Catalina Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Catalina 22 by Tom Gwilym

Year built	1971
Location of boat	My backyard in Renton, WA
The boat is sailed on	Lakes
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	2007
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	Heck yeah! A new boat would be nice, but that's just way too much $$. My boat needs some minor fixing and upgrades, but it has been a lot of fun and educational to work on. Best way to know your boat inside and out is to fix it yourself.
Gear that's been added	Anchor lightMarine Stereo and speakersTrailer guide railsLED lights in cabinCurtains...and will add a lot more stuff!
Structural or complex improvements	Overhauled the keel winch, cable, "volcano" tube. (Easier than I was fearing!).I need to eventually take the keel off and re-finish it and check the pivot pin. I'll wait a couple seasons for that I think. That is very intimidating.In the process of removing/resealing/replacing the deck hardware to fix and prevent more leaks.Replaced the outboard motor mount.Need to replace the hatch rails.
The boat's best features	Easy to sail, easy to tow. Very comfortable to sail and spend the day on.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.
Sailing characterisitcs	Strong weather-helm when the wind really gets going, but most likely I have sails trimmed wrong. All a learning experience how to do all that efficiently.
Motoring characterisitcs	No problems at all. I have a 8 hp Honda 4 stroke that I usually only run at less than 1/2 throttle to reach the hull speed (6 knots) easily. I nibbled the rudder with the prop the first time out, but I learned my lesson quickly!
Liveability	Not sure yet. I do plan weekend trips, but I'll get to that part. Too small to live in though.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any
Other comments

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