Sorry I can't answer your questions as I have an 84 MK I and did not look at the MK II models when I purchased mine.

I did want to wish you the best of luck in your search though.

Bill

You would be wise to review the different brochures which show a lot of the changes. The initial M25 engines were 21 hp and were adequate to run to the boats so the difference between 30 and 35 HP seems to me to be a "ridiculous" discussion (although you're not the first). The holes in the deck are the same, no one spent anymore time or effort than was required to install hardware. The mid-90's we call the Mark 1 and a halfs, with the Mark I hull with a walk through. Answers here valid for the C34s, too! Happy Hunting, no matter what you choose, you can't lose.

A true Mk I starting from '83 does not have a walk-through transom. In the late '80's they changed the windows and some details of the cabintop but the rest of the boat stayed the same. These are still referred to as Mk I.

Then in the '90's they cut out the transom but left the boat otherwise the same. I think Catalina still calls these Mk I's, as the hull is still the same, but most owners consider this a Mk 1.5 or something.

Finally they widened the transom, modified the deck again, changed the interior layout around the aft cabin and the nav station. This is a true Mk II and they seem to be worth about double what the original versions are worth on the used market.

I seriously doubt that the deck holes are treated any better on newer boats than older ones. If you go back to the '83 and '84 boats the decks are plywood instead of Balsa so it is hard to remove core material around the holes.

Good luck, I didn't have the open-transom issue and couldn't justify the huge price jump to get one of the newer boats. I was quoted less than $3000 by a local fiberglass pro to modify my older boat to an 'open transom' configuration, plus whatever mods a rigger would make to the backstay. I haven't done it yet but probably will eventually. This made it even harder to spend the extra $ people were asking for the early '90's boats, which are still 20 year old boats when you think about it.

Oh and the old boat goes 7 knots with a 21 hp engine so I think the difference between 30 and 35 would be unnoticeable.

When I bought my boat in 1999, I specifically went searching for a '91 or '92 as these seem to be the last years you can get the walk-through transom with the MK I interior which I prefer. The forward facing nav station is night & day better on the MK I in my opinion. The big benefit of the MK II is the door to the aft cabin and since that's where I store the cockpit cushions, it didn't matter to me. There is also more main salon storage on the MK I, but the Corianesque counters are nice on the newer ones. And as Nimue said, the newer ones cost a heck of a lot more. Can't really lose either way as they all hold their value pretty well. Based on what I was offered last week for mine, it's dropped $ 1,000 per year in value. Wish my cars only dropped that much (or my house for that matter....YIKES!)

Mike

When my wife and i were looking for our C36 (MK1 #475) we thought the walk-through would be "a nice to have". We soon learned that having an extra 14" of freeboard (from our last boat) made getting our large breed dog on and off a very difficult and dangerous task. Now that we have two young kids (and a dog), the walk-through would be a must. The layout difference between the MK1 and MKII is a personal preference- i personal would not give up the nav station (and seat!) for the re-configured aft cabin, and my wife I sleep aft. There are a lot of little improvements on the MKII that are nice, but many can be an easy project. My recommendation to anyone with pets (that you cant pick up with one arm) or kids is to find a model with a walkthough- its great that you can still have some choice of layout (if MKII meets your budget).

Nimue,
I'd be interested in any details you may have on the walk-through conversion. I've often pondered what it would take. I've never seen a MK1.5 in person, but i assume the backstay would have to be split (new chainplates), split the rear hatch cover so each side opens into smaller compartments, open up the rear pulpit (make it opening also?), and cut the ruder post?
Thanks
Eric

SPLIT TRANSOM CONVERSION

There have been discussions over the years about this both here and on our C34 'board. The consensus is that, while "doable," the structural implications and costs far outweigh the return on investment. The backstay is pretty much a non-issue. It's the strength of the transom assembly, and the deck and the rearrangement, since you really have to think about it, of all the equipment down below. Those of you with Mark Is, simply take a look down below in the lazarette: steering, rudder head, emergency tiller, the list goes on. First, you just "don't wanna go there." Second, if it was relatively easy, don't you think you'd have heard of it being done well before now? These ideas are like urban myths. :) :) :)

Stu, you are NO DOUBT the voice of reason. However, i crossed the line of reason when i bought a 36 foot sailboat! I use to think cycling, skiing, and climbing (rock/ice) were expensive!
All non-seriousness aside, the cost of having the transom cutout/replaced and affiliated work done is really a drop in the bucket compared to the over all cost of ownership of a C36 over the next 20 years. Especially if you include selling (loss of many non-retired man-hours + 10% brokerage), buying a 4-year-newer-version-for-the walk-through-because-your-WIFE-wants-the-walk-the-walthrough, the low number of C36s in my region (travel to view and transport), and 13% sales tax in the Atlantic provinces of Canada. Its really not that "out there" to consider. Especially if i need to "pull" the thing "across the street" for a "paint job" in the next couple of years anyway.
I would be interested in hearing if anyone has spoken to Catalina Engineers about recommendations on the structural concerns that Stu mentions (and I stay awake thinking about).
Are there additional structure components that need to be added, other then the obvious rip and replace?

Because I've never heard of anyone doing it, I can't suggest all the structural issues you should include in your design criteria. That's for you to do your own homework. Don't forget the pushpit. And given your "impetus" I'd price it all out first and show it to her before you go cutting anything.

I'll look around on our C34 message board to see if I can find discussions we have had. Uhm, you can, too.

I've spennt about $40K on our boat in the last 11 years, much more in the first five years, tapering off. I anticipate $2K a year now forever. NIC in this figure are dock fees, insurance and fuel. Does include upgrades, wiring, hoses, all the things that make maintenance such glorious fun.:):):)

Good luck. If you are really serious about doing this, I would start keeping tremendously detailed records and photographs, since it'd be a killer story.:cool:

Here's one: [url]http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,3036.0.html[/url]

Additional detailed rudder considerations: just a discussion of the differences you need to take under advisement: [url]http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,2622.0.html[/url]

If you have refrigeration: [url]http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,1967.0.html[/url]

I just purhcased a MK II and one of the major reasons was the sugar scoop stern as we keep the boat on a mooring in a harbor in Maine where the winds in the afternoon can blow 20+ knots. Without a walk thru transom, we and our many not so nimble friends could not get on and off the boat without a great deal of effort and an occational swim in the 50 to 60 degree water.

We have a zodiac that we can secure on the stern and simply "walk" from the zodiac to the boat. Plus loading and unloading all the cruising gear is much easier with the walk thru stern. We looked at many different brands of boats but if they did not have a scoop stern, we ended up taking them off our list.

I purchased my boat from CA owner because I could not find a newer MKII with a fin keel on the east coast. The fin keel is great if you have the water to handle the extra foot and half of draft.

My advise is to take your time and don't fall in love with a deal. There is always another boat that will come on the market.

Good Luck.

Thanks (again) STU!

An alternative would be an external swim platform. It would never replace the full functionality of a walkthrough, but may be an alternative to selling/buying or cutting out the transom.
Anyone seen notable designs, or tried something themselves?
The basic requirement would to make getting on/off as safe as possible. Not having put much thought into it (and being 100 miles from my boat) i am thinking a platform maybe 16" deep 2/3 to the bottom of the transom, a sturdy 6" deep stepped latter dropping down into the water, and maybe another (static) 6" wide step midway between the platform and the top of the transom. You could reconfigure the pulpit to not have to step over anything. A few well placed handles for the young(kids) and old would be a must.
Materials would be (obviously) SS, but you could go with either teak or starboard "grates" for the platforms, depending if you think the beauty of teak out ways the maintenance.

I'd love to hear ideas, experience, or opinions.

Thanks

[QUOTE=bstreet;2441]We're only interested in boats with walk thru transom (dog/dinghy issue).[/QUOTE]

I want to see the dog negotiate that swim platform. LOL.

Mike

We never followed up the "walk_thru" modification, we don't have a dog but we do have a 2-year-old, and my wife feels more comofortable with the closed cockpit. However they guy I talked to has done it to a couple of non-catalina boats in town and done a beautiful job so I don't think it is that scary. You are only going to lower the upper bearing of the rudder post a couple of inches and structurally speaking that is about the scariest part of the whole deal. I bet it could even be done in the water.

[QUOTE=ericrrmorin;2470]An alternative would be an external swim platform. ...Anyone seen notable designs, or tried something themselves? ...I'd love to hear ideas, experience, or opinions. [/QUOTE]

Of course: see: [url]http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4456.15.html[/url]

There's also no reason to have to drop the rudder head if you wanted to live with a small hump in the deck to minimize the changes. Then you could cover it with this: [url]http://www.c34.org/projects/projects-mohagony-cockpit-sole-inserts.html[...

You guys need to start thinking outside the box.:D:D:D It would also be helpful to do some searching on your own website. "Swim platform" turned up lotsa hits on our 'site.