Catalina Purchase - 387, 400 or 42

[Missou]

Originally Posted by Wishinforwind

catamarans That's a WHOLE different critter altogether!

I know that I was just saying thanks for opening a new opportunity in my search.

[Wishinforwind]

Originally Posted by Missou

I know that I was just saying thanks for opening a new opportunity in my search.

I started looking at catamarans my self as a live aboard option. Never sailed one. So I am going have to warf rat about and see if I can find someone out here on the east coast that will take me out and lemme try it. I am impressed that some of them have up to 1200 sq ft of living space. I am headed to the boat show so I can peek about in them find out how hard it is to get into motor areas and such. Tho the price tags leave me little in sticker shock. For the price and upkeep of a cat I might be into a 40+ ft boat. Tho I do not have any hard facts to back this up as of yet. I willlet ya know what i findout in oct.

[Jim Woodall]

Having some sailing experience on each of the boats mentioned (Catalina 387, 400 and the 42) my guess is that any of the three will do fine for your intended cruising plan. However, the 42 is really a nice step up from the 387 and even from the 400. If you can swing it financially, the 42 is probably the way to go.

I would suggest viewing bstreep's posts as a poor comparisons for your purposes of 2 radically different boats. The MacIntosh 47 is about 10,000lbs. heavier than a C400. The MacIntosh has as much waterline as the C400's length overall. The C400 will not compare well to the MacIntosh 47 as an offshore boat. Likewise the C400 doesn't compare very well to a C42 and it certainly would not compare well at all to the C470. It would be a poor way to make a boat-buying decision. As noted in an earlier post a C470 would be a better comparison with the Mac 47 as an offshore boat. For example, their capsize ratios are almost identical, C470 at 1.85 and the Mac 47 at 1.83.

As a Catalina owner I have found my boat to be solid, well-built and dependable, but i use my boat as designed - as a coastal cruiser. Although I have done short offshore trips of 2-3 days with very favorable weather windows, serious offshore work is not what my C30 was built to do. The C387 and C400 are much more capable than my boat, but still only marginally suited for serious offshore sailing. Again, the C42 takes a nice step up and I know several people who take their 42's to the Caribbean each year from NC - offshore. The C42 is a great coastal cruiser and a capable offshore boat if properly equipped, maintained, crewed and skippered.

[Missou]

Thanks Jim, it's nice to read your comments on the boats. It will give my husband and I good indications

[bstreep]

Originally Posted by Bash

I've sailed both the 42 and the 400. They are quite different boats, with the 42 being built more to the cruiser side of racer/cruiser, and the 400 being built more to the racer side of racer/cruiser.

It's a bit disingenuous to compare the performance of a 40' boat to a 47' boat, as was done in an earlier post in this thread. Take a look at the three boats rafted together in my avatar. The one on the left side of the photo is a Catalina 42 Mk II, while the one in the center is a 46' boat. It looks enormous next to the 42. Someone wanting to compare his 47-footer to a Catalina ought to compare it to a 470, a boat that stacks up quite well as an offshore cruiser.

The bottom line for cruising has always been, and continues to be, waterline. The Catalina 42 is a great way to get substantial waterline for the dollar.

As the above noted poster, we also have friends with a 470 that was also in the Harvest Moon - and had a very similar experience as those on the 400. Yes, the 470 is a fabulous boat. But if you offered me the keys to a 470 or keys to my boat to take across the Gulf or an ocean, seriously, it's no contest.

We've hashed this over before many, many times here. It's just like religion, we won't change any minds.

BTW, the friends with the 400 are planning to go cruising in a few years. He admits that it likely won't be on the 400.

[avb3]

Originally Posted by bstreep

A
We've hashed this over before many, many times here. It's just like religion, we won't change any minds.

But then there are those of us who are looking at buying with the intent of Gulf/Caribbean sailing who hear all the negatives of the Catalina and wonder why?

Crossing the pond in one versus an HR is a no brainer. It is interesting to hear from those that own them how they use them. Certainly a C42 has a great interior.

But what about storage, and tank capacities and such?

Thanks for some insights already given, and hope there are more.

[bstreep]

Originally Posted by avb3

But then there are those of us who are looking at buying with the intent of Gulf/Caribbean sailing who hear all the negatives of the Catalina and wonder why?

The Gulf of Mexico is probably the most under-estimated piece of water on the planet.

Folks look at the weather forecast and think "6-8 feet is nothing". They forget that the wave period might only 5-7 seconds. This is dramatically different than an ocean where the wave period for the same size waves might be 20-25 seconds. The Gulf is notorious for "washing machine" waves and the subsequent terrible trip.

[MikeinLA]

Originally Posted by PDReynolds

Hi Folks,
Looking for advise. Been searching yacht world for some time and considering settling in on Catalina <10 years old. There are better boats for sure, SAbre, Tartan, Island Packet for sure.

Looking to live aboard from Boson to the Bay of Fundy for a couple of months a year as alive aboard and costal cruising.

Any recommendations before I make the purchase?

Thanks

Almost every "Which Boat Should I Buy" post receives the #1 answer which is, "How Will You Use Your Boat?" Based upon your criteria as stated above, I'd say the Catalina is the perfect boat for you. I have also been told that there are many many Catalinas cruising the Bahamas and Caribbean. I think that the liveaboard amenities of the 42 propel it to the head of the pack. As for offshore abilities, you would have to ask the many sailors who have taken their Catalina Trans Pac, Trans At and around the world to get their opinions.

Mike

[dhays]

PDR, We bought a C400 last year. We looked at the C42 as well but decided we liked the C400 much better for us. We sail in the Salish Sea. We don't live on board. We are both tall. The C400 layout works better for us with it's centerline aft cabin being excellent. The C400 is a great boat with lots of room. However, it doesn't have a lot of storage and I don't think as much as the C42.

Both boats sail well and would serve you fine in your proposed cruising area. There aren't as many C400s available on the market as the C42, so that may be an issue as well. Another boat that you might want to consider, although it is entirely a different type of boat, is the Catalina-Morgan 44. A dock mate just bought one and it would be a very nice boat for a live aboard. It won't sail as well however.

You may also consider that there are plenty of folks who live aboard much smaller boats than the Catalina's you are considering. It can be done it is all about what you want to do. Don't worry about those who would imply that you are risking immediate death and destruction if you lose sight of land in a production boat like Catalina, Bene, or Hunter.

[scotty c-m]

Love the 400

[Capt-Bear]

I sail a C42 on the Gulf of Mexico and agree that the gulf can be quite rough it's a good day to have 5-7 sec wave period a washing machine it is. My C42 handles it fine can be a lil rolling at times but its a fine ride. You have to chose your days for off shore work carefully
Before I bought my 42 I looked at the 36, 387 and 400 considered the 470 but for the water I was looking at her draft was just a little to much. I decided on the 3 cabin Pullman, when I move aboard I will convert one cabin to storage and use the other as sea berth/guest cabin. I felt that the 42 was the best boat for my purpose. Best bang/boat for the buck.

[Capt-Bear]

Originally Posted by Capt-Bear

I sail a C42 on the Gulf of Mexico and agree that the gulf can be quite rough it's a good day to have 5-7 sec wave period a washing machine it is. My C42 handles it fine can be a lil rolling at times but its a fine ride. You have to chose your days for off shore work carefully
Before I bought my 42 I looked at the 36, 387 and 400 considered the 470 but for the water I was looking at her draft was just a little to much. I decided on the 3 cabin Pullman, when I move aboard I will convert one cabin to storage and use the other as sea berth/guest cabin. I felt that the 42 was the best boat for my purpose. Best bang/boat for the buck.

Meant to add she is a fast boat with a clean bottom and folding prop, I sailed to Galveston right before Ike hit NO this summer made the in 72 hours, we averaged on the good days 8 Knts we even hit 10 for about 100 yards at least. With the right and sea conditions she will turn 9 Knts for hours, she is a sweet sailing boat.

[cookwithgas]

Originally Posted by Capt-Bear

Meant to add she is a fast boat with a clean bottom and folding prop, I sailed to Galveston right before Ike hit NO this summer made the in 72 hours, we averaged on the good days 8 Knts we even hit 10 for about 100 yards at least. With the right and sea conditions she will turn 9 Knts for hours, she is a sweet sailing boat.

Do you mean Isaac?

[Capt-Bear]

Lol yes

[CeesH]

Originally Posted by bstreep

I don't want to get into a "are Catalinas blue water boats" discussion. There's no changing anyone's mind. However, I can relate this:

BUT

In last year's Harvest Moon Regatta, for which the weather was unusually heavy, the Catalina 400's crew sat in the cockpit, afraid to even drink water because they would then have to move to use the head. They were miserable and exhausted. Conversely, friends with a Macintosh 47 just like ours finished first in class, had great hot food, had a somewhat comfortable ride and arrived rested...

We've been side by side in 6-8' in the Gulf (which is WAY worse than it sounds - 7-8 second wave periods), and the motions were very different. We actually saw their winged keel.

When you don't want to get into a discussion, then don't do it......

My 2 Centavos

CeesH