SailNet Community banner
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

Option: Catalina 36 and 38

33K views 78 replies 24 participants last post by  doubleplay 
#1 ·
While Ive been primarliy older boats of the Sabre and Tartan group, Ive had some input that I should recognise the quality improvements Catalina has done in the past 5 years. I looked at a Catalina 38 at a dealer some time back and was impressed but dont see nearly as many as 36s for sale. I would in interested in opinions on these boats for a couple wanting to do occasional coastal crusing. My main concerns are ease of sailing by a couple, quality and future resale value. I would be looking at boats in the 1998-2001 vintage.
 
#2 ·
I somewhat disagree with your assumption that Catalina''s have improved in quality in recent years. It is my sense that they were improving for a while into the late 1980''s but I have been less impressed with what I have observed on used versions the more recent boats or after talking to owners of more recent models.

That said these are still good coastal cruisers. It is my sense that both Beneteau and Hunter do a little better job with quality control and warranty support. Catalina has a lousy reputation for not supporting warranty issues.

Jeff
 
#3 ·
Gary: Over the last year we have bought a used Beneteau 381, a Used Cat 380 and a Hunter 356 and they all have failed survey. We utimately bought a Cat 36 MkII on the used market. My observations are that None is better or worse than the other. They are what they are production boats.

My reasons for buying the Cat 36 mkII was Good resale Value (2300+ made, and hold value better than the others), We liked the layout of the 36 better for two people (we will use the table for 2 mostly so the salon was great for lounging around in), a huge 36 (Really 37+) and lastly easy to handle for 2 people.
With all this said the Hunter had better systems and the Beneteau fit and finish might have been better than the others. Couldn''t get my arms around the B&R Rig or the FRENCH look and storge limitations of the Beneteau. Good luck on your search.
 
#4 ·
I hate to agree with Jeff however I know of several Catalina owners that have uncovered, much to their "shock and awe", numerous quality problems with their boats. Just this morning I spoke with one of my friends who was forced to sell his C 400 because it was eating him up financially, repair after repair (mostly stemming from the original design and build quality) with little or no support from Butler and his henchmen. It is true "you do get what you pay for".
 
#5 ·
Gary:
Rather than listen to a couple of blowhards, why don''t you go to the owners email lists and ask curent owners? I can''t think of anyone more qualified than owners of Catalinas to discuss their virtues and shortfalls. BTW, while I have nver owned a C-36, I am now on my second Catalina, and plan to stay with the family when I move up. Yes, they are "production" boats - the most successful line in the world. That should tell you something.
JMHO
 
#6 ·
I have a 2000 Catalina 34 and my dock neighbor has a 1996 Catalina 36. We must be lucky in that neither of us have had quality issues. I had two small warranty claims in my first season (a faulty fuel tank gauge and a leak that discolored the sole - both were handled immediately by my dealer). I have corresponded and spoken in person with Frank and he is a very approachable man - but he is very busy. He and Gerry Douglas (the designer) have occasionally contributed to the Catalina list on Sailnet. I can only say that it is important to buy from a reputable dealer. My dealer (Navy Point Marine) checked over every system and function before I acepted delivery - and allowed me to keep it there for 6 weeks while we did shakedowns and got accustomed to her. Check out c34.org which is the Catalina 34 owners website. You can see that most problems are minor. The C36 has a similar site. I have found my 34 to be a robust and fast coastal cruiser. It wouldn''t be my first choice for a blue water cruiser, but where I sail the blue water cruisers are what we call "dogs" or "cows."

Charlie Pearsall

PS I owned a Pearson 27 before the 34 and consider the boats comparable in manufacture and performance. I loved that Pearson, and I now love my Catalina.
 
#7 ·
Gary, I purchased a new Catalina in 2001 and am very pleased. The boat sails competitively and is a perfect coastal cruiser. Though I have had no major commissioning issues with the boat, the dealer took care of everything I questioned, including replacement of one battery that did not seem to hold a charge very well- this in my 2nd season. In fact one of the primary reasons I purchased a Catalina is that owners consistently held the manufacturer in high regard to warranty issues - including items that were often out of warranty. I previously owned a ''high quality'' Najad 32'' that had a gorgeous wood interior and teak decks. Najad is making a bit of a comeback in this country, but I can tell you that while the boat was finished better in the details, long term maintenance became a nightmare. Parts are hard to find (everything is metric), teak decks screwed into the deck will leak - $25k to replace (after ~15 years), and they use a saildrive (aluminum) as many foreign boat manufacturers do - this will also need expensive replacement. Najad, HR and Malmo are all in the same class and many people admire these boats as I do - however, if you plan on long term ownership consider the expense of maintenance and support of the factory. As boats age people tend to prefer solid hulls (vice cored) and the comfort of a strong owner''s association. Also, it is interesting to take a look at resale values; the price difference between a Catalina, Tartan, HR and almost any other more expensive brand narrow considerably over time. Just something additional to think about. I love to look at Hinckleys and Morris yachts - but if you factor in maintenance, features and price it is very hard to beat a Catalina.
 
#8 ·
I also must be one of the few, lucky Catalina owners. I just moved up from a Cat 30 to a 350, and I don''t recall any hardware/technical issues with either of my boats... My local dealer has also been excellent!! Guess some of us aren''t bright enough to know just how ignorant we really are??
 
#9 ·
Gary,
Catalina does an excellent job in quality with regard to price. It''s not a Hinckley and your not paying those prices.

I have a 2001 C36 have I found the build quality to be excellent. This is a production boat that in my opinion offers the best value for the money by far.

I''ve looked at Hunter,Jeanneau,Beneteau and some others, There are good and "less good" points to all these boats but in general terms they rate pretty high on the value scale.

As for Jeff and co.. Don''t listen to people who have either no first hand experience or maybe no experience what so ever.

If you want info on Catalina’s ask Catalina owners, if you want some info on other boats ask the owners of those boats.

Most actual boat owners will tell you the honest truth about the boats.

As far as Frank Butler and Gerry Douglas are concerned… I have spoken to those men several times both at shows and on the phone, and you will never find a better group of people to work with. Try calling the president of Beneteau and see how far you get…

Regards,
Chris
 
#10 ·
Just for the record, my opinion is based on comments made by well over a dozen new Catalina owners who have bought Catalina''s in thr last 10 or so years. Some of these owners have been positively despondent about the kinds of quality control problems that they encountered right from the factory and the near total lack of support from the factory.

One of these owners graphically told me that he had sold a comparatively new Catalina and purchased a Beneteau in disgust with Catalina build quality and warranty support. He described the warranty covereage with Beneteau as being amazingly comprehensive and easy. He decribed an absolutely nightmare like warranty process where the dealer would tell that some remedial action was covered under the warranty only to have the factory turn the dealer down on reimbursement and the dealer have to cover the repair or more often than not insist that the buyer agree to pay for the repair and then have the buyer try to get reimbursed by Catalina. This owner personally called Frank Butler about the issue and described his conversation with Butler to me in terms that suggest that Mr. Butler was frankly abusive and antagonistic toward him. (I realize I only heard one side of this arguement.) I would dismiss this as a single case if I had not heard almost the same type of story consistently over and over again with other Catalina owners.

When this issue first surfaced I began asking owners of Hunters, Catalinas and Beneteaus about their warrantee experiences. The Catalina people consistently described long and comparatively serious lists of problems and lack of warrantee support especially as compared to the other two companies.

I do have a little direct experience with Beneteau warranty claims in which Beneteau split the cost of replacing a forward hatch on a boat that was out warranty because they said that they had seen the same problem with that hatch on other boats. I have also had some direct experience with Hunter and have watched reasonably good support.

I am just not seeing or hearing that kind of support out of Catalina. And when you have someone selling a boat with becasue he cannot overcome a long list of build quality issues, that lemon is out there on the marketplace and it is the next owner that has to deal with the problems.

Several years ago I had a friend who was in the market for a 38 to 40 footer. He and I went through a whole series of 10 year old Beneteaus, Hunters and Catalinas (He ultimately bought a Beneteau First 38s5). After a while it became stunningly obvious that of the three, the Catalinas were just not holding up as well as the other two builders. Perhaps 6 years ago I was a strong supporter of Catalinas. Of the big three they seemed to offer the most boat for the dollar, but as I have spent more time with Catalina owners, and onboard Catalinas, I now see them as the poorest choice of the three. That said there are models of both Hunter and Beneteau that strike me as being not as good as other models withing their respective lines.

Look if there are Catalina owners that have better warranty experiences or who have been through the same kind of negative experience, let them post here. I realize that Catalina sells a lot of boats and a dozen or so owners is a very small sampling but the story was so consistent that I have to believe that there is some truth in it.

Respectfully,
Jeff
 
#11 ·
Gary,

You should *really* say go back through the archives and you will see a LOT of positive comments on Catalina and especially the C36 from many boaters. When I bought mine used (its a ''99 model) it wasn''t on the market long. The resale value is great and I could easily sell my boat and get around what I put into it (how many boats can you say that about !!). They have made over 2200 and they are still coveted, and for a good reason. They are well designed and well balanced boat with an excellent layout. No boat is a perfect boat, it all depends what its going to be used for. I think the C36MKII''s is one of the best Coastal cruisers out their under $220k for me. Yeah there are other boats that are very nice but at 2 times the price. (And others I am not happy with the layout) Maybe the teak joinery is not that of a Hinckley but the money is well spent on the important parts of the boat..... these are very solid and safe .

Are you looking to purchase this new or used ? If used then everything that follows is moot, but with all due respect to Jeff, as he said his contact was a "very small sampling" There are literally Tens & Ten''s of Thousands of Catalinas out there and the experience he relays is not consistent with the huge majority. I''m sure there will always be some unhappy people. I am sure Rolls Royce get a few when they sell a Bentley too. The odds always are not 100%. But anyone that knows *anything* about Catalina knows that if they aren''t satisfied they can call Frank Butler (Founder/Owner) and get satisfaction.....not too many boat manufacturers out there where you can say or do that. There are literally hundreds of stories a year where I here that repeated, but I bet if someone was abrasive, then Frank probably was too (I will not say Frank is perfect, but he really cares about his boats) Jeff related a story of a "Beneteau warranty claims in which Beneteau split the cost of replacing a forward hatch on a boat that was out warranty" , and I can personally relate getting Catalina help with an engine/tranny problem on my boat that was neither in warrantee and I even bought my boat used ! I guess its all how you go about asking for assistance, if I called Frank and was arrogant I bet he wouldn''t give me satisfaction either.


They have tried and true designs, using tried and true construction methods.....saying the quality has gone down is in my mind fallacious, I have monitored these boats for 10 years and look at older ones often. The construction quality is pretty consistent and good . Actually I think things get better over time. For instance, just one example, Catalina recognized that the design of the shroud chainplates could be better and unless caulked well and monitored might leak a bit (nothing major, just a nuisance). I have noticed that they have changed the design of the chainplates as they have done so with MANY of their systems. They are constantly taking owners inputs and entering it into their final product.

Maybe Jeffs comments are because they are not using the high tech exotic materials with carbon fiber, kevlar, exotic sandwich core and other materials and construction methods that he is very fond of. Yes they can be a wonderful thing if used on an America Cup or custom boat with the associated costs. And I will grant you, having a lighter boat is a wonderful thing for sailing. But beware....exotic materials and construction methods if not done properly and well can be a MUCH bigger danger risk and money pit. ( just look at all those wet - delaminating cored hulls out there on the market today... For an idea read here http://www.yachtsurvey.com/core_materials.htm ) Someday if I had all the money in the world, I''d get a cored hull with the best construction designs & methods , but there is something to be said for a solid glass hull in its simplicity and *more* importantly its repair when any kind of water incursion does happen (and chances are it will - its just a matter of time)


I know more than a handful of people that cruise the C36 extensively. There is one guy (Alaskan Po Boy) that has sailed his from Alaska down the pacific and up the Atlantic on the east coast. Its a great boat with a design that really hits "the sweet spot". Not too much to single handed even in heavy seas and with the help of an autopilot its even easier (BTW my ''99 C36 only has a Raymarine 4000 autopilot which is undersized and the boat still handles heavy weather fine -- which tends to lead me to a fairly well balanced boat). With that said, I am sure there are problems that people have had over the years, any boat needs to be inspected. And in the same vein I heard about a steering or rudder failure occurring to a C36 on a voyage, but the boat was almost 18 years old and wasn''t checked --- any boat that is not inspected and maintained can have that happen even Hinckleys and Little Harbors.

I have a friend that entered his C42 "La Buona Vita" in the "Caribbean 1500" this past fall that sails from Virginia to the BVI''s. There were 46 boats entered, all makes and models -- Hunter, Tayana, Valiant, Shannon, Island Packet , Cape Dory, Dear foot, and Catalina, etc. There was some very heavy weather and this Catalina 42 came in 4th place *Overall* !!! She did great and its a great testament to the C42 (which is very much like a big C36) But what is even more telling is what happened to some of the so-called expensive blue water boats. An Island Packet and a Tayana (one of these boats was new) and others had to withdrawal from the middle of the race and be diverted to Bermuda, one had a deck fitting brake and the other had a major rudder problem. Now I wouldn''t try and infer that the Island Packet and a Tayana are not good, well built boats, because they are ! But this is just to illustrate that problems can happen to ANY boat and by inferring that Catalina is worse is incorrect .


Bottom line I am VERY happy with My 1999 Catalina 36MKII and the only reason I would change boats was if I got my hands on more money and could purchase a bigger boat....
 
#12 ·
Gary,

As you''re seeing, current C36 owners are a satisfied bunch. If you haven''t already, make sure you go to the C36 owners site - www.catalina36.org. Note on that page some warranty issues that Catalina and it''s suppliers have satisfied, but also that the Owners Association has assisted and advocated for.

I bought my C36 last spring and had a great year with it last year. I too searched this board for advice and feedback, as well as soliciting advice from current owners. Also, Practical Sailor did a review of the boat in the past year or two, which I suggest you get. I was glad to read the feedback of Jeff_H, since it always is good to try to find the good and bad prior to purchasing, and he led me to ask other questions, which have been more than satisfied. I believe he is biased based upon what he knows, but I don''t think his knowledge is representative of the overall. I don''t think he harbors any ill will, but does possess a bias. Denr is just plain negative and unproductive. I''d dismiss any comments he has about anything, good or bad.

Best of luck to you.
 
#13 ·
Gary--about a year ago one of the magazines, SAIL, I believe, did a little piece on the prophets of doom that seem to be in each marina, telling other sailors that everything they are doing is wrong. I loved the piece, because it is so true. And message boards are no exception.

We have a Catalina and find her to be very comfortable to sail. I am not much help to my husband while underway... Yet he can manage all 36 feet of her pretty much single-handed. I take the wheel just occasionally, mainly because he wants me to get more comfortable in case a bad situation ever arises. And help with docking. Accomadations are great for us, and a couple of teenagers. Cockpit is fantastic, and the swimming platform. I can easily see it doing the sailing you describe in your original posting. Warranty work is done as needed, sometimes not as quickly as we want, due to logistics at the boatyard, but the truly important stuff was addressed within a day or two. A used boat is only as good as the survey. And any boat will only age as well as you treat her...
 
#14 ·
There appears to be a small group of people writing in this site that have obvious problems with Catalina. While you all have a right to your feelings, I must disagree with your findings. I purchased a new 2002 C-400 last year and while I''ve had more than my share of warranty issues with the boat, and have had some "interesting" conversations with Gerry Douglas (chief designer), NOT ONCE has Catalina failed to respond to one of my warranty repair requests. Ask my dealer (Chesapeake Yacht Sales in Deltaville, VA), I AM VERY PICKY and even tho I suspect I was a pain in the butt at times, they (and Catalina) were responsive to each and every one of my concerns. They weren''t always fast, but fixes were made. Catalina even sent their roving warranty guy (Bill ...) to make some of the more difficult gelcoat repairs.
Although it took a while, Catalina even wound up repitching my prop to allow my engine to reach full rated rpm. Yes, that was a design "flaw" and wasn''t addressed until I forced the issue, but when Gerry Douglas got involved, they did some in-the-water testing and told my dealer to repitch the prop (BTW, if you have a Yanmar engined C-400 your prop has 2" too much pitch and should be reduced to a 18 x 12 to get your rpm up to 3800).
Every boat is a compromise and Catalina''s are no exception. As has been pointed out by others, Catalina isn''t a Hinkley or even a Sabre, but I continue to believe that for the money, Frank Butler and his people make the best sailboat on the market.
Smooth Sailing!
Tim Leighton
S/V "Magic"
 
#15 ·
There appears to be a small group of people writing in this site that have obvious problems with Catalina. While you all have a right to your feelings, I must disagree with your findings. I purchased a new 2002 C-400 last year and while I''ve had more than my share of warranty issues with the boat, and have had some "interesting" conversations with Gerry Douglas (chief designer), NOT ONCE has Catalina failed to respond to one of my warranty repair requests. Ask my dealer (Chesapeake Yacht Sales in Deltaville, VA), I AM VERY PICKY and even tho I suspect I was a pain in the butt at times, they (and Catalina) were responsive to each and every one of my concerns. They weren''t always fast, but fixes were made. Catalina even sent their roving warranty guy (Bill ...) to make some of the more difficult gelcoat repairs.
Although it took a while, Catalina even wound up repitching my prop to allow my engine to reach full rated rpm. Yes, that was a design "flaw" and wasn''t addressed until I forced the issue, but when Gerry Douglas got involved, they did some in-the-water testing and told my dealer to repitch the prop (BTW, if you have a Yanmar engined C-400 your prop has 2" too much pitch and should be reduced to a 18 x 12 to get your rpm up to 3800).
Every boat is a compromise and Catalina''s are no exception. As has been pointed out by others, Catalina isn''t a Hinkley or even a Sabre, but I continue to believe that for the money, Frank Butler and his people make the best sailboat on the market.
Smooth Sailing!
Tim Leighton
S/V "Magic"
 
#16 ·
For all of those Egyptian sailors on the DeNile here are a few facts about the C 400 Catalina that broke the bank:

Rudder installed on the wing keel boat was built for a deep draft boat, it exploded when hitting a reef in the keys, it was almost a foot lower than the bottom of the keel. Not my problem says Frank.

Tabbing of the hull liner came loose from the hull, cabin sole is spongy and squeaks annoyingly.

Countless sharp unfinished fiberglass edges have abraded wiring and plumbing through out the boat.

Strom hood plastic guides don’t flex with the hull and need to be replaced frequently.

Numerous keel stub cracks.

Tracks for the headsail cars are not long enough for a 100% jib.

Several stanchion bases have punctured the deck as they are not backed properly.

Tabbing for dual wheel pedestals have broken loose.

This is not negativity these are facts. I’m certain Catalina has built boats without defects however there seems to be a preponderance of evidence that something is amiss with their quality control program. Buyer beware.
 
#17 ·
I have a 1984 Catalina 36 (yes, almost 20 years old) and have had superb support from the factory. I have spoken to Frank, Gerry and David Graas - they all treat me as if I just bought a new 470. They have spent time with me on the phone and in person at the factory. As on any older boat, I''ve had systems fail but the factory has supported me well beyond my expectations in repairs and upgrades. In short, I cant image a person not getting support from Catalina. I love my 36 and will certainly buy Catalina when I upgrade (probably the 42) in several years. This is mostly due to the support and feeling of "family" that I have gotten from the factory. I highly recommend a Catalina - and especially the 36.

Russ - C36, #206
 
#18 ·
You say "Catalina 36 and 38" These are actually very different boats not to be grouped together.

First off there is the new C380 which is a new design Catalina. In the Catalina line the "three digit" models are all "new look" designs while the two digit boats are more traditional "look" designs

The C38 is long out of production and only a few hundred were built in the 1980''s The C38 was more of a "racer" but today makes a good "preformence cruiser". If performance per buck is what you want hunt down one of these old boats. (The C38 will sail circles around any C36 and I''m saying this as a C36 owner) It is an S&S design with a hull shape and rig un-like any other Catalina but with construction details exactly to match a
1980''s vintage C36 or C30. There is an active C38 race fleet here (So. Cal)

The C36 has been in continous production from about 1983. with over 2000 sold. They have improved it many times with better systems, a walkthough transum and so on. However the "in the water hull shape and sail plans of all C36s are identical so they all handle the same. The C36 is an easy to sail, forgiving, traditional design boat for coastal cruising and even some low-key racing.

I own a 1985 C36. If you have any questions about it e-mail me at chrisalbertson90278@yahoo.com

None of these boats have the performance of a J105 nor would I buy a C36/C38 if my plans were to sell the house and become a full time cruiser and take off to the South Pacific
 
#19 ·
Jeff,
I am a three Catalina boat owner, having owned a 22, then a 30 and now a 36MKII.
I wouldn''t have bought three of them if I had quality issues with the boat(s).
I have found them to be a quality boat and I have been very pleased with them.
I have had some warranty issues but I must tell you that Catalina has always responded in a positive way.
When I asked to speak to Gerry Douglas, they put me right through to him.
I have put my 36 thru some rough sailing up here in the Northeast and she has performed magnificently.
A very good friend of mine purchased a Beneteau 36CC at the same time that I purchased my Catalina. A year later his boat was still not completely commissioned. He had many problems dealing with Europe.
SO, after all is said and done, there are more than enough stories to go around.
But to single out Catalina as an inferior boat is not only unfair, it is untrue.
I can assure you that in my case, Catalina has made me three OUTSTANDING boats.
 
#20 ·
denr,

I find it difficult to believe that Catalina would ship a boat out of the Factory like that. For one wouldn''t it be noticed by the Freight people when it sits on the flat bed. Plus there are two rudders.....didn''t he notice them 1 foot lower?! What about at the marina, the guy blocking the boat would find it close to impossible with out having the rudder hit!?!

Something doesn''t sound right in your story, do you have any pictures? I know that many Catalina rudders are about the same depth as the wing keel. (yes I will grant you that this is not conducive to running aground, but that is not that same as saying that a boat is shipped with a rudder 1 foot lower! )


What about the owner, I would notice that immediately? What kind of sailor friend do you have that didn''t notice that? I would find that next to impossible. Whether it was or not, what the heck is the guy doing hitting a reef?

What I suspect is that the guy hit the reef and is trying to blame anyone but himself--- you my freind are only telling the version of the story from a skipper that ran his boat up on a reef. What you are doing is gullibly buying into your freinds myth and excuses.

Many of your other objections like tracks for the headsail cars are not long enough for a 100% jib are probably true, but that is easily remedied and many people cutomize and modify boats to suit their needs.

But when you say that this was "eating him up financially, repair after repair (mostly stemming from the original design and build quality) thats a bunch of horse-hockey !. For one, being stupid enough to run up on some reefs is NOT the blame of Catalina (maybe that is where his keel stub cracks came from !?!) and most of the other things you listed should not put one in the poor house when someone spends the kind of money he did buying that boat.

I am not saying these things didn''t happen, but some are these claims are *very* suspect. There are just way too many inconsistencies in your posts. You often posts statements without knowing the "true" facts and so your ramblings are greatly diminished . All people need to do look back through the archives for proof.
 
#21 ·
Ha! Ha! Ha!, Wheweee!! This debate on the Catalinas is getting hotter than a June bug on Georgia asphalt,as they like to say here in the South.At the risk of putting my nose in where it doesn''t belong,(I''m good at that!) I''ve got to throw in my 2 cents worth. I''ve never been on a Catalina boat, but there are a lot of them at the club I belong to. These people are more dedicated to their boats than the dead-headers were following the band during their hey-day. That tells me a lot.Someone would stand a better chance of getting away with stealing the spouse, kicking their dog,or spanking one of the kids of a Catalina owner, rather than say something bad about their boats. As far as the remarks I read about problems dealing with management at Catalina over warranty issues, it sounds like they are a minority rather than the majority,which also tells me a lot. I have two service businesses,and I can tell you that the success of resolving customer complaints is directly proportional to the willingness of the customer to be satisfied. After several attempts to resolve an issue with one customer,I asked her what would it take to satisfy her. She told me I was too stupid to satisfy her. I asked her what she meant by that....;^) I''m looking to upgrade to a bigger boat soon. From what I''ve seen and heard, I wouldn''t rule out a Catalina boat. Peace!
 
#22 ·
29 years on the water here ... 4 Catalinas (22, 27, 320 & 380 at present). Perfect? No. Value for the dollar? Absolutely.
I have been very pleased with a) dealer support ... 3 different dealers over 29 years, b) quality of boat and c)resale/trade value. I have seen a notable improvement over the years in construction quality and standard gear used on these boats. As with any production boat, the owner has his share of responsibility with many finishing touches, but these boats are solid.
 
#23 ·
I have to tell you a story about Frank Butler. When my wife and I where waiting for the delivery of our new 1999 C380, a newly designed, larger fuel tank was going to be installed, starting in the boats with hull numbers just after mine. You could replace the old tank, with a new one, for a price. I complained about the size and fact that I was not getting the new fuel tank on C380 message board (C380 sail.net) and to my dealer. A few weeks later, late at night (around 9:30 PM EST) my wife answered the phone, and said it was for me, some guy named Frank. I told her that I thought it was a solicitation call and I did not want to talk to him. She insisted that I take the call. It was Frank Butler, explaining to me that they where going to install the large tank in our new boat. I think this story speaks for it’s self.

I sold a Caliber 28 and bought a new 1990 C34. At the time, I had a new Caliber on order and after seeing and exploring the a new C34, I could not justify the price difference between the Caliber 33 and C34. I am glad I did because the resell value of C34 held better than the Caliber.

I had A/C installed on my boat and the installer, gave me the thru hull core. It was an inch thick solid core. Low tech but it works. I just had a hull reading done, and was told it was one of the driest in the yard.

I friend of mine, who owns a Beneteau, his fourth, kept his boat next to mine. After hanging around and helping me with boat projects, finally admitted, he was impressed with how my C380 was built. In fact, he always admired my larger blocks, winches and sail traveler, he started to replace his blocks with Garhauers like the ones on the C380.

I think these actions and actions of people buying 10,000s of Catalinas speak louder than the words on this board.
 
#25 ·
I would like to commend Jeff H for his courage. I’d like to say that I must be an exception to the rule here. I am furious about the treatment I get from Catalina.

I have constant problems with my fuel system, consistent loss of fluid from the refrigeration system, and nagging problems with my steering.

I have pointed these problems out to Mr. Frank Butler and his staff but no one takes me seriously.

I have had to fill my fuel tank two times since I bought my boat last year, and no matter how much beer I buy the fridge always seems to be empty. The worst problem is my wife’s constant nagging about how I steer the boat. Maybe the third problem is somehow related to the second.

Anyway, I still think that Jeff has demonstrated steadfast courage in the face of such deafening customer loyalty. He should be admired for not fearing to look uninformed and narrow minded. Bravo Jeff. Stick to your guns. I’m sure that someone somewhere cares what you think.
 
#26 ·
I agree; it is courageous of him not to allow facts to interfere with his arguments. This overarching fact remains: Catalina has built, and continues to build, the most successful line of production sailboats the world has ever seen - by several orders of magnitude.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top