[C320-list] Some General Questions

[Robert E. Sloat]

I have a 2002 320 (Hull 894) with the wing keel and do a lot of single 
handed sailing on southern Lake Michigan.  The rudder is below the wing keel 
a few inches, but there is no real grounding issue around here unless you 
beach the boat.

On single handed sailing, the Raymarine OEM autopilot makes things very 
easy.  Set the autopilot to either sail at a heading or a constant wind 
angle.  It will tack from most all wind angles and I have even used it to 
jibe an asymmetric spinnaker that I fly occasionally alone to show off.

As with many boats, the instruments are at the helm so if you make 
adjustment to the main (the traveler and main sheet controls are at the 
cabin bulkhead) you can't see the wind angle and speed and boat speed 
numbers unless you wander back to the helm.  A few instrument repeaters near 
the traveler or cabin entrance would be nice, but installation looks 
difficult with the possibility of ugly wires showing up inside the cabin.  I 
installed a wireless Raymarine Autopilot Smart Controller which allows 
wireless control of the autopilot.  This is a nice feature, but the real 
advantage is that the Smart Controller functions as a repeater for up to 4 
different digital readouts from your instruments on a reasonably easy to 
read screen.  This is a big plus for sail adjustments when single handing

Hang the Smart Controller somewhere near the sheet bags on the cabin 
bulkhead and when the autopilot is on you can make all your main and genoa 
adjustments from the cockpit and see results (good or bad) from the Smart 
Controller with out having to venture back behind the wheel.

The Smart Controller requires a sending unit be installed and wired to the 
instrument pod.  And Raymarine recommends you install the sending unit away 
from the helm or other instruments or other listed items.  This means you 
have to fish a wire from the instrument pod down through one of the pedestal 
pipes to the box in the rear bunk and then to wherever you install the 
sending unit.  Mine is in a protected area in the forward end of the port 
cockpit locker.

Tim Fulbright who runs Sail Place, the Catalina dealer here at Waukegan 
harbor told me yesterday that he has sold out all of his new 320s and the 
last 2 320s he took in trade for bigger Catalinas sold within a month of 
trade-in.  This is a good sign of the demand for this model.  I as an owner 
of Hull 894 since new in 2002 and have been very happy with my 7 seasons of 
sailing the boat.

Bob Sloat
Savannah Hull 894



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Melissa&Larry Leibman" <theleibmans at verizon.net>
To: <C320-list at catalina320.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 29, 2008 6:54 AM
Subject: [C320-list] Some General Questions


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