Catalina Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Catalina 380 by Chris and Maureen Jacobsen

Year built	1996
Location of boat	Portsmouth, VA
The boat is sailed on	Bays, sounds, or protected salt water
How the boat is used	Day sailing
Normal wind strength	23-30 knots
Average size of crew	2-4
Liveaboard?	No
Owner bought the boat in	2007
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	Definitely. My wife and I looked at the new 387, but after looking at the features of the 380, and the fact that they could be had at half the price of a new boat, we decided to go with the 380. The more I work on the boat and sail her, the more impressed I am by Catalina's engineering, and the ease of maintenance.With some of the design features noted below, I think I would buy a used 380 over a new 387 even if I had the money for the new boat.
Gear that's been added	None. Boat had a lot of gear when purchased (autohelm, wind instruments, speed, depth, GPS, stereo, refrigeration, new canvas).Most of the access panels (like the top of the reefer, tha anchor locker and the storage on the sides of the aft berth) just sit in their recess by gravity. If this boat were hit with a large wave in the ocean, and rolled greater than 90 degrees, there would be a lot of flying objects. Owners should consider putting latches on ALL of the access panels.
Structural or complex improvements	2 Mermaid AC/rev cycle units (12K and 5.2K). System works great in winter and summer. Other than that, boat had a lot of features when we purchased her.Also, placed deckplate covers on the tops of the seats (under the cushion) in the aft cabin to utilize the storage volume beneath them.
The boat's best features	Sailing ability and stability in moderate to heavy conditions. Roominess and storage. Heavy construction (boat is built like a tank - not an Island Packet, but pretty close). Oversized fittings for the running gear. Dutchman flaking system. Clean-uncluttered decks. Ease of maintenance. I also like the dedicated nav desk and chair on this model, it is much larger than on newer models (I am unsure why CATALINA is making the nav desk an afterthought in the new models). Also, I bought the deep keel for performance, and she really points exceptionally well upwind. The sink in the vberth is a nice feature. The dinette area is larger on this boat than the newer 387.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	The attachment point of the mainsheet blocks to the boom (Z-spar). If you have a heavy-handed jibe, the fittings can (and have) pop off the boom. Also, this boat needs a LARGER FUEL tank (at least 40 to 50 gallons). The early 380s like mine only had 26 gallons. Water capacity and holding tank capacities are reasonable though.Previous two owners kept meticulous care of her, and other than probably needing new standing rigging and sials in the next 5 or 6 years, she is almost like new.
Sailing characterisitcs	Boat sails well, especially in heavier winds. This is a very easy boat to sail singlehanded or with just 2 people. Sail balance becomes a major factor above 20Kt winds, as she has a good bit of weather helm in those wind regions.Boat points very well, and tracks straight. Boat is not twitchy or tender - a joy sto sail. Winds less than 5 kts are not so much fun.
Motoring characterisitcs	Westerbeke 42B had only 258 hours (not even broken in) when I purchased the ten year old boat. Engine is strong, and does a good job moving the 19000# through the water. Boat backs with very little prop walk (which is good), but backing into a slip is still challenging.
Liveability	Excellent. I lived on a much smaller boat (a 1972 Cape Coral 38) for two years while I was single, and this is a palace compared to that. Also, with my wife and kids, the boat gives plenty of room for all to enjoy themselves without stepping over each other.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)	Excellent. I have bought several replacement parts, and they still manufacture them. It is like going to the car dealership parts center - they have everything, even sails, and the prices are not all that bad.
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any	Broker did a good job although it was not his primary job. The buying experience was a good one for all involved.
Other comments	Awesome sailboat. However, to CATALINA and Gerry Douglas, I noticed that the newer boats (350 and 375) are getting wider at the beam with smaller nav stations. The 380 and 387 are comparatively narrow at 12'4" beam (which is better for seakeeping). Also, the nav station in this 380 is much better than the newer offerings. Please consider that these are sea boats, and there are a lot of us out here who want a boat that can handle the open ocean, but do not want to fork over $300K for a 47 footer. For anyone considering the competition, like the Hunter 38, sail each boat in various sea and wind conditions, and the winner will be clear. You can't go wrong with the Catalina.

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