Catalina 42 International Association-Articles

The Catalina 42
"An Idea Whose Time Has come"

by Allen Kent

The famous playwright, F. Scott Fitzgerald, once penned, "there is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come." Under the guidance of Frank Butler, founder of Catalina Yachts, "Our philosophy is to offer as much boat for the money as possible." When one considers the many options and possibilities available in selecting a sailing yacht in today's market there is one sailing yacht which, from all appearances fits F. Scott Fitzgerald’s description almost perfectly, the Catalina 42. The Catalina 42 is the result of a process beginning with a dream. According to Gerry Douglas, whose many hats include head designer for Catalina Yachts, "it is absolutely vital to build what the customer wants." He continues by saying, "The Catalina 42 is a rather simple, sturdy boat. What you get is good quality because the structure is there. If you want to make it more elaborate, you can take it as far as you want to go." Each production begins with a "wish-list." Douglas reports that he adds suggestions to the wish-list he has received and recorded from boat owners around the world. He then presents them to the, "design team" consisting of Gerry Douglas, and Frank Butler the owner of Catalina Yachts.

When visiting Catalina Yachts in Woodland Hills, California one is impressed with the cleanliness, efficiency, and size of the facility. The huge plant was originally the site where Saturn Rockets were manufactured. Several shifts work in an attempt to keep up with the high demand for these fine yachts. Prices are kept competitive by Catalina Yachts ordering and ware-housing large quantities of supplies, parts and equipment. Butler is able to build boats less expensive than similarly sized vessels by focusing on two key areas; a) economy of scale; because he builds so many boats he can get a better price than smaller builders on equipment; and, b) a refusal to spend money on costly advertisement, which can be passed on to the consumer. A major objective is to price its boats 15% to 20% below its major competitors, Hunter and Beneteau.

As a result of the careful planning, preparation, and adhering to strict production standards the Catalina 42 is indeed, "an idea whose time has come." The hull, is an in-house design carefully evaluated by the Catalina Yachts design team. A swim step was added, "tweaked" and modified several times over the years. The original hull was produced in October of 1987 and was sold at a Long Beach, California Boat Show. The second was produced in April of 1988. The first twenty-five boats were fashioned with a wing keel but a fin keel option was soon added. Hull number 247 was the first two cabin model and ports in the hull were added in the mid-nineties. "The design of the Mark II was influenced somewhat by the Europeans." Douglas said, referring to the contemporary, rounded stern and modifications to the cockpit. Beginning with the Mark II model in 1995 a wider stern was introduced and soon thereafter a longer high-aspect-ratio option rudder was designed and installed for the fin keel model. "Two requirements," Douglas continues, "were that the shape have lots of volume but still be slippery.

She's finer forward than her predecessors, has a straight run aft and relatively flat at the keel."

"Some owners mistake the pressure on the wheel with the shorter rudder as being weather helm but it's really only more pressure on the rudder and the skeg." Douglas said. The keel is trapezoidal, parallel at the top and the bottom. The Catalina 42 was originally fitted with a Seafurl 3250 furler. New models are now equipped with a Schaefer 3100. The benefit of the rig is that it is simple. Once it's up and tuned, it can be ignored. The adjustable backstay increases the headstay tension thereby reducing the tension on the shrouds created by the spreaders. Some owners have reported they have added running backstays, but according to Douglas, "that's more equipment than our customers want."

Aside from the change in the transom, the primary difference between the MK I and the MKII is the size and arrangement of the cockpits. The Mark I's cockpit seats are 6'8" long. Neither seat opens to access spaces below decks. In the aft starboard corner there is a 40" wide and deep compartment which is large enough to hold an inflatable dinghy. The port corner has a propane bottle locker vented overboard. The cockpit of the Mark II, by comparison, presents more comfortable seating arrangements and better access to stowage. Seats are the same length and there are two "observation seats" fitted into the corners of the stern pulpit. A removable seat in the transom replaces the cutout found in the Mark I. Over the years my wife Ava and I have had the opportunity to visit and sail on several Catalina 42's both the MK I and the MK II and have experienced the same exhilaration and sheer fun of sailing on both models.

Based on polar predictions a Catalina 42 equipped with a fin keel, radial spinnaker and 155% Genoa will have sluggish performance in winds less than 5 knots, but still sail to her rating. Most owners rate upwind and downwind performance as above average to excellent when compared to boats of similar size.

Most owners also indicate that they tuck in a reef when wind speed exceeds 18 knots, which balances the boat and eases the helm. She stiffens at 10 to 15 degrees of heel, and many owners report, "I can't get the rail in the water!" Our model is a Mark II and we have sailed in virtually all types of weather and have never felt that the construction or integrity of the boat was a problem. This is our third Catalina Yacht and we have enjoyed them all. However, the Catalina 42 is unquestionably the best sailing and most fun of them all.

One of the newest and most eagerly anticipated options features a center-line forward berth. Frank Butlers, "The Butler Did It," is one of the new center-line forward berth designs and it proved to be a very popular item at a recent boat shown in Long Beach, California. A four-cabin model was introduced in 2000. The first one produced was shipped to Europe for charter service in the Mediterranean.

The Catalina 42 is not only a good sailing boat, it is also one of the most attractive boats in any marina. According to an owner in San Francisco, California, "When we sail into a new marina we never fail to see heads turn to look at our Catalina 42." The same owner continued to comment, "People are often telling us how pretty our boat looks under sail."

To date there are several Catalina 42 Fleets located around the world with additional Fleets being planned currently. Your involvement with one of the many Catalina 42 Fleets would certainly be a positive move to provide information, support, and the sharing of ideas.

As one of the most successfully designed and produced yachts, the Catalina 42 continues to gain a strong following of loyal boat owners. This fully-evolved boat, the Catalina 42 has become the benchmark for other manufacturers and it is truly, "an idea whose time has come!"

Mandalay Cruises the Bahamas

By Colin and Colleen Ward

In May of 1997, we purchased Mandalay, a two-cabin fin keel Catalina 42 Mk II with future cruising plans in mind. Our “shakedown” cruise finally got underway on Dec 28, 1999 when we left St. Petersburg, Florida and visited the Exuma islands of the Bahamas, returning to St. Pete by the end of March. This first major cruise came after having the job and family situations under control making cruising possible. A year of planning got the house sold and some important possessions in storage.

Mandalay was on Lake Texoma in North Texas for two years before being moved to St. Petersburg, Florida in June 1999. While still on Texoma, we installed an autopilot and a GPS to tell it where to go. Knowing we were going to live aboard in Florida, an air conditioner became mandatory so we installed a 19,000 Btu King Air unit. We also added Simpson-Lawrence Horizon Davits.

Preparations

When we arrived in Florida, we went to work on our “living list”, which is a constantly changing list of projects comprised of our “must have” and “nice to have” items. The basic rule is that for every item you complete and cross off, you add two more items. Hopefully the ones you cross off first are the most complex, high cost items (radar, wind generator) and the ones you add are the fun items like a glass bottom bucket and a conch hammer. Another rule of thumb is that for major equipment, it can cost as much to install an item as it costs to buy it. This applies to SSB radio, air conditioning, radar, wind generator, fixed mount GPS, etc.

Outfitting a boat for cruising requires an understanding of what is wanted or needed for the cruising one has in mind. You must sort out the essentials, the comfort items, the safety items, and the stuff that is advertised and pushed by salesmen but is of little value. To do that, you must have a pretty good idea of where you want to go, the conditions you will face how comfortable you want to be, and how all this relates to your budget. In our case, we want to cruise the East Coast, Bahamas and Caribbean (not want Cape Horn or the Arctic. We also do not want to listen to a generator running, nor do we want to hunt for fresh water from a cistern in a third world country. This led us to adding the following equipment:

Dinghy Davits, Trojan 6-volt golf cart batteries, BattMax battery switch to control charging of house and starting batteries, Aerogen wind generator on a stern pole, Raytheon radar on a second stern pole, Siemens 75 watt solar panel on a rail between the stern poles, plus voltage regulator, Autohelm 6000 autopilot, Magellan and Garmin GPS units, SGC SSB/ham radio with backstay antenna, Eastern Aero Marine life raft, EPIRB, Village Marine watermaker, Mast mounted whisker pole, 105% roller furling genoa, Additional winch for roller furling line, Second anchor roller with all chain rode (Claw and Delta anchors), Fishing gear and pole holder, Horseshoe; MOB pole with light, Lifesling

Underway

When departure day finally arrived, we hopped down the coast stopping at Venice, Charlotte Harbor (where we anchored for New Years Y2K), Sanibel and finally Key West. We soon found that sailing outside was more to our liking than following the Intracoastal Waterway. After some Key West sightseeing, we followed the Hawk Channel to Marathon and Rodriguez Key from which we crossed the Gulf Stream to South Riding Rock, our first Bahama siting. Crossing the Gulf Stream is intimidating because it has a reputation for turning ugly quickly whenever the wind opposes the current. We waited until the wind was light from the southeast and had a smooth overnight crossing. Landfall in the Bahamas was at Chubb Cay in the Berry Islands.

We cleared in at Chubb ($100 for a cruising permit/fishing license plus $25 for docking at the marina while clearing in) and then had to find a secure anchorage prior to the arrival of a front bringing gale force winds. We tucked in between Whale Cay and Little Whale Cay where we were sheltered from the north and south. The front arrived with a vengeance and we prayed that our selection and deployment of anchoring gear would be proven. The Delta anchor and chain rode met the challenge of three days of 35 – 45 knot winds with no room to drag. Although we were confident that the Delta was securely set, the current in and out of the anchorage changed with the tides so the boat cycled between facing east and west while the wind was out of the north. We found a new use for the radar – midnight anchor watch! We could see the shoreline and the other boat in the anchorage while warm and dry below.

After the gale blew through, a beautiful sail took us to Nassau where we stayed at the Yacht Haven Marina for three days. Nassau is a good place to re-provision and sightsee despite the wave of crime reported in the newspapers. Nassau was our jumping off point to the Exumas and the last marina stop until we returned almost two months later.

Our first stop in the Exumas was Allen’s Cay, where our second gale at anchor trapped us for three days. Again, forty-knot winds were the norm, and again, we had little swinging or dragging room in the very tight quarters of Allen’s. We set a second anchor (44lb Claw) which held well along with the Delta, but I learned to hate the Bahamian moor and subsequently anchored with one anchor unless absolutely necessary (it rarely is). Allen’s Cay is a beautiful spot in settled weather and is inhabited by large iguanas that meet you on the beach expecting treats.

Mandalay sailed down the Bahama Banks side of the Exumas stopping at Sampson’s Cay and Cave Cay before sailing into Exuma Sound and on to George Town. George Town is a Mecca for Bahama cruisers and snowbirds. There were over 400 boats there during February with room for more. Catalinas were well represented from 22’ to 42’. It is like a giant yacht club with events such as volleyball, ham radio licensing, softball, etc. etc. going on all the time. A VHF radio net keeps the cruisers in touch and informed. George Town would be a sleepy village if it were not for the cruisers. There are good facilities for provisioning, communicating, traveling and dining. We watched the America’s Cup races live on satellite TV in a beach bar named Chat ‘n Chill. After a couple of weeks in George Town, we set off to explore Conception Island and Long Island which are not part of the Exumas but are a day’s sail away. Conception is the most idyllic uninhabited island we saw, reminding us of a South Seas atoll.

The Bahamas are beautiful on the surface and even better under water. We saw barracuda, nurse sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, lobster, conch, starfish, sand dollars, trigger fish, parrot fish, etc. etc. There are coral reefs to explore at just about every island. Beaches at Conception and Stocking Islands are spectacular.

Mandalay retraced her steps when returning to St. Petersburg. Stops were made in Warderick Wells, Black Point and Highborne. The Gulf Stream crossing was again uneventful. When we reached St. Pete, three months had passed and we agreed that this trip could easily have been expanded to 6 months or more. The boat performed admirably and the equipment we added proved to be about right for this type of cruising. We had used our new 105% genoa in the Bahamas where the winds were stronger and we switched back to the 140% for Florida breezes.

The water maker gave us the independence we wanted and we were glad we were not the ones dinghying jugs of fresh water back to the boat, particularly during the gales. The most valuable additions were undoubtedly the autopilot and GPS, which are tied together. We used the SSB radio more than we expected, particularly for receiving weather reports and faxes. We were so weather dependent that the ability to receive all the information possible became a top priority. The davits worked well, but we found that our wood floored inflatable rode too low and we frequently got soaked on the way to shore. We have since moved up to an RIB that rides higher and drier.

We think very highly of the Bahamas and of our Catalina 42. Next season, we hope Mandalay will take us to points further south.

The guidebooks say that you can cruise in the Jumentoes for weeks and never see another boat. There were four in our anchorage the first night. As ritual dictates, we all met on the beach at happy hour and got acquainted. A young couple from South Africa, a seventies-something couple from south Florida (we never knew 70 could look so good) and a diehard, liveaboard couple from the Keys ("we raised our children on our boat, home-schooled them and we hate engines"). Everyone brought drinks and appetizers (the South African couple brought cream cheese and red peppers on baked plantains, mmmm) and we exchanged information about places we had visited; all in all a very satisfying end to the day.

The whole two years I planned for the Bahamas trip, I wondered about all the logistical things - will the wind and solar keep up with the energy demands, will the new dinghy serve its purpose, will the complicated electronics package on the battery monitor/combiner succumb to salt air, will I be able to get mail, will I run out of M&Ms? For some reason, imagining the daily events of cruising life totally escaped my commitment to planning. The solid planning on the logistical end paid off and so did the "let's go and see what happens" attitude.

We arrived in Cat Cay in January of this year and had not been in the Bahamas 24 hours before we met a couple we were to befriend for our entire trip and, I suppose, for life. Two days later we were trading with Bahamian fishermen - spark plugs for grouper and conch (they had the seafood). One day after that the Bahamian caretaker of a private island invited us ashore, gave us a tour of the beautiful island, fresh coconuts that he opened for us and six lobsters along with his favorite lobster recipe. Days like this ran into weeks and then turned into months so that we now have a long list of new boating friends and experiences to draw on.

So what is it like? It's anything you want to be. Do you want to be sociable one day and reclusive the next? That's OK. Do you want to snorkel, swim, dive or do you want to sit on the boat and read all day? Either will work. Do you want to be industrious? Volunteer with the Bahamian Land/Sea Park. Do you want to shed your clothes and not see another boat for days? There are places. If you want to be in the thick of things - go to George Town on Great Exuma. There were 500 cruising boats anchored out there this past winter. If you prefer solitude, try Conception Island, Rum Cay, Long Island or Cat Island. You may bump into a few boats in the more remote places but the people on them will be good neighbors. Most of us can read people well enough to know whether the other boat in the anchorage wants company or privacy.

Cakewalk and crew visited the southern Bahamas this past winter, spring and summer. The winter fronts came through with regularity from January until April. Wind and plenty of it ruled the day. Our wind and solar system was so effective that we could have gone weeks without running the engine. The water maker (80 gallons a day) worked - most of the time. Twice the 'O' rings blew out and had to be replaced. During the down time we bought water, paying anywhere from 50 cents a gallon to a dollar a gallon. Our alternator went out but a very nice Bahamian mechanic remedied the situation at a more than reasonable cost. At least three of our water pressure switches died. Finally, a nice guy who owned a zillion dollar yacht spent the morning in our engine room installing a pressure switch that he swore would not break. So far it hasn't. We thought our refrigerator wasn't working properly because it would only cool down to 50 degrees. We ordered a new thermostat but eventually found out that the 98-degree Bahamian water temperature and 85-degree air temperature were taking their toll on the Adler Barbour.

These little problems did not set us back. They happened, we took care of them. If we couldn't take care of them right away, we worked around them. Cruisers in the Bahamas are very resourceful so help is usually not too far away. I figured the only way to make a situation worse was to let it ruin the moment. Although we thought we had brought a sufficient number of spare parts, we still ended up ordering things from the states. Even with our cruising permit the Bahamian import taxes are very high and then the cost of flying a part to the out islands or sending it by mail boat adds another expense. And you have to add the cost of shipping within the US to all that. A $10 part could easily end up costing up to $60.

Food in the southern Bahamas is very expensive. Examples of price: a carton of orange juice (when you can find it) $6; a six ounce block of cheese - $5; a box of cereal - $7; a small jar of mayonnaise - $4.50; a case of beer - $33 (in some places as high as $48). Veggies are also expensive and usually worst for wear when they arrive at the out islands on the mail boat. You can get onions, green peppers, potatoes and homemade bread just about anywhere. You do not buy seafood in a market; you catch it or trade for it. The Exuma Market in George Town is an excellent place to reprovision. We visited George Town at least once or twice a month to reprovision, do laundry, make phone calls and pick up mail.

For those of you wondering about your pets, there are plenty of boats cruising down there with dogs and cats aboard. There are also plenty of places to take them ashore for a run. We were amazed by the number of people who took their pets cruising with them. It looked like a lot of trouble to me, though. I can't tell you how many times I saw men rowing itty bitty dinghies to shore through rain and rough seas with a big old dog hanging his head off the bow. Very nervous sounding people looking for veterinarians on the cruisers' net was not uncommon. While people doctors seem to abound in the cruising community, there aren't many cruising vets and we never heard of a local vet anywhere in the out islands.

We are back in the states, having arrived in mid July. I guess the main reason we are back is because it was pretty hot in the Bahamas this summer. The days I could take (just barely) but 85 degrees throughout the night is a little tough for me. If the weather hadn't run us home, we might have come home anyway for a good dose of civilization. We plan to return to the Bahamas in November.

One other thing: we are included in the legions of cruisers planning to go down island

But got to George Town and decided to stay in the Bahamas. Every single cruiser we met coming back from down south said they enjoyed their trip to Venezuela or other points south but if they had to do it again they would never have left the Bahamas. We were vacillating on whether to leave our little paradise when we attended a beach side, under the palm trees seminar led by Bruce Van Sant, author of Passages South. He said he's made the down island trip 17 times and it was his opinion that the Bahamas provided the best cruising grounds between Florida and Venezuela

Some of the pluses we found - it is safe. This is a luxury to be carefully considered. It means you don't have to worry about boat boys (who are now mostly boat men and are even more threatening), you don't have to lock your boat every time you leave and clear out your cockpit of anything valuable or keep your dinghy in sight when visiting the beach. Such activities can make cruising a real pain. One caution - keep an eye on everything in Nassau.

The exchange rate is one to one; as a matter of fact US currency is interchangeable with Bahamian. The Bahamian Defense Force and Bahamian Air/Sea Rescue Association provide a sense of security. The US Coast Guard can be summoned if needed. The Bahamians are nice people. The water is beautiful beyond description; the beaches are breath taking. The fishing is fantastic. The snorkeling and diving is unsurpassed by anything I've seen from the Cayman's to the South China Sea. Most anchorage's are within a day's run so you can have a nice dinner on the table by sunset and sleep soundly every night. I know this sounds too good to be true, but it really is just that nice.

If you are thinking about cruising the Bahamas, I recommend you do it soon. Even the out islands are becoming dotted with vacation developments. Old timers have told us that the Exumas are what the Abacos used to be like 20 years ago.

By: Bob Zoller, Commodore

The day before the Long Beach Boat Show opened in October 1987, Stan Miller called to tell me about the Catalina 42 as he knew I'd been looking for a larger sail boat. I placed my order on the phone, sight unseen! There were three powerful reasons. My wife, Charlene, was taken by the interior layout after cruising on an Islander Freeport that had the master stateroom forward with the head and shower in place of the "V" berth. Stan, who had a reputation for championing and campaigning sailboats, said he sailed on hull #1 that day and it "sailed like a dream". Also, I was very pleased with the quality and performance of my Catalina 30. I've never been sorry that I made that impulsive move. My original reasons for buying were held up and the Catalina 42 has fulfilled those aims and much more.

At the Boat Show the next day I gave my check for the deposit to Stan. Since the interior design was only a rough sketch, Hull #1 was locked up. The exterior features were captivating, especially the "walk through" transom. This is probably the greatest sail boat development for man overboard safety and for boarding the dinghy. It is great fun and good practice to pick up treasures underway by swinging the stern to an item in the water and having a crewman on the step reach down and pick it up with his hand. The size and comfort of the cockpit; the wide, unencumbered walk forward; the huge anchor well; and that graceful Isomat mast were all captivating.

It wasn't until April 1988 that we journeyed to Channel Islands Harbor to get our first chance to step into our future at sea. The spaciousness of the salon and galley, the head room and the lovely woodwork made us salivate. We went back to Long Beach and added to our deposit to make sure we'd get the first C-42 out of the factory. Hull #11 was delivered in September, commissioned, and christened at the Long Dock at the Long Beach Yacht Club on Thanksgiving weekend. So many people answered our invitation that their weight sunk the long Dock until some of those with wet shoes got off.

Truly, Z - LIFE sails like a dream! With my Signet SmartPak instruments the true wind readings constantly tell me that she is sailing as fast or faster than the wind (on the wind) at 2, 3, 4, and 5 knots of true wind. Because Catalina didn't have any fin keels for the first 20 C-42's, Z - Life arrived with a wing keel, which I don't need in our deep California waters. With the America Cup glamour of the wing, I was pleased to have it. I was even more pleased with it after our race at the first Nine Sails West Regatta at LBYC when two wing keel boats beat the fins. Z - LIFE sails every Wednesday, year around - usually about 20 to 25 miles through Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors. It makes sailing a pure pleasure.

Since we live in Arcadia, 35 miles due north of Alamitos Bay, we live on Z - LIFE about thirty weekends plus two to three weeks cruising weeks a year. The forward cabin is more than comfortable and the furniture more than adequate. When we take friends with us to Catalina our guests are thrilled with the privacy and comfort. If we take only one couple, we assign them to the "After Suite". They can use one stateroom for storage and dressing. With the inverter breakfast is a breeze, using the automatic coffee maker and toaster, as well as the microwave for the bacon. Those weekends on Z LIFE keep me outdoors and close to the water. Shortly after taking delivery I talked to Robbie Haines at North Sails about a Gennaker. North was planning a magazine ad showing a C-42 with the red, white & blue triradial already built. Since those were my hull colors and my other sails were built by North, we arranged the photo shoot. The result was three years of seeing Z - LIFE in SAIL and CRUISING WORLD.

Our cruising area is San Diego to Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands, mainly, Catalina. We cruise under power with a Martec folding prop at seven knots. We can sail faster but not always on the rhumb line. Trawlers take an eternity to pass us and when the going gets rough, a C-42 is more comfortable and secure. The solid vang keeps the boom off our heads, lets the main drop easily, and makes it a snap to reef. I regularly reef within a minute, without leaving the cockpit. I've experienced no weather helm that can't be easily corrected by adjusting the sails.

In ten years, I've had no structural or mechanical problems with Z - LIFE and have made many bite sized modifications to customize it for our use. Owners of C-42's have proudly reported that they are pleased after racing across the Baltic, Gulf of Mexico, and on the west coast of Mexico. Although we started our Association five years late, we have 170 members, some in far away places like Germany, U.K., Hong Kong, and Bonaire.