# CATALINA 350 need input



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I hear a lot of good buzz on the new catalina 350 just introduced at the atlantic city show. I will be heading to miamai in a few weeks to take a look. Does anybody have any input or info or comparrison of this to the 34mk11 or the 36mk11. The price should be somewhere in the middle but please tell me the good and bad as compared to the other two models mentioned above.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

I have not heard anything particularly good or bad about the 350 that is actually based on owner experience. That is perhaps because the 350 is a very new design and they introduced it too late in the sailing season to have many out on the water yet. 

I would be really hesitant to buy a new Catalina. From talking to owners who have recently bought Catalina''s they have noted that the boats have come with pretty expensive lists of warrantee items and that Catalina has not been standing by the warrantees. I''ve now heard quite a few different versions of this problem including two different cases with similar stories. In one, the Owner was told he was covered but to get and estimate and give it to the dealer before doing the work. He did got the estimate turned it over to the dealer and proceded with the work. He presented the bill and then Catalina refused to reimburse him. 

The other was similar except that the dealer started to do the work, the warrentee claim was turned down and the dealer put work back together but refused to finish the job. I would suggest that you look at either the Beneteau 36.7 or the new 35 foot Hunter. The Beneteau 36.7 is a Bruce Farr design and is really a nicely detailed, well engineered boat. The new Hunter 35 has had very strong reviews including on water testing. The boat was designed by Glen Henderson who is a highly respected yacht designer. The Hunter features Kevlar and Vinylester non-cored construction from the stem back to the shrouds (for impact resistance) and in the area of the keel attachment. 

Respectfully
Jeff


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## SailorMitch (Nov 18, 2005)

The problem with Catalina and warranty coverage is that Frank Butler, the founder of Catalina and more or less the Henry Ford of fiberglass sailboats, still handles all warranty claims personally. The end result is that hearing back from him can take months, and yes, his decisions are not consistent. I talked to a former dealer once who told me horror stories about not hearing from Butler about claims, and then getting nonsensical letters from him he obviously had dictated but not read. The dealer had to decipher the letters, trying to associate the decisions with specific boats. He said the dealers ended up fixing a lot of stuff themselves, which didn''t endear the factory to them.

The upside of Butler handling warranty claims is that he can spot problems right away and quickly make changes in the boats as needed. The downside is time and consistency. Also, given Catalina''s sales volume today, it''s very hard to imagine this system working well.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I was really impressed with the Catalina 350 at the Atlantic City Sail Expo as well. So much so that I plunked down the down payment money. I was so impressed with the interior layout and quality of the materials used.(I''m sure Denr and others will freak out at that comment). But for me and the misses, we want a cruising sailboat with great,thoughtful, and inviting interior. According to the numbers that I see, she should perform very well. Not fast for a racer, but quick for a cruiser. But no one knows for sure cause hull 1 was at the show, and no in water tests have been performed. 

In comparison to the 34 or 36 I believe the 350 has it all over. With a beam about 1 foot wider then the other too, I don''t think they can compare. But that is just my opinion.

Happy Sailing!


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## doubleplay (Nov 9, 2001)

Fear Swo104,
If you are judging the boat by the interior and the width(I think you try to say beam)..
I suggest you look at the trawlers,they have a lot more room for the length and will make the misses even happier.
Fair Winds


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## Denr (Feb 7, 2001)

I''ll second that last recommendation!


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

SWO 104

I would be interested to know the price and financing you worked out on the 350 . You can e mail me at [email protected]


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

One of my friends had a C-36 MK-ll.
One afternoon while bucking a four knot current in Woods Hole, Ma. he cut a nun 
a little to close and on the wrong side and
struck a rock. thanks to the foul current, he was only traveling at one knot.ONE KNOT! (over ground).
As aresult the boat had to be hauled imediatly because she was taking on water. There was dammage to the usual places,leading and trailing edge fillet. There was also dammage to the sole and port side sette''. The cost of repair was just over 5,000 dallars. Take this to
heart.

Dennis L.


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## Bluesmoods (Jul 8, 2001)

We also plunked down a deposit on the Catalina 350 shortly after the A/C show. 

I am a former broker of C&C, Cape Dory, J/Boat and till recently, a Cal 2-27 owner. 

We were bout to plunk down a deposit on the Beneteau 361 when we decided to check out Catalina (not knowing there was a 350)one last time..

Why the C-350? It is a Very, very, well thought out boat. There will be kids on most trips. The V Berth accomadation is important. The "comfort" factor on long trips is very important as well. "Get from point A to B in good time? Absolutley a must. Numbers say yes. Not a racer but a good performance oriented cruiser.(I was a racer... not now with small kids.)

The sea trial tests and revviews are in. A few aboard who are somewhat modest and not real flamboyant by nature could not stop talking about the ride they had on the 350 in Florida. It will prove to be one of Catalina''s strongest boats yet. Take my word for it Watch and see. 

We added an autohelm 5000, two display Color chart plotter, color radar, and a bunch more. 

The base price on this boat will do nothing but go up. I will post more as we take delivery and start sailing of one of the first few 350''s built sometime in May. 

One note as a former dealer: A good, well respected reputable dealer is imperative regardig warrantee issues with boats. 

If the dealer wants your future business and recommendations to others, these issues will be seemless to the owner, smooth sailing all the way. The dealer will work out problems with the factory. You get your boat fixed and back in your hands with minimal delay and no bad mouthing of the manufacturer. They will spend as much time as necessary with you to orient you with your new boat and see that you can handle it and operate all equipment competently and safely, not send you to the saling school across the street. 

Do such dealers exist..? You bet they do.. Look hard, ask questions, take your time.. Don''t rush into anything. Stay away from the "wheeler-dealers". Focus on relationship, longevity and trust regardless of what boat you buy.


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## tsenator (Nov 6, 2000)

Dennis L. I guess that can happen. It''s funny you were saying that, because I was looking at a C-36 MKII (wing keel)at my marina that must have hit a rock VERY hard. There was a chunk of lead smashed in the front bottom of the endge of the keel that was much larger than the diameter of a softball. You couldn''t even try and make a dent this big if you wanted to with a sledgehammer.

Well, I then was curious to see how the keel/hull joint faired and I looked very close and the wasn''t a single sign of any damage or stress or anything. Did your freinds boat have a fin keel? Only one knot sounds fairly slow, I''m not sure I would even be trying a transit when that is all the headway I was making. Perhaps there was alot more torsional forces involved due to the tide and other factors. How much water was coming in? Was it just seepage? After looking at the boat in the marina, I am much concerned about the C-36 keel/hull joint that is for sure !


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Just heard catalina 350 had a 5000 dollar price increase!


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## doubleplay (Nov 9, 2001)

It does not matter if the price increased 5K or even 10K.....
The used boat market is flooded with Catalinas and they are for people who wants the buy the biggest boat they can afford not the best..
My personal opinion is to set a budget and then go out and buy the best boat regardless of length.Otherwise you would be much happier to buy a used 36MKII with first year depreciation already in place.
Fair Winds


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## tsenator (Nov 6, 2000)

I don''t know if I would say the "used boat market is flooded with ''all'' types of Catalinas". Maybe Catalinas over 5-7 years old. Especially the ones that don''t have the newer features, like the walk thru transom. Try and get a late model (1998-2001) Catalina 36MKII. Its not that easy! There are not a lot on the market and the ones that are, are not much cheaper than a new one !!.

Take a look searching on this national paper/website (Soundings)

http://boats.soundingsonline.com/adsearch.html

Some $125-$132k ! with a 1998 C36MKII at $118k. That is maybe more than the boat was new. I guess it depends what was added and the condition. But you are correct, if you are vigilant and keep looking you can probably get a real nice "fairly new" Catalina 36MKII at a good price. (I found one that was almost a steal....on the market less than a week and I made an offer, before everybody else.....he,he,he)


I love my C36MKII but sometimes some people want something different and the C350 offers that. There are alot of very nice features incorporated in the new C350 that would be nice to have on my boat. (But no boat in this size range can beat the C36 main salon...;-).

ps. BTW I could afford a more expensive boat, but I did not find a boat in the size range I was looking for (36'') that I liked better for what I do.....extended coastal cruising with a SO and 2 kids). Not the Sabre or the Tartan. I wanted a nice easy to walk through transom (kids are still little) and the observation seats and the love the way the salon is set-up. Yes, absolutely other boats have a higher quality workmanship and joinery and other things but I for what I do.....it is the "best" AND its a pretty darn good sailing boat...(nope not the best, but very stable for what it is and that''s what I wanted)


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

Yes but there are 31 one Catalina 36 mk II built after 1998 on Yachtworld. 

Jeff


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## tsenator (Nov 6, 2000)

Yes typically I don''t go to that site to look . Just went & I saw 18 from 1998 on for sale in the US. But that doesn''t matter. There are over 2100 built .

I wonder what is going on with the 1998 one from Texas. Asking $140k. Maybe it has gold plated plumbing fixtures...;-)

I''m still quite amazed at the prices though . Most are still in the $120''s and $130 ranges. That is about the price of a new one commissioned !! 

Whether people like Catalina''s or not the fact remains that alot of these boats (C36 for example) sell used for almost as much as when they were new and probably have one of the highest percentage of return for resale. Its supply and demand and for the money its the most boat for the dollar .(I did not say the best boat money could buy)


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

I am not knocking Catalinas and although that it does not match my experience helping people who are looking for a used one, I really am not refuting your claim that they "probably have one of the highest percentage of return for resale", but you can''t jusdge by asking prices on a late model boat. In my expeerience, there is generally a larger price difference between asking prices and actual sales prices on late model boats. I watched a couple late model boats over a period of time. They started out with asking prices that were close to what the owners had in them, but actually sold somewhere well below 15% and in at least two cases closer to 25% lower than asking price after being on the market for a fairly long time. Most used boats seem to sell within 10% to 12% of their asking price.

Jeff


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## tsenator (Nov 6, 2000)

Yes that is true. I have also noted that most boat selling pricing are about 10-15% of the asking prices. Its very rare that someone gets thier asking price. In my opinion if they do, then they probably didn''t ask enough for the boat.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

The Catalina 350 is 25000 dollars more than the Catalina 34mk11 Can I justify spending so much more foR the 350. I WILL PROBABLY GET A BETTER RESALE ON THE 350 WITH SO MANY 34S ON THE MARKET. i AM A LIITLE BIT UNEASY ABOUT BYING A NEW 34 WITH SO MANY RESALES OUT IN THE MARKETPLACE. aNY OPINIONS?


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## tsenator (Nov 6, 2000)

I don''t know. I really think you should buy the boat that really makes you happy. These 2 boats are set up very different. I don''t think you should concern yourself with the resale value too much. There are a lot of C34''s but they are popular and I don''t think you would have a problem getting a decent price for a used one if it was taken care of. At least I know that is the case for the C36''s.

Remember. Go with the one that makes you smile everytime you go to her.....(same philosophy as with wives)


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## Bluesmoods (Jul 8, 2001)

Well, If you are going to finance the boat,$2500 is really not much at all for a lot more boat. Most important, go with the boat that you seem to feel at home with and can create a visualization of life with the boat. Look at the pictures, review the specs, read the descriptions, (I''d say look at owner reviews but that would be a hard task right now on the 350). 

Does one boat present more of an "excitment" than the other to you? Go with it.. Don''t concern yourself with re-sale right now because if you move up or down (in terms of size) within 5-8 years, you will more than likely get what you paid or close to it on either boat. And you just might not want to ever part with it at all in which case who cares about re-sale? You are not just buying a boat, you are creating a life for yourself and your boat will be a big part of it. 

Let us know what you decide to do!!!
What ever it is, best of luck to you!


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

That was $25000 $2500


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## doubleplay (Nov 9, 2001)

Larry Levine,
As I said before go to Yachtworld.com and check the used 34 and 36 Catalina''s.
And remember actual sale prices will be at least %10 lower than what you see.
If you are willing to buy a Catalina at least dont make the mistake of paying more than you have to..
Regards..


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

My wife and I have been looking to purchase a new boat for quite a while and we finally put a deposit down on a 350 on Mother''s Day (I tried to convince her it was my gift to her but I don''t think she believes me!) <G>

I''ve read some of this message thread and I must confess that being an engineer at heart I analyzed and analyzed which boat would be best for us and in the end... despite my best intentions, we fell in love with the 350. Buying a new boat without any significant data to support it is not what I had planned on doing but when we saw the 350 it truly drew us in.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

has anyone received delivery of this boat yet?


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Well, we just traveled 16 hours to see hull #14 of a 350. Some thoughts:
We were hoping this would be the answer to our boat buying confusion, it wasn''t for us. As a 6''2" male I did love the headroom, everybit of the 6''9" they advertise. With that said there were a lot downsides for a person my size on this boat.
A. the forward bed was only 79" long and with my height I need to put the pillows at the end of the mattress to fit. The width dimension there was only 29" and flaired out to 41" 15" down (pillow depth). With this said NO WAY TWO HEADS FIT THERE! Not very useable for us. If you are shorter might work, but I would think you would have to be way less than 6'' to be comfortable.

B. Head was TINY and Shower compartment was even smaller. Over 6 feet and standing up to wash would be a challenge. You could sit and make it work.

C. Main Salon For a large boat 35''5" and 13'' beam the salon was meager. The head protrudes into a good part of the salon and the angled settee does not offer great seating capacity. Although we love the litte table for two concept, the forward seat is parallel two the head door and sort of feels out of the salon. Combine this with the smaller table on the starboard side as compared to the 36 Cat and it just seemed real small.

D. Nav Area: Adequate, a little disappointed that the radio, VHF backs were exposed to the inside of the tv area. It makes for easy access but also makes it susceptible to problems.

E. Galley: OK, the front loading frig is a real get on your knees to look for something. Not sold on this feature, it obviously has some advantages over top load but we think the downside might offset them. Good storage for food and supplies. Separate freezer a real plus, don''t understand why this isn''t incorporated into the entire line. Catalina should take a page from the hunter 356 and just separate the frig /freezer compartment and add a fan to blow cool into the frig. What a nice touch!!!

F. Aft Cabin 54" x 80" OK maybe the best place to sleep on this boat for us. But with this said, the exciting thing about this boat was the centerline berth forward. To sleep aft sort of defeats the purpose of buying this boat. There are TONS of boats with Athwartship perths. The Hunter 356 is a real queen size bed 60x80. Not mention the rest of the Catalina line.

G. Other: I didn''t like the door to the aft cabin, it is cut out at the bottom centerline area so it can clear the settee near the nav station. Very narrow to walk through.

H. Hull & Deck: The non skid was different from other catalina''s we saw, almost painted on. Not the molded in pattern that we are accustomed to seeing on a catalina.

Lot''s of FREEBOARD makes the boat look big, they obviously get that headroom from somewhere.

Storage in the cockpit was excellant. Deep lockers and lots of them. I really liked the shelves built into the starboard lazzorette. Catalina should incorporate this into the rest of the line especially the 380 aft locker.

Auto Pilot: Boat is listed at 13K for displacement (some Manufactureres ? this) but even if it is low by a ton well within the limits of a 4000 Autohelm (17.5k)or Wheelpilot 30 (19k). These should work well for most applications, coastal or inland. If going offshore a 6000 would be my call. With this all said the Diamond Series Pedastal WILL NOT ACCOMODATE either of these wheel pilots. This adds a lot to the cost of an autopilot if you so desire to have one installed. I spent hours trying to figure out a way to make it work, talked to edson B4 I saw the boat, on the phone with Simrad while standing on the boat and not confident either will or could work without a major modification. This was a REAL DOWNSIDE TO US since it added $3500 to the option.

Access to Hdwe: The liner did not allow as good access to fittings as say the 36. Most are buryied or difficult to reach with tools.

Conclusion: As you probably gathered the 350 wouldn''t work well for us, I am sure it will be great for others, but the downsides for such a LARGE 35'' boat were too great. There was a silver lining possibly out of our trip and that is that we also go to spend a lot of time in a 2003 36 and although it wasn''t perfect it may do what we are looking for at a much lower price tag than the 350. I looks like we may pursue that option this week.

Keep in mind this was one couples opinion, what we have learned from this entire buying expierence is that NO BOAT IS PERFECT. If we could only take the best features of a Catalina, Hunter, Beneteau and Jeanneau we might have a real GREAT PRODUCTION BOAT. Maybe one day someone will make that boat, but we need a boat NOW!!!!!


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

A couple thoughts here:
Alternatives:
You might look at the Hanse 371 or 341. Both look like neat boats on paper although I have yet to see one in the flesh. A couple other neat boats in this size range is the Beneteau First 36.7 and Dehler 36. 

Front loading ice boxes:
There are very good reasons that boats traditionally have top loading ice boxes. First of all when you open a front loader when heeled under way you either need large fiddles on the shelves or food will spill out. Either are real negatives. The other issue is loss of cold air. Compared to 110 volt shore units, boat refrigeration is comparatively low powered and needs all of the efficiency that it can get. When you open a front loader, large quantities of cold air pour out and so you need to rechill the compartment with almost each opening of the door. This greatly increases battery draw down over a top loader or shortens ice life. 

Vee berth:
I also agree with you about the forward cabin being the ideal main cabin on the hook. many sub 38 footers seem to be treating the aft cabin as the main cabinb, but aft cabins on an aft cockpit boat rarely have the ventilation potential of a forward cabin.

Jeff


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Jeff: We saw the Hanse last fall in Annapolis and it looked nice for the $$$ my concerns were two fold. Little US suport since new to this market and it was pretty stark by US stds.

The Dehler 37c which is out of Production might work for us, but again very few in the US and little support.

This again brings me back to the big three. They all have some ups and downs, the 356 has a decent interior but I can''t get my arms around the B&R Rig. The Beneteau is way two European for mine and my wifes tastes and the overall storage is better now than in years past, but WAY behind Hunter and Catalina. Look into any cabinet and there is not bottom just Hull, valves and hose. Where is the flat area to put something.
As for Catalina I still like the way they look at the dock, but Mr Butler is VERY SLOW to embrace changes to upgrade features as the market changes. The best example is the Frig in tne C36. Very large easily divided and made into a separate freezer and Refrig. Just go steel the way Hunter did it on the 1999-2000 H380. No change to the layout of the galley. In fact if we actually buy one I will make the mod myself.


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## Bluesmoods (Jul 8, 2001)

The Catalina 350 is working very well for two famililies with 4 kids. The kids are having a blast below or hanging out in the large cockpit. 
The forward cabin is where the kids sleep, the aft cabin and main salon is where the adults sleep. Lot''s of room for all.

Storage capacity is also great, Gear and harware are of very good quality and value. Lot''s of improvments since the C-36.

The boat is all around just a real comfortable crusing sailboat. 

I highly recommend it!


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I just found the review on the 350''s I had seen the 350 at the Boat Show in Miami Beach. Although, there were a few negative features to the boat, the positive aspects outweigh the negative by a great deal. I just recently sold my Catlina36 for almost the same price that I had purhased it 3 years ago. I am now waiting anxiuosly for my 350 which I purchased. 
P.S. The 36 is an excellent boat too!! It sails beautifully. I wanted to get a bigger boat but when I saw the 350 I decided to go with it. Good luck with whatever choice you make-You''ll be happy with either one.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Check out the new C&C 99. At 32 feet it is smaller than the 35 but is very well constructed and really big for a 32 footer. Plus the boat should really kick but. We currently have a C28. From everything I have heard the 350 seems much like the 31 and didn''t like the layout of that boat at all.


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## Bluesmoods (Jul 8, 2001)

I was looking at a Catalina 350. It is quite impressive. 

My question is, what does the 13'' beam do the tendency to capsize (in heavy conditions) formula? 

Isn''t there a point where a boat begins to resist capsize and that point becomes more dangerous the wider the beam and shallower the draft? Well, how is 4''6 on the wing keel and 13'' beam on a boat with an LOA of 35''3" and displacement of around 14,000 lbs?

Just curious. I do like the 350 quite a bit. It may just have my name on it soon. I do have a concern regarding design elements. 

Thanks much.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I purchased a C350 at Sail Expo with Tidewater Yachts in Havre deGrace Maryland. I could not have had a better experience with this dealer, or have made a better decision on the boat. The 350 has bigger and more winches than the Hunter 35. It has a standard windlass, reefer, real traveler, inboard stays, electric head, real mattresses on the bunks, a full stayed rig, two D batteries, a 135 v/s a 110 jib, bigger tanks, more hatches and opening ports, ST speed and depth standard. All the above and more was a option on the Hunter. Add a show discount and the C350 was a no brainer, needless to say once I saw the 350 I did not even go back to see the Hunter. This boat was my boat. Any questions e-mail me at [email protected] Ivana


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

We purchased our 350 (hull #26) in May and we expect delivery at the end of August. Certainly a long wait (even harder given it will be here at the end of summer) but I did get a chance to sail on hull #1 a few weeks ago. Overall, it sailed great... we had 15kts on the beam, 3-4ft waves and she seemed to sprint along nicely. We weren''t able to keep up with a Catlina 42 running next to us (obviously) but the 42 didn''t sprint away from us either. I was most impressed with her turning radius, very tight and quick to respond.

I agree with a lot of the comments I have read on this forum... mostly the thoughts that no boat is perfect and it is really a personal decision. We were seriously considering a 36 but felt that the salon layout on the 350 was roomier and would better suit our small children.


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## Bluesmoods (Jul 8, 2001)

ATTENTION C-350 OWNERS and OWNERS TO BE:

Starting an " Official" Owners association here....

Please e- mail me your contact information and hull number if you have it. 

Thanks

350 is a great boat all around. Good performer, nice living accomodation.. Well thought out.. 

Look forward to exchanging ideas and organizing various activities!

E-mail address: [email protected]


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

What first year Depreciation????
I bought a 2000 MKII at Miami boat show. My boat is worth dollar for dollar what I paid for it. How do I know. Because I had an offer from someone to purchase it. Sure I have added a few options to it, but what boat owner doesn''t? 

When we decided to by a 36MKII we looked all over and decided the $5k to $10k price difference in a 2-3 year old model was not worth the savings. At the marina where we picked up our boat there was a 2 year old boat for $8k less and was bare bones I got roller main, air conditioning etc.

If you want depreciation you are going to have to go back more than a year, try 5 years.

P.S. I was on the 35 at Miami show and all I can say I would have ordered that boat instead of mine if it was available.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Ok, you are not comparing apples to apples, a 350 should be compared to a 36, when in fact it is longer at the waterline than a 36 and a whole world away from a 34.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I would be interested to hear from any new 350 owners. Is it worth the price? Any second thoughts? Anything you would like to see changed by Catalina?


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## rjwright (Apr 1, 2002)

I''ll be happy to share my observations. I recently had the chance to see the new 350 side by side with a 36-II, along with my friend who has owned a 36-II. I''ll start by giving Catalina good marks for continuing to improve and evolve their designs. That and their popularity tells me they serve their market well. It was interesting to note that the price of <this> 350 was $13,000 more than the 36-II along side it. (Both were "loaded", i.e. air conditioning, autopilot, etc.) I didn''t take a hard look at the numbers because I was not a buyer...just a looker I think it is probably safe to say that the selling costs are sufficiently close enough that it comes down to which boat you prefer. To me, the major differences were:

The lines of the 350 are the obvious result of attempting to maximize interior space. The freeboard of the 350 is considerably greater than the 36, the cabin top is more pronounced and the foredeck has all but disappeared on the 350 relative to the 36-II.
The lines of the 350 were not unpleasant, but the 36-II looked much more aesthtically pleasing to me.

I immediately noted the hardware on the 350...Harken winches, properly sized, an anchor roller designed for two anchors (an improvement over the 36-II), an incredibly goofy setup whereby the furling line for the headsail meanders across the foredeck, up the cabintop and then back to the cockpit. Who thought that up? A real toe hanger in the wrong place. Most sailors have those lines running back along the toe rail for a reason...they are out of the way! I will give Catalina credit for the midship cleats on the 350 and the fact that they seem to have extended the jib tracks farther forward than on the 36-II. (More on this later).

The cockpit was generally well laid out. I personally prefer not having an enormous fixed cockpit table taking up all that room. I personally prefer the "fold them up when you need them" starboard cockpit tables, which attach to the pedestal guards. Not an option, here. The wheel on the 350 is smaller than the 36-II, which will undoubtedly make the cockpit more easily navigated, but is a trade-off for the helmsman. Locker space is very impressive and the propane locker has been upgraded and improved to hold two propane bottles. The only negative was the remarkably small and totally inadequate scupper drain size. What is up with that!

Down below is always a compromise, but Catalina has done an admirable job of making use of the space. I really don''t understand the need for 6''9" headroom, though. The forward cabin would barely be adequate for someone of my height to sleep in that peculiarly shaped v-berth. Why not let that thing extend all the way from side to side?
The main thing you are giving up in the 350 is the ability to sleep anyone in the "main cabin", as compared to the 36-II. The "nav station" seemed an afterthought, but the truth is the the average boat buyer would probably rather have a place for the TV/VCR, which the 350 has, than a nav station, which it does not. The electrical panels and system were impressive and well laid out.
Beyond that, the 350 seemed well laid out and comfortable.

All told, I like the 350. I would probably prefer the 36-II for a number of reasons. The nonskid issue (molded vs rolled/sprayed) doesn''t bother me. I am a little concerned by the freeboard, particularly given the average Catalina buyer''s odd preference for tall rigs, wing keels and carrying way too much headsail most of the time. (The jib tracks on the 36-II do not extend far enough forward to even allow a sailor to properly fly a small jib, and don''t even bother telling me that a mostly furled 150 light air sail is going to serve in heavy weather).
At least Catalina seems to have fixed that on the 350, although the fact the most Catalina owners never seem to notice such things says a lot about what they hold important in a boat.

Oh, one last thing Deck stepped mast (350) or keel stepped mast (36-II). Both are nice boats and I commend Catalina for their continued success in building boats that are popular and successful.

Randy


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Randy some interesting observations, if you read my review of 2 months ago we seem to have the same take on the 350. This past weekend I got a chance to look at it again at a local in the water boat show. My feelings have not changed substantially since our first walk through in July. Nice boat but not for us, the forward cabin which has the Centerline berth will NOT FIT 2 People unless they are having sex on top of each other, not a bad thing except at my age 50''s I couldn''t DO IT for 8 hours every night. I too believe the main salon is pretty stark but what I dislike the most was the fact that the forward starboard seat is out of the salon and parallel to the head door.

With this said there where some things we really liked about the boat over the 36II. For starters the aft cabin is useable and the separate freezer are nice improvements over the 36.

As for cost the 350 is WAY MORE EXPENSIVE when you get down to it. A couple of reasons, the list for the base boat is 3-4K more because it comes with some more stuff, electric head,up down windlass etc, secondly the options are more expensive on it. Although you could use a wheel pilot on it the diamond pedestal won''t allow it so the cost goes from a $750 DIY project to a 5K below deck unit. Lastly, it is in demand right now since there are only so many out there to buy, why discount?

It really boils down to what you are looking for, I am sure for some the 350 is the way to do, for others not. My feeling if I am going to spend 150K it won''t be on a 350 catalina, we would look elsewhere, maybe used.

A thought on your statement on Catalina always looking to upgrade their designs. I can''t agree with that statement at all. Catalina has always been a conservativly run operation. Designs change slowly (maybe a good thing since boats are around for a long time)but my real concern is that upgrades take forever to happen. An excellant example is in the galley. Recently the trend in new boat interior design has been to add a separate freezer. Not a big deal you would think, but Catalina refuses to make a simple design change to the galley to incorporate this improvement. Crusiers are always looking for storage and this could be added to many Catalina''s without hull or interior liner changes but in most cases hasn''t happened. Catalina/Hunter/Beneteau always taught the fact that they listen to their customers and make changes. Here''s and idea, why not talk to people who didn''t buy their boats and find out why and what features they were looking for that led them to a competitor.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Not even a contest The 350 wins hands down


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

from what we have seen it is a solid boat


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Here are more comments if you are still condidreing this boat


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## Denr (Feb 7, 2001)

Just last week I had a chance to get up close and personal with the 350 but did not go into the cabin. I''ve finally figured out the appeal of this boat, it doesn''t need sails! It has so much freeboard; the whole boat is a sail! It truly looks like a Bayliner with a mast. Such a tiny little wheel, the skipper would need a crew member to sit near the rail to tell the helmsman when the head sail is in trim, the person at the wheel could never see the tell tales. This boat may have a lot of desirable features in the cabin but then again, so do many trawlers. She''s not easy on the eyes, a real marina queen.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Denr,
Thank you.

Dennis


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

You could take the one fifty K and buy a Sabre thirty-eight mark one in showroom condition and still have money left over for every conceivable electronic gadget out there.And build quality? THIS is build quality.

Dennis


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

larry levine , denr and windship. Well its nice that you are all the same people and speaking for each other in all your posts. Verbatim and word for word. Do you all get together and do these circle jerks often?


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

yes they do


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

[No message]


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## Denr (Feb 7, 2001)

windshipduo

You are a man of few words.


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