[C320-list] Blue Water Sailing

[Dennis Harris]

I haven't read the article and would like to see it.  However, one can 
predict what almost every article of this type will say.  In my opinion, 
there are two things at play here.  First, in the boating community, there 
is lots of snobbery, especially from brokers and magazines.  This view is 
that if your boat isn't a Hinkley, Hallberg Rassy, or some other ultra 
expensive boat, it's a piece of junk.....especially if it is a Catalina, 
Hunter, or Beneteau (or similarly priced boat).  A boat the size of the 320, 
which years ago was considered a big boat, is a starter boat, a pocket 
cruiser, coastal crusier, or some other demeaning term.  And always, the 
boat is deemed not to be seaworthy for blue water sailing (and the point is 
always demonstrated by some overstated shortcoming).  Almost without fail, 
ask these people what their boat or car is and you find most have a smaller, 
piece of junk from the 1960's.  It's like saying that only a Mercedes or 
Bentley is capable of driving coast to coast....just nonsense.  When they 
write the articles, they have to find shortcomings, problems, and 
difficulties (and overstate them).  Otherwise, who would read an article 
where everything was just peachy.  It is Catalina, Hunter, and Beneteau who 
bring us good, practical boats at a reasonable price.  And it is these 
manufacters who allow most of us the opportunity to enjoy this sport.

The second point is that magazines are businesses built on advertising. 
They need the advertising from the big boat, high priced boat crowd, so to 
help sell such boats, they have to promote the fine characteristics of such 
boats and somewhat down play the features of the less expensive boats.

Even with the above, I personally would prefer a somewhat bigger boat (40 
ft. range) for extended offshore cruising (just to have the extra space) and 
it would certainly be equipped differently than for one used in coastal 
waters.  And an extremely rugged boat would be desired over a lighter built 
boat (i.e. for mowing the lawn, you use a lawn tractor, not a bulldozer, but 
if you are clearing a forest, you need the bulldozer).  For me, I'm not 
going on such extended offshore cruising, so my C320 is just perfect for my 
(and many others) needs.

Dennis Harris C320 #694

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <crashley at gte.net>
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Sent: Friday, October 17, 2008 2:46 AM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Blue Water Sailing


> Is this really a surprise? The 320 is billed as a coastal cruiser. I 
> suppose any boat could sail anywhere in good weather.
>
> CRA
> Rosebud #882
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Allan S. Field" <allan.field at verizon.net>
> To: "Catalina Association List" <C320-List at catalina320.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 7:37 PM
> Subject: [C320-list] Blue Water Sailing
>
>
>> For anyone thinking of offshore sailing in a Catalina 320, you might want 
>> to
>> take a look at an article in the November 2008 issue of Blue Water 
>> Sailing
>> titled A Passage to the Islands.  Alessandra, a C320, was sailed from St.
>> Simon's Island to St. Thomas, a 1,300 mile nonstop journey, by a
>> professional delivery crew.  The article is quite detailed regarding the
>> 320's shortcomings for blue water sailing and ends with faint praise: 
>> ."it
>> will certainly be a good boat for weekends sailing around the islands. 
>> That
>> is, after all, her intended purpose."
>>
>>
>>
>> I am going to scan the article for saving.  If anyone wants a copy, let 
>> me
>> know.  I'll collect names  and send it out in about 2 weeks when I return
>> from a trip to Lake Tahoe.
>>
>>
>>
>> Allan S. Field
>>
>> Sea Shadow - #808
>>
>> Columbia, MD
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>