See what other owners have to say
why they bought!
What do you say about your Catalina 34 to someone considering
purchasing one?
Subj: C 34? "See what other owners have to say!"
The C34 is a very forgiving sailing boat. One can make some
pretty stupid (dangerous) mistakes when sailing; the C34 almost
never punishes.
The C34 is beamy. I have close-hauled her in 12 ft broaching seas
and the C34 sails like this is normal. When I first bought her, I
was new to sailing in heavy seas/weather conditions, yet was living
in an area where 10+ ft seas & 15+ kt winds was called a light
day. Being old & a slow learner, I probably would have sunk a
lesser vessel.
She's durable. You can sail the #*&!$ out of a C34, &
with the proper maintenance and care, 12 years or 3 owners later,
(whichever comes first) you'll still be able to sail the #*&!$
out of a C34.
Great platform. Meaning change a few things & she's almost a
pure racer. OR change a few things & she's the floating
RV/tug/tow/hotel/support vehicle/house/home.
Parts are never a problem. Old or new. NEVER. Also, there's
NOTHING on a C34 that can't be fixed. NOTHING. Does anyone know of a
C34 that's been scuttled intentionally??
But of all these things, the greatest asset the C34 has - WITHOUT
A DOUBT - is the incredible resource this community of C34 owners
provides. Got a question about your boat??
Just ask the list, it'll get answered. How valuable is that? Or
does everybody have a mechanic/tactician/sail master for a friend.
Has anyone on this list ever "NOT" had his or her question
answered??
This positive list offered here is in chronological order of
importance.
When I first bought a boat, the quality at the top of the list
was really the most important to me. Years later, it's the asset at
the bottom that would make me really think long and hard (and then
justifying) buying any other boat in the whole world, lottery winner
or not.
John LeMasters, BLUE MOON, #753, JAL@flashcom.net
~~~~~~ (\_~~~~~~
Subj: C 34? "See what other owners have to
say!"
1. All systems, including engine, wiring, piping and hoses, are
accessible.
2. Great access to engine & stuffing box.
3. Helpful, friendly owner's group willing to share knowledge and
information.
4. Best boating website on the planet.
5. Sails great.
6. Best value for size/cost ratio.
7. Still in production, company still in business, all parts
available.
8. Retains resale value.
9. Easy to singlehand, yet spacious for large crew and entertaining.
10. Safe and sturdy.
Stu, Dosgoats@aol.com
Subj: C 34? "See what other owners have to
say!"
I guess for many of us the Catalina 34 sold itself. I know the
first time I saw the boat, the features the deck layout and the
cockpit I could only mutter how much. We tend to dwell on the few
minor problems because we are all believers. If you need to be SOLD
on the 34 than you probably are not looking for the features of a
cruising coastal sailboat that the 34 offers.
Bob J Kovich, bkovich@amfam.com
Subj: C 34? "See what other owners have to
say!"
A used C34 can be had for a price in the $50,000-$70,000 range
depending on age and condition. Condition seems to be a little more
important than age.
The interior of the boat is very roomy. It doesn't feel as small as
some other cruising boats.
The engine is quite excellently accessible.
You can go in/out the hatch in the v-berth if you remember to unlock
it when getting under way. On some boats, there is no hatch there or
it is too small to climb through. It's useful if you're working on
the engine and have the stairs out. I figure it would be highly
useful if you have an engine or galley fire and need to get out.
The head is right next to the companionway. The boat only has one
head, saving valuable space that is wasted in a lot of newer
designs. [ Or... there is only one head, so when it breaks you are
SOL... :) ]
It works well powering in reverse, e.g. for backing into a slip.
It's not that hard to single-hand, at least in moderate or good
conditions.
Relatively little exterior teak means not much teak maintenance to
do.
Mark Sienkiewicz, mark@chokey.mo.md.us
Subj: C 34? "See what other owners have to say!"
I like your positive points concept. Here is what convinced me
to go with a 2000 Catalina 34 Mk II as opposed to something else I
couldn't afford.
Low cabin: Gives her clean lines and allows the boom to sit lower
for a better sail plan. Good visibility forward from the cockpit.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but, damn, there are some ugly,
ugly fiberglass boats out there. The C34 looks low, sleek and
businesslike. Still has 6'3" headroom, more in spots (I'm
6'3").
Wide decks: Easy to go forward and with good handholds. Even with
all the lines led aft there is still a need to go forward, usually
carrying something, for anchoring, docking or spinnaker sets. Nice
big anchor locker (with electric winch). No teak to weather, crack,
need finishing or otherwise spoil a weekend.
Solid rigging: Very well suited to coastal cruising and inland
seas. Quality components throughout. Double lowers make it easier
for two people and a crane operator to step the mast. Better
equipped running rigging (in my humble opinion) than Hunters or
Beneteaux of similar length and with much better sail
controllability.
Conventional Interior: No wasted areas for gimmicks or
special-interest features. Simple but useful. Very good ventilation
and natural lighting. Not the wood cave of some designers. Excellent
interior handholds in the galley and going forward through the
cabin. Surprisingly lacking in some other modern designs. Very
important in beamy boats.
Realistic Capacities: 1400 Marine Cranking Amps with 400 minutes
of reserve in the two size 8 stock house batteries. Room for a third
starting battery. 25 gallons of diesel. 59 gallons of freshwater. 18
gallons holding tank. Perfect for a couple to disappear for two
weeks at a time. Not too much to get old and stale for weekend only
use.
Rear head: Great for rain/spray soaked clientele and a handy
place to hang foulies without involving the entire cabin.
Metal stringer and ribs: Molded into the sub sole are stainless
steel tie rods and a stainless steel truss to support the mast and
keel. I feel much more comfortable with the thought of metal ribs
and stringers, though mostly vestigial, in the event of a grounding
or collision. They add a tremendous amount of strength and spread
forces out over a larger area (and therefore are better absorbed).
Good performance: Not a racer, but for a full feature cruiser she
moves right nice. Good ratios when compared to boats costing twice
as much, or more.
4'3" Draft: Wing keels aren't for everyone, but that much
draft keeps a lot of areas open to me.
Value: Mass produced fit and finish, but she fills the needs of
those of us who didn't buy 5,000 shares of Microsoft in 1982.
Charlie Pearsall, C34 Delirious, cpearsall@smcplus.com
Subj: C 34? "See what other owners have to
say!"
Charlie, You forgot one more... a huge cockpit !! I can actually
walk around the cockpit without worrying about stepping on other
people's toes.
Roc, rpalaia@cpcus.jnj.com
Subj: C 34? "See what other owners have to
say!"
Ask any dealer if he would like to have more used C34's to sell.
Look at the listings, considering how many have been made, few are
on the market.
On any of the berths and in the cockpit, one can lean back against a
bulkhead, sitting up, and can read or relax stretched out. I've
chartered a lot of boats in the same size range and often the
cockpit is really uncomfortable for sitting back against the
bulkhead and reading while at anchor. Ditto for the v-berths.
Phil Davies, Cat's Paw, #1360, PhilDavies1@compuserve.com
Subj: Buying a C 34? "See what other owners have to
say!"
We bought Air Goddess in 1994 and it was our first boat. We were
comparing the C34 to a Tartan 34 and a Sabre 34 - all were the same
vintage and in equally good condition. The C34 was $50K, the Tartan
was $65K and the Sabre was $80K.
Even to my untutored eye the Tartan and the Sabre were superior
boats from the point of view of fit and finish - the question became
was superior fit and finish worth all that extra money. Our brokers
advice was that the C34 would be a "lot of boat for the
money" and would hold its resale value at least as well as the
other two.
We took his advice and find that, 6 years later, we could probably
sell Air Goddess for more than we paid for it and do so very quickly
if needed. I don't know how the Tartan and the Sabre have fared in
the used boat market but I could not be happier with what has
transpired with the Catalina. Plus we have enjoyed the ownership
experience - what more could we ask???
Mike & Connie Ingham, Air Goddess, #584, mikeingham@mediaone.net
Subj: Buying a C 34? "See what other owners have to
say!"
Charlie Persall gave you a good run down of positive points on
the new Mark II.
I'd to add a few more comments.
Without a doubt Frank Butler (Catalina) gives you the biggest bang
for your buck and has probably put more people in sailboats than any
other single person. I think one of his and Gerry Douglas' triumphs
has been the Catalina 34. They produced more than 1000 hulls in less
than 4 years! That tells you right off that it was a hot seller and
one of the first American produced sailboats with an aft head. I've
had friends come aboard ours and seeing the interior exclaim,
"This is cavernous." I personally have looked at many
different boats and have found that to duplicate the room below in a
C34 you have to look at something in the 38' and larger by other
builders. Both the V-berth and aft cabin berth are larger than most.
In fact, when we made fitted sheets, we had to start out with king
size sheets. After 12 years of being in every nook and cranny, there
is no wasted space on the C34.
The engine access is better than most other boats of its size and
access to the packing gland is outstanding. Heavy rigging, a large
anchor well, a cockpit that will sleep 2 six footers, the wide
decking outside the shrouds allows ease of movement fore and aft,
and it is easy for 1 person and a pleasure for 2 people to handle.
The ancillary equipment such as hoses, water pump, plumbing and
light fixtures, etc. are all top of the line made by known
manufacturers. That's truly important when you are looking for spare
parts. The factory technical support, Parts Department and C34
International Owners' Organization are all outstanding. I don't
believe any other sailboat owner can get that kind of support.
It's not a lightweight boat in that it has a plywood rather than a
balsa core. That makes it a stiffer and more resilient hull. These
boats maintain their value and as soon as a well maintained used C34
comes on the market it is sold. Although the model has changed over
the years it is still in production attesting to its popularity.
My executor has instructions to keep me at the wheel in a grave
that's 34' long, 12' wide and 52' deep. Ron Hill APACHE, #788,
ronphylhill@erols.com
Subj: Buying a C 34? "See what other owners have to
say!"
Top Ten Reasons I Love My Catalina 34
10. On occasion my wife lets me steer.
9. She's thrifty on fuel [the boat, not Liz]
8. There's lot's of places for the things I buy but will probably
not use in this lifetime.
7. She's easy to get onto and not fall off of.
6. Had I bought the Hunter [Well, we'll leave that to the
imagination]
5. When I leave my store and say "I'm going down to 'work' on
the boat" I don't really mean it.
4. I bought my last boat first.
3. She sails flawlessly, now if only I could.
2. As we age, she gets easier to work on and I get more difficult.
1. Did I mention I get to steer.
Happy sailing!, Counting the days till launch,
JR, s/v La Vie Dansante, C34 #1311, Cape May, NJ
Subj: Buying a C 34? "See what other owners have to
say!"
Here are some of the reason why we bought a Catalina 34 Mk II:
Cool looks - It looks like a sailboat with its smooth lines. No ugly
bumps for a main cabin.
Perfect Size - Right size for the cost for a family of 5. Mom, Dad,
& the kids have enough room.
Back Shower - Really cool to rinse off after diving a reef in
Florida.
Transom - Best way for a family to swim off the boat.
Head Room - Can stand in the main cabin and not bend over. Very
important after learning to sail on a 18' Cat boat that had no head
room.
Galley - Wife liked it being fully equipped and ready to go.
Ventilation - Lots of good ventilation on the boat with the hatches
open.
No Teak on Deck - No extra maintenance chores to do on deck.
Large Cockpit - Have yet to feel cramped in it.
Walkways - Plenty of room to move on deck
Ease to Sail - A husband and wife team can sail with no problems.
Ease to Maneuver - A husband and wife team can dock, back it in,
with a 2 knot cross tidal current and not through the engine in
reverse. Correct placement and understanding with a gentle pull
moves us in now with out the strain on the throttle or shit handle.
It is slow but not a strain. Ease to get to Things - Lots of room to
do special things to the boat. Best Organization - C34 Org provides
plenty of advise to both new and old owners. Even have an
overabundance of engineers to debate the best way to do things or
interpret the data :^).
T.R Hernacki, Anointed, #1298, hernacki@flinet.com
Subj: Buying a C 34? "See what other owners have to
say!"
Our first year with 1459, delivered in April '99, was very
upbeat. The boat sails very well on all points and makes hull speed
at about 22 degrees heel ... reefed or not. We traveled to Mackinaw
City from the Detroit area, cruised out of that port to Lake
Michigan and Upper channel, and back to Detroit; roughly 1200 miles
all in a span of 6 weeks. Great boat ... it performed to all
expectations.
Bob Branch, Robc341459@aol.com
Subj: Buying a C 34? "See what other owners have to
say!"
Being in the market for a new boat and being very open minded
about what to get, we looked at practically every boat at the
Newport boat show. Near the end of a long day and after having
looked at about 40 boats, we found no one boat turned us on. Then we
looked at the Catalina's. We were tired from all the comparing. But
after a quick scan of a C34, my wife and I looked at each other and
smiled silently. And the boat was sold. Here was a case of truly
shopping from what was available and the C34 sold itself. For us it
was the perfect combination of size, space, amenities, and the price
didn't detract either. Under sail the boat has lived up to the many
praises I heard or read of its sailing ability, handling and overall
comfort. We are most pleased with our choice.
Mike Roy, Cat's Paw, #1373 (1997), roym@mediaone.net
Important: The opinions expressed here are
those of the individual contributors to this page, and not those of
the Catalina 34 National Association or Catalina Yachts, Inc.
Additionally, this material has not been reviewed by Catalina
Yachts, Inc. for technical accuracy. This page's maintainer cannot
guarantee the accuracy of this information or the desirability of
suggested modifications or upgrades. Please obtain assistance from a
competent marine mechanic or boatyard prior to making any
significant modifications to your vessel. |
