[url]http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5881.0.html[/url]

[url]http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5855.0.html[/url]

Looks like Catalina is taking some cues from the Beneteau First series. This design looks to combine some great cruising accomodations with features to appeal to the performance oriented cruiser. Perforated toe rail, race boat inspired cockpit and retractable sprirt for the Asym....drool!!!!!

I'm biased, but I do not think it is as nice looking as the 36's and 34's. I don't like the "big ass" look, I like the way the 36, even the Mark II's, come in to a nice graceful tapered bum. Also doesn't look to me like a Catalina, we can recognize Cats a long way off from their profile but this one would fool us, especially the transition from the coach roof to the cockpit coaming. If we were going to spend that kind of money on a boat we'd do a Tom Soko and go to a nice used 400.

There are several videos of the new 355 on the Australian Catalina website. The voice over is a little over the top and there are not enough wide angle or distance shots, it does cover some of the new features.

What do you think?

[URL="http://www.catalinayachts.com.au/models/C355/C355_video_page.htm"]http://www.catalinayachts.com.au/models/C355/C355_video_page.htm[/URL]

The new boats are beginning to look more and more like the dreaded "H" boats. But, then, I did like having those toerails when we had our dear departed "Wallaby"; always had a place to quickly add a snatch block, tie off a fender or lace the netting. However, it just doesn't look like a graceful Catalina...

Just spent some time on the new 355.
There are some great new features, but also some that just don't seem to work. Joining me were two C320 owners, who both had spent considerable time on C350 & C375. They also shared my feelings.

Good points:
Back stays are on the outside edges at the stern, reducing the impact they have when moving around the cockpit.
Aluminum toenail, with inbuilt mooring line rollers
Full size toilet
Top and front opening fridge
I am sure there are others, but from memory that's a start.

Bad points:
Aluminum toenail is mounted inboard, which reduces the space to walk when moving forward.
Replaced some of the teak hand rails with stainless steel. While this is a subjective opinion, it just did not work.
Smoked glass over the electrical panel, so every time you want to switch something on or off, you have to open the electrical glass door.
No standing headroom for me (6'2").
Lines in cockpit were hung on the bulkhead, not in bags on the cabin top.
As you enter cabin, you are in the galley, so if you slipped down the steps, you could end up on the bench.
Very little bench space, or storage space.

Of course this is just the opinion of three current Catalina owners (who between them have owned 8 Catalinas).

Hopefully some of the good new features will be included in the 375, and make this an even better boat..

You may note that the interior layout of the C355 is much the same as the C34, with the aft head. The C375 "replaced" the C36 (wrong decision in my book) and CY is saying the C355 replaces the C350, but they are completely different boats! They stopped making the C34 last year, and as far as we're concerned, they "replaced" it with the C355.

All in all, we're now in the same boat as you skippers: a great boat ceased production, and was replaced with something else. In our case, at least the layout is similar. I was aboard one last weekend, and will get the photos and my impressions sorted out and will post it on our C34 board and link it for you.

I don't understand why the 355 is said to replace the 34, look at the specs, 13800 disp,572 sailarea, 30 ft water line, 54 ft mast height. Sounds like a 36TM to me

Carl, simply because of the layout down below.

I suppose it depends on what they are doing with the rest of the range.
One dealer said he thought that the 320 was being stopped. Will it be replaced by a 325?

Are the class associations based on the length or where the head is:)
It really sounds like each association is trying to claim the new boat, to maintain growth.

I realise that some see the 375 as less than the 36, but thats a personal opinion (we love ours). The 355 takes a lot from the 375 and 445, and it will be interesting to see how the market takes it.

BTW - Having the head aft is a negative to me. I like the head forward!

[QUOTE=Rockman;9384]
It really sounds like each association is trying to claim the new boat, to maintain growth.
[/QUOTE]

Not true. We had a long discussion about whether or not to ask the new C355 owners to join our association, just as you folks did with the new C375 skippers. We concluded that while the engines are different, the rest of the systems are pretty much the same. And maybe the location of the head is a point, since we like ours aft for many reasons. Anyone looking at the two layouts between the C34 and C355 would certainly note the similarity.

Our offer was not to expand our growth, but rather to help new boat owners until they could get their own website up and working, if they chose to do so. One already has and we're in the process of helping the new owners we've been able to identify try to decide what they plan to do.

We like our aft head for foul weather gear storage and using it in a seaway. Of course, compared to a C36, it takes so much space away from the main cabin...:):):)

[QUOTE=stu jackson c34;9382]Carl, simply because of the layout down below.[/QUOTE]

No worries Stu, being a racer, I tend to just look at the numbers. To me it just seems like marketing from Catalina "Here's your replacement by the way it's a little bigger" If I could replace my 36 with a new boat, the 355 would probably be on my short list. From the specs I think it has the potiencial to be faster than the 36,if of course you got rid of that ridiculous furling main(remember I'm a racer). I bet it would keep up to windward and be a little faster downwind in chop due to the fat transom. My 36 with the pinched transom will wallow a bit in sloppy seas and light air, I dont think this will happen with the 355. Just my uninformed opinion.

Carl

[QUOTE=nelson;6580]What do folks know about the 355?

--Nelson[/QUOTE]

Well, I know it probably costs a fortune compared to my well-loved 36.:)

Mike