CD Hope you and family are doing better still holding you all in our thoughts.
I don't know much about catalinas just what I've read.
When I was boat shoping I got down to the caliber and IP(Wife nixed the freya
). I went with the Caliber for the reasons you stated. basically the IP is a nice boat but I think alot of the price is just name driven. It hought the Caliber was built tougher and the underbody and numbers were very close to the valiant. as far as comparison to a catalina in physical deminsions its closer to the 380 than anything.
The fourty LRC is the same hull as the old 38 caliber with the transom modified to get the swim step adding the additional 1.5 feet.
I wouldnt say our boat is tight down below but from looking at photos of the 380 I dont think it has near the interiior volume. the quarter berth is the sea berth One way in(feet first) your not going to get rolled out of it the pullman is the anchored or docked berth. with the table down you cant get thrown more than two three feet side to side. The aft head is the catch all wet locker. its right at the base of the companion way. The nav station is tight but I prefer it that way It has walls on three sides so stuff can't go far.
and it has a port right behind your head that opens and you can talk to the person on watch or peek through it at the radar on night watches.
We have storage out the wazoo. I wish the Lazz was a little bigger. but thats mostly from being spoiled at work I can walk around my engines you dont crawl anywhere. The finnish on our boat isnt awe inspiring but the fit is good and it durable. this has changed on the newer modles they are way nicer Inside.
BF I like that story, a little humbling of a sailsman is a good thing
As far as hunter goes I fished a few luhrs boats and I wasnt impressed and Ill just leave it at that.