Catalina 30

[kingfish]

Hi all
I have Posed this question to numerous people, and peoples opinions on this are as varied as the colors in the rainbow. Here it is. What is your opinion on my catalina 30 as a world cruiser. Now, You all dont know me from adam so let me breifly descibe my cruising style. I am a minamelist (spelling?) I dont like useing electricity. I am perfectly happy useing my ice box for my fridge, and I plan on doing a long cruise singlehanded. with no time frame, Even now that I live at the marina I still spend less on monthly expences than most peoples electric bill. I do not need gizmos or tv, Just a good book and blue water and I am as happy as a clam. My boat is in great condition, and each day I am getting to be a proficient sailor. And my plans for leaving will only happen when I am very confident in my ability to sail.
I said breif and it went long, All in all Id just like to here your opinions.
Cheers
Dustin

[harryrezz]

Hi - Your Catalina 30 is a great coastal and lake cruiser, but it was not designed to be an offshore boat and certainly not intended to be a world cruiser. That said, I've seen people come into anchorages and ports on boats that don't look as though they should ever leave the dock, but then again, looks alone can be (and often are) deceiving.
The relatively light construction, rigging and hardware on your boat simply are not strong enough to withstand the vigors of long distance voyaging. There are, however, many, many boats in your size range which certainly are up to circumnavigating. You could probably sell your Catalina and move up to one of these others with very little additional investment on your part. (Do a little research and you'll be amazed at what you'll find.)
By the way, being a minimalist is a good way to go cruising. I've heard it said that the only gear which won't break down is that which is not on board! Lynne and Larry Pardie have sailed for years and have ventured into nearly all parts of the world with no engine or electricical system - and they're still going strong. (I happen to like my beer cold and we enjoy being able to motor when the wind doesn't cooperate, but that's just a personal thing.)
Good luck and fair winds - but do the Coast Guard Search and Rescue guys a favor and don't try in in a Catalina.

[BC Mike]

A Catalina 27 has gone all the way around. I do not think that is adviseable. On that boat the hull flexes, the hatch is too large, the deck is not wide enough. If your boat is similar to the newer Catalina 30 in our club I think it is a bit beamy for its length and will not go through waves a well as another boat might do. I have nothing to say about the rig or the construction. My 28 foot boat is built a lot more solidly than the Catalina and has a finer entry and narrower waterline beam but I still have reservations about going offshore in it. If I did there would need to be a lot of structural changes made. I mention them because I think the Catalina would also require them. An industrial strength rudder, backing plates behind everything bolted through the deck, reinforcement for the headstay attachment point, and close examination of the hull deck joint, and an inspection of the rig by a qualified rigger. My hull is strong enough and the shape is good for waves. As a safety margin I think a boat should be able to survive a complete roll with the hatch boards out and still have the rig intact. BC Mike C

[kingfish]

Thanks all for your thoughts.
These are the same opinions that I have been getting from other people. Then there are always the opinions of others that have done it in less a boat. BC MIKE C your suggestions are true to form on what the guys at catalina have told me. My problem is that I love the room on this boat, Its tough to get as much in similer sized boats, I hate even thinking about putting her up for sale, Im just trying to find out if mods. could make it safely possible. If not the resale on these boats are great, not to mention the unbelivible deal I got on her. (wife sold me it during her divorce )But anyway I keep up the reserch.
Cheers
Dustin

[CSY Man]

I have 2 friends with Catalina 30s.

One of the guys sail to the Bahamas with his boat more often that Ido, and he is very happy with the vessel.
(Bought it brand new 10 years ago and loves the boat.)

He also knows his weather and sail only in good to moderate conditions.

The other guy have never been outside Bisacayne Bay (Bathtub area)

He is also too scared to cross no Gulf Stream with his boat.
Took him along as crew / trainee on my CSY 33 to Bimini last year.

Bening conditions and smooth sailing..Then something un-expected happened:

The wind changed to straight West with no warning (We were going straight East)
Then the wind picked up and up and up...So did the waves.
In less than one hour it did not look so good anymore,
Following seas at 6 to 8 feet and the wind 30 knots or so.
Then the auto-pilot malfunctioned and demaned a hard Starboard.
I immediately attmepted to disconnect it, but the that did not work, neither did the shear-pins shear.

Here we were 90 degrees to the building seas and somewhat out of control.

My buddy, the owner of the Catalina 30 turned white while I yelled at him to get the tool-box out and find me a flat-head screw driver so as to disamntle the auto-pilot.

Nothing bad happened, but I was glad the vessel under my feet was a heavy CSY 33, and my buddy with the Catalina 30 will probably never venture outside the channel markers for Biscayne Bay...

Not a reflection on his boat however, it is good for the purpose:
Coastal cruising and island hopping if the weather is aokay.

[harryrezz]

Kingfish - Sure - you could modify your boat to make it into a safe offshore craft, but by the time you finished you could have taken all the extra money you'd have spent and, after selling your Catalina (you're right - it will sell quickly at a good price)you could have bought a boat properly suited to the challenge in the first place and have happily been at sea for over a year.
Its hard parting with a boat we've gotten to know and like, but believe me, you'll like the new one a whole lot more and will appreciate her virtues when compared to your current boat.
Just my two cents worth ....