[/QUOTE]
Finished? I’ve got one-third the purchase price in additions and replacements on my boat, and it will never be “finished”. There are very nice pieces and projects that I’m proud of, but the boat as a whole is just a work in progress.

 

[Alansails]

All the boats we have owned are a work in progress and if you care about what you own/sail you/I will always be making it your own. A lot depends on usage and where you sail, we upgraded our Catalina 22, 25 and have done so on our 310.
With Catalina,IMHO, they are great boats, with Brand Loyal owners who are listened to by the makers/designers.
I have called and visited Catalina Yachts and met with Gerry Douglas and Warren Pandy who never failed to spend their time with me, with no brush off or a feeling like I was wasteing their time.
Parts are always available and there is a market for resale, a well maintained boat holds its value!
The 22 and 25 we sold for more than what we paid for them and sailed them for years with Family!

 

[sailme88]

Sell you ? How about you sell yourself.... and use this as your starting point... How many of the other brands that you listed are still in production?

 

[Tedd]

Thanks again for all the great comments, everyone. You're doing a great job of talking us into a Catalina! I have a question specifically for the Catalina 25 to 28 owners. The main reason we're considering moving to a bigger boat (eventually) is that when I retire in a few years we want to take some long-ish trips--up the Inside Passage, for example. So weeks at a time on the boat (two people). Would you consider your Catalina 25-28 big enough to be comfortable for that kind of cruising? If not, why not, and what would you consider adequate?

 

[jssailem]

Tedd, Sailing in a small boat and getting along is dependent on the couple. A couple of folk 2 meters tall and 18 stone each might find a 25 foot boat a bit tight after 7 days of cruising. There have been couples who sailed across the Pacific on a Flicker 20 and stayed together. Before buying it might be a good idea to try and rent a boat of the size for a weekend. It will tell you weather or not the boat is big enough.

 

[Tedd]

Thanks, John. I think somebody mentioned renting earlier in the thread, too. I'll definitely look into that.

 

[leo310]

You may want to re-think about going up north with a 27 or 28, yes it can be done but you may need extra room when your waiting for a weather window for some transit ie cap cod all open water. A larger boat will give you more space and comfort underway even 2-3 feet makes a big difference. We have a 310 and find a 28 very small and cramp. If your not in a rush the next Catalina rendezvoux is July 12th at Telegraph Harbour where you can see most types 27-40+ foot catalinas.

 

[Tedd]

Thanks, I didn't know about the Catalina rendezvous, that's a great idea. We definitely won't be buying before then, so it's a good opportunity to compare the different models.

Regarding size, I'm thinking the head is probably important. We're not big people but the head in our current boat is pretty tiny. I can barely close the door when I'm in it, and I'm only 5'8". That would get old fast on a long trip. Also, it would be really nice to have a shower.

 

[leo310]

We jumped from a Mac 26D to the Catalina 310, what can do now is sail for a month without getting on each others nerves as we each have space. We have looked at larger boats but after looking at the cost and what we get the 310 fits the bill. BTW the 310 is a cross of the 30 and 320 with the best of both.