Catarina 30 ft your thoughts on this one.

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Binman

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Looking for maybe a new boat, this was very popular in the states, where many are to be found, some also in Europe,They are for Coastal use only, could one be sailed from across the pond? Anyone own one and your rating please, I won't go in to, two of there short comings, till later,
 
Never mad much impression here, although usually got favourable reviews from the press. Not a good idea to try and import one from the states unless it is a model that was sold here since 1998 as it will not get a CE mark - and you will find the cost of importing high in relation to the value of the boat.

Plenty of (better?) boats available from European builders - perhaps the reason why Catalinas have never sold in numbers here - but of course influenced by the need to get a CE mark which is a big disincentive for US builders given the small potential market in Europe.
 
Don't know the Catalina 30 but have done many miles on a 42, and considered buying a new 34 ft one a few years ago from agent in Langstone. Low-tech but quite solid construction, and like all US boats good headroom and berth sizes. Importing from USA an old 30-footer a very bad idea: unless you spend some money and a lot of effort ( or little effort and a lot of money - thousands at least ) in getting a CE certificate you won't be able to use or sell it legally in the EU. I know the "enforcers" for this legislation are your local Trading Standards office who check greengrocers scales are accurate, and who mostly don't even know about this EU-codswallop, but I still wouldn't try to ignore it.

US-imports make sense for bigger and higher quality yachts: think Pacific Seacraft, Hood, Morris Yachts, or something like a NYYC 48 - one of my dream boats. For higher value boats the savings over European prices are commensurately bigger, and the cost of CE-approval is a lower proportion of cost. You don't HAVE to code an ocean-capable boat as Cat A, you can code it as Cat D for calm ponds which is simpler and cheaper. All that matters is that it has a certificate.
 
Roomy for 30 ft with an excellent layout.

Sails surprisingly well for a bubble boat. Available in at least two mast heights and several keels. Tall rig deep draft fin would be my preference.

5000 + sold with an excellent parts support from the factory and a very active owners forum. Has some well known problems but nothing grave.
 
Reason for posting, there is one on EBay, On the river Rio Dulce Isabal in Guatemala, Has a few blisters at waterline, Osmosis , not a good start, Owner has had a quote of £3000 to correct, a money pit if you ask me, TQA I agree really good layout, but the same boat without problems about £14,000. Thinking of it as a holiday destination with mooring, it could be used for blue water sailing and would be the perfect base, do other members keep a boat abroad for this reason?
 
Lots of people keep boats abroad for holiday homes. However, that location would not be on many people's list of desirable places to holiday. It is a graveyard for dying boats such as the one you have seen, or a cheap place to wait out the hurricane season for budget bluewater travellers. Best left alone to either die of for some penniless dreamer to become even more penniless.

Plenty of good places closer to home to keep a holiday boat.
 
As stated, the Catalina 30 was very popular in its day as a family friendly weekender. Capable of coastal passages in favorable weather. A fast boat with the optional tall rig but a solid performer all round. Never designed nor intended to cross oceans but far less capable boats have made long passages. The builder is very supportive and owners forums are very helpful, honest, and dependable. Before the Jennneau and Beneteau brands saturated the market here the Catalina brand was the bargain priced sales leader for many years,
 
In reply, all I can say, it only took one message for me to realise it would have been a money pit, but quite like the boat but one where it is safe and friendly, so a seed has been sown. I have holidays in Kovalam south India, my friend has a house there, don't mind travel, all part of the holiday, being retired I can go for many weeks at a time To spend a warm winter somewhere ,is a joy,.
 
Now that could well start a plan of action, tell me more? What is involved legally in buying, if I find something for the right money, obviously, I would need a survey done. Then maybe a couple of visits to sort, purchase, moorings, at roughly the price for that.you have wetted my appetite.
 
On my second Catalina 320, both of which regularly went cross channel. Solidly built, very roomy, easily makes 6kts at start of season when hull is clean! First time visitors regularly make a comment involving the word "tardis". US owners forum is brilliant for any problem solving.
 
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