Next in the Catalina Stable C355

[Stu Jackson]

Tony, wadr, saildriver s*ucks.  Why?  Take a look at how it works.  It replaces a simple stuffing box, regardless of whether you like PYI or use a traditional box, and you end up with a big freaking hole in the bottom of your boat.  I suggest you study it a little bit more.  It is one of the worst engine/transmission to prop designs I have ever seen.

As far as idle speed and boat speed, I have the same issue with our M25, at least when i have a clean bottom!  That comes with the territory, folks.

[c34no1471]

I'm going to take a chance and offer my opinion, based on the information so far.  I'm biased, I'll admit up front, because I love my year 2000 Catalina 34 MKII, but as the original owner I still must admit I'm just now listing her for sale with a broker.  Absolutely nothing wrong with the boat--I truly love her.  She's given me a glorious 10-plus years.  But other than a terrific trip down the ditch from north of Annapolis to Florida (all the way to Sarasota) and back, single-handing, in 2003-2004, I'm not using the boat the way I'd hoped, and she's more boat than I need for knocking around the Chesapeake Bay.

So--I'm sorry to say the C355 looks like a step in the direction of Hunter Marine.  It has some significant improvements over the 34 (I'd be very interested in the convertible port-side seats, for example).  The forward cabin looks a bit more luxurious, and inner-spring mattresses are a step up. But the lines aren't as pretty, IMHO, as the 34's.  And it's hard to tell for sure, but it looks like they've gotten rid of the outboard Genoa track, and it looks like a fractional rig?

So that's my two cents worth at this point.  I'll take a look at the Annapolis Sailboat Show.

[Roc]

Tony,
I don't have an issue with my M35B idle.  Maybe your idle is set too high?  Mine is around 800-900 rpm.  When I'm maneuvering in close quarters, I usually have to toggle the throttle up to get the boat moving.  Or else, it's a very slow crawl.

George,
Your perception is exactly what prompted me to write my earlier post.  With my C34, any shortcoming from a livability point of view, is clearly apparent in the reason that it is like that because the sailing aspect of the boat was the primary design intent.  Some sacrifice in comfort is to make very good sailing performance.  Although I've not personally sailed any of the newer models, I've spoken to a very reliable source that the new designs don't sail as well as competitive boats.

[tonywright]

Stu

I respect your opinion, as always. But from a slow speed maneuvering point of view the saildrives seem to work very well. And we would not get so many questions here about removing the shaft  :thumb:s

My issue could be that I have a three bladed prop. Maybe two blades don't develop as much thrust at idle. I do idle at around 900, but that seems to be the low end of comfort for the engine: it runs much more smoothly at 1000 under power.

Re the forward cabin on the 355: I think that you may lose more than you gain by shortening and rounding the wide end of the v-berth. Isn't the large v-berth one of the things we all like most?

Tony

[Ken Juul]

Maneuvering at low speed is one of the things I like most about having seperate gear shift and throttle levers.  Coming into the marina I set the power at 1000 and slide between F and N as needed to maintain speed and direction control.  When the boat is about half way into the slip, slide into R, the boat slows and the prop walk eases the boat to the left against the finger pier.  Granted there are some days when more aggressive throttle use is needed, a single lever would be nice on those days.

[Lance Jones]

We've gone from talking about the 355 to saildrive. Is that on topic?

[tonywright]

Sorry, it came from talking about the switch to Yanmar, and things that we might have liked to see/not see in the 355..

[Stu Jackson]

Let's do anything, good folowups.

For those who FIRST see the new whatever it is, do a report like this one:

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4232.0.html

And search on c375 to learn more.  Comparisons are very welcome.

[Clay Greene]

Like everyone else, I will be very interested to see this boat in person. 

The fractional rig is a bit disturbing - how will I be able to chase down the poky Hunters from a distance if Catalina starts making fractional rig boats in our size?  And I don't like this move to the deceptive model numbering.  Just because Hunter and Beneteau do it doesn't make it right.  Mounting a javelin pole on my bow won't turn it into a Catalina 42. Catalina has always advertised that their model numbers reflect the true LOA so now they seem to be backsliding. 

I don't think the convertible settee seats on the port side are a new thing for Catalina - the 350 and 375 both have them. 

It looks like the 355 may have the huge cockpit locker that is the "wow" design feature of the 350.  And speaking of the 350, the title of the post announcing the 355 on their forum was "Death of the 350."  Guess they're not taking it well. 

I am interested to see how they are going to get 107 gallons of water tank storage into a boat with a not much bigger footprint than our C34s.

With the fractional rig, my guess is that the sail area is not going to be much greater than the C34s (like mine) with 150 percent genoas.  Although they say that the height from the waterline to the masthead is 54 feet so that is a four foot difference so it may well be a bit more. 

[Roc]

The fractional rig doesn't look like a true fractional as seen in Hunters.  More like a 15/16 found on Beneteaus.  What's interesting is all the Catalina literature touts how their masthead design is superior.  Now they are changing to how Beneteau rigs are.

[Ken Juul]

54 feet, is it extra mast or higher freeboard?  Guessing some of each.  I'm guessing they went with the 15/16 because it was a mast all ready in production, saving some costs.  They are expecting the use of a spinnacker on the bowsprit, so it may simplify the mast head rigging eliminating the upward facing water scoup our masts have.

Will try to get some answers from Gerry when I see him at the Rendezvous this weekend.

[Wayne]

A benefit of a smaller headsail is that it is easier to trim--less load on the sheets when the wind really picks up.  I think it would also follow that a cruising chute would have a greater impact in light air--way more sail area.  I'm wondering if this type of rig still behaves like a masthead rig--as is the jib still the power sail?

[John Langford]

No one has mentioned the attractiveness of two 10lb propane tanks (if I am reading the small print correctly) and the 27 gallon holding tank. Every little bit helps!

The 6' 4" crowd might feel better in the main cabin (headroom) but worse in the forward cabin (shorter bunk). And not having a bulkhead to put pillows against would be a problem...even if it appears you can buy an "electric lifter" which raises the mattress for reading. Is this a boat or an intermediate care facility?

[Ron Hill]

Guys : I once asked Joe Joyce (Service Manager) Westerbeke the low idle question.  His reply was simply "Just above the rpm that doesn't shake your teeth out" !

However, my experience says that about 950 to 1000 rpm (actual NOT Tach gage reading) is the lowest that you really want to go.  The lower the idle (under 1000rpm) the more the injectors tend to carbon up.  Of course the longer you stay idling at that low rpm also enters in to that equation. 
You surely don't want to be going in reverse at 850rpm and when the stern almost gets to the dock - shift and have the engine hesitate!  A few thoughts

[Susan Ray]

Is the mast stepped on deck then? Looks like from the interior pics as the table has no indent for mast to keel.
Isn't a bow thruster overkill?