Aspiring Great Lakes Voyager

[J.Marsh]

Hello All,

My names Jeff Marsh and am new to the forum. I’m a lifelong dinghy racer from Southern California, but now live in Sudbury Ontario and so am focused on cruising/exploring the Great Lakes with my wife and family. I know I have a lot to learn, but am excited at the prospect. I’m taking a coastal navigation course, and plan to continue reading and taking courses as I gradually increase the challenge of our adventures. The next step for me is getting the right boat and setting it up for max efficiency, safety, and comfort. I’m looking in the 27’ range (CS, Catalina, Niagara), and making Little Current our home base. I’ll post a separate thread on the boat selection process. Looking forward to learning from you all. Cheers

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Jeff.

[SV Siren]

Welcome aboard!

[Nauticus]

Hi and welcome from Whitby Ontario [emoji3]
27 is a great starting point. Sudbury isn't exactly the sailing mecca of Ontario (lol my daughter lives there) but you are close to the north shore of Georgian Bay and THAT is some out of this world sailing.
Hope you find everything you're after!

Fair winds [emoji569][emoji3]

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by J.Marsh

I’m looking in the 27’ range (CS, Catalina, Niagara)

CS is the best built of the three, the Catalina is the most liveable but suggest avoiding the Niagara if it has the OMC saildrive (many did altho' some were built for outboards). The OMC unit is a crudely put together system kludged together from outboard motor parts, prone to problems and parts have not been made since 1984

[Nauticus]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

CS is the best built of the three, the Catalina is the most liveable but suggest avoiding the Niagara if it has the OMC saildrive (many did altho' some were built for outboards). The OMC unit is a crudely put together system kludged together from outboard motor parts, prone to problems and parts have not been made since 1984

[emoji3516]
Absolutely true. My G26 still has the original in her but her hull was also made for an outboard. Thank goodness too because that OMC is a POS [emoji90]
I think they knew it too because the boat came with the original hull cut-out in case you wanted to use the OMC as a anchor [emoji3]