Catalina Purchase - 387, 400 or 42

[Auzzee]

I think Catalina's are wonderful boats, as are those in the Beneteau and Hunter range. Sailing inshore and making the occasional sortie into blue water is where these great boats excel. I chose a different style of boat purely because I cross oceans. To get an understanding of a difference between the Catalina and true offshore boats, google Ted Brewer's Motion Comfort Ratio and apply the formula to Catalina and say Hans Christian.

If you sail casually, or live aboard and sail for the occassional week or so, and want to do an annual run to a favourite spot in the distance, you will be far, far better off and much more comfortable than I will...except when crossing oceans.

http://www.sailingcourse.com/keelboa...on_comfort.htm

[CeesH]

Originally Posted by Auzzee

I think Catalina's are wonderful boats, as are those in the Beneteau and Hunter range. Sailing inshore and making the occasional sortie into blue water is where these great boats excel. I chose a different style of boat purely because I cross oceans. To get an understanding of a difference between the Catalina and true offshore boats, google Ted Brewer's Motion Comfort Ratio and apply the formula to Catalina and say Hans Christian.

If you sail casually, or live aboard and sail for the occassional week or so, and want to do an annual run to a favourite spot in the distance, you will be far, far better off and much more comfortable than I will...except when crossing oceans.

Motion Comfort Ratio

Lets Google what boats cross the Atlantic in this years; ARC 2012 Statistics

CeesH

[scotty c-m]

This thread started out asking about coastal cruising. Actually in terms of both coastal and offshore there are so many different opinions that it really is open as to what you use. Catamaran, light displacement, heavy displacement, fast, slow.... each has advantages and disadvantages. Each has proponents and critics. Basically, in my opinion, anyone who owns a sailboat is nuts anyway! And nuts love going to sea. Coastal or offshore they find a boat that speaks to them and off they go! What's the best boat for offshore or coastal? The same criteria really - how well is it maintained and how well is it sailed? So, you might be thinking right now - what about structural integrity? Is is stout? Is it a true offshore boat? Dude, none of them are. They're all compromises. I went aboard a replica of the Golden Hind (you know, Sir Francis Drake). No thanks. How about a record setting tri, or a Hans Christian, or a Catalina. They're all compromises. Take your pick, make it work (gear and strength), accept that each of us picks his/her own way of going down to the sea. We're all nuts anyway (and I mean that in most complementary way!).

[Capt-Bear]

Your right no changing any ones mind, big difference 40 ft to 47 ft and there are plenty of small big you name it not classic blue boat doing the blue thing, oh don't forget the classic price tag for a big blue boat, and not to mention the Australian guy that said a C42 is a great sea boat and the one that competed in the Sydney Hobart race, is a big heavy long keeled displacement boat better yes I agree 100% would I have bought one yes, but I didn't have an extra 700,000 bucks laying around. I did a lot of research before I bought my boat, and settled for the best boat I could afford, I think I read somewhere on here it's how the vessel is maintained, equipped and skippered.
So here's bumper to ye salts no matter what boat ye sail...
Cheers

[Capt-Bear]

@ Scotty c amen brother

[Auzzee]

Originally Posted by CeesH

Lets Google what boats cross the Atlantic in this years; ARC 2012 Statistics

CeesH

Why?

I specifically did not mention capability. I wrote specifically of comfort which has bugger all to do with what people do or do not do with their boats.

[msw611]

This past October I departed Little Creek, VA in my C-400. Sailing around the outside, around Cape Hatteras with a strong northerly, we arrived in Charleston, SC, about 405 NMs in 66 hours. The previous March, we sailed non-stop from Key West to Isla Mujeres, Mexico (about 345 NMs) returning the same way 2 weeks later. All with hot showers, hot food, comfort, speed and safety. We had our share of seas, squalls and lightning. What else can I say...

[scotty c-m]

Msw, Sounds like you have had a great cruise! Please, drop by the Catalina 400 International Association Website and give us a story about your trip! Good-at-ya Mate!