Looking for a C34

[margolisjm]

Hi, I am hoping to become a Catalina 34 owner. I am looking for a good boat that will be comfortable for my 6'3" husband and two young children and will be fairly easy to sail. From what I can tell, the C34 looks like it just might fit the bill. I am located in RI. I have done alot of sailing, but have never been a boat owner myself. There is a big difference (as I'm sure you all know) between being a crew member or guest on a boat and being the owner/skipper. I am looking for any input, on what to look for, and what to beware of when looking for a used C34. I am looking at the '86 to '88 models and I have noticed that all of the asking prices are considerably higher than those listed in www.bucvalu.com.
I gained a bit of information from Steve Lyle's message regarding his first year. Thank You Steve. Any other input for me would be greatly appreciated. How about the tall rig Pro's and cons. Fin keel or winged keel.

Is anyone selling the perfect boat?

[Stu Jackson]

Check out the section at the top of the FAQ part of the main website entitled "Why we are Catalina Owners....read these!"


http://www.c34.org/faq-pages/faq.html

The reaon they appear to cost so much is that most people keep them in pristine condition.  It will take a lot of looking to find a "fixer upper."  It has been done.

Good luck, you've made the right choice.

[SteveLyle]

BucValu is based on actual selling prices, not asking prices, and most people are asking for more than they believe they'll get (they sure know they won't get any offers for more than the asking price - there is a recession going on, and there's been one in the sailboat market for 10 years or more).  Look around a bit and you'll get a sense of value, what a boat's really worth.  Don't be afraid to offer a fair price, even if it seems quite a bit less than the asking price - especially if the boats been on the market for awhile.

Fin or wing - depends on your sailing grounds.  Go with the fin if you've got enough water.  Same for the rig, the tall rig is more common on the east coast than the west, since our winds tend to be lighter.  When it starts blowing harder, you just reef a bit sooner with the tall rig.  Of course, if you have a bridge to get under, you might not have a choice.  BTW, we've had #75 out in some heavy air, and the single word that best describes the rig is "stout" - everything is very solid, and if anything seems overdesigned - at least I got the impression that the rig loads were light, compared to what they could take.  I felt very safe.

Don't be afraid to pay what a boat's worth - a 'fixer upper' will cost you too - good materials aren't cheap, and your time costs something.  The good news is that a C34 holds its value pretty well - especially after a few years.  I didn't 'target' #75, and would have been fine with paying more for a boat that didn't need all the work (and $'s) that it did/does.  But I wasn't going to pay top $ for a boat that needed a lot of work, either.  Just know what you're getting into and you'll be ok.  And of course, that's where this site really helps - browse around for a few hours and you'll know what to look for when you go shopping.

On the other hand, it seems like every boat turns into a "project boat" eventually, so why not start out with one?

Although I must admit that I threatened to sue our broker (tongue in cheek) for malpractice - he knowingly sold a boat that needed "some" work to a certified anal retentive.  

Good luck!

[Conrad Vanino]

I congratulate you for considering a C34. I did a lot of research in the mid 90's and found that they are one of the best buys for cruise sailing for 2 people on a regular basis and 4 person for weekends. The prices are very much the same today as they were in the mid 90's for the same boat in my area (Chesapeake Bay) for a well maintained one of the 87-88 era. A real good one with extras like chart plotter, air, heat, auto pilot and other modern toys on it may cost over $ 60,000, while one with out the extras could be had in the lower to mid $ 50,000's. Of course, if it needs attention as there is deferred maintenance, the valuses are less. The problem in buying one is that there are hardly any for sale. Thus they hold their values. Mine has a lot of extras on it that I added since I purchased it and at present I am researching the possibility of adding air/heat. They are hard to give up if you like to sail. The areas that the boat has been used is important too. Salt water and blue water sailing has a negative effect on the vessels and values. Good luck in your search.

[Conrad Vanino]

You may consider checking out Palmer Esau as it sounds like he is asking a very fair price for his boat. It is located in the mid Chesapeake Bay area which should be a fairly easy sail to anywhere on the east coast.

[karista]

Check out "boats.com" it shows 65 Catalina 34's for sale, so there appears to be no shortage of Catalina 34's for sale.
B. Mueller

[Terry]

We spend weekends on the boat and it works great - plenty of room.  We like the balance between living space, price and keel.  Our lake is fairly shallow so the wing keel is what we needed.  Boat is very stable as well in heavier winds.  A suggestion; go a little newer (1990) and get the walk through transom - budget $65,000 or so for a 90'.  Much easier to swim off the stern and for the kids to climb back into the boat.

[fbien]

We bought a 1986 c34 last year for the same reason you're looking at the boat.  I'm 6'3" and have a 2 and 4 year old.  The boat has worked out very well on the San Francisco Bay.  Here are some thoughts after 1 year with kids (often we bring 4-6 kids that are 2-4yrs on the boat, with life jackets, of course!).

- The cockpit size is excellent.  One of the best layouts we saw in boats under 37'.  A good, confined place for the kids.

- When we have a load of kids on board, we sail VERY laid-back.  It's very windy here all summer, so the c34's excellent balance under main or jib alone has been key.  We find sailing under jib is very easy for quick sails with kids. I am always blown away at how balanced this boat is.

- The 5000lbs of ballast provides a very stable, solid boat on the Bay.  I chartered Jenneaus, Hunters, etc., on the bay and found them tender -- and we ALWAYS had to be deeply reefed.

- Strongly suggest an autopilot (we added one).  Makes it easy for one of us to sail and the other to keep track of the kids.

- The kids LOVE the small aft berth...

- The mix of teak and easily cleaned surfaces is great for the kids and adults alike.  

- We added netting around the cockpit to keep the kids onboard.  Also, check the lifelines.  The first time I twisted the old turnbuckle it snapped (good thing I found it that way).  We replaced all of them and added over-center quick release pelican hooks for easy on-off. Going overboard on SF bay (55 in the summer) is the biggest risk.  We also use harnesses on the kids from time to time.

- There are boats with more interior headroom.  I don't have any problems, though.

My wife and I both really enjoy the boat.  I suppose the only other option we're thinking about would be a catamaran, which in hindsite wouldn't have been a bad choice given the kids we normally transport.

[rirvine]

Jeannine:

You have made a wise choice as you will find a C34 a lot of safe fun.    To get some idea of the available prices, check out this site.  There are 68 C34's listed today

http://www.sailingsource.com/boatsforsale.html

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