Catalina Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Catalina 30 by Bob Camarena

Year built	1981
Location of boat	Stockton, CA
The boat is sailed on	Rivers
How the boat is used	Day sailing
Normal wind strength	10-15 knots
Average size of crew	2-4
Liveaboard?	No
Owner bought the boat in	1995
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	Yes
Gear that's been added	Autohelm 6000
Structural or complex improvements	Installed LPG system w/tank, enclosure, solenoid, alarms, stove w/oven which has made week-ending much more enjoyable than with the original alcohol stove. Although I didn't add it, the boat has a custom built Soling type self-tending jib that is indispensable in river delta sailing. It also makes the boat easy to singlehand.
The boat's best features	Clearly the roominess has to be number one. I'd also highly rate the value:cost ratio. The boat handles very well.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	No significant problems, some blistering but nothing that couldn't be simply repaired. I wish that Catalina hadn't cut some of the corners they did such as the glassed-in pipes instead of proper through-hulls and seacocks. I find the stock mainsheet setup slow and difficult to trim properly.
Sailing characterisitcs	Handles very well in a variety of wind and sea conditions. We sail mostly in the SF Bay Delta in freshwater river conditions but also periodically take it to SF Bay. It performs well in both environments.
Motoring characterisitcs	I have the 11 Hp Diesel which is a little underpowered with a headwind and/or opposing current but can cruise @6.0 knots in flat water with a 2-blade prop. It hasn't been as underpowered as I'd been led to believe. Our trips to the SF Bay are about 72 miles each way. The trip to the Bay is mostly upwind with a lot of motoring.
Liveability	This, in my opinion, is where the C-30 excells. We spend many weekends on it in the Delta and Bay.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any
Other comments	A great choice for those who want a comfortable, livable boat that sails well in a wide range of conditions.

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