[ChristinaO]

Hi folks!

We are looking to buy a sailboat to use mainly on the Barnegat Bay in NJ (shoal draft is a must!) and take to Block Island, Cap May etc.

Have dogs and kids who love to swim so we decided to look only at boats with a walk-through transom. We are looking at early 90's Catalina 32-36.

Any other manufacturers out there that make a shoal draft, family weekend cruiser with a walk-thru transom that we can buy for around $45K?

Any suggestions welcome and thank you!
Christina

 

[Alex W]

This is also called a sugar scoop transom. They started to become a common feature in the late 80s and early 90s, and have stuck around since then. Almost any boat that you find on Yachtworld or other sites from that time period is worth checking to see if it has one. I'd expect that most Benetaeu and Hunter boats from that time period will also have them.

The Catalina 36 Mk2 (the version with the sugar scoop transom) is a nice boat, if you can find one of those in your price range then it is worth checking it out. I thought that they would typically be closer to the $70-$100k range though, with the earlier models (no walk through transom) being under $50k.

The smaller 320 may also meet your needs, would have a much lower cost of ownership, and is quite a bit less expensive:
1994 Catalina 320 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

 

[TQA]

Look at the Bavaria range most if not all the recent ones have walk thru transoms.Nice interior layouts too.

Some of the older Beneteau Idylles had walk thru transoms, the 43 does for sure.

 

[ChristinaO]

Thanks Alex for the feedback and the 32 ft is a great looking boat and the size might perfectly suite our needs!

 

[ChristinaO]

Thank you TQA! I will check out the older Beneteau models. I have seen a couple very nice Bavaria for sale and will have to keep an eye out for more.

 

[RonRelyea]

my Hunter Vision 32 has a 4'3" draft and a nice walk-through transom ... nice interior for a family too ...

 

[PaulinVictoria]

C&C30 MkII as well, much bigger inside than the LOA would suggest.

 

[peoples1234]

Beneteau 321

 

[JimsCAL]

ODay 35. Modified from the 34 to add the sugar scoop stern. Priced well below $45k.
http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=1711

 

[chef2sail]

Very few of these boats will actually work for Barnegat Bay where the average depth is 6-7 ft a 5 foot draft is pushing it here and would serve rely limit your sailing there.

Dave

 

[T34C]

I just bought a hunter Legend 37 for much the same reason. The Legend series boats sail well, have lots of family space and a walk thru. The 37 is going to push that price range, but you might want to take a look at the 35.

 

[SchockT]

Very few of these boats will actually work for Barnegat Bay where the average depth is 6-7 ft a 5 foot draft is pushing it here and would serve rely limit your sailing there.

Dave

6-7ft average depth? How bizarre that must be! I don't think I could ever relax sailing those waters. Even with the shallowness shoal draft it wouldn't take much of a rock to ruin your day!

 

[SHNOOL]

I can verify 6-7 average depth... we had a 5 foot fin, and sailing was always an adventure in new and crafty ways to become un-grounded. Our best was a "flying grounding" where we pushed the channel too much, grounded in slop, threw it hard over, filled sails heeled off and sailed away like it was a normal tack... "um yeah we meant to do that."

Never again. I'd want 4' max draft for Barnie, and go light on the burgers too... every ounce gets you closer to run aground.

That was many years ago though.

 

[hellosailor]

Folks in Long Island's Great South Bay are lucky to have TWO FEET of average draft. Six or seven, and they'd be in heaven. Which is supposed to be very similar to Long Island Sound.(G)

 

[JimMcGee]

Very few of these boats will actually work for Barnegat Bay where the average depth is 6-7 ft a 5 foot draft is pushing it here and would serve rely limit your sailing there.

Dave

+1

Dave is absolutely right about Barnegat Bay; and your thinking on the Catalina's is right on as the wing keeled versions of the 32 and 36 draw between 4 & 4.5 feet. Don't even think about anything that draws much over five.

The good news is if you bump bottom it's always soft grounding and usually not that hard to get unstuck. :laugher

That said BoatUS unlimited towing is a good idea for the bay!

 

[RobGallagher]

C&C 30 MKII 1988 to 199? - wing keel draws 4'8". Great boat with more room than the Catalina 30. Amazing design.


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[tomandchris]

The original walk thru transoms in the early 90's Catalina 34-36, with wing keel may suit you well. Probably a stretch on the 36 at that price, dependent on work to be done. 32 and 34 can be had close to your price, but you may have to come up a little for the 34. C34 is identical to the C36 in cockpit size, only a foot shorter in LOA, with a larger V Birth. Both are great boats if they have been taken care of. Wing is 4'6" draft. Tall rig is a benefit with light wind. Bopth excellent family boats.