Catalina Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Catalina 50 by IStream

Year built	1993
Location of boat	Seattle
The boat is sailed on	Bays, sounds, or protected salt water
How the boat is used	Multi-week coastal cruising
Normal wind strength	10-15 knots
Average size of crew	2-4
Liveaboard?	No
Owner bought the boat in	2012
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	Yes.
Gear that's been added	Solar panels, asymmetric spinnaker.
Structural or complex improvements
The boat's best features	Stiff, fast, good in light air, easy motion, well-built, plenty of space in the cockpit as well as belowdecks.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	Too many through-hulls (25 with the four-cabin configuration). Getting around the wheel to the swim step is awkward
Sailing characterisitcs	Neutral helm is easy to achieve with a 120% genoa and a fully battened main. The 44 waterline allows 9-10kt speed on a regular basis. Good upwind in light air but requires an asymmetric spinnaker downwind in winds below 7kts.
Motoring characterisitcs	Helm is very responsive in both forward and reverse thanks to a large rudder placed well aft. A bow thruster is helpful in tight marinas.
Liveability	Fantastic. Typically heels <20 degrees even when overpowered. Motion is easy even in heavy seas. Galley is spacious but secure. Salon comfortably seats 5 for meals and socializing. Cockpit is huge.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any
Other comments	The build quality is much higher than other Catalina models of the era. The hull to deck joint is very solid, the standing rig is stout, the hatches are suitable for blue water, the rudder is hung from a partial skeg, the ballast to displacement ratio is high, etc. Bottom line, this boat can cross oceans without issue. Most C50s were in charter service but have since become private craft. Anyone considering a C42, C425, or C445 should take a look at a C50.

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