C&C or Catalina - Page 6

rjwright · #51 (**permalink**) 02-04-2004

I have seen the boat, been aboard one and read the Practical Sailor review. I am happy you like your 350 and I am sure it serves a market niche among boat buyers, particularly Catalina buyers. I was simply curious how well it was doing in the Catalina marketplace, particularly in comparison to the 36II. Sorry to have been as direct, or rude, perhaps, as I was in my analysis, but I just can''t imagine choosing a 350 over a 36II. Sorry. The 350 is so extremely beamy, and with it''s almost 7'' of headroom, it just has the graceful lines of a refrigerator box and I can only suspect that it sails about as well as one.

That said, Catalina has managed to do what many other boatsuilders have not...they have survived and profited in a tough industry. I happen to think that this boat was more as Practical Sailor described it, a "dockside getaway" that "sails ok". The review went on to say that the people who bought the boat were happy with the accomodations, but none even considered or mentioned the performance.

Different boats for different folks. Catalina obviously knows their market better than I do

Yodagwb · #52 (**permalink**) 02-04-2004

Randy
We came out of Kent Narrows Bay Bridge/Magothy MD at 6am and motored sailed into Riverside NJ at 8:30pm, we picked up a C36 at the Sasafrass and played tag to Philadelphia. His full batten main did finally get me when the wind stiffened and thats the trade off for the furling main. But how slow can it be?

rjwright · #53 (**permalink**) 02-04-2004

That is a good point about the full batten main. The Practical Sailor review made mention of the fact that the 350 they test sailed was a bit handicapped by having a furling main that left that particular boat underpowered.

I apologize for my tone about the 350. I am the first to recognize that boats are built for different purposes. Lots of folks buy boats primarily based on the comfort and accomodations of the boat, and that is certainly a reasonable perspective. In fairness to Catalina, they have admirable customer loyalty and lots of satisfied customers. The hardware that Catalina is putting on their boats these days seems to be good quality and appropriately sized. That is certainly a positive thing, particularly in comparison to older boats that may have been equipped with winches that were too small, etc. I think a lot of thought goes into these boats.

Over the years I have observed that Catalina buyers/sailors seem to place a great premium on accomodations. At the same time, they are often ordering boats with tall rigs, wing keels, fixed three bladed props, one headsail, usually no smaller than a 150, and hanging dinghy davits, complete with dinghy and outboard, off the stern of 36 foot boats. Now the result of all these decisions usually result in a boat that isn''t going to sail well, particularly when the conditions are a bit challenging. I personally believe that the 350 just pushed the "accomodations at the expense of performance" too far...for me. When I look at that boat, I just see too much beam and too much freeboard...for me.

Sailing is individual. I remember the first time I took the helm of a Bermuda 40 and felt how well balanced and comfortable that boat felt in a breeze, it was a bit of an awakening. My last boat was a C&C 33 and it was a great sailing boat. My current boat is a Sabre 34, and I think it sails well. I, personally, would be happier with the 36II than the 350, but that is a decision based on my own preferences and priorities. (Not that I am in the market for a boat). I was just curious how the marketplace was sorting through that question.

I am glad that you are pleased with your boat. That is what counts

mogul11 · #54 (**permalink**) 02-04-2004

a year ago I was in the market for a 35-36 boat. We looked at the 350 and ultimately choose the 36 MKII. It did more for my wife and I than the 350, contrary to some beliefs we think the layout is quite poor. What intrigued us was the centerline forward berth. Once we realized that the head of the bed was 28" and not wide enough for two pillows that ended and further consideration for us.

I tend to think the 36 is way over sold by the 350. People that buy these boats want the conforts of a floating cottage and it does provide more of these as compared to the 36. It is too bad that catalina does not upgrade its boats as markets change, the example I will give is the refrigeration system on the 36, pretty poor. But with that all said, the 36 sails like a dream, tracks well and very balanced and that was important to us.

Bluesmoods · #55 (**permalink**) 02-04-2004

Ok .. Just whwn I thought I have heard it all.. This has all been most interesting.

To the individual who questioned the seaworthiness of the Catalina 350 at the Annapolis show .. Here are your answers.

I own a very early hull number 350. I keep it an an ocean port and only take the boat off shore sometinmes on long journeys, overnight, port to port.

Have I been many miles off shore with winds in excess of 35 kts? (thunderstorms included) Yes.. How did the boat perform? No complaints.. Very well indeed.

Have I been in ocean conditions with swells in sxcess of 7''? Yes. How did the boat perform? No complaints again.. Very well.

Have I had the rail in the water? yes.. in and out doing 7.8 knots.

Have I and others slept while underway miles out in the ocean with 4''-6'' swells..? Yes, Pretty darn comfortably too.

I could go on but I think you all get the point.

Now, is the Catalina 350 anywhere near the boat a C&C 121 or C&C 110 is? No... I knew that getting into it. The one C&C 99 that seems to sail in the same "ocean circles" that I do leaves me in his wake at all points of sail. The C&C is a different boat and maybe even appeals to a different boater. Maybe someday I will be able to afford one but in the interim, the Catalina 350 has proven itself to me time and time again to be to be a very safe, dependable boat that offers it''s owners pretty good saling performance and a lot of boat for the dollar off shore, in the bay, in the lake or at the dock.

To the person who started this at the very top: The Catalina 350 will provide you with a lot of features and creature comforts included in the price of the boat. It is a good boat.

C&C is a stronger, faster and better built vessel. It also seems to have greater value down stream. It will not give you the same living accomodation boat for boat that the 350 will.

SailinJay · #56 (**permalink**) 02-06-2004

To the poster who asked how the 350 has been selling vs. the 36 Mk. II, I have no idea of the number of 36s, but I am aware of Catalina being up to Hull #248 on the 350. The boat was introduced in January 2002 in Atlantic City, so that''s roughly 250 per year. Catalina manufactures the boat in Florida, and started a second production line based on the demand.

I too am a 350 owner, sailing on the middle Chesapeake Bay. I chose the fully battened main and also have an asymmetrical spinnaker, which pushes me along quite nicely on light air days. I had 31 weeks of sailing available to me last year and I was out on the water---not sitting in the cockpit at the dock---one or more days for 28 of those weeks.

I have to laugh at all the vociferous debate about the 350 on this message board ever since the boat was introduced. Run it down if you want to, don''t buy it if you don''t like it. Who cares? I sure don''t.

SailinJay · #57 (**permalink**) 02-09-2004

My message sent on Friday, February 6, contained an error. In stating how many Catalina 350s have been manufactured, instead of about 250 per year, it should have read "about 125 per year."