To Buy or Not To Buy

[Kent H]

I am considering the purchase of a used Catalina 27. What things should I look for as far as problem areas?

 

[LaDonna Bubak - CatalinaOwners.com]

Cautions

You don't mention how old the boat is. The older the boat, the more potential problems it could have. My personal opinion is that if you're spending a great deal of money (for you), you should get a survey - say $10K or more. Of course you can't go wrong getting one no matter what the selling price is.I would highly recommend getting a boat survey book from the library so you can brush up on what to look for before hiring a surveyor. It can save time if you decide there are too many problems yourself.I think one of the biggest issues with C27s is their rigging. Have the chainplates been updated to the U-bolts? Has the rigging been updated? Are the bulkheads rotten from leaking chainplates? Is the coring in the deck wet from leakage? Have the spreader brackets been replaced? Are the thru-hulls the old "volcano" style "to-hulls" or have they been replaced with real seacocks? Inboard or outboard? Each has their own worries. Jeez, and that's just for starters!LaDonna

 

[Roger]

Don't Forget

I owned my Cat 27 for 10 years before I sold it. Don't forget to check simple things like: if the cushions are old, the head works, fiberglas cracks on the deck, leaks by the windows and cabin entrance (I had to repair rotted wood at the base of the companionway entry). As said before that's just the beginning but I had mine for a long time and sold it to a very happy buyer.

 

[Kenneth]

Good Idea

We have owned our 1984 Catalina 27 for about a year and a half now (first boat) and have really enjoyed it. We hired a surveyor and got a really nice and complete report making us feel very comfortable about the entire process and deal. I would highly recommend a survey. Some things that were corrected on our boat just prior to purchase included new sails, and sail covers, the exhaust system (inboard diesel) and some updated wiring. Good luck!!