Same questions to a different owner
•General build quality
Catalina is a production
boat. Compared to other production boats, I would say it is very good, but its not an
Island Packet, if you get the drift.
•Sea keeping ability
Excellent
•Pointing and sailing ability i.e. % of apparent
wind speed.
Depends in rig. I had the in
mast furler. Sailed very well, but because of lack of battens in the rig, pointing was diminished, under 40 degrees. Would recommend the in boom rig, which most 440s have.
•
Motor speed (most economical)
I use to run it about 2400 rpm's and she used about 3/4 gal/hour
•How does she hove to.
Well
•How does she handle big waves
well
• i.e. surfing, does she tend to broach ?
not at all
•General motion under way.
I'm sailing 30+ years. Best riding boat I have sailed.
•Heavy
weather capability
Excellent
•Airflow / ventilation at
anchor.
Very good
•Any
osmosis issues.
Had barrier coated.....no issues.
•Any general shortcomings from your perspective or inherent to the design
No access to the
fuel or
holding tank, without taking the whole
salon floor up
•Factory build quality?
Good....I's a production boat. Poor bedding of all chain plates. Had to have re-bedded 1st sailing season, which
Catalina paid for.
•Galley size with respect to
cooking especially under way.
Excellent
•Fridge and
freezer sizing. (adequate for an ocean crossing).
Good
•The actual size of the “store room” for real cruising needs .
Excellent. This boat has tons of
storage space
•The fried /
freezer insulation – is this adequate as per the original fit.
Initial fridge was not good. Had to have replaced 2 times, which Catalina paid for. Eventually getting a system where the condenser and
motor were separate from the box. Box did not have good ventilation.
•
Galley storage (Enough for a atlantics crossing)
Good
• Were you happy with the tankage (Fuel and water)
Yes.
Electric head uses a lot of
water to get the waste to the
holding tank, because of the travel distance. If I had this boat again, I would install a Vacuflush
head, which would solve the distance problem.
• The accessibility of
service items /
engine
Impeller very difficult to reach. Suggest installing a "Speed Seal", which will greatly simplify the changing process. The Speed Seal comes for UK, as I
recall, Just
Google "Speed Seal"
•Generator
Depends on location of install. If amidship, access is very good, except for a main bearing which calls for a 1000 hour
service. Genset will have to be removed to access the Main bearing. Some later 440's had the genset installed in the stern, which might give better access.,
bilge pumps etc.
Excellent
•Cockpit
security at sea.
Excellent
•General liveability (especially from your wife’s perspective)
Excellent
•Knowing what you know now would again do the same
purchase.
Yes
•Is the ventilation enough for the back
cabin.
Never slept there, but had several guests that did and never complained.
•Which
cabin do you use when under way ?
Forward.
Sail handling in general
•Ease of reefing her.
Depends on the rig. In Boom, reef on any point of sail, Excellent, in
Mast, into the
wind only. This one of the advantages of the in boom rig.
•Could she be
single handed.
Did, many times.
She was a great boat. For sure the best riding boat I have sailed. She gives a great ride with NO pounding, in
weather....EVER!