[C320-list] C350- was New Splash guard

[Nibshart]

Jeff,



Someone sent me your recent posting on the C320 list and I would like to 
comment if I may. Before you dismiss the performance of the C350 try to find 
one with a full keel and conventional mainsail. Most owners like the 
convenience of a furling mainsail and most C350s are configured that way and 
have a shoal keel including those that I have seen reviewed in the trade 
magazines. The full keel not only adds to pointing ability but also changes 
the trim and eliminates the slight stern down attitude of the shoal-keel 
version. By the way, the cavitation issue, for those boats that have 
experienced it, has been resolved with a prop change. The refrigeration 
issue, again for those that had it, seems to be resolved on older hulls with 
various levels of owner upgrades from adding insulation to installing an 
Alder-Barbour exhaust kit all in the quest of keeping ice cream frozen at 
less than a 50% duty cycle. Again, I am not suggesting that the C350 was 
designed as an all out performance racer because it wasn't, but because most 
hulls were configured to maximize ease of handling as opposed to 
performance, please try to sail a performance oriented hull or at least talk 
to the owner of one before you make your final decision as it just may 
surprise you. Good luck on your ongoing search.



Greg Klocek

Commodore C350IA

s/v Whitehook #199

(shoal keel, furling main and I love it)



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeff Church" <jjemail at comcast.net>
To: "C320-List" <c320-list at catalina320.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2006 12:24 PM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] New Splash guard


> Bryan,
>
> I wouldn't consider the 350 because it doesn't point as well as the 36, 
> which doesn't point as well as the 320....
>
> I don't sit still much when I'm sailing. I like to tweak the sails 
> constantly and feel the boat respond. Once I get everything trimmed I 
> might pause for a beer, but then I tack and start all over again. The 350 
> seems to have too many performance compromises for someone who cares about 
> that sort of thing. Around our harbor most experienced Catalina owners 
> consider the 350 a very nice "dockside condo", but not one of Catalina's 
> better performers. Beneteau's Oceanis series comes to mind. The 350 also 
> has several design problems like prop cavitation, a trim problem that 
> causes the transom to sit too low in the water and the bow too high, and 
> poor reefer insulation. Check out the 350 web site and track their 
> maillist.
>
> Before I give up my 320 I need to find a boat that easily accommodates 2 
> people and their supplies on 3+ week cruises around Lake Michigan, is not 
> too big to be single-handed around marinas with tight slip spaces, is as 
> comfortable as the 36 in rough seas, and has the performance 
> characteristics of a larger version of the 320. Is that too much to ask? 
> :)
>
> Unfortunately, the 350 does not perform well enough, the 36 is an old 
> design, and the 380/387 is too big. Catalina needs to build a small-ish 
> 370.
>
> Sorry you asked?
>
> Jeff   ~~_/)~~
>
>