# Catalina 38 S&S vs Ericson 38-200



## mariopoli (Feb 16, 2012)

I have an opportunity to buy a 1979 Catalina 38 (wine glass hull) or an Ericson 38-200 that is 9 years newer. Assuming each boat is in the same condition is there a great difference between these boats? The Ericson has a wider stern allowing a small state room in the aft while the Catalina has a 1/4 berth. The Catalina has a totally redone interior with wood sole and wood walls. I plan to do coastal sailing from Los Angeles down the baja coast and down into central America.


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## creedence623 (Mar 8, 2006)

The Catalina 38 was just named one of the best "budget" world cruisers by Lynn Pardey in a recent edition of Cruising Word. I don't know much about the Ericson, and I'm sure someone will come along to comment on it; but that's a pretty solid recomendation for the C38. 

It's also got pretty good lines/ classic styling.


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## mariopoli (Feb 16, 2012)

The C38 I want to buy has a tiller. Will this be a problem? I don't understand the fascination with wheels on small (less then 40 ft boats) in this country.


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## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

The Ericson is a different class of boat from the Catalina, being better finished and designed, and would typically be selling for 2-3 times as much as a Catalina 38. If they are in similar condition, I cannot understand that they might be in the same price ballpark.

If you can afford an Ericson 38-200, go for it, they are a beautiful boat. Otherwise, the Catalina 38 is not bad, especially consider the usual mid-$20K asking prices.

That said, a 38 with a tiller is a bastard child, and should be being offered at quite a cut below other Catalina 38s. I would expect that after hanging onto that tiller for an hour upwind you would be ready for a nap, or a different boat.


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## mariopoli (Feb 16, 2012)

The Ericson 38-200 I saw costs double the Catalina 38 in price. What is unique about this boat with a tiller that makes it so much work to handle?


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## olson34 (Oct 13, 2000)

mariopoli said:


> The Ericson 38-200 I saw costs double the Catalina 38 in price. What is unique about this boat with a tiller that makes it so much work to handle?


It's an S&S design. It should sail fine with a tiller. By the late 70's, though, most builders had discovered that inexperienced sailors liked wheels because their cars had them. This drove up the cost of the boats, but they sold. Only time you'd miss the wheel is if you were driving off the wind and getting whacked by a following sea.... a wheel gives you a lot more purchase over the rudder movement.

Nowadays it's rare to find tillers on new boats, unless they are built for a performance market.

As to price, the Ericson is built differently than the Cat 38, with a stronger hull to deck joint and a full-on teak interior.

One thing you need to do is talk to your surveyor about the differences in these (and many other) brands. There are huge construction and design differences. All boats with sails are not the same.

Then, there's the design era. The Cat 38 hull came from the older Yankee 38. Catalina put on a new deck and interior. Nowadays it's considered a lot of boat for the money, even a typical one with a wheel. It's an early and fairly sucessful IOR design, with all the plusses and minuses that go with that.

The Ericson 38 hull, although designed in '79, was not designed to the limits of the IOR, and is much beter-mannered than most that were. That same hull, through several interior and deck upgrades, stayed in production until 1994 or later, when Pacific Seacraft built a run of them.

Happy shopping,
L


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## mikel1 (Oct 19, 2008)

Ask over at ericsonyachts.org they are all knowing . . .and friendly! The Catalina is more Chevy, the Ericson more Mercedes IMO


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## L124C (Oct 4, 2007)

*Survey says.....Ericson!*



mikel1 said:


> Ask over at ericsonyachts.org they are all knowing . . .and friendly! The Catalina is more Chevy, the Ericson more Mercedes IMO


Yeah...Ask the Ericson Owners group which boat you should buy. If they tell you the Catalina, you could knock me over with a feather!:laugher 
Seriously, the owners group is exceptional and yet another reason I sometimes wish I had and Ericson. Regarding the tiller: If the boat is balanced with it, you would have a lot more feel for the performance of the boat. However, on a 38 foot boat, I wouldn't buy it without a sea trial in some serious wind! 
I was crewing on an Ericson 38 in about 20 Knots when we lost the wheel steering (about 200 feet off of Alcatraz, aka, The Rock!). We sailed home with the E tiller and it sometimes took two stocky guys on the tiller to control the boat! 20 Knots is moderate wind for the SF Bay, so......


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## mariopoli (Feb 16, 2012)

Thanks all especially Olson34. The C38 sold today. It went into a bidding war and I backed out.


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## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

mariopoli said:


> The Ericson 38-200 I saw costs double the Catalina 38 in price. What is unique about this boat with a tiller that makes it so much work to handle?


What's unique would be that there must be very few 38 foot boats built even in the '70s or '80s delivered with a tiller, so maybe this one would one in a hundred.

The only boats in the mid to high 30 feet I know of are race-only boats, where the buyer felt the sensitivity and responsiveness was worth the pain, and besides, there is usually a big crew to share the fun.

If you don't appreciate why a tiller on 38 foot cruiser is a bad idea, then you just would need an hour or two hanging on to one in a breeze to get it.


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