Any opinions on the pros and cons of these two boats? I'm 95% sold on the Eclipse, but the Catalina 22 MkII still has me interested... Both boats I'm looking at are about 2-3 years old and in great shape.
Pros of the Eclipse (to me):
* Easily rigged - less than 5 minutes
* Decent performance for multiple conditions
* Open transom, which will come in handy for our water-loving dog and coming into shallow areas to swim/relax.
* Great shallow draft for above, but with 5'2" centerboard for good performance.
Cons of Eclipse:
* cockpit maybe too tight for 4 adults (for daysailing)
* narrow pathway to bow
Catalina Pros:
* tons of them around, so easy to service
* extra foot of beam for space, but will this negatively effect performance?
* easier for 4 adults to fit comfortable in the cockpit (?)
* overall a slightly bigger boat
Cons:
* performance? I've read some not so favorable reviews (as well as some positive ones too!)
* Slightly deeper draft on the centerboard model
* not as easy to
rig/raise the mast as the Eclipse
I've seen both boats, but living up north I can't sail them now to try out their "feel".
Any input would be greatly appreciated.