Catalina Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Catalina 42 by Dr. Allen Kent

Year built	1998
Location of boat	Long Beach, CA
The boat is sailed on	Open ocean
How the boat is used	Multi-week coastal cruising
Normal wind strength	23-30 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?	Without a doubt! This boat is the best boat for the money currently built. I have had the opportunity to sail in all kinds of water in all kinds of weather and it is the best performance/cruiser being built any where close to the cost. This is my seventh boat over all and my third consecutive Catalina. I have no doubt that it is strong, reliable, and a great performing yacht.
Gear that's been added	I have added:radar, electric anchor winch, vhf, gps, autopilot, two 35# Bruce anchors, 300' anchor chain, dodger, bimini, and wind screens.
Structural or complex improvements	I have added teak shelving in the forward stateroom for books, and video's. I also use the reinforced shelf for an additional emergency exit forward.
The boat's best features	Performance and reliability. In addition to my own boat, (Pair A Dox) # 651, I have chartered Catalina 42's in both the South Pacific, the Caribbean, the Mediterranian, and in Alaska. I have sailed my own boat from Seattle to San Francisco and then from San Francisco to Los Angeles. I have raced my boat from Newport, CA to Ensenada, Mexico. I have crewed on a Catalina 42 from Marina Del Rey, CA to La Paz, Mexico. I have sailed in very strong winds, (60+ knots) and in high seas and NEVER, NEVER, has the design or quality of the manufactured boat been a question.It is a great live aboard too. My wife and I lived aboard for about two years.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	The heads need upgrading. I think the basic head that comes in the boat is a temporary installation at best. I would recommend a vacu-flush if you are considering living aboard. Sea water combined with urine creates a problem in a short period of time causing problems and necessitating possible replacement. This is a problem with any system however.
Sailing characterisitcs	Strong winds, (tropical storms), high seas (also in tropical storms, very strong tital surge in Alaskan waters. Both icy waters and tropical waters.Sailing in the South Pacific is very different than sailing in Alaskan waters. The problems encountered in Alaskan waters include strong tital surges and ice in the water. South Pacific sailing often has unpredictable winds and there is always the reef to be wary of.
Motoring characterisitcs	On offshore cruses you find that you do about as much motoring as you do sailing. Perhaps more! My experience with smaller Catalina's (36'or smaller) is that they tend to be under powered. In some situations they just don't have the horses to move the boat, i.e. the tidal flow in the San Francisco Bay, the San Juans, or Alaskan waters. You can have the engine wide open and go backwards....................For most sailing however, I have found it to be quite adequate. My Catalina 42 has a 55hp Yanmar diesel and I have always been able to make forward progress, (somewhat slowly at times).
Liveability	I lived aboard my Catalina 42 for two years and found it was very comfortable. I believe any liveaboard yacht will experience some limitations where storage is concerned. Two heads are not necessary and some of my fellow Catalina 42 owners have converted the aft head into an additional storage closet.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)	I purchased my boat through a broker in San Diego which is over a hundred miles from where I keep it in Long Beach, CA. I found the broker was pretty much unresponsive to my problems and had to deal directly with local merchants for any repairs or problems I encountered.
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any	See above.
Other comments	I absolutely love it. I can't imagine my ever buying another yacht. If I want to go larger, (I have previously owned a Catalina 27, a Catalina 36 and now my Catalina 32) I would not hesitate to look at the Catalina 470 or possibly the Catalina 50.

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