Catalina 30 & My first boaters sin...

[TooCoys]

Originally Posted by LoudMusic

When boats get longer you're really gaining space in the middle - it's amazing how quickly they get big.

I know. I'm a beginning sailor with only three or four sails under my belt now, so I still have a LOT to learn. And it will be a number of years before we can take off on any significantly long sail anyway.

Boat envy is a @#tch!

[skign]

Where is that again?? lol

[mbhouston]

Our first sailboat is a '88 C30 mkii. We bought it last November. Mechanically, it was in good shape, fairly well maintained but some aging equipment and running rigging. We looked at several boats in the 27ft-33ft range and at our price range were mostly 80's era boats. Once I stepped on the C30 I knew it was a great boat to get us into sailing without dropping significant coin.

But I can't help but find myself at boat shows, broker open houses and on Yachtworld eyeballing other boats. We don't necessarily need a larger boat, but now that we have got some time on our C30, I'm really lusting after boats that have more modern rigs, are designed to be single-handed, have a wider cockpit and have larger berths. My 6ft frame and claustrophobic wife can't comfortably sleep on our boat, even on the convertible double berth in the salon. It is not 6ft... My 18 month old son keeps my wife busy so I'm tending the helm, working winches and running to the mast, which is pretty intense when sailing Galveston Bay with 500 other boats, regattas, kids sailing dinghys and commercial traffic all around. The narrow cockpit doesn't give us much room to put my son on the floor when he wants to stretch his legs, especially with a couple friends on board. But the C30 is a fantastic boat. Affordable, high demand, easy to maintain and forgiving to newbie sailors like us.

[TooCoys]

Originally Posted by mbhouston

...so I'm tending the helm, working winches and running to the mast, which is pretty intense when sailing Galveston Bay with 500 other boats, regattas, kids sailing dinghys and commercial traffic all around.

I do really like that about my Hunter Cherubini. It's incredibly easy to sail and pretty quick too. I took it out a weekend or so ago and there was a LOT of sailboats all around and even being new and only using my mainsail, I was pretty much able to keep up with everyone - and/or stay out of their way.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by TooCoys

He has it listed at $20K, but would accept $15K.

He owes $9K on it, but has $12K in updates.

So somewhere in there I guess.

I think you said he has two boats. I'd bet he would take ten and be glad he got it.

[rdthoms]

Current C25 owner and I'm pretty sure a C30 will be the next one! Good luck!!

[SV Bacchus]

Originally Posted by TooCoys

He has it listed at $20K, but would accept $15K.

He owes $9K on it, but has $12K in updates.

So somewhere in there I guess.

At that price point and with the cash from your boat I think it would be a pretty small note to carry. Maybe not ideal to carry a note but hey, you never get something for nothing!

Will you still be kicking yourself in a year if you don't buy it?

[hamburking]

Does the Catalina 30 have diesel? Your H27 likely has a great little yanmar. If the C30 has an A4, walk away.

[Valmika]

That is is a descent price for the tall rig in good shape Just don't get the one if it has a universal 5411. 12 hp is not enough to get that boat of a lee shore in a blow. I think you should have a 21 HP in that one given the year. If it has the saltwater cooled 5411 subtract 2 -3 G's from the price

[akprb]

Lived onboard a Catalina 30 when I was young, stupid and single. Was a palace at the time and was fun to sail in the evenings.

Get it!

[TooCoys]

Originally Posted by SV Bacchus

At that price point and with the cash from your boat I think it would be a pretty small note to carry. Maybe not ideal to carry a note but hey, you never get something for nothing!

Will you still be kicking yourself in a year if you don't buy it?

Nah, probably not. As someone said they are plentiful, and always available.


I hope, that in a year we'll be looking at something much much larger to move onto!

[TooCoys]

Originally Posted by hamburking

Does the Catalina 30 have diesel? Your H27 likely has a great little yanmar. If the C30 has an A4, walk away.

It's got a gold colored Universal Diesel in it.

My H27 has a newly rebuilt Yanmar 1GM10. It puts along at 4.5 knots, unless I've got heavy winds/chop or current against me. The previous owner paid $4100 for a full rebuild with a brand new head installed, and gave me the invoice from the yacht company to prove it. I bought the entire boat for $4500.

[Seas the Day]

You are facing a not uncommon predicament. In cases like these I say to people facing this dilemma to do one of two things, viz:

1. Toss a coin.
Select heads for stay with your Hunter and tails for the Cat. Now toss the coin. Before it lands your subconscious will tell your conscious mind what to wish the result to be. Forget what lands face up because you already know what you want.

2. Prepare a Balance Sheet.
Get a blank piece of paper and rule a line down the middle and also make a horizontal line half way down the page. At the top of the LHS column mark Positives and on the RHS Negatives. Use the top half of the page for Hunter +ve and -ve's and the bottom half likewise for the Cat. Now write down all the +ve's and -ve's for each. Your subconscious will do its work and you will have more +ve's and less -ve's for your preference than the other.

They are both simple processes and work. A fellow CEO once said to me that a bad decision is better than no decision. At least you get on with it and change tack if required.

Good Luck with the coin toss.

[DennisRyan]

I owned an 85 Catalina 30 - hull #4065.

It's a great boat for family coastal cruising. It's big enough that you feel safe, yet small enough that you can easily muscle the sails/gear if you've done something dumb.

I consider Catalinas the Fords of the boating world. They are simple and sturdy enough that you spend most of you time sailing as opposed to sitting at the dock fixing stuff. They aren't Cadillacs with all the latest bells and whistles, or bulletproof Mercedes.

Also, Catalina Yachts is great in the way they support their boat owners. If you have a problem, you can just call them and they go out of their way to help or answer your questions. You are not treated like an intrusion in their day. In the past, it was not uncommon for the owner, Frank Butler, to answer the phone and help you out!

I've recently moved up to a Catalina 36.

Incidentally, the reason I bought my first Catalina is that every Catalina owner I talked too really loved their boat.

Buy it!! You'll love it!!

PS My Cat30 had a 21 hp Universal diesel, never had a problem with it. I think it was a rebadged Kubota.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Seas the Day

1. Toss a coin.
Good Luck with the coin toss.

I use a different method. Offer half the asking price (or less). Then the seller can decide for you. I've bought several boats this way.