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Catalina 375
2008-01-10
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 Smart Design Meets Style and Sailability in New
Catalina 375 LARGO, FL (January 10, 2008) – Catalina Yachts has just
launched the Catalina 375, a fresh new design, characteristic of the
successful Catalina 36, and incorporating the best features found on all
of Catalina’s latest models. As successor to the legendary Catalina 36,
introduced twenty-five years ago, the 375 had big shoes to fill.
Thoughtful ideas, suggestions and critique from the active Catalina 36
Owners’ Association and Catalina dealers guided the development process.
“Virtually every system in this yacht has been reviewed and optimized
for improved performance, efficiency and owner maintenance,” explained
Gerry Douglas, vice president and chief engineer for Catalina. The new
375 has a sculpted, contemporary and functional low profile deck and a
stable performance hull form. High quality hardware and offshore-capable
rigging complements a powerful sail plan with in-mast furling main and
vertical battens. Twin backstays balance the powerful rig, creating an
unobstructed “California size” cockpit. A single side control traveller
and inboard sheeting for overlapping genoas makes sail handling easier.
Wide weather decks allow easy access forward and aft, and there is
enough room in the anchor locker for two rodes and gear. Deep lockers
aft leave plenty of space for optional a/c and generator. The transom
extends seamlessly to the waterline for increased structural integrity.
Catalina’s classic stern seats are integrated into the stern pulpit,
along with an easy-access outboard motor bracket. A standard 6’10” fin
keel is lead (not cast iron), and an optional 4’8” shoal draft wing keel
allows gunkholing just about anywhere. Enter the 375’s spacious open
interior through hinged bi-fold companionway doors. There’s solid teak
trim in the classically symmetrical main cabin with traditional port and
starboard cabinets. The Lonseal non-skid sole keeps maintenance
underfoot to a minimum. There are plenty of drawers with storage under
the seats, a large hanging locker, plus shelved lockers throughout. A
game table converts to a settee or berth, and the functional,
well-designed galley …more -2- has a self-contained stainless
refrigerator, large dry locker, insulated compartment for optional
refrigeration and solid surface counters. An extra large head adjacent
to the owner’s cabin has a big circular shower and a gravity drain waste
system. Inner spring mattresses are fitted in both cabins, fore and aft.
Owners will find generous tankage for water, fuel and waste, and the
40-hp. Yanmar diesel sips fuel at a mere .6 gal./hr. @ 2000 RPM. The
Catalina 375 comes at an attractive price point of approximately
$178,000, FOB Largo, Florida, and will be on display at select winter
’08 boat shows, starting with Boston in January. “Catalinas do well in a
very competitive market because they are the result of listening
carefully to our owners and dealers,” said Frank Butler, founder and
president of Catalina Yachts. “When we introduce a new boat, we don't
try to reinvent the wheel each time. We incorporate proven features with
new ideas and a lot of boat owners' suggestions. This gives the line
continuity, helps us avoid overly trendy styling, and insures good
resale value,” he said. For almost 40 years, Catalina’s unwavering
dedication to building well-designed, durable, family oriented boats has
resulted in long production runs where each model is improved and
refined. A commitment to owner satisfaction has enhanced customer
confidence and loyalty insures Catalina’s position as the leading,
exclusively sailboat builder in the United States with manufacturing
facilities on both east and west coasts and an extensive national and
international dealer network.
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Catalina 320MKII
Catalina 320 MKII: Like Its Older Sibling, but Better
A venerable cruiser and racer gets a new lease on life while the
hull numbers just keep on climbing. "Boat Review" supplement to our
June 2007 issue.
 After 13 years and a thousand or so hulls, Catalina Yachts design guru
Gerry Douglas figured it was time to tweak a few things on his venerable
320, a boat that over its production run has been a hit with cruisers
and club racers around the world.
And so new molds were built, tooling created, the aft end of the cabin
windows were squared off for a more stylish look, a few inches were
added to the V-berth, cockpit coamings were pushed outboard 18 inches to
give crew more room to lounge, a new Edson helm pedestal was borrowed
from the recently introduced Catalina 309, and deck hardware was
revamped to include ball-bearing blocks and a neat new traveler from
Garhauer Marine that has control lines that are both adjustable from its
port side.
What didn't change, though, was the hull, sail plan or weight
distribution, which means the new MkII can go up against its older
brother maño-a-maño on the
racecourse and gain immediate acceptance with the brotherhood of owners
represented by the Catalina 320 International Association.
I was lucky enough to get a tour of the new boat, hull number 1,104,
from Mr. Douglas himself one morning on the dock at the Miami Strictly
Sail show and then got ample time to sail and get the feel of the MKII
one afternoon and evening a few days later on Biscayne Bay and the
mansion-lined mangrove creeks nearby.
I say lucky, because Gerry was able to point out several construction
details he designed into the second-generation boat that could have been
easily overlooked. Let's start at the transom, which is where we climbed
aboard, across the swim platform and open stern. By changing the way it
built the molds for the MKII, Catalina has incorporated the transom into
the hull, rather than as a part of the deck. This means there's no seam
or joint on the radius of the transom, some of which is below the
waterline. While the immediate benefit is obvious—a water-tight
surface—an added benefit is that there's no seam to be filled, glassed
and faired on the shop floor.
Another change made at the stern was to locate the folding swim ladder
so it can be deployed by someone in the water—a small, but welcome
detail to be added to the safety side of the ledger.
Decked out with an optional folding wheel, traffic flows well through
the cockpit. A large under-seat locker to port includes plenty of room
for a refrigeration compressor; there's a conduit leading from it to the
galley in case an owner wants to turn the ice chest there into a second
fridge. Under the seat to starboard is an escape hatch for the aft cabin
that helps make the boat CE compliant and the space below more airy.
On deck, all hardware is mounted on pads (so it won't sit in puddles
when wet) above glassed-in aluminum reinforcement plates into which
fasteners can be tapped. The boat comes with a double-spreader Seldén
rig and full-batten main, although about 70 percent of the boats these
days leave the factory with the optional in-mast furling. Schaefer
roller-furlers are standard equipment for headsails. Catalina also
employs a mast-step system that ensures metal-to-metal contact between
the mast, deck step, compression post below, and grid.
Below decks, rich teak, an off-white liner and lots of light pouring in
through hatches and ports make for a cheery saloon. At the base of the
companionway ladder, the galley's to port with its double sinks,
two-burner propane stove and oven, and refrigeration unit. Floating
above the counter is a glass rack and shelf that doubles as a handhold.
To starboard is the door to the aft cabin, with its double berth running
athwartships. Light enters this cabin through ports on either side of
the cockpit, which means the foot of the berth is about as bright during
the day as the head of it—another Douglas touch.
Forward of the aft cabin is a one-piece head and shower unit that's
lowered into the boat during construction. Since there are no seams or
joints in the corners, there won't be leaks or the need to re-caulk
later, says Douglas.
A dinette dominates the starboard side of the saloon with its
tear-shaped table wrapping around the mast's compression pole. The table
folds down to make a double berth and the settee across would make a
dandy single. Between the galley and settee is the nav station, which
uses the latter for its seat. A hanging locker and double berth are
found all the way forward. Overhead, the molded liner is asymmetrical,
with a flange running along the starboard side for AC ductwork.
Under way, the 320 Mark II is a nimble performer even with its shallow
(4-foot, 4-inch) winged keel (a 6-foot 3-inch fin is also available).
Leaving the dock, the helmsman demonstrated this by doing a donut in the
relatively tight confines of the adjacent piers. I took the wheel as we
motored toward Biscayne Bay, cruising at about 6.5 knots with the
27-horsepower Yanmar turning at 3,000 rpm. Maxed out (3,800 rpm), we
pushed it to 7 knots.
Even in the hot Florida sun, I didn't break a sweat setting sails and
trimming them home. Closehauled we made a little better than 5 knots
over the ground (according to my Garmin Geko GPS) in about 12 knots of
breeze, and the boat tacked through about 100 degrees. Later, off the
wind on a beam reach, we managed to breeze along at just over 5 knots in
about 7.5 knots of wind. Seated outboard, I was comfortable driving, and
visibility was good for both telltales and traffic. Standing behind the
wheel felt a little cramped and I might prefer to leave the removable
transom seat off.
Elsewhere in the cockpit, coamings provided a good backrest, although I
found leaning back against the cabin for longer periods would have been
enhanced with a pillow or cushion.
Straightforward on deck and appealing—but not overly lavish below—the
320 MKII reflects Douglas' approach to boat design. With only so many
dollars to work with, put them towards structure and gear that'll make
the boat sturdy, safe, and fun to sail. This new 32-footer seems to do
all three and might just make a few older 320 owners consider an
upgrade.
18/05/2007
Cruising World
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CatalinaMorgan 440
 A Cruiser
for Boomers
Space,
comfort, and smart ergonomics make the Catalina Morgan 440 a
viable alternative to terra firma-based retirement
23 September
2005
By Alvah Simon
True to the Mission
The four judges of the
Cruising World 2005 Boat of the Year contest come
from diverse boating backgrounds and approach design with
different priorities in mind. But during our dockside
inspection of the boat, we all noticed thematic details that
were apparent from stern to stem. The aft scoop is wide and
low for ease of access from dock or dinghy. Although the
pushpit makes a good handhold, an additional rail fixed
inboard of the top-side/transom line would improve safety.
The life raft can be launched from a designated locker on
the scoop, thus avoiding the Herculean task of fishing a
100-pound raft from the depths of the lazarette and heaving
it over high coamings and lifelines. Two wide yet shallow
steps lead up into the cockpit through an offset transom
aisle. This opening is secured with a slide-in splashboard
and two stainless-steel wire gates that retract cleverly
into the railing when not in use. A 10-inch bridgedeck
prevents downflooding, and enormous drainage capacity aft
lets this cockpit quickly shed boarding seas.
The steering pedestal on the test boat featured the
customary instrumentation plus a GPS chart plotter. The
44-inch wheel is large enough for easy steering but small
enough to walk around. The primary winches are within arm's
reach from behind the wheel. All mast control lines are led
through rope clutches to a two-speed electric power winch on
the cabin top.
A large folding table with stout handholds protrudes forward
from the pedestal. The high coamings create a deep and
secure cockpit. The captive washboard companionway hatch can
be locked from above and below without having to fit or stow
heavy pieces, and lifting the locker lids is assisted by gas
springs.
At 31 inches, the lifelines are exceptionally high and have
gates to port and starboard. While the cabin sides have a
boxlike look and substantial windage, they also have
handholds that complement the lifelines at the same height.
Three-inch bulwarks and an aggressive nonskid surface fit
well into this secure layout.
Stanchion bases wrap around the bulwark and are fastened
from two angles, making a stiff attachment. Deck hardware
attaches by means of threaded aluminum plates laminated into
the underdeck. This system results in a hundred fewer holes
in the deck and in simple maintenance access. The stem has a
long overhang for ample anchor clearance. The rollers,
lockers, cleats, and the Maxwell vertical windlass
accommodate two sets of ground tackle. The windlass can also
be used to haul the dinghy, but its switches should be
capped for safety. A set of deep chocks for stowing the
dinghy right side up on the foredeck would eliminate the
struggle of inverting it.
Solid Impressions
A teak rubrail capped with rubber protects the topsides. The
moderate canoe hull is solid hand-laid glass below the
waterline and balsa core above, and vinylester resin is used
to counter osmosis. The deck is through-bolted to an
internal hull flange with 1-inch 316-stainless-steel bolts
on 4-inch centers and bonded with 3M 5200. The
encapsulated-foam rudder with a 2-inch solid stainless-steel
stock hangs on a partial skeg.
The Charleston tapered mast is 62 feet 4 inches high,
leaving room for wind instruments and a VHF antenna while
still sliding under bridges along the Intracoastal Waterway.
The 4-foot-11-inch wing keel is appropriate for the skinny
waters of the Bahamas or Belize. U.S. West Coast customers
may prefer the 5-foot-4-inch fin keel.
About 80 percent of the 440's new customers ordered the boat
with the standard in-boom Leisure Furl. While I have a
natural suspicion of any complicated equipment, I'll concede
that hauling, reefing, and handling a large, stiff mainsail
is perhaps the most physically demanding task on board. The
advantages of in-boom as opposed to in-mast furling are that
the sail can have roach, battens, and a boltrope, and if all
goes awry, it still can be dropped manually like a
conventional sail.
The meticulous attention to ergonomic detail is most
apparent at the companionway entry. Three wide, scalloped
steps covered in nonskid extend down to the cabin sole at a
gentle angle. A banister borders the steps, and handholds
run forward in the saloon at well-planned intervals.
More Than a Cabin
The clear benefits of a raised deck saloon are the
brightness, the visibility, and the enormous space created
below the sole for machinery, tankage, and stowage. Changes
in the cabin sole's level in the 440's saloon are made in
small and equal increments, minimizing the tripping hazard.
To starboard is a spacious yet secure U-shaped galley. A
front- and top-loading fridge/ freezer runs on AC or DC
power. Large, 10-inch-deep double sinks, a three-burner
stove, and plenty of counter space make this a viable work
center. A garbage can is neatly molded under a flip-up
companionway step.
The saloon lounge comes with an overstuffed sofa to port.
The central seat folds down into a cocktail/game table, and
with the flip of a lever, the outer two seats slide out to
become full recliners with headrests. The dining table seats
six for meals but swivels and folds down to a smaller size
for cocktails. It also drops, with the help of an electric
motor, to be converted into a double berth. For social
occasions, a small nav station with a sliding and swiveling
chair adds to the seating capacity.
The island double berth forward in the owner's cabin offers
easy access from both sides, and the spring mattress will
soothe aching bones. Under the berth, an enormous stowage
drawer runs on ball bearings for easy opening when heavily
loaded. Both a small vanity with mirror and chair and a
cedar-lined hanging locker sit to port, and a private
head/shower lies to starboard. The head is large and well
laid out, with a polished stainless-steel sink, a medicine
chest, and Corian counter tops. However, all four judges had
safety concerns regarding the sharp corners of the folding
glass shower doors.
The aft cabin has a split double mattress that allows lee
cloths to be fitted when real sea berths are required. An
escape hatch opens into the cockpit and provides good
ventilation.
Access to the aft head/shower on the port side is gained
either from the main saloon or the aft cabin. To starboard
aft lies a work/laundry room that can be converted into a
quarter berth, should the grandchildren invade.
The height of the raised deck saloon precludes the use of
dorade vents, but five Lewmar Ocean Series hatches with
shades and screens should provide sufficient ventilation for
coastal cruising. Passagemakers may wish to fit low-profile
solar ventilators.
Value and Vision
I discovered some inconsistencies in the quality of the
joinery work, but overall, I found the interior to be big,
bright, and well designed. A massive floorboard on gas
springs lifts for unequalled access to an orderly bilge with
a proper collection sump. The tankage is generous, with 176
gallons of water, 117 gallons of fuel, and 55 gallons for
waste. Equally generous was the electric-power supply on the
tested boat, which had a bank of two 8D deep-cycle house
batteries, a separate starting battery, 115�volt/50-amp
shore power and adapter, an 8-kilowatt Fischer Panda genset,
and a Heart 2500 inverter.
The easily accessible 75-horsepower Yanmar auxiliary diesel
drove the boat with power to spare. It handled well in tight
turns and backed nimbly. Despite the light winds during our
test, all judges agreed that the boat was manageable and
responsive; it generally outperformed our expectations.
Ultimately, value is determined through a combination of
original cost, reliability, and customer service. Catalina,
like other companies in the boatbuilding industry, employs
new materials and construction techniques that improve
durability and reduce maintenance costs. Also, Catalina has
long been considered a leader in customer service and
support.
In summary, the Catalina Morgan was voted the Best
Production Cruiser from 40 to 45 Feet because it's an
interesting and appropriate choice for sailors looking for a
roomy, comfortable, and affordable cruising boat. And
especially for the more mature crowd, whose members are
increasingly challenged by the physical demands of sailing,
the 440 offers a host of features specifically designed to
keep them sailing longer. And that's a very good thing.
Catalina 387
 To get
yourself from any Southern California harbor to Catalina
Island, you're typically going to set full sail in a
moderate breeze. Half a day later you'll moor in a sunny lee
where you will hang out and probably socialize boat-to-boat
for a few days before reaching back home to your freeway
connection.
That's the
classic Southern California cruise weekend, and a lot of the
world cruises or daysails in much the same way. A simply
rigged boat with good sailing performance and lots of
accommodations hits the sweet spot, and the new Catalina 387
puts high priority on the sweet spot. All the boat's tooling
is new (except for the icebox), but not because this new
design takes off on a tangent. It was simply time to bring
out the next, tuned-up version of "what people tell us they
want, tempered by our experience of what works," as chief
designer Gerry Douglas puts it.
On deck
The cockpit is the biggest I know of in a cruiser this size.
The seats are 9 feet long, and I think you could seat 14
people on them or lounge half a dozen. Living in the cockpit
is the best part of "being there," and this boat is on your
side. Halyards, reefing lines, outhaul, and cunningham are
led to the cockpit through a sheet-stopper console on the
cabintop that is identical throughout the Catalina line;
learn one and you've learned them all.
There are
many intelligent touches. A built-in bracket on the transom
will keep the dinghy motor secure and below your line of
sight. To fiddle with the dinghy or the motor, you can walk
through to the swim step, where you will find two storage
lockers in addition to two cockpit lockers.
Sit on the
cabintop, facing out, and there's nothing poking you in the
seat. Instead, the grabrail is neatly recessed, but when you
need it, it's easy to find. The genoa tracks are 12 feet
long, so you'll have plenty of room for adjusting the cars,
and the tracks are elevated above the deck to keep them out
of standing water, minimizing the risk of leaks. Mooring
cleats along the rail are likewise elevated. Screws for most
deck gear are tapped into metal backing plates bonded into
the deck, reducing through-deck holes and the risk of leaks.
For safety, items such as mainsheet turning blocks and
stanchions are through-bolted.
The
lifelines are solidly mounted and higher than standard,
adding to the comfort zone, and the chainplates are inboard,
so they're not in the way as you walk around. The
deck-stepped mast is supported by single-point aft and cap
shrouds and a babystay. It's a sturdy, tunable arrangement.
Accommodations
Tell me you need 6 feet, 9 inches of headroom in a 39-foot,
10-inch boat, and I'll tell you to check out the 387. And
since it's open from end to end rather than chopped up for
storage, the 387 feels bigger than most boats its length.
There's plenty of light and air from multiple fixed and
opening ports. The saloon accommodates three tables of
different sizes, and there are brackets in the aft cabin to
stow tabletops not in use.
High-abrasion surfaces surrounding doors and cabinetry are
solid wood (others use laminates), and the mock
teak-and-holly, high-density laminate sole should prove
durable. Built-in shades for the windows disappear behind
the grabrails when they're not needed, promoting a clean
appearance, and, on a purely practical level, easy-access
conduits run throughout the boat channeling its
well-organized wiring and plumbing. Ball-and-socket
chainplate fittings are exposed in the interior and tie into
a load-bearing grid in the hull. There's four-sided access
to the diesel, and you can�t do better than that.
The head
has an electric toilet, standard hot-and-cold pressure
water, and a separate stall shower (the original Catalina
380 was the first production boat under 40 feet to have a
separate shower stall).
Opposite
the head, the galley is sensible and welcoming, with top-
and side-accessed refrigeration and a double sink near
centerline. It's right at the bottom of the steps, so you
can easily pass up the goodies when your 14 best friends
show up in the cockpit.
Under sail
I sailed the 387 on a day when a high-pressure system
tricked normally choppy San Francisco Bay into behaving like
the Catalina Channel, with a warm breeze in the teens and
smooth water, ideal for the boat, which proved very
maneuverable in our hat-overboard drill. Over the course of
the afternoon I watched our speed build into the 7s as the
breeze perked up to 18 knots, and the boat felt good upwind
and down.
Catalina
builds its working sails in-house. The standard offering is
a furling jib and a full-batten mainsail with a Dutchman
flaking system. In-boom furling is an option, as is in-mast
furling, as on our test boat. In-mast furling is not my cup
of tea, though I admit the system was seductively easy to
use and the sail actually looked pretty good. Under power,
the 387 will turn within its own wake, in both directions,
without throttle manipulation. We made 5.8 knots at 2,000
rpm; when we boosted her up to a more sprightly 2,500 rpm
and I wandered around below, I noticed some engine noise
throughout the interior.
Conclusion
The Catalina 387 is a satisfying coastal cruiser from a
company that pays attention to detail. The boat's calculated
balance between accommodations, performance, and price could
have wide appeal.
Kimball
Livingston
Catalina 350
 Catalina
Yachts has always had a knack for knowing what the general
sailing public wants and once again it has produced a
winner. Not too big, not too expensive, with lots of space,
the Catalina 350 should provoke a lot of interest in
Northwest sailors.
We hopped
on board with Tom Britton and Geoff Chamness of Performance
Yachts and headed out into Bellingham Bay on a sunny May
day, with a nice stiff breeze blowing out of the south.
The
main easily unrolled from inside the mast and we unfurled
the jib off the Schaeffer roller furling. The boat is set up
for cruising in our light summer winds so the 150 was a bit
to big for the conditions. Still, the boat stood up nicely,
balanced out well, and we moved solidly to windward. We
cracked off so we could use all that sail power and reached
off at a good speed. On all points of sail the boat felt
"bigger", not as quick as a 35-foot racer but with nice
speed and movement�a nice all-round combination for
recreational cruisers.
The word
"bigger" doesn't just apply to how the boat feels under sail
but in almost every aspect. A 13-foot beam that's carried
well aft makes for a very comfortable cockpit, with over
eight feet of seating on each side with tall, contoured
backrests. There is a bar under the cockpit table for
support when heeled. A nice touch is the compartment in the
top of the cockpit table for binoculars, sunglasses,
cameras, and all that miscellaneous stuff you want at hand
but not sliding around. The owner had added some nice
electronics on the pedestal but I found their location
blocked a clear view of the compass.
All that
space aft allows for a "walk-in" lazarette, along with
propane storage and two more storage lockers flanking the
swimstep stern.
The wide
beam also means wide side decks for going forward. All lines
were run aft from a mast plate through numerous blocks to
stoppers next to the companionway. Most hardware is by
Garhauer. Winches are Harken.
For
cruising the bow has an anchor locker separated into two
compartments to service the double anchor roller, so you
don't have to choose between Danforth or Bruce, just get
both. A Maxwell electric windlass will pull them off the
bottom. After a delightful sail we stopped short of the
marina, furled the sails and put her through her paces under
power. This boat had a three bladed prop which transferred a
lot of power from the Universal M-35B engine. We backed up,
spun around and the boat easily did every manoeuvre we asked
of her.
As we go
down below that word "bigger" comes into play again. The
salon is carried almost the full width of the cabin which,
with the 13-foot beam again, is considerable, resulting in a
very spacious salon. To port is a settee facing either a
standard or smaller cocktail table, both come with the boat.
There is also a built in TV cupboard. On the starboard side
are two individual seats separated by a table. This could be
converted to what we called a "grandkids" berth. Woodwork
throughout the boat is teak veneer with solid teak cabinetry
finished in a satin finish.
The
U-shaped galley has a large divided refrigerator and freezer
with front and side access doors so you won't have to let
the cold out of one to get to the other. There is a special
spot for a microwave over the stove.
The one
bathroom is just off the forward double berth and can be
entered from either the cabin or the berth. It features a
separate shower and seat compartment. Another spacious
double-plus berth is aft.
The hull is
solid fiberglass with an outer vinylester skin. The deck is
balsa core construction. Before installing the hull liner a
fiberglass grid is bonded to the hull to strengthen and
stiffen the hull. Transverse supports of stainless steel
support the compression load from the mast.
As we said
in the beginning, Catalina knows its market. They claim it's
the biggest 35-footer in its' class and I can't find
argument with that. They've chosen a roominess and comfort
theme and carried it throughout the boat, from the spacious
cockpit to the commodious main salon, it is definitely a
"bigger" boat. Put that with a hull that performs well and
they've got a new boat that should fit the needs of many a
sailor planning to cruise our Northwest waters.
Richard
Hazelton
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