Catalina or Hunter?

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

I already said I've owned both (Catalina and Hunter). Reading the owners forums is a good suggestion - almost all good comments ( compared with here where most don't/haven't owner either). The moral of that story is...

a) the more you know about boats, the less you want the least inexpensive one?

b) some of us learn by research and experience, others have to find out everything the hard way?

c) most folks think they actually know more than they obviously do?

d) having sailed or owned both Hunters and Cats has very little relevance to another's experience of any individual vessel or manufacturer?

I think all of these are true, altho I'd choose d) if I had to be pinned down.

[S/V Illusion]

For clarity purpose, I fixed it for you

Originally Posted by BZT54

Moral of the story... Hmm ... 50K to invest.... Penny wise (false economy [beat up]boat), [good condition! well maintained] (Hunter, Catalina).

BZT

[BZT54]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

For clarity purpose, I fixed it for you

Is it Illusion or Delusion? Somehow you are missing the point. If you can't find a quality boat in that price range in today's buyers market you most certainly lack the expertise to make an adequate assessment.

OP, keep looking. A bonifide search will pay off, mine did and I believe there are others who will attest to that based on their own experience. If you do not have sufficient knowledge to assess the pros and cons of a particular vessel search out someone who does. It will save you a lot of future heartache.

BZT

[BZT54]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

a) the more you know about boats, the less you want the least inexpensive one?

b) some of us learn by research and experience, others have to find out everything the hard way?

c) most folks think they actually know more than they obviously do?

d) having sailed or owned both Hunters and Cats has very little relevance to another's experience of any individual vessel or manufacturer?

I think all of these are true, altho I'd choose d) if I had to be pinned down.

I think you nailed it.....

BZT

[JTSmith]

Originally Posted by BZT54

Not only that but you wound up with a world class cruising boat. People tend to jump into things without giving it sufficient time or a serious look. With 50K as your budget the OP could find an older quality boat that's a keeper.

Off course their are those that do not know the difference and base their choice on interior layouts rather than seaworthiness.

BZT

I assume that was directed at me. I am well aware of the difference.

The 37 Slocum is b-e-a-utiful, btw.

[BZT54]

Originally Posted by JTSmith

I assume that was directed at me. I am well aware of the difference.

The 37 Slocum is b-e-a-utiful, btw.

Thanks for the compliment. If you are aware of the differences why settle for the mundane? I purchased my Slocum for under 30K. Granted she needed some work but in the end I have a world class cruising boat.

Don't get me wrong. A Hunter or a Catalina in the 35' range if well maintained would be an acceptable boat for coastal cruising or the bahamas. If I were thinking of using the boat for blue water I would reconsider.

Choose wisely....

BZT
PS Btw, I have been the purchasing manager for two boat builders and was the General Manager of Sailorman in Ft. Lauderdale. I'm not just blowing smoke....

[scuba0_1]

i have owned both, the hunter was faster i like the set up of both. i sailed the hunter up and down the Atlantic coast with no issues stayed out of the ditch. i now sail a Catalina all over the gulf no issues either. go bigger than smaller, go newer than older if you can, its going to probably come down to what lay out you like, some have separate showers some are combined, storage will be a big thing once your aboard. hours on engine, use of ac. If you decide on one you like go to there site and look up that boat and year see what issues they found. good luck just remember your first boat will not be your last.

[bensolomon]

I have a 1990 hunter legend 37.5. I have extensive charter history, and have sailed beneteau, jeaneaus, Catalina, persons, and sabres from Greece to e BVI and St. Lucia. My home port is Chesapeake bay. I have also sailed many leopard cats. I grew up sailing an old 1979 hunter 32 from Chesapeake to Maine, routinely. I bought a hunter for the balance between comfort down below, storage beyond belief, and sailing characteristics. The aft cabin has a queen berth, centerline, the settee is a double berth, and the salon is a great sea berth. Of course we have a nice berth up front. The head opens into the aft cabin and the salon. The galley is well laid out and is usable underway, and the boat is well balanced with the fuel tank centerline under the aft berth, the water tank centerline under the berth and the waste tank starboard balanced with the galley. Also, my boat is plumbed for direct pump out when out to sea.

Our boat sails my wife, three kids, and two dogs, one of which is a 90 pound lab, and we all have a spot. She is a little tender, but I reef between 15 and 20 knots, and we do fine. I can hit 7.5 knots with little effort. I have been in bad storms with her, and we did fine sailing, and at anchor. I plan to sail her to the Caribbean at some point.

You can see us under way at: http://youtu.be/dkmOsa-c5Kw
On this day, it was 15 knots, on the nose. You'll be able to see how easy she was going. We were doing 6 knots into the wind.

Ben



Ben Solomon
S/V Dawn 1989 37.5 hunter legend

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

I already said I've owned both (Catalina and Hunter). Reading the owners forums is a good suggestion - almost all good comments ( compared with here where most don't/haven't owner either). The moral of that story is...

It means that people with the boats and who know them like them, as opposed to forum people who have nothing better to do or contribute other than looking for an opportunity to make a trashing post.

Of course owners are liars and internet forum posters are experts.

[Blue Crab]

The full circle of life and CF boating has run its course on this very predictable thread.

The OP wanted to consider only Hunters and Catalinas in the 34-36' range. If he sticks with H and C owners' opinions all he gets is the good old boys networks, and slaps on the back as above by folks with little to no broad, longterm experience with either boating or a variety of boats.

So, the OP tosses his wonderful dilemma out to a world-wide readership and whoops!, gets some cold water down the back of his foulies. Dang!

As a public service, I'd like to summarize the whole issue as follows:

This is primarily a U.S. concern as few Hunters and Cats are in the worldwide market at the moment, unlike European boats and the variety coming from Asian builders. Much money has been spent by H and C to find out what makes a boat sell to Americans. In America, where infinitesimally few of us venture far from.

Americans have had a lot of disposable income during most of the many years of my lifetime, and we have proven to be easily manipulated by good advertising for almost all of our purchases from cars and boats to body lotion. It's the American way.

Catalina has always had a good reputation for their smaller boats. The 22 could well be as good a trailersailer as can be conceived. The 27 is a wonderful boat to sail; responsive and fast enough. The Hunters, jammed with features, haven't fared as well. They look funny to my eye, and a smaller one with a shoal draft keel won't be sailing into a slip anywhere near you. Especially if it doesn't have a rudder.

But the game changes as boats get longer. The larger Cats are apparently world cruisers, and Hunter has become known for some pretty innovative thinking in design as well. And if you're American and want a newish boat your choices will be limited to very few mfgrs indeed.

With the techno advances, there is some point in building a larger boat where the scantlings get robust enough to deal with big winds and waves whether well-designed or not. And since most are dock queens and daysailers anyway, what's the diff?

Joe Software Designer (not his real name) in Palo Alto decides to sail RTW. Takes some ASA classes, calls his banker, asks his broker to find a new or newish 40+ boat that his wife likes ...

[savoir]

Originally Posted by bensolomon

I have a 1990 hunter legend 37.5. I have extensive charter history, and have sailed beneteau, jeaneaus, Catalina, persons, and sabres from Greece to e BVI and St. Lucia. My home port is Chesapeake bay. I have also sailed many leopard cats. I grew up sailing an old 1979 hunter 32 from Chesapeake to Maine, routinely. I bought a hunter for the balance between comfort down below, storage beyond belief, and sailing characteristics. The aft cabin has a queen berth, centerline, the settee is a double berth, and the salon is a great sea berth. Of course we have a nice berth up front. The head opens into the aft cabin and the salon. The galley is well laid out and is usable underway, and the boat is well balanced with the fuel tank centerline under the aft berth, the water tank centerline under the berth and the waste tank starboard balanced with the galley. Also, my boat is plumbed for direct pump out when out to sea.

Our boat sails my wife, three kids, and two dogs, one of which is a 90 pound lab, and we all have a spot. She is a little tender, but I reef between 15 and 20 knots, and we do fine. I can hit 7.5 knots with little effort. I have been in bad storms with her, and we did fine sailing, and at anchor. I plan to sail her to the Caribbean at some point.

You can see us under way at: Sailing Dawn with Go Pro on a kite. Steered by CPT Wheel pilot. - YouTube
On this day, it was 15 knots, on the nose. You'll be able to see how easy she was going. We were doing 6 knots into the wind.

Ben



Ben Solomon
S/V Dawn 1989 37.5 hunter legend

No way the wind in that video is 15 knots. I would guess around 9.

Perhaps you accidentally read the apparent wind gauge.

[accomplice]

On Hunter vs. Catalina, I've sailed Hunters, but never a Catalina. Based on my experience, if it came down between a Hunter and something else, I'd get the something else.

[bensolomon]

I have a handheld kestrel. I don't have a wind anemometer hard wired. I usually sail by boat feel, rather than absolute value. The wind that day was 12 knots steady with gusts to 15, and the sea state was very mild. The kite cam was about 300 feet up.

Importantly, I was out sailing with my daughters, and we were having a great time, on our Hunter, which we love. We had anchored out and watched the bright moon rise the night before and then watched the sun rise over the water in the morning while drinking coffee from our coffee press.

Regarding the OP, if you love the boat, and you can enjoy her, the brand itself matters little. It's the love of the vessel that keeps her up and going.
Find a catalina or hunter that you can afford, enjoy, and love.

Ben

[scuba0_1]

More likely you spend to much time on cf. And I'm sure glad a lot of those old European boats don't make it to the usa. They sure are ugly.. funny they don't make it to the big boat shows here ither they probably can't cross the oceans.. oh yea ...imo....

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[gonesail]

the catalinas are finally being built with a metal toerail and thru bolts every 6" on a turned in flange. they still have the fiberglass interiors being glued and dropped into the hull which is not so great. wiring and plumbing is difficult or impossible to access or enhance because of that. but the finished product looks good and sells like hotcakes.