Hunter, Catalina, Benneteau Debate

[boatman61]

Never owned a Catalina but have seen them slagged off on CF in the past as great coastal but crap offshore boats.
Only Hunter I have owned was a Cherubini 37c, sailed like a witch but poor interior quality with undersized screws etc, loved her anyway..
Solo'd a French built 1987 Bene 321, Caribe to UK, tough little boat, did the same on a US built 2001 Bene 331, same problems as the Hunter internally, undersized screws etc, gets upsetting when the aft cabin berth collapses onto the prop shaft as you get in.. but otherwise a great little boat.
You get what you pay for, just don't buy if your a bitcher..

[Rohan]

Originally Posted by sailtheworld79

While I know this post is going to (in all likelihood) generate an argument I feel it needs to be rehashed for the millionth time and here's why. Hunter and Catalina get a bad rap for no good reason. Benneteau and Jeanneau seem to be well loved for no good reason

I see ALL the mass production boats bashed on this forum. Maybe Hunter a little more than the others, but Bene and Jenneau also.

I love my Hunter but then again, I do see flaws and trade-offs compared to my marina neighbors and friends who own Catalina, Beneteau, and Dufour. But I have advantages they don't. If I made a full list, it would take forever to fill out. In the end, I think it's a wash. They are pretty equal.

Before bashing the quality of any groups of boats, keep in mind that really, only the hull layup is totally their own. Pretty much everything else that is important is bought from somewhere else. Both on production boats and high end boats you will see a lot of equipment from the EXACT SAME manufacturers - Lewmar winches or hatches, Yanmar engines, etc.

Originally Posted by Tetepare

But I cannot stress enough: The top reason to buy Catalina is catalinadirect.com. No other manufactured boat has the ease and speed to get parts. No BS, no figuring out what part you need, you go on the website, find the right part for the model Catalina, and order.

Hunter has basically the same thing: https://hunter.sailboatowners.com/

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

I'll accept that Catalina is best of breed for that category.

One of our grandkids still “accepts” that I can pull his nose off. He accepts almost everything I tell him. But he is 4.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

One of our grandkids still “accepts” that I can pull his nose off. He accepts almost everything I tell him. But he is 4.

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

One of our grandkids still “accepts” that I can pull his nose off. He accepts almost everything I tell him. But he is 4.

But eventually he'll grow up, and you'll have to provide substance with your opinions.

I used to own a Catalina. So I have a little experience with that brand, and it was a decent boat for it's price. Also, because of how many there were out there, it was easy to get parts or find users who had sorted out problems or figured out good modifications. Maybe that's true of the other brands mentioned, but likely to a lesser degree.

Still, if you're going to choose to respond, please let it be to the second paragraph of that post, which was the actual point of it.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

But eventually he'll grow up, and you'll have to provide substance with your opinions.

I used to own a Catalina. So I have a little experience with that brand, and it was a decent boat for it's price. Also, because of how many there were out there, it was easy to get parts or find users who had sorted out problems or figured out good modifications. Maybe that's true of the other brands mentioned, but likely to a lesser degree.

Still, if you're going to choose to respond, please let it be to the second paragraph of that post, which was the actual point of it.

I did respond substantively to the OP. This one, however, deserved the response I wrote. Lighten up!

[sailtheworld79]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

But eventually he'll grow up, and you'll have to provide substance with your opinions.

I used to own a Catalina. So I have a little experience with that brand, and it was a decent boat for it's price. Also, because of how many there were out there, it was easy to get parts or find users who had sorted out problems or figured out good modifications. Maybe that's true of the other brands mentioned, but likely to a lesser degree.

Still, if you're going to choose to respond, please let it be to the second paragraph of that post, which was the actual point of it.

So the point here, the only point is the objective recklessness of Group B build quality over the last 25 years. Yup, they put the same bits on them from the same third party sources. However, to the best of my knowledge only Group B lags their iron keels directly to the bottom of their “let’s see how thin we can make this” hulls with bolts that turn into piles of corrosion when immersed in salt water. Group B doesn’t tab their bulkheads. The interiors are straight from an IKEA warehouse having a clearance sale! It’s a boat built to get you to BUY it, not a boat built to LAST. As to the grounding issue that was brought up a few posts back; if you’re crossing oceans - or hell - crossing bays on a boat that can’t survive a grounding or can’t be properly repaired when it does hit the bottom (and everyone eventually hits the bottom) then how can we claim it’s a well built? It isn’t. Do Hunters have a more sporty motion in a chop? Some do, yes but the way will take an absolute thrashing and continue on. Group B you get one chance and one only. A good friend of mine and fellow delivery skipper just got pulled off of one in the Gulf Stream off South Carolina because the hull liner let go of the hull!! Yup, great boats 🤣🤣🤣

[Rumrace]

We did check out a Marlow Hunter 40. The helm seating was a deal breaker. Hanging out over the transom vs the Jeanneau seats a no brainer. So if it’s built smarter I’m amazed cause it cost less.
More experienced sailors have told me they never expected Hunter to survive.
I think my favourite US made Sailboat is the Hinckley 50’. Kind of a classic and not jealous of anyone else’s success.
Beside Hinckley is where the AC test boat Mule was built. Talk about an ugly interior the Mule wins.
Canada is building a huge lithium battery factory in Windsor to serve all the electric car factories in the Great Lakes.
Beneteau Delhi Yachts claim all their boats will be 100% electric by 2023.
Toyota’s 30 Loa hydrogen power by Yanmar a real hit. Yamaha Toyota 450hp Hydrogen V8. Rand Boats Picnic.
Where Beneteau is the developer of electric sail drives Hunter will be a customer.

[Rumrace]

I’ve read Catalina support is amazing. The Buck Knives of boating. Not one unhappy owner

[Rumrace]

Yes please debunk. Now the copper is safe let’s make lead safe too

[rslifkin]

Lead keels are generally coated, which would minimize leaching. I don't think I've ever seen one left bare. Iron keels aren't used to avoid lead leaching, they're used because they're cheaper, or because a builder wants a given size keel (surface area) but doesn't want to design in as much weight (iron is less dense than lead).

[Rumrace]

I think I have a photo of a Hunter 34 keel with black specks. I guess it got hit and repaired to late but it wasn’t rust unless some navel jelly had been used on it and the keel was iron. Lead is pretty soluble.
I have optional hardware but maybe your referring to parts I’m not familiar with. I lie about my age except to the broker so electric winches. Well 3. The Yanmar has that wonderful fuel rail thing. I changed that seacock to a nice bronze one. I understand they are poor quality seacocks only from forums. Mine are all clean and covered in grease. All the sail hardware works great. I had a friend help me set up the code 0 but I had all the hardware and I know Jeanneau US had a lemon in a smaller boat where the rigging mounts in the hull were tearing away. The same boat in Europe had no such problem. Apparently they are set at the wrong angle. Oops
What other hardware should I be concerned about from the second largest sailboat builder on the planet. Not being sarcastic but I think the shinny bits on the brands discussed are pretty much the same unless you spring for these cool electric winches. If you are going to see upgraded hardware in these brands I’d expect to see it on a Sun Fast or First. If I was expecting more luxury bits like retractable cleats Jeanneau Yachts Dual anchor roller. Standard. So cool I’ve been a 2 anchor twin shock line guy forever.
I have to change the rigging in 3 years. I think I will go with fibre and all new hardware. I witness the bow rig break on a boat underway. Ugly stuff We take out mast down so I image it’s tough and the metal is stretching. Is there a brand of hardware I should upgrade too. Is the Jeanneau rigging not as well made as Hunters? Is the furniture under the Hunter 40 main cabin bed not plywood with 1/64 laminate?

[Rumrace]

Which materials Boatpoker?
What system problems should I head off.

[Cheechako]

I think in production boats like that, it's more about the YEAR and MODEL than brand name.
Hunter tried some weird things.
Some tried cored hulls, etc.
Old Beneteau's are built like a tank, nothing like the more modern ones, etc.
Catalina has had a fairly consistent build approach over the years.

[Jim Cate]

In a debate between an owner defending his choice of boat and a surveyor who has done objective inspections of hundreds of boats with a goal of advising the buyer of faults or problems that exist in the subject boat... well, I know to whom I would listen.

Jim