Newbie Question

[swadiver]

MikeAZ,

I have had Namaste a Catalina 30 Tall Rig for 14 months. Most of my time has been spent off of Long Beach, Ca. (Alamitos Bay) up and down the coast and over to Catalina. I do plan some trips up to the Channel Islands soon. I'm not sure I would take her down to Baha. I really have not made the decision yet. Before I do, I will probably go on one of my sailing schools boats, just to see what it is like. Good luck with what ever boat you buy.

[wchevron]

mikeaz,
the best place to post your questions would be cataliaowners.com or the catalina30 association forum. Catalina30 : Catalina 30 Owners Online List. i'm sure someone there has either done the baja haha or would know if it was possible or not.

[PierreMundo]

Try to get the latest Cruising World Magazine of June. It has a great article: Season in Mexico, A guide to Baja. They explain distances, weather, etc.

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by MikeAZ

Sailindog,
Running from San Diego to Cabo is coastal so please tell me what is the problem, besides I'll be slow? I just noticed that you're in the NE so tell me about your trips to Cabo.

Thanks

Mike

MikeAZ,

Catalina 30s are as plentiful here on the east coast as out on the west coast. Most sailors that have been around the docks for a while are fairly familiar with them. I don't think an experienced sailor needs to have made the trip to Cabo to express an opinion about the boat's fitness for that purpose.

I have raced on them repeatedly. They represent very good value for what they offer. They are in some respects an almost ideal introductory package for family coastal sailing, without breaking the bank. I like to think of them as the Chevy or Honda Accord of boats -- great at what they do.

However, they are not a boat I'd want to be caught in far from port if a big blow were coming. Jack Horner, a respected surveyor and boat designer, agrees and had this to say about the Catalina 30:

"There are a number of construction and design features of the Catalina 30 that, in my mind, restrict recommended usage to coastal areas, lakes and bays, but then this is true of many production boats in this class."

(see Jack Horner Review )

Aside from construction details that leave it somewhat less robust than purpose-built bluewater boats, in my opinion the C30 is pretty short on water tankage for extended cruising with a family. I recall tankage in the 40 gallon range, which as a point of comparison is a little over half of what our "smaller" 31 footer carries.

But that doesn't mean the C30 wouldn't be a good choice for you. It just means you might want to give serious thought before taking your family to Cabo in it. Good luck to you.

[sailingdog]

I sailed a bit out in California back in college, out of San Diego since I was visiting friends at UCSD. We did do a few trips in a C&C and a couple of other boats, not as far as south as Cabo, but down the coast from SD. It can get pretty nasty pretty quickly, and IMHO, I just don't see taking my family out on a Catalina 30 in that area. Doing something like that as a young adult, with few responsibilities, is one thing...taking wife and children is another. YMMV.

Just because other people have done it...doesn't mean that it is a good idea to do it. Webb Chiles has sailed most of the way around the world in a Drascombe Lugger... Is it possible... obviously. Is it a good idea... I don't think so. He is an incredible sailor and a pretty neat person, but I wouldn't take a Drascombe Lugger offshore like he did.

Originally Posted by MikeAZ

Sailindog,
Running from San Diego to Cabo is coastal so please tell me what is the problem, besides I'll be slow? I just noticed that you're in the NE so tell me about your trips to Cabo.

Thanks

Mike

[poopdeckpappy]

Originally Posted by MikeAZ

Hello All,

I plan on slipping this boat in San Diego for a get away from the Phoenix summers ( floating condo ) but would also like to do some occasional cruising.

Cool deal, try and stay North of the bridge, it's a looooong way out from the South bay area

Is the Cat 30 capable of the Baja Ha Ha?

Absolutely, plus you'll have the company of about 150 others, question is, when the time comes, will the Captain and crew be ready, I shooting for the 2010 run, provided I'm ready

Could I do a trip north for a few weeks?

If so equiped ???, again, absolutely, you could frog up to Mission bay, to Oceanside, to Dana Point, over the Cat Island, back to the mainland than over to the Northern C-Islands, it would be a nice little cruise, but hell, you'll figure all that out yourself