Hi all, long time lurker and I'm finally pulling the trigger on a sailboat. I think a Cat 36 MKII might be the ideal
boat for my situation, but I'd like to run it by the community here.
I'm going in with another
family member on a
boat based in
San Diego Bay, for bay and costal cruising. Of course there will be a lot of time spent enjoying boat life at the
dock as well. Realistically the biggest trips I'd be taking would be up the coast to Oceanside, then over to
Catalina.
My experience involves "beer can racing" a friend's
Cal 29 many years back, and the occasional 25' Capris harbor rentals. I owned a pilot house
fishing boat for a few years. Kept it in a slip and would regularly take it on overnight trips into
Mexico about 60 miles out, so I'm comfortable with navigating and considering conditions in that aspect.
I want something big enough to where we're not feeling cramped when we're all there. That would mean 4 adults and 2 young
kids.
I think larger than 36 would be ideal however my wife's aesthetic requirements and our
budget seem to limit the max length to about 36.
The
budget is about $40k.
Catalinas keep making my short list, and mid 90 models are at the top.
I welcome any input on my choice based on my situation, budget, and experience, but here are some questions that linger:
1. Are there any concerns a typical
survey wouldn't cover when
shopping for a
Catalina 36 or the 36 MKII?
2. Hunters keep catching my eye, but I get the impression I should stay away based on searches for 'hunter vs xxx'. Should I really be avoiding Hunters?
3. Any other boats I'm overlooking? I'm open to anything in CA. I'm dreaming of the first adventure, taking a week off to sail it home down the coast after a good shakedown.
4. Should I limit my search to CA? I don't know what's involved in having boats delivered if I expanded my search to the gulf or
east coast.