Catalina Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Catalina 270 by Paul Warnicke

Year built	1995
Location of boat	Arcadia, MI
The boat is sailed on	The Great Lakes
How the boat is used	Weekends and longer
Normal wind strength	10-15 knots
Average size of crew	solo
Liveaboard?	No
Owner bought the boat in	2004
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	I would most definitely buy this boat. It was well maintained with light use, stored mostly inside. It is just the right size for me, my wife and two young daughters. She handles and points well and is well apointed with GPS, VHF, Bimini, Autopilot, and Tridata.
Gear that's been added	I am looking to add a dodger for those cold Michigan morning sales. I would also like to add a spinaker for better downwind travel.
Structural or complex improvements	None so far. As I mentioned it could use a dodger for a longer sailing season.
The boat's best features	It is a simple but solid design with adequate space for short family trips or longer solo trips. It provides a lot of value in terms of amenities and it is not overly tender. In general an excellent family boat or first "big" starter boat.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	The head base cracked right after I bought her which I would consider too early to see that kind of problem. The line stoppers have also see too much sun but that could be helped with some covers. In heavy chop some of the seat and storage covers could use a way to tie them down. The Dutchman lazy jack system helps in reducing sail but does not work well in heavy weather.
Sailing characterisitcs	As mentioned before, she points well and is not overly tender. I have had her out in 30 knot Westerlies with no problem. Her original sails have held up well but she could use a spinaker for better downwind performance. She has a fin keel which helps provide stability but also allows her to turn quite quickly.
Motoring characterisitcs	The Perkins M20 is dependable but does run somewhat rough for my taste. It is fairly well isolated and insulated although I am not sure I would want to sleep in the aft cabin while motoring. The engine is quite efficient at 3/4 throttle (~1600RPM) it will run more then a day using not quite 3/4 of a tank.
Liveability	It is "comfortable" with a family of four with two younger children. It has a stove (no oven), inboard insulated cooler (not refrigerator) and a sink for meals. It is fine for a weekender but longer may be a stretch. In the marina, the slapping of water on the stern takes a little getting used to when sleeping.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)	They have been very helpful when looking for parts they no longer carry.
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any	I dealt with a very reputable broker in Holland, MI and I would be glad to recommend him to any who are in the market.
Other comments	If you are just starting out and don't want to get in over your head right a way, this is a perfect boat for you. It is comfortable for a small or young family and a great way for all to "learn the ropes." I would recommend it to anyone and I would most likely consider a larger Catalina if I ever outgrow this one.

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