From: legacy@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (wayne.m.simpson)
Subject: Re: Boat Show
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 14:32:33 GMT
Followup-To: rec.boats
Summary: Thoughts on Catalina 270 and 320

In article <1jhro5INN3q9@male.EBay.Sun.COM> jeffh@nonsuch.EBay.Sun.COM writes:
>Of the sailboats that were there, most seemed to look a little bit like power 
>boats, strongly promote the theme of "easy to sail", and use new (sometimes 
>radical) gimmicks instead of sound design features.  My impression was that 
>most of the boats looked a lot more "plastic". than I have been used to boats
>looking.  Virtualy every boat at the show (including the new Catalina 270) had 
>a berth under the cockpit sole.  :-(   I don't understand this trend, but it 
>must be what is selling because that is the way everyone seems to be going.  I
>can't imagine what it must be like in one of those "staterooms" on a hot, humid,
>might.  I guess the people buying these boats must have found some way to deal
>with the gear that I have been used to putting in cockpit lockers.  Wheel 
>steering is in; the Catalina 270 comes standard with it.  Crazy, IMHO.  The 270
>is about 1500 lbs. lighter than a Catalina 27.  How anyone justifies adding 
>$1000.00 to the price of a boat like that for the inconvenience of a wheel is
>beyond me.

   A few thoughts on the current trends and the Catalina 270 in particular.
They put those berths in the stern because with the high volume after
sections on todays boats, you can put a truly huge berth back there. A
bed similar in size to your queen-size at home is an attractive proposition
to a first time buyer. I haven't attemped to sleep in one, but I suspect
the lack of overhead room and ventilation would not be condicive to a good
night's sleep. How would you climb over your wife to go check the anchor
at 3:00 AM? How would she get over you to make the nightly potty call?
   The Catalina 270 sleeps 4, from what I can tell. This, at least, is
a positive trend in that the number of berths is down from 5 or 6 for the
Catalina 27, depending on model.
   I agree with Jeff regarding the now ubiquitous wheel steering. A 27
foot boat simply doesn't need it and I don't understand why so many people
want them. I mentioned this to a dealer at the Annapolis show and she 
seemded positively indignant. "People want them. It's just not a Big Boat
without a wheel!", she said. My reply? "Steering a boat this size with a 
wheel is like making love with gloves on. There's just no feel at all."
   It is interesting to note that Gerry Douglas, chief engineer for Catalina
and designer of the 270, himself owns a Catalina 27. Why? He told me it
was the biggest (Catalina) boat he could get with a tiller, and he wanted
his kids to learn how to sail with that rather than a wheel. Why, then,
a wheel on the 270? I suppose, once again, its more attractive to the 
first time buyer. The bottom line of high volume production boat building
is that you must build what you can sell. If you can't sell it, there's
no reason to build it.
   The C-270 is said to be a more performance oriented boat than the C-27.
It is considerably lighter, with a D/L ratio of 206, and has a longer water-
line length. Oddly, for a performance boat, it has a small working sailplan
with a SA/D ratio of only about 14.7. The C-27's SA/D is 15.1 for the standard
rig and over 16 for the tall rig by comparison. A 150% roller furling genny
is standard on the 270, I think, and I guess Catalina feels these are the 
only two sails you will ever need, since there is no locker space in which
to stow a second jib.
   Another unusual design feature of the C-270 are the cabin top mounted
mainsheet traveler and jib sheet winches. This means all sails are worked
from the forward end of the cockpit, and makes it difficult or impossible
for the single handed skipper to steer and work the sails at the same 
time. It does, however clear out the cockpit for those weekend cocktail
parties at the yacht club (hmmmm...).
   By contrast, the new Catalina 320, which will debut at Sail Expo in 
Atlantic City next month and is billed as a cruising boat, has a comparable
D/L to the 270 and a SA/D of about 18! This, to me, sounds more like 
performance.

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                                      Wayne Simpson, Technical Editor
(insert standard                      National Catalina 27 Association
        disclaimer here)              wms@spin.ho.att.com
                                      (908) 949-0482
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Newsgroups: rec.boats