The yanks usually build things right.
There has been bad press about Benetaus of late.
Your decision.
Ask Jode5,
He at least has owned a Catalina, ask him if he would own another. That at least should answer one of your questions and then on to the Bene.
I owned a Catalina.. Beautiful little boat. Would I have another one?... Yes. As Cisco said, the Yanks built it right. It was my first yacht so I never pushed the limits, but I was never afraid on it. Some of that could be from niaevity though. But I must admit to have looked favorably at the Benny's of recently after spending a week on an Oceanis 45 last year.
All that said, neither are suitors at the moment with what I'm looking for in a boat.
I couldn't be happier with our Beneteau 393. We use her for occasional social racing, daysails on Moreton Bay, and coastal cruising (so far, have done the East Coast between Sydney and Cairns). She is roomy and very comfortable, carries plenty of water and fuel. Mostly it's just myself and my wife on board, but with two cabins and two heads we manage a couple of occasional guests very nicely. We are almost self-sufficient with solar (batteries may need a topup from the Honda after 3-4 days at an anchorage). We're happy to live on board for many months at a time.
She sails well, and with the Asso is particularly good in the light conditions we tend to get in Qld winters. We plan our passages based on 5.5kt, and generally sail at 6-8kt.
True, she doesn't go to windward as well as my old SS34, but as a cruiser even in the SS34 we would prefer to wait a day or so for favourable weather rather than beat all day.
Now let's hear from the diehards about beating off a lee shore, and breaking spade rudders.
Absolutely the Catalina. They are built well, sail well keeping in mind they are really a cruiser not a racer, and feel solid. They have a lead keel and are pretty solid fibreglass in my opinion. They are light and roomy inside and the rigging and winches are probably overengineered. Great reaching boats and a fantastic roomy cockpit to relax in. They also have a great online community to help solve any issues you may have. Have had people on board who are Beneteau owners and who said they wished they had bought a Catalina instead of their Beneteau. By the way, which boat models are you comparing?
Firstly, I would like to thank you all for your past and present very enjoyable contributions.
I currently own a share in a Catalina 28 mk2 which is berthed at the CYCA.
We are in our second year of the partnership and it's working well.
Generally, both Catalinas and Beneteaus weigh the same for the same length, but I am guessing the Catalina has a slightly broader beam.
My only minor complaint is that the Catalina may be a little slower.
I favour the 34 mk2 but am looking at the 387 also.
I prefer to sail with one or more crew members but it isn't easy getting crew.
We all know how people waste their hours when they could be sailing.
Hi Bundeenaboy, hard to say if the Catalina would be slower than an Oceanis. We know a guy who races a Catalina 320 on Lake Macquarie who does really well. He has high spec sails and the boat is kept light. Not being a racer, our 320 was still fairly quick and was usually faster than a Catalina34 and an Oceanis 35 in the right conditions. Again good sails helped out there as well. Don't know about the Catalina 387, but we do know a guy with a Catalina375 and it sails well. Not too many of these about though! Both Catalina and Oceanis are designed as cruisers who can race occasionally. Having looked at the Catalina 320 and also Beneteau Oceanis 35s would agree the Catalina is a bit beamier and also more spacious and light below.
I would go the Catalina as they are probably one of the most solid built production boats on the market, most fittings are over size compared to the equivalent size European boat, parts used on the boats are generally available of the shelf at the local chandler And the keels are lead. My father had a 34 mk1 and I had a 445. Both boats had fin keels and performed good for their size Including to windward. I woul not recommend the shoal draft as theit performance to windward in not a patch on the fin keel. My father would make mince meat of the shoal draft 34' boats when racing. Dad and mum sailed the boat up and down the east coast with no problems when they were in their 70's. Coming from a 28 you will thing the bigger boat are great especially the 37. So why did I change From the Catalina?
I have always sailed fast race boats but I decided I was going back to social racing where I can sail with just my wife or with some none sailing friends and cruising in comfort. After a lot of research I decided an a new Catalina 445 set up with every option known to mankind which was a beautiful comfortable boat. Unfortunately after a while I realised I had gone to the right a little to far. Being used to fast boats that sailed like a dream, I found the Catalina a bit like driving a coaster bus after driving a BMW. ( maybe not that bad) I also felt that a 45' boat would be a big as I could handle solo or with just my wife. After traveling north for 3 months We realised that a well set up bigger boat would be no harder to sail than the 45 footer. After more reseach we ordered a new Hanse 575 which ticked all the boxes, fast, beautiful to sail and with the self tacking jib, bow and stern thrusters, furling jib and boom furling main and electric winches makes it the easiest boat I have ever owned to sail and handle.
If I was looking for a second hand 35 to 40' boat that was a good all round boat, easy to sail and well built , it would would be. A Hanse 37e, they rarely come on the market and usually sell very quickly.
