[C320-list] Some General Questions

[Melissa&Larry Leibman]

Thanks to everyone for their responses. The helpfulness and comaraderie of
the C-320 owners group is very much appreciated and serves to enhance the
value of the boats. It, along with the fact that the Catalina is still an
active boat builder, are two of the reasons I (and I'm sure others) are
drawn to the brand.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <BAdams3491 at aol.com>
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 29, 2008 1:04 PM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Some General Questions


> Here's my two cents:
>
> 1.  I'm not  on the Chesapeake, so I can't help there.   However, I have
run
> aground...backed  off without difficulty.   BTW...hull # 847 and newer
have 4'
> 3" wings; hull # 846 and older   have 4' 10" wings.
>
> 2.  I single hand most of the time...it is quite easy.  My  dock normally
> does not have a cross wind, although the advantage of 'six tons'  is that
the
> boat usually goes were you point it.
>
> 3.  No special problems that I know of...mighty fine boats.  Also  you get
> good support from Catalina.
>
> Bert
> At Ease
> #442
>
>
> In a message dated 6/29/2008 6:50:03 A.M. Central Daylight Time,
> theleibmans at verizon.net writes:
>
> Hello  320 listees,
>
> My wife and I currently own a 1988 Cal 28 and have been  thinking of
moving
> up for a little more space. The Catalina 320 is one design  we have been
eyeing
> recently and I was hoping I might be able to ask a couple  of specific
> questions (ok there's a general one in there too). I did do a bit  of
searching in
> the archives first and I apologize if these have been answered  before.
>
> 1. The (2001) 320 we saw was on the hard. It has a wing keel,  and it
appears
> the rudder was sized for a deeper keel as it's depth was  clearly greater
> than that of the keel. My current boat draws 5'-3" and I'd be  lying if I
said I
> never touched bottom here on the shallow Chesapeake. While  the shallow
draft
> of the wing is attractive, the idea of running aground on  the rudder is
not
> especially. Has this been an issue for 320 owners? I did see  a response
about
> the rudder being designed to "break off" at the tip if  subjected to a
hard
> grounding but that seems like a less than ideal solution.  Is there a
factory
> retrofit rudder with a shallower draft?
>
> 2. My wife  is pretty much a fair weather sailor. The good news is that
she
> has no problem  with me going out alone on days when she would prefer not
to.
> That means I do  a fair bit of single-handling. I've gotten quite
comfortable
> with the task on  our Cal 28. What has been others experience
single-handling
> the 320?  Specifically, getting into and out of a slip alone. I sometimes
have
> to  manhandle (sorry "person-handle") the 7500 lb Cal when there is a
> significant  cross-wind. Is doing the same with a 6-ton boat feasible? The
setup on my
> boat  puts the genoa winches aft where I can easily reach them from the
helm.
> I  noticed they are further forward on the 320. Has  anyone relocated
theirs
> further aft? If not, what does a single-handed tack look like?
>
> 3.  Finally, the usual general question. What are the significant things
to
> look  for in a pre-owned C-320 of the late '90s to early 2000's vintage.
Most
> boats  have the usual array of issues to consider: leaks around
chainplates and
>  hatches, hull blistering, rudder delamination, etc. Are there any special
> ones  to keep an eye out for (a particular year with electrical issues or
engine
>  problems for example)?
>
> Thanks in  advance,
>
> Larry
>
>
>
>
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