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(Photo left of Don Gerlach's 'Elixir' - received Feb 2001)
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From Australia - "We Love Our Catalina 36!" I guess having our fifth Catalina pretty much says it all. We started with a 27 to a 30 then along came a new 36 in 1990 then another in 96. We sold up house and boat and moved to Australia in 2000. Boatless until March this year when we purchased our fifth Catalina A 2000 model. We searched for twelve months looking for another boat. We could never come up with anything as good as the C 36 for price, volume and solo sailing. They are so easy to work on, trouble shoot electrical, plumbing, engine maintenance and above all easy to live on. They look smart no matter what the age or model. We have just sailed ours up the NSW coast of Australia ( 570 nm ) to our home port in Mooloolaba Queensland. We did spend quite a considerable amount on preparing her for our voyage as the boat was a thorough bare boat. This meant all the add ons were the latest and we now have our C 36 up to snuff for many years to come. We are the only C 36 in our marina and with all our add ons she cuts a fine picture at the dock and under sail. We are constantly asked what is "she" And when they are invited on board are truly amazed at the volume and finish below. "We love our Catalina" Ivor
and Joan Young
My C36 is with me till death do us part I think, if I sat down and thought about it, I've owned a
boat since before I got my first car. Without a doubt, I was
driving a boat long before a car. Ridding my moped to work at
Marina's in Mystic, New London and Stonington while all my friends were
playing little league and earning merit badges.
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Why we love our Catalina 36 We bought our C36 at the St. Pete Boat show November 1998 for our 30th anniversary. She was the 3rd sail boat for us. Having previously owned Irwin 25, and Irwin 30 which we had for 15 years. We have sailed everywhere in SW Florida, raising our 3 daughters on our boats. We fell in love with the C36 at the Boat show in 1994 and "stroked" her at every show thereafter until making the commitment to buy new. She has been everything we hoped for and more. We wanted a boat that a couple could handle in ALL conditions and we have experienced that. WE wanted a boat that guests could have privacy as well as us. We have taken her to the Bahamas, living on her quite comfortably for 5 weeks. As a woman, I can handle her by myself with the assistance of the autopilot even to the extent of taking down sails during foul weather. Over the two years we've owned and enjoyed her, have sailed her through winds of 40 knots plus and seas up to 12 feet. She did better than we did! Very stiff, responded exceptionally well - we have yet to bury the rail! She wins her share of races when we choose to race though we have found she doesn't like drifters. WE often brag that she will do 1/2 the wind speed. If its 12 knots we can count on 6-7 knots of speed! Once we even had her to 14 knots -think we exceeded the hull speed? What a thrill, and no pull on the helm or strain to the rig. She is extremely comfortable below and we love to cook on her and entertain on her. It is nothing to have 6-8 for meals with the use of foldable camp chairs & boat cushions. In fact I usually prepare better meals on board "Chase the Clouds" than I do at home. Even in foul weather, she has remained dry and comfortable below with lots of hand holds to walking through the cabins. We added a wine cabinet to the entertainment center using only a 9" TV/VCR (AC/DC) which left a great deal of extra space. We changed out the "hampers" under the V-berth to shelving units for more storage. And are adding cabinetry to the shelve over the V-berth for a TV/stereo unit for the master cabin. As we like to anchor out a great deal, have added additional battery-lighting throughout. She is truly our home away from home. |
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Let me count the reasons why we chose the
36...
We've had several boats before settling on a new C36 Mark II. The two prior keelboats were an O'Day 23 and an O'Day 322. The 23 was simple and about bullet proof - I'd have another one in a minute. The 322 was about 12 years old and taught me a lot about maintenance and boat design. When we decided to upgrade there were several things that I knew could be done better than they were on the O'Day. 1. Good engine/stuffing box access is essential - the removable covers on the 36 allow you to get at the Universal diesel in almost every direction. The raw water pump sits on the front of the engine where it is easy to replace the impeller. Alternator and starter also are easy to access. Fuel and oil filters are right in the open. The same can be said of the stuffing box. Anyone who has wrestled with a poor engine installation will appreciate this. 2. Logical holding tank layout - the tank is very close to the head - hose access/ run is easy and very short. Easy to replace hoses and not much distance. The head has a good open layout and all mechanical items are accessible. 3. Great access to water pumps and valves. 4. My first mate really liked the interior and the deck layout - The parties flow very well. The side decks are wide and uncluttered, unlike some other popular competitive boats. Makes it easy for landlubber friends to go forward without tripping. Foredeck is huge - better than even the larger Catalinas. One brand doesn't even offer a 36 - guess they figure the competition is too tough. The interior is laid out better than any other 36 I've seen. Very thoughtful use of space and ample storage for "normal cruising". We've had groups up to 12 and no one has felt overcrowded. Is it designed out for living aboard? Probably not, but for most coastal cruisers it would be hard to find a better place to spend a rainy day. The "entertainment center" on the forward starboard side is perfect for a 13" TV and VCR. There is ample ventilation and light through numerous hatches. 5. Looking at the technical notes from the Catalina 36 Association, it is obvious that Gerry Douglas and the Catalina design team did a lot of listening when they built the Mark II. Owners of earlier model boats made some excellent design changes and many of then were incorporated into the later models. 6. Catalina used name brand accessories like Lewmar, Schaeffer, Garhauer, etc. The quality is well known and it is easy to get service if needed. Catalina made good on a minor warranty problem and was gracious about it. One expects that from a reputable company and they did not disappoint. 7. Beside all the amenities, the boat handles well under sail and 35 HP diesel moves it right along. With a tall rig and 150 Genoa we can overtake most comparable boats except the real lightweights. I intend to fly the Jolly Roger more often this year. The 40" wheel provides good leverage on windy days and the boat balances well with some attention to reefing. We sail the Chesapeake which is a fairly light wind area compared to some. 8. I prefer the traditional styling that Catalina retains over some of the "new age" boats. The concepts have been refined and tested. Form follows function in sailboats The Mark II has less fluff and the more thought given to durability, ease of use, and maintainability under sometimes difficult conditions than the competition. We've had our hull number 1881 for just one season so there's plenty more to learn but so far, the boat has met all our expectations. We'll might even get around to naming it this year. Best Regards |
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We fell in love with the Catalina 36 the first time we ever saw one Nobody makes a boat like Catalina. The most livable space, the most continuous improvements to their models, the highest resale, and the best by far quality control. We see people with other boats (from Beneteau to Pacific Seacraft) who spend so much of their sailing season down with repairs. Not our Catalinas (we've owned a C30 and a C36). Catalinas have low maintenance requirements and are ready to sail when we are. Look at Catalinas' marketing. For the most part, there isn't any. They sell by word of mouth, from owner to owner. The dollars spent on advertising go back into every model Catalina makes. Consider that most Catalina owners step up from Catalina to Catalina. If their boats had problems, this simply wouldn't be. Catalinas offer the most boat for the dollar -- and they bring the most return for the dollar to their owners. In fact, I'll guess that virtually ever Catalina (used) for sale out there has a larger asking price than they were new. Compare this to a Pacific Seacraft, for example. A fine, heavy boat. But do they hold their value? Are they easy to sell? Catalinas are fast sellers -- and in consideration of all the Catalinas that have been made, consider how few Catalinas are on the market at any given time. If you think someday you might want to step up to a larger boat and sell the one you have -- Catalina resale is the best out there. Catalina is, without question, the best value in a sailboat, offering the best sailability and livability (without question) of any boat made. And our personal favorite, from every Catalina made, is the C36. Lots of room -- in the cabins, and in their enormous cockpit. Excellent sleeping accommodations, superb galley, well equipped, tracks straight, plenty of power (35 hp engine) carries her to 7 knots, sails to 7.0-7.2 knots, solid construction. The new models include an electric windlass, refrigeration, a lexan hatch for extra light, lots of hatches for ventilation, top-grade winches & equipment, top-grade fabrics on the interior cushions -- this is not a cheap boat, it's quality construction and there is quite simply no competition out there within at least another $50k. And you know what's really funny -- after watching Catalina build over 2000 of them (and there's always a waitlist for more), the other manufacturers still haven't figured it out. Dennis Stovall |
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I previously owned a Catalina 25, Catalina 27 and Catalina 30.
The reason I bought the 36 MKII is that the others were too small for my wife and two children. We like to cruise all over the Great Lakes for one to two week trips. The 30 gave us minimal private sleeping and was a pain to enter the stern after swimming. We also like to take the boat out and anchor. The kids jump off and swim around. Once my wife saw a boat with a walk through transom, that was it. She fell in love with the walkthru and the cat bird seats. The kids wanted the entertainment center and the game table. I wanted a boat big enough to handle extended passages across Lake Huron. It has been everything we could ask for. As an engineer, I am always thinking of up grades, and did numerous on
my other three Catalina's. It seems like Gerry Douglas was reading
my mind when he designed the Mark II. All of the little things that
I tried to incorporate on my other boats are already in For the price, you just can not get a boat with so much to offer! Dan Bracciano I prefer my C36 over my previous, a C42
I'm one of those who claims to prefer the C
36 over my former C 42. The 42 was lien-free. Eight hundred
bucks worth of pilings would have provided a slip she would have fit
into. I had the name of a reputable trucking company, a boatyard
lined up to launch her and a crane to step the mast. Everyone in
the yacht club was chanting "Do it-you'll have the biggest boat on
the lake!". In one of my rare moments of common sense I
determined that "having the biggest" was not a worthwhile
goal. Finally, a buyer appeared and I was on the quest for the
perfect C 36 which, with the help of my friend & broker, Mr. Al
Gundry of Interyacht in Annapolis, was eventually procured.
We love the boat after two years. I'm
happy with my decision, and if I go nuts and decide to go cruising again
I have the boat to do the job. For us, the C 36 is the perfect
boat and we've spent nearly three hundred days/nights on board to date.
Many more to come I would hope.
Chris Gregory
Different Drummer III 1995 C 36 Mk II, #1415 Smith Mountain Lake, VA
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| To C36 owners -- share your reasons you bought your C36, and how you feel about that purchase. Send to the webmaster, dstovall@gci.net. |
Why buy