I'm looking at sailboats. My wife really wants a motoryacht, not that she likes big engines, and burning thousands of dollars in gas, but Most motor yachts have comfortable luxurious cabins, and most sailboats,.....Well. You COULD sleep in one, but,......
I recently took her to see a 1998 catalina 30, AND she likes it!
A look over on her rigging, and hull appears to be adecent midrange sailing craft. I know there are millions of them out there.
In my dreams I buy a salty "bluewater" Ketch, and sail to Tahiti. But in practice, I cruise up & down the Texas coast, and maybe cut across the Gulf to Key west once a year.
So other than being a not really configured for a major storm, what am I looking at?
A full keel is more stable, but a good heavy fin keel will do ok. I recently went through a larger storm than anticipated in the Gulf in a 23' swing keel.
Any boat I buy has GOT to be better than that.
A fixed keel, and solid rigging with a storm sail, in a 30 footer should be able to take a moderate pounding with no problem.
SO what are YOUR experiences?
What have you done in a Catalina?
Major storms?
Trips across the Gulf?
Sailed to Bahamas, or Key west?
I recently took her to see a 1998 catalina 30, AND she likes it!
A look over on her rigging, and hull appears to be adecent midrange sailing craft. I know there are millions of them out there.
In my dreams I buy a salty "bluewater" Ketch, and sail to Tahiti. But in practice, I cruise up & down the Texas coast, and maybe cut across the Gulf to Key west once a year.
So other than being a not really configured for a major storm, what am I looking at?
A full keel is more stable, but a good heavy fin keel will do ok. I recently went through a larger storm than anticipated in the Gulf in a 23' swing keel.
Any boat I buy has GOT to be better than that.
A fixed keel, and solid rigging with a storm sail, in a 30 footer should be able to take a moderate pounding with no problem.
SO what are YOUR experiences?
What have you done in a Catalina?
Major storms?
Trips across the Gulf?
Sailed to Bahamas, or Key west?