Hi Paul,
Well, answering your question is not that easy.
I sailed a smaller 23ft boat in the Baltic Sea years ago. Later I chartered a lot in the Mediterranean and also had a share in an older Jeanneau 36 from a friend.
Now I have to work for a little over 1 year. Our daughter will then finish her studies and I would like to spend most of the time on the boat / sea with my wife. Actually, the plan is not to have a plan. Whether we spend a few years in the Mediterranean between Europe, Africa and the Middle East, whether we go to the Atlantic or even further, we'll see. The way should be the goal.
Now I've been looking for a boat. I can only pay for a used serial boat 10 to 12 m, so I looked at some Jeanneaus, Benneteau, Bavaria etc. The Scandinavian ships like Hallberg Rassey or Najad (which I really like) are not affordable. And then I see the Catalina34 in a Croatian port. I looked at it and it was immediately clear to me that it is a good cruiser boat for 2 people to live comfortably on. We really have to give you Americans one thing: You build solid, comfortable and, above all, practical, regardless of whether it's a pickup or a boat! :)
I contacted the owner, an Austrian, and learned that the boat was first hand (it belonged to his dad who had died), we got along well and he offered it to me at a really fair price. The good thing is, it is not tinkered with, like many other series boats, where all previous owners have installed something and in the end nobody knows what is actually connected to what :)
So, I've now bought the Zampano, renamed it Runaway and still have to work on it a little. She is 1000 miles away from me, I live in Würzburg/Bavaria, the boat is dry in the Marina Tribunje (Croatia). At the beginning of next year I want to transfer them to Northern Italy (the port places cost only half as much and I'm closer to doing something) Well, and then I want to go ...
Oh, one more thing: Catalinas are so rare here that you don't go "another white boat" and that's pretty cool.
Many greetings
Holger
