[C38] A little advice in the purchase of a Catalina 38

[Les]

There are many bits to a boat.  The engine is one of the big expenses,
and blisters are another.  Standing rigging should be recent as well
(some insurance companies are now requesting the date of last rigging
from what I understand).

	One comment about professional work.  I don't know about all boat
yards, but most hire folks with experience on boats.  I don't know that
the word professional applies in all cases.  Generally the skipper and
owner are responsible for all work done on a boat, regardless of who was
paid to do it.  With that said, most of the folks I have dealt with have
been good, honest folks and have done their very best to take good care
of Nancy, JACE and I, and I wouldn't insult anyone of them for any
reason whatever.  

However, noting the care the folks have taken of the boat is valuable.
Check out if the logs are up todate, if there are manuals on the
systems, if the boat is clean and looks used or if it looks abused.
These are the tell tales.  Worn doesn't mean anything.  We use JACE.
>From time to time you will see some dock bruises, you may occasionally
see some dirt on things, and you will see worn canvas.  But you will
also see JACE in several different ports every year, at anchor some
times, on moorings some times, and in slips when I can afford it or if
no anchorage is available.  That doesn't mean she is abused.  Far from
it.  Few boats that you will see here or else where have had their
standing rigging replaced, their mast awlgripped, a new hatch installed,
all the other portlights reseated and resealed, a new engine (less than
200 hours now), and new bits and pieces everywhere every few years.  We
love and use our boat.  I hope when I sell JACE that the next owner
loves her as much as we do, and uses her just as much or more.

	I second the comments about the wiring.  We took a 10" ball of
electrical tape out of the joints I fixed on JACE, and I replaced the
three way splices with the rivet with good butt joints.  The threeways
will corrode at the rivet and quit working.

	Cushions, canvas, dodgers and other cloth items are "consumables", and
require frequent (5-10) year replacement. Blisters are part of
fiberglass boats.  They, too can be fixed, but require loss of use of
the boat for a while, and considerable cost to fix, or a lot of personal
man hours with really nasty dirty work.  Engine replacement is sometimes
difficult, and for a diesel always expensive.  On JACE we have had all
bronze through hulls installed, because we had detected some weeping on
two of the original nipples glassed into the boat, and as an old Navy
guy, I like the longevity of the bronze seacocks and through hulls.
Check for actual weeping at the through hulls (a trick, sprinkle talcum
powder around the through hulls before the check sail and after look to
see if there is any weepage).  Get a good survey done by a reputable
surveyor, and choose your own, not one recommended by the seller.  A
good surveyor will want it hauled, and you can have the bottom paint
refreshed at that time if you are sure you will buy the boat (and you
should be pretty sure before this step.)

	The head hatch is vulnerable on the C38s to having a line in them and
someone step on the hatch, warping it.  It happened to me, and I just
replaced the whole hatch.  The instruments should all work (depth and
knotmeter are basic, with a wind speed optional, but nice to have if you
race for sure.)  I have added RADAR to JACE, a nice little JRC unit, but
we have only used it two times for real, although I warm it up and run
it at least once a month (all Radars should be run once a month just to
keep the grease moving and the antenna working, and to refresh the
calibration rom circuits.)  Also it is good to practice when you can see
what the radar is showing you.

	JACE has just had all the interior cushions replaced, and since we have
owned her, we have had the mast pulled and gone through and installed
new lower spreaders, new standing rigging, and of course replaced the
running rigging two or three times in 9 years.  The engine was replaced
with a XP-25B about 4 years ago, and it works flawlessly.  A folding or
feathering prop helps with speed under sail, feathering is about $2500
to buy new, so if you can find that, it is worth a few bucks more I
think, and it is easier on the other running gear than a folding prop,
although I have had no trouble with ours using the original elliptec
that was on the boat when we bought it.

	We have added batteries to JACE, and that makes easier cruising, but
would be unnecessary weight for racing.  The roller furling is a real
boon if you are shorthanding, and makes it easier to shorten sail, but
more difficult to balance for heavy weather, because it moves the center
of effort up and forward.  If it is present, unroll the sail to look at
it, and also make sure that there is a sun shade on the leech and foot
to protect the sail when furled, and check how difficult it is to roll
up.  An overhaul with new bearings is about $300 or more if done here in
Southern ca.  But generally the bearings are good and just need to have
the sail lowered and all the bits washed out thoroughly.  But that
should be done to check if it binds up at all.

	The rudder packing is in a real tough place to access.  The quadrant
effectively blocks easy access to the packing bolts, and you can't tell
if it is effectively set until the boat is driving or pumping at anchor
the top of it is just above the water line so it pumps only when driven
or rocking fore and aft.  Take the boat out and anchor to see if the
waves force water through it during the check sail.

	Good stuff is that most of the systems are simple, and easy to maintain
or replace.  The diesels are robust and sip fuel (about 0.6-0.7 gph at
5.5kts)  Sailing a C-38 is wonderful.  The boat will tell you when it is
happy by its balance and the sounds coming from the hull and rig.  I
love JACE and of course they are beautiful boats to see as well.

	I wouldn't worry too much about the canvass color, just if it is
servicable.  You will probably want to plan on replacing it within 3
years anyway.  

	One neat thing we discovered on this trip is to rig a line between the
two holes in the dinghy transom to the halyard to lower it over the
side.  Then the motor can be installed on the transome before launching.
The halyard will hold the transome without stressing the bonding to the
tubes, and the balance of the motor between the two lines will hold the
dingy flat for the launch.  I lower the bow from the bow of Jace and
nancy lowers the dingy transom by the winch.  The technique is to run
the stern line from the one transome hole, and allow about 10' to the
other transom hole.  Pull the line back and make sure the center is then
crow footed to the halyard shackle to prevent it from slipping to either
side.  (If you don't know what a crow foot is look it up in a book on
knots or Chapmans).  This is so much easier than anything else we have
done to launch the dinghy I am ashamed that I didn't think of it before.

  	Nancy and I just spent a week on JACE, 3 nights at anchor and a
couple in slips and at the mooring.  LIfe is better on a boat!!  I do
hope you join our community and love the boat you buy.

Regards,
Les H
On Fri, 2007-07-20 at 12:55 -0400, Mark_Crosby at fpl.com wrote:
> I would ensure the bottom is in good shape, or records of a recent
> bottom job. Engine and drive train health is probably most important,
> then the rigging and sails.
> 
> My Catalina 38 is for sale. It is in very good shape and is offered at
> a reduced price. It is currently in Stuart, FL. Call me for more
> details.
> 
> Mark Crosby
> 772-418-1100
> 561-722-1649
> Inactive hide details for Ron"Ron Zetterberg" <ronz at as400search.com>
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>                                 "Ron Zetterberg" <ronz at as400search.com>
>                                 Sent by: listserve-bounces at catalina38.org 
>                                 
>                                 07/19/2007 05:10 PM
>                                 Please respond to "Catalina 38 Listserve"
>                                 
> 
> 
> To:
> listserve at catalina38.org
> cc: 
> Subject: [C38] A little
> advice in the purchase
> of a Catalina 38
> 
> 
> Good day to all,
> 
> Well, after much work, soul searching, and short listing, I will
> finally buy a Catalina 38 sometime this summer...Unless the world
> falls apart...
> A query for those in the know...
> 
> IF you were to buy a Catalina 38 for the FIRST time, what are the
> three major or minor things that you would look for, both positive and
> negative, as you searched for THE boat to purchase??? 
> 
> Keep in mind that the boat that you would be purchasing in this
> scenario is of a late 70s to early 80s vintage...
> 
> Your comments will be gratefully accepted.
> 
> And a quick message to Steve Ortin and the crew of Santa Susanna. Yes,
> I did fall off the face of the planet, as did my daughter, Jamie..
> Been WAY too busy to crew with you. My apologies, I have been remiss
> by not keeping in touch... I hope that you are all well and winning
> races...
> 
> At your service,
> 
> Ron Zetterberg
> VP, Staffing Services
> AS400 Personnel
> v: 760 943 7798
> c: 760 815 8818
> f: 760 635 1177
> email ronz at as400search.com
> web: www.as400search.com
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