Practical Sailor C34 Review

Clay Greene · February 19, 2015, 09:12:32 AM

Practical Sailor posted an updated C34 review on its website:

http://www.practical-sailor.com/issues/37_51/boatreview/The-Catalina-34-30-Years-Later_11643-1.html

There are a couple of factual errors (I wish the new elliptical rudder had only cost $1,200!) but generally seems like a pretty balanced review. Stu Jackson gets credit for the photos.

Stu Jackson · February 19, 2015, 01:34:01 PM

Thanks for the link. I worked with Darrell on his first draft and he picked up a few of the suggestions. Like Maine Sail's experiences with Practical Sailor, however, he missed a few. Like the one about the engine alternator bracket. I had clarified that it was for only the M25 engine (regardless of the "pre-1988"). He also didn't seem to understand the difference between a "cylinder head cracking" and the actual result of the timing gear cover getting hosed. Unfortunate, but overall not a bad review, and nice that he actually "caught" the bracket issue.

Nice that he asked.

Ron Hill · February 19, 2015, 02:04:53 PM

Guys : I see that they still print that the wing keel draft is 3'10". The newer brochures (1989 and subsequent) list it at 4'3".

Oh Well! In actually when the boat is loaded, I found the draft closer to 4'5". Otherwise a nice write-up.

My thoughts

Roc · February 19, 2015, 05:50:30 PM

Hey guys,
Didn't they get the last production year wrong? I thought the C34mkII was made until around 2005 or 2006? (somewhere around that time give or take). 1999 is certainly not the last year of production officially ending. My boat is a 2000!

waterdog · February 19, 2015, 11:37:51 PM

Very interesting. I am not sure if I agree with the conclusions for serious offshore cruising, having thought about making a right turn for the Marquesas. He recommends:

1) Modification to the companionway - agree
2) Stiffening the hull in different areas - please identify which areas - I've been in big seas and nasty little chops and detected no issues
3) Beef up the rigging - this is standard bluewater BS - I went to my rigger and told him I was going offshore and wanted to go up a size - he just laughed at me and told me the C34 already had upsized rigging - replaced as original
4) Rudder is mentioned - agree, it is better with the new rudder, though one size bigger might have served me well off Mendocino (but I don't blame my misadventures on the rudder)

He missed giant cockpit with tiny scuppers - I would consider glassing in some giant 6 inch tubes running straight out the back of the cockpit through the transom.

Front anchor locker needs some work as does the rear lazarette - tiny hardware, big seas, bad combo.

Personally I wouldn't cross an ocean with the Lewmar ports.

That is a pretty short list. Throw in a kickass autopilot, watermaker, SSB, 600 watts of solar and your good to go. Why I am thinking about a different boat?

lazybone · February 20, 2015, 05:43:02 AM

I haven't dug my old copy of the original revue but isn't this a direct copy/paste from it?

"Some boats are overbuilt, which can be expensive—a waste of money for an American coastal sailor who has no plans to sail in the Southern Ocean. Worse is to build a boat no better than the Catalina 34 and charge $30,000 more."

Lazy writer?

Clay Greene · February 20, 2015, 01:48:21 PM

They definitely got the production end date wrong. If I remember correctly, there were special "20th anniversary" boats that came out in 2005. I thought production ended around 2007.

Clay Greene · February 20, 2015, 01:52:20 PM

There are two 2007 and three 2006 boats for sale on Yachtworld right now.

Wayne · February 21, 2015, 09:40:01 AM

Interesting article!
I have a 2006 model, the 34 was produced for either one more or two more years after that.
I wish the review had a little more about the Mark II. Catalina put the bigger rudder on the Mark II models, as well as a good propane locker. Thanks to the bigger rudder I would say that my boat tracks like a train, even on SF Bay. In 8 or 9 years it has only rounded up on me once. I was out in blustery spring conditions with too much sail out and was hammered by a powerful gust. Rounding up and dumping some air was a good thing in this case. Otherwise, one of the things I love about my boat is that when a strong puff comes along Charlotte heels a bit more, digs in, and surges forward.

Jim Brener · February 27, 2015, 08:52:26 AM

The March issue of Practical Sailor has a review of C-34 Mark 1 boats updated from their last review in 1990. You can read the review on www.practical-sailor.com. My experience with my 1987 differs from the review in that when I had the bottom paint removed last year there were no signs of blisters, new or repaired. I also do not experience the weather helm described and I feel the boat performs well in light wind which was not mentioned. I was surprised to read about fin keels being available as on the shallow Chesapeake wing keels are the norm.

Jim Brener · February 28, 2015, 04:59:47 AM

The March issue of Practical Sailor has a review of the C-34 Mark I boat. This is an update from their last review in 1990. You can read he review at www.practical-sailor.com

lazybone · February 28, 2015, 05:54:22 AM

Quote from: Jim Brener on February 28, 2015, 04:59:47 AM
The March issue of Practical Sailor has a review of the C-34 Mark I boat. This is an update from their last review in 1990. You can read he review at www.practical-sailor.com

Happy coincidence?

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,8367.0.html

Stu Jackson · March 01, 2015, 10:36:44 AM

FYI,

I've merged a few topics on this same subject.