Catalina Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997
 
 
 

Review of the Catalina 42MKII by Ernie April

Year built 1998  
Location of boat Stamford, CT  
The boat is sailed on Bays, sounds, or protected salt water  
How the boat is used Weekends and longer  
Normal wind strength 16-22 knots  
Average size of crew 2-4  
Liveaboard? No  
Owner bought the boat in 1998  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Definately, Yes.  
Gear that's been added 1. 250' of all-chain rode. What a difference and with no noticable effect on trim. 2. Autoprop. Its 1.2 kts faster at 1800 rpm, 0.5 kts faster at 2800 rpm, top speed still 7.5 kts 3800 rpm. More efficient fuel use at less than max speed. Prop feathers to give about 0.5 kt boost sailing less than hull speed. 3. Usual electronic Autohelm ST50 upgrades - Wind, GPS, Radar. ST6000 Autohelm autopilot. 4. Half dozen Hela fans on a fan circuit help.  
Structural or complex improvements 1. Added second reef lines. 2. Will add Garhauer line control genoa blocks.  
The boat's best features An absolutely terrific boat. Dutchman and slab reeefing nice touches. Cockpit layout and comfort the best of any boat its size.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. Restrainer tabs on drawers do not withstand heavy use. Shower drain lines can collapse while sump being emptied. Sink drains can be slow. Aft head holding tank thru-hull inconvenient to reach (changed on newer MK II's).  
Sailing characterisitcs Has a definite  
Motoring characterisitcs Handles well under power. Cuts through chop easily without hobby-horsing. Strong tendency to back to port largely corrected by Autoprop upgrade.  
Liveability 1. Pluses: Extermely comfortable. Three-cabin model provides ample room for two teenagers. Owners quarters forward of the mast are very comfortable with pullman berth and generous head in the forepeak. Salon extremely comfortable, well laid out with stbd galley, airy with lots of light and ventillation. Wonderful storage space in the owners quarters. 2. Minuses: MK II's could use the dorade vents of the MK I's. The airyness was achieved by pushing everything back to the hull as much as possible, resulting in loss of potential storage space. Storage space beneath the settees is not especially convenient. Storage space in the quarter staterooms is minimal.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any Coney's Marine (Huntington, LI, NY) is a terrific dealer. A true family operation. They graciously go the extra steps to make buying and commissioning a pleasure.  
Other comments 1. Very little has gone wrong on the boat. It has been essentially trouble free and an absolute pleasure. 2.The fact that there are very few MK II's on the used-boat lists says a lot. Except for the early MK I's, there is very little turnover. Also, these boats tend to retain value, generally selling for about the original purchase price.  

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