# Catalina 310



## greatwhiteway (Mar 6, 2002)

My wife and I have been doing our homework,
and are giving some serious thought to buying a Catalina 310 in Sept. at the Newport boat show. But I''m hearing alot of negative stories about Mr. Frank Butler,and
the Catalina Boat it self. Anything positive 
out there about my decision.
(WHAT DO YOU THING MR. JEFF)


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

I guess the first question is why someone would buy a new boat. Boats like the Catalina 310 are constructed in large numbers and are generally available a year or two old for far less than they cost to purchase and equip. (They may not seem that way since you rarely see the cost to equip one.)The nice thing about a couple year old used boat is that it has had sufficient use that any built-in defects should show so that you can know whether or not boat is a lemon before you spend your good hard cash. Also someone else has experienced the pain and expense of outfitting a boat and dealing with a warrantee and then having depreciation on top of that. 

I have spent a lot of time on Catalinas in the past couple years. To me Catalina is like a Chevy sedan. A lot are sold and most of the people who buy them are served well for their needs. They offer nothing special but do offer good basic transportation if that is all that one needs. My general sense is that Catalinas are no better constructed than the other two large boat builders, Hunter and Beneteau and do not seem as well finished and detailed as these other two. Of the three, I particularly prefer Beneteau which seems to do a slighty better job, especially with their ''First'' series. 

I have spoken to Frank Butler a number of times and he seems to genuinely want to produce a product that offers a good value, meaning a lot of boat for the dollar. 

The one real negative that I keep hearing over and over again from people who have purchased Catalinas, deals with warrantee problems. While buyers of new boats from the other two companies have mentioned items covered under warrantee (with Beneteau buyers being especially positive about the warrantee service that Beneteau has supplied), I have have heard near unanimous complaints from Catalina buyers about Catalina not standing behind (sometimes extensive) warrantee claims. Some of these horror stories have left me feeling that even if Catalina''s boats are probably OK, I would be concerned buying even a used Catalina for fear that a dealer in the absense of the kind of factory support that Catalina should be supplying, cobled something together on the cheap in order to serve a customer that Catalina would not service. (Two separate Catalina owners told me of just that happening.)

As I ususaully do when I discuss the issue, I would certainly love to hear that I am wrong on this and so am asking Catalina Buyers with positive Catalina warrantee experiences to talk about their experiences. 

Respectfully,

Jeff


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## tsenator (Nov 6, 2000)

Greatwhiteway,

In general I agree with Jeff on a few points, I think the "Frank Butler" experience can be blown out of proportion, but there is validity to it, but I beleive if you have a good dealer (as is the one I have heard of up in RI, I think they are called Eastern Yachts sales) then they will take care of any issues with the factory for you. I think the real issue is that there is only 1 Frank Butler and all warranty issue must go through him. Well that is ok when its a small boat manufacturer, but when you make as many boats as Catalina does then one person is not going to work and it doesn''t scale as well as it should. I have seen this happen to Business''s and Corporations that went from being Small companies to Large. With that said I think it will be a rarity that you will have a problem with that and I have heard of MANY positive experience. Usually the most vocal ones (maybe like Jeff has heard from) are the ones that are most negative, they make it a point to tell everyone they meet when they are not happy. It is still a very small percentage of the total boat buyers. 

As far as the boats go, I think Catalina''s have moved from being Chevy''s to Buicks. I agree with Jeff and think Beneteau''s have very nice workmanship below, but something about their layouts are never quite what I like, its as if something is always missing. If I had to pick another boat I would lean towards one of the bigger Beneteaus...(I think they set them up better than the smaller Beneteaus) and I would want a lead keel. I think the Hunters have set up their boats to be very comodious for the dockside, but I think they do it at the expense of adding alot of freeboard and windage to the boat, which is not the best thing. Plus with all the different shaped windows at all angles on the sides of Hunters, I think they are not good looking (obviously a personal opinion). But I also think Hunter cheaps out on not so obvious but very important things. Take the Bilge pumps for instance. I was on a new Hunter 356 at the boat show and all they have is very tiny undersized bilge pump. Not a big deal, but I think Catalina does a very good job of putting the money into the relatively important parts of the boat and not into the "frills". I do not worry about the important systems on the Catalina boats (Hull, Keel - which was always lead and only now does Hunter and Beneteau as an option, standing rigging, etc, etc). I personally think you get more boat (not just teak woodwork below - but solid - what really matters parts of the boat) for the money than both Hunter and Beneteau....Most things are included on the price of the Catalina''s that are not always included with Hunters or Beneteaus.....Like Windlass, all winches included, even on the coach roof, refrigeration, etc, etc.......

I would join the Catalina email List (right here on Sailnet at http://members.sailnet.com/email_lists/index.cfm ) ask the same questions. They will tell it like it is....pro''s and cons. Also ask a lot of questions about the dealer you would probably buy from (eliminating the "Frank" factor)........Also the Catalina owners groups throughout the country are *very* active, strong and supportive, which is helpful, especially when you have issues with your boat (I have even seen things done by the factory because of these groups). Whether you like Catalina or not, they DO listen to their boat owners and make changes on their input. Another thing to remember, a lot of Catalina''s hold their value much better than other boats. In fact there are some boats that they have made that sell for just about what they sold for new....not the sole reason to buy a boat, but its something to think about, if/when, you think about moving up to a different boat.

All in all I am *sure* you will be happy with the Cat 310 (alot of people/couples like that boat) and just make sure you have a good dealer to work with.

Tom
Good luck


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## MagicIII (Jun 19, 2002)

I have owned two Catalinas. First a c-30 that I bought back in 1980. So it was a Chevy. But I passed many boats. Many with B''s, H''s, T''s and you name it. Costing many thousands more. The C-30 Chevy is and was a classic. Great sailer. And roomy interior. And can be purchased on the market for very reasonable prices. 

I got a New C-36 a year couple years ago. Why? There were and are in such demand that the nearest boat on the market was 2000 miles away. The good ones were gone in a couple weeks. 

Dealer and warranty service. I purchased the boat at Hellier Yachts and during the warranty period they were just a phone call away. Problems were taken care of within days. After the warranty period expired I discoverd a void in the cockpit. The Reeds a traveling husband wife team in a RV working exclusively for Catalina fixed it and it is undistinguishable where the repair was made. All covered under warranty as Butler gives us a little slack her in the North east because of the short season. 

Warranty service has been excellent. And how does she sail? A great cruiser but in my second season I won 4 pieces of silver in Canvass PHRF races. If I can get my two sons together for crew (lately I am crew) we can do some damage. I have the wing keel not supposed to be great for racing. Doesn''t point as high but she likes to do screeming reaches. 

New or used? Most of us can now sell our boats for what we paid for her or maybe even a little more. But the previous writer is correct. A recent boat used is a good buy if you can find one.

The C-31? She looks fast and great lines. She looks like a great boat. Great for a young couple or for older empty nesters. And she looks like should could race well.

Bill


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## Sailormon6 (May 9, 2002)

Catalina has designed and built some of the most successful coastal cruisers in history, including the C-22, 25, 27 and 30, and they developed their market without any advertising whatsoever. They trusted that if they offered a product that was a good value, then people would hear about it by word of mouth, from other owners. Using that philosophy, they sold huge numbers of boats. Characteristically, they sail as well as, or better than, similarly sized coastal cruisers. They offer spacious, comfortable interiors, and they represent a good value. If you see a lot of Catalinas on the market, it is because they have built so many boats, and because the boats have performed and held up well. 

Catalina has, for many years, enjoyed extraordinary owner loyalty, notwithstanding the anecdotal opinions of a few people on warranty issues.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

While I somewhat agree with most of what you say, I strongly disagree with "developed their market without any advertising whatsoever". They''ve advertised as hard as the rest for as long as I remember. If you doubt that look inside the cover pages one and two of the current ''Sail'' magazine.

Jeff


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## tsenator (Nov 6, 2000)

Yeah, I''ve noticed that Catalina has been been advertising alot over the past few years, especially recently. Maybe a while ago, in the first half of their history they didn''t really advertise and for a while they did very little if any advertising....but not now. Personally, I don''t know how anyone can compete without at least some advertising.


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## Sailormon6 (May 9, 2002)

The first advertising I ever saw from Catalina was after they bought out Morgan Yachts. Before that, Catalina never advertised in sailing magazines, even to the extent of not putting a little ad in the classifieds, in the back of the sailing magazines. For that reason, Catalina was totally ignored by the sailing magazines for years. Look in your old magazines, 10-15 years back.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Jeff, don''t discourage people from buying new boats. In fact, the more, the merrier.

We''ll just buy their boats a few years from now, greatly discounted. Somebody''s got to buy them so we can keep the inventory of later model used boats well stocked.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Jeff, don''t discourage people from buying new boats. In fact, the more, the merrier.

We''ll just buy their boats a few years from now, greatly discounted. Somebody''s got to buy them so we can keep the inventory of later model used boats well stocked.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Jeff, don''t discourage people from buying new boats. In fact, the more, the merrier.

We''ll just buy their boats a few years from now, greatly discounted. Somebody''s got to buy them so we can keep the inventory of later model used boats well stocked.


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## wkw (Nov 3, 2017)

My thoughts on this following answer: "My general sense is that Catalinas are no better constructed than the other two large boat builders, Hunter and Beneteau and do not seem as well finished and detailed as these other two. Of the three, I particularly prefer Beneteau which seems to do a slighty better job, especially with their ''First'' series." 

HUNTER: After multiple hours researching Hunter ( I love the look and modern design ) and reading several complaints from owners...even the ones in the honeymoon stage expressed concerns and regret with mystery leaks and questionable build and design and that B&G rig. Now, to add to the list of woes for hunter is the composite rudder post that shears off at the hull leaving you rudder-less. This was a rare occurrence in hard conditions but now that these Hunters are getting older (15+ years old) I'm hearing more about it in average sailing conditions....and besides the huge headache, you will need to pay over $10,000 USD to replace/repair. Note: Catalina interiors use solid wood in place of glued vinyl and laminates Hunter depends on for cost control. 

Beneteau: Ooohhhh how I wanted this to work out. My experiences here are with the B331 and B321 and a walk on of a few other models... I wanted to see if they were built more robust than the B331 and the B321. I love love love that Beneteau Bulb shoal keel over Catalina's wing keel (I'm looking at shoal draft boats) Also, Beneteau has a very attractive interior and the B321 has an amazing aft cabin which is better than the Catalina 320's and even better than the B331's. My first Beneteau to look over was the B321. Everything about the design and interior was really nice...including the nice 27 hp Yanmar on such a light boat! This was the end of the good. The keel joint was sloppy, the standing rigging is fastened to the boat with highly inferior fasteners...the back stays are fastened with cheap "U"bolts, the upper and lower side stays are sharing one rod fastened to the hull! I thought this was fine if I continue to be a fair weather day sailor. What really turned me off was all deck hardware was inferior. The Stanchions, pulpit and stern rails were extremely weak and could be flexed back and forth pushing on them...Finally, the Gel coat! on both the 321 and the 331, the gel coat on deck and cockpit looks like the boat is 75 years old...I say 75 years old because my O'day 22 and O'day 272 were over 30 years old showed no signs of gel cracks like the B331, B321 and all the other newer Beneteau's I walked on. As for the Beneteau 331, the deck hardware and fasteners were more robust the the 321 but now way in hell should this boat be rated bluewater. What the F' are you thinking France! Again, what's turning me off tho the B331 is the excessive gel cracks and the structural grid pan. The few B331's I looked at showed cracks inside the bilge where the keel attaches to the hull. One Broker confessed that his B331 must of had a hard grounding. The structural grid will cost at least $20,000 USD to repair! 

Catalina: I always thought they were over rated. Never liked the look of the older 30+ year old Catalinas. Comparing my O'day272 to the Catalina 27 ...I felt my O'day had a much better interior and the exterior looked to be better designed. I got tired of hearing Catalina this or Catalina that....I thought over rated, over priced and not so great looking...and how the owners considered that catalina smile as no big deal! Anyway, I have come around a bit after comparing the newer Catalina's to newer Beneteau and Hunter. Catalina is far superior....from the Keel to the top of the mast Catalina has them beat...no contest. Hardware, robust build and design. So, unfortunately for me I have to shop around for an over priced Catalina. Over priced because the owners rate them very well and it spills over to resale value for the demand. Even NADA rates them very well. Have you seen how NADA rates a used Hunter! most likely $10,000+ less than you paid for it! I looked at a 2004 Catalina 320 that was abused with hull scratches and an overly used interior. I thought maybe I would consider it as a back up plan if I couldn't find another. That thing sold in dead winter with 2 feet of snow on it.


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## Scotty C-M (Aug 14, 2013)

Please take my comments with a grain of salt because I am one of those satisfied-I've-owned-a-lot-of-Catalinas guys.


Used or new? Since I've never had enough money to buy a new boat, I'm not the guy to answer this question. I know that if you are looking after dollars (as I do) with all the used boats available, I can get a lot of boat, and a lot of gear, in the used boat market. In my family we've bought (over the years) Catalina 22, 27s, 30s, 34, 36, 380 and 400. Never a new one. However, sure do like that new boat smell. I've been in a lot of user groups, and heard some bad warrantee stories, but also a lot of good stories. I've talked with people at the Catalina factory a few times for advice or parts, and was always favorably satisfied. Our local Catalina dealership (Farallone Yachts in Alemeda, CA) is excellent.

What sets Catalinas apart from Benes, Hunters, and Jeneau's for me is really the styling of the boat. You will see that the Catalina is really different than the others. I think that the Catalina have more of an old fashioned feel. I love the woodwork inside the boats from a style perspective, but also from a quality point of view. Having been a high school woodshop teacher, I have some experience in that area. The wood is well matched, the joinery is well done, and the mechanical systems are well laid out and perform well. Is the Catalina a Chevy? I don't know. I know that Chevrolet makes a hell of a good car. A lot depends on the model. The same is true of boats in general. Catalina makes a hell of a good boat. Some models are better than others, although I think a more accureate statement is that different models are designed for different purposes.

In structural issues, I think that the gear on the Catalinas are in general robust, while that has not always been the case in some models of the other production boats, particularly in the more recent smaller (< 30') models. I base this on my observations of boat show models, and just hanging around. From going aboard many boats, I have a suspicion that the Catalinas are as strong as, or stronger in some cases, that other production boats of similar sizes. 

I think that the entry of the hull shape allow Catalinas, as a generalized statement, to not bash as much when heading into waves. I wonder if others have thought this to be true (or not)? I base this on personal observation, but I don't have enough comparisons to make this a strong statement. Any opinions?

So about the 310, specifically. I have some friends that own 310s. They love the boat. For a weekend or short vacation cruiser they are comfortable, sail well and are safe. That's a good combination. They make a great bay sailor, or short coastal cruiser. For longer passages, they might not be my first pick. I personally look at expected uses when I think about a boat. They don't have a lot of wood on the outside. Some people don't like that. I do. Some people don't like the styling. I can see why, but I like the style, mostly because they are hell-a efficient for a boat that size. For a person, or family, looking for this type of boat, the Catalina 310 is spectacular - If it rings your bell! I am partial to the 320 because I think that you get a bit more for your buck, but that's just me. It's a bit bigger, a bit more robust, and yes, a bit more money. The 310 is still a great boat. When all is said and done, once all the practical boxes have been checked off, it's an emotional decision. The Catalina 310 checks off a lot of important boxes, so the question is ... Do ya feel lucky, Punk? Well, Do ya? (insert, Clint Eastwood emoji.)


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## Dfok (Apr 11, 2010)

greatwhiteway said:


> My wife and I have been doing our homework,
> and are giving some serious thought to buying a Catalina 310 in Sept. at the Newport boat show. But I''m hearing alot of negative stories about Mr. Frank Butler,and
> the Catalina Boat it self. Anything positive
> out there about my decision.
> (WHAT DO YOU THING MR. JEFF)


This thread began and ended over three days in 2002 (until five hours ago). The original poster has not been active since 2006.
Lots of miles sailed on Catalinas of every stripe in the 16 years since the original question. 
Frank Butler and Catalina continue to make boats that plenty of sailors want to buy (new or used) and enjoy.
One positive thing regarding the OPs decision - that 310 thing worked out pretty good, hindsight being 20-20 I'd say go for it...


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## chuck53 (Oct 13, 2009)

Yes, a lot happens in 16 years.
We bought 3 boats after this thread was started.


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## Marilyn Kaye (Apr 9, 2021)

Good Morning or Evening Catalina 310 owners, I own Hull #236 and she is on the east coast of Australia, i love the boat and have had it out in various sea conditions, she has handled it wonderfully, sure we have had a few problems like water in the bilge, a leaky fuel tank but with anything that moves and is twisted the way sail boats are i can accept this, you just have find the problem and repair it. would i purchase another Catalina! you bet i would in a heart beat. i love my boat so much i have started up a fb page called Catalina Yachts Australia. I hope you all have as much fun sailing your boat as much as I love sailing Marilyn Kaye.


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