Upgrading from a Catalina 22

[markcc13]

This will be my third year sailing a Catalina 22. My wife and I really enjoy sailing and it's been a great hobby the two of us do together. We currently have the boat an hour drive from our house. It is on a large interior lake.

The drive is a real downer and I'm starting to want something bigger/nicer for when we have kids. It would also be nice to have a bathroom and something that can more conveniently accommodate overnighting. It would be nice to spend 1 or 2 nights a weekend on the boat when it is nice. I'm thinking a used Catalina or Hunter just short of 30 feet. I like the Hunter 29.5 and Catalina 28 MK II. If I were buying new I really like a Catalina 275 but can't even begin justifying the price. I feel like the cruisers over 30 feet would be overkill for an inland lake.

What would be people's opinions of upgrading? Is there something I don't know that I should? Right now I am thinking of upgrading in the fall.

[Jim Cate]

Sounds very reasonable to me! I kept my Cat 22 for longer, but wasn't fiscally able to justify a bigger vessel (played a loosing game of divorce!) for 7 years. Still enjoyed racing and cruising on the 22, and did some coastal cruising in her (California coast and Canadian Gulf islands).

But when the money became available, I bought a Yankee 30 and was instantly able to entertain more adventurous voyages. Being confined to a lake will limit your scope a bit, but besides giving you the comfort and facilities you crave, you'll start to learn about boat husbandry on a vessel more like one you may eventually buy for oceanic sailing. May not happen, but the basic knowledge would benefit you anyhow!

So IMO... go for it! And enjoy...

Jim

[Seabeau]

How about an older Catalina 27?

[Calif.Ted]

Or Catalina 270, diesel inboard very similar to the 28, less expensive check Capri 26 available inboard or OB. OB's have more interior room and sail well.

[Tayana42]

Mark, my first boat with a cabin was a Seafarer 24. (Not a boat I would recommend.) We bought it because we had our first child and couldn’t see taking an infant out on a Sunfish type boat. Having a cabin you can inhabit for a few days, a real head, and basic cooking facilities makes a huge difference in comfort and allows you to expand from day sailing to local cruising.

Your thoughts of a sub 30’ Catalina seem right on to me. Buy a used one in good shape. What inland lakes are you sailing on? Do you trailer the Cat 22 to other locations? Are you willing to give that up for a larger boat? (Some May still be trailerable if you’ve got the rig to haul it.

[gjordan]

If you move up to a Catalina 25, you still have the option of towing it to some other location. They are not very expensive and are much more comfortable than the torture chamber V-berth of a 22. Even if you dont have a vehicle to tow a 25, you could probably arrange for a once a year tow to some other interesting sailing area. Just a thought for you. _____Grant.

[Lake-Effect]

We're going into year 11 with a 19ft boat. We're very fortunate in that we have her at a slip on Lake Ontario a 10 min walk from the house so we can sail at the drop of a hat. And this boat is easy to sail, and fun.

We have done weekend cruises in her - up to 4 days. It's a bit of a tight fit, but no worse than a big tent (and in many ways better). We also tow her to different places, like other inland lakes that only trailerables can get to easily.

We do want a larger boat at some point, but we are loving the simplicity and low costs of the smaller boat, and also the ease of towing to many different places. It's such that if/when we do get that larger boat, we may still keep the small boat.

What I'm getting at is that you should list out all the pros and cons of upsizing. You might find that you will have more options and you will sail more in the short term with the smaller boat, while saving for the larger boat. You can also spend some more time gathering more info about the sort of boat you want to upgrade to.

I have a particular attraction to the Mirage 25, because it's a bit sporty, has an open cabin, AND because it has an enclosed head to port of the companionway. I hate heads that are in/near the V-berth...

[John_Trusty]

I up-sized later in life (late 40's) from a Hunter 216. My wife and I taught our kids to sail on that boat, but we had outgrown it. After five years, we had learned all we could from her, so it was time. We felt we did not have time to "5-foot" up the ladder as many younger people do, so we jumped to a 36 right away.

A couple lessons:
(1) Costs go up by a cube-factor with increases in length and you should budget about 10% of the purchase price annually for upkeep - so plan accordingly;
(2) With every convenience (inboard engine, lights, head, etc.) you add another system to learn and maintain (engine, electrical, plumbing, etc.). The learning is fun too, so that's not all negative.
(3) Sailing from a slip is much less work than rigging and launching a trailer boat. Contrary-wise, painting bottoms sucks.
In summary, that new boat will offer you comfort and new things to learn, but my, will you pay for it.

[Tillerjockey]

I just up-sized from an O'Day 222 to a Freedom 28. Much more comfortable for a weekend. A real toilet instead of a porta potti is also nice. In my mid 60's now so comfort is important especially for the wife. I can also still single hand it easily.

[ebsail]

I don't think you should go bigger than a 27 for the lake. As John Trusty said, costs go up by the cube of the size. So does the work. I'm currently on my 9th boat and have worked my way up to almost 44' and am now back down to 25' at age 78.

1. A 27 will give full head room (make sure you check)
2. It should have 4 good sized bunks
3. It can still be powered by an electric start outboard (10 -15 HP Hi thrust)
4. There are plenty of them for sale.
5. Porta Potties are no differnent than small holding tanks. Just easier to replace. Some can be plumbed for pump outs

If you still work for a living, try to keep everything simple and easy to maintain or you'll spend all your free time fixing stuff instead of sailing.

[keepondancin]

My first cabin boat was a C-22, then 25 then 34, then my first cruising boat. Started in a lake. You will enjoy the larger boat. I would look around and see what are the more popular boats and go from there. Easier resale than an esoteric unique boat. I think most lake boats stay lake boats, and when you are ready for salt water find what fits Your wants and needs. Always a market for a C-30, and they are affordable. Catalina was very good at having boats to move up with to keep you in the brand.

[siamese]

As an owner of a Catalina 28 MKII, I can certainly vouch for the boat. It's just fine as a weekender. There are people using them for more extended cruising, but I'd pass on that.

We sail it on Lake Michigan (now, that's a big lake), and keep it in a marina on Muskegon Lake. Lake Michigan's usually our first choice for a sail, but if the weather's bad out there, we'll sail Muskegon Lake, which is about a mile across and and about five miles long. It's just fine on a lake that size.

What lake are you on? How big is it?

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Sounds very reasonable to me! I kept my Cat 22 for longer, but wasn't fiscally able to justify a bigger vessel (played a loosing game of divorce!) for 7 years. Still enjoyed racing and cruising on the 22, and did some coastal cruising in her (California coast and Canadian Gulf islands).

But when the money became available, I bought a Yankee 30 and was instantly able to entertain more adventurous voyages. Being confined to a lake will limit your scope a bit, but besides giving you the comfort and facilities you crave, you'll start to learn about boat husbandry on a vessel more like one you may eventually buy for oceanic sailing. May not happen, but the basic knowledge would benefit you anyhow!

So IMO... go for it! And enjoy...

Jim

When does Christmas come? I am assuming that's when she remarried? 7 years, I feel for you. My first met her second at the divorce attorney's office.

[DennisRyan]

I went from a Catalina 22 to a Catalina 30. I couldn't say more for the Catalina 30. Roomy for the kids, big enough to handle unexpected rough weather, dependable Frank Butler/Gerry Douglas quality..
A real big reason I decided to go for the Catalina 30 is that I figured it was a "can't loose" purchase. Catalina 30's are one of the most-in-demand used boats out there. I figured I could easily sell it when it was time to move on - that turned out to be exactly the case.
I'm sailing a Catalina 36 now - just returned from Cuba.

[hamburking]

I owned a Tanzer 22, which is similar to your C22, and had the same problem.

After my T22, I bought a C&C27. It felt HUGE. standing headroom, real head, galley, comfortable vee berth and tons of storage. Since you are on an inland lake, you can easily have a fin keel and spade rudder...so you can have an inexpensive, fast boat with tons of space below.

I mention the C&C27 because they are very reasonably priced right now, even for ones in great condition.

BTW, your "condition" is called "3 foot-itis". No matter what boat you own, you always wish for just a little more space.