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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Catalina vs Hunter

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seastream
Navigator

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USA
242 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/19/2005 : 17:14:35

We went to the New England boat show recently. We want standing headroom primarily, so went looking to see what a target price of $100K could buy new. We'd like 36 feet but that would have to be used. That history aside, what makes Catalina more expensive than Hunter? A new Catalina 310 is $105K, a Hunter 33 is $99K. We think Catalina manages their cockpit space better than their cabin space, Hunter is the opposite. Essentially, Catalina cockpits seem roomier, Hunter cabins seem roomier. Catalina has backstay, Hunter has 'B&R' rigging (no backstay, spreaders are swept aft at angle so stays create 'triangle' of support). Hunter rig has been so since 1996, so it must work. They both come with depth/knotmeters, VHF radio, battery charger, about 25hp diesels, hot/cold pressurized water. Yes there's more accessories to each, but above are what they have in common. Thoughts?

Seastream

Edited by - on

Mark Loyacano
Navigator

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USA
247 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2005 : 19:44:39

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by seastream
 what makes Catalina more expensive than Hunter? A new Catalina 310 is $105K, a Hunter 33 is $99K.....Thoughts?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I can't say why one is more expensive than the other. If the Catalina (at 105000) appealed more to you than the Hunter (at 99000), offer the Catalina dealer $99000 (or less) and see what happens.

Edited by - on

Dave Laux
Captain

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318 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2005 : 21:56:50

There is really hardly a difference between them. 5% is in the range of transport and dealer markup diferences. Pick the one you like best. You can probably bargain them to even money. Dave

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2005 : 23:13:36

Look at the resale prices for each brand at any size and year, and you'll probably find that the Catalina is a better investment. That has to do with (1) basic construction (hull) quality, (2) hardware quality, and (3) style, where Hunter tends to look "strange" after a few years. Hunter's B&R rig is somewhat controversial--I watched one come completely down in my club when a shroud caught a piling at about .1 knot in reverse (where a backstay might have made a big difference). The sailors I know prefer Catalinas; the dockside party people like Hunters. Another issue is the two-foot difference between the boats you cite, which tends to make the interior of a boat 25-30% bigger. The Catalina 320 might be a better match, but the higher price tells you something--"you get what you pay for."

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 02/19/2005 23:18:48

At Ease
Admiral

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672 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2005 : 23:19:19

Although I might be slightly bias, upon closer examination, I think you will find you are getting lots more boat and much more equipment with the Catalina. I have a C320 and last week went through a Hunter 33 at a boat show. The Hunter, although a foot longer in LOA, is 700 pounds lighter. The Hunter has no refrigeration, no power windlass, 18 hp Yanmar (C320 27 hp Yanmar), single galley sink (C320 double sink), no gimbaled stove, no oven, 2 ea #16 single speed winches (C320's are #44 twin speed) and more. The Hunter does have some nice safety equipment such as a auto engine fire extinguisher...it also has a microwave. Keep in mind this is a 2005 Hunter being compared to a 1997 C320, so I am sure Catalina has added more equipment in the last eight years.

The other item to research is resale value. The Catalina series, all models,are hard to beat when it comes to holding value.

Edited by - on

Jeff Howe
Deckhand

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USA
21 Posts

Response Posted - 02/20/2005 : 13:41:11

Also, take a hard look at what your sailing will entail. If outside the boundaries of a bay, or further, you will find the Catalina has a much better motion. The Hunter will pound your teeth loose. If you are the dockside party type (Yacht Club...plugged into shore power), then the Hunter would make you happy. Personally, I would not go offshore in a Hunter. I have found (through the eyes of others) the Hunter is quite tender. Many good friends have sold their Hunters after going offshore here in Oregon. Eastern Pacific, with shelf, can get tough. I owned an Irwin Citation 30 (performance cruiser) that performed spectacularly in 18 foot seas at 12 seconds. The same conditions caused one friend to sell his Hunter 37 and purchase a Cape Dory 33. I am assuming you are considering some time offshore...Whatever you decide, good luck and fair sailing...

Edited by - on

Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

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844 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2005 : 09:10:50

Regardless of the "features" between the boats, the B&R rig has one major disadvantage: it's a bear to sail downwind. Think of those swept back spreaders as daggers right into the midsection of your mainsail. That rig requires either gybing downwind or sailing pretty inefficiently with the mainsail in too tight, which can get pretty tiresome in a narrow channel. Our trip home at the end of most sailing days is down a 300 yard wide estuary for 6 miles. We kick on the autopilot, let the main out on our C34, and enjoy the ride, without putting a hole in our mainsail.

Edited by - on

oldsalt
Admiral

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USA
578 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2005 : 11:23:33

I would certainly second what Stu has said regarding the B&R rig. Sailing down wind, they perform poorly due to the fact that you have to keep the main sheeted in and they force you to perform a lot of extra manuvering to get where you need to go.

Also the B&R rig is extremely dependent on its being tuned perfectly; it's more than a loss of performance, it'll come down if it isn't set up just right. Tuning that rig isn't a piece of cake either.

I believe Hunters are designed to perform best at the boat shows where they shine as examples of floating condos rather than being sea boats. Hunter brochures emphasize things like flat screen T.V.s and such, rather than seakeeping ability and they admitedly aim their products at the individuals who are just entering sailing rather than those who know sailboats.

Hunter also has a habit of replacing their entire line all too frequently making their previous models seem "obsolete" to prospective buyers. I could never understand their need to totally redesign their entire product line so often. Arches are in and the best thing since sliced bread.....then they're out.

Although they weren't all that pretty, and the joinery was crudely executed, the old Cherubini designed Hunters were in my opinion much better sailing vessels than the new boats de jeur that Hunter churns out these days.

Catalina improves its product line, but doesn't toss it out every few years simply for a different look. Why? Because they're suitable, purpose built sailing vessels rather than boat show eye catchers built to appeal to the dockside partying crowd

Where are all the 1978 Hunter 25s?

Edited by - oldsalt on 02/21/2005 11:34:48

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2005 : 12:45:23

There's nothing I can add to what oldsalt Mark said so well. Personally, I consider the B&R rig an abomination.

-- Leon Sisson

Edited by - on

Capn Ron
Deckhand

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USA
2 Posts

Response Posted - 03/08/2005 : 12:23:39

I am an original owner of both a 1980 Catalina 25 and a 1986 Hunter 31. I find that both of them have been fine boats and have given us very good service over the past 25 years!

Edited by - on

gerardben
Deckhand

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USA
13 Posts

Response Posted - 03/08/2005 : 13:49:45

I went from a Columbia 28 in Rhode Island to a Catalina 25 in Texas. I never considered a Hunter. I would not relish doing much off-shore sailing in a Hunter33. Feel that the construction of the Catalina 31 is better for the reasons mentioned above. but that's a matter of opinion and preference.I've had my Catalina 25, "Grenadier", for 8 years and have enjoyed it as much as my Columbia 28 "Amaretto"
Gerry Bennett, Catalina 25 FK SM #3639

Edited by - on

cathluk
Admiral

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USA
513 Posts

Response Posted - 03/08/2005 : 20:26:37

We looked at both the Catalina's & Hunter's at Strictly Sail Philadelphia & found the "fit & finish" details on the Catalinas to be far better than the Hunters. Hunter had some very well thought out innovative features like built in pockets for line storage the centerline cockpit table which doubles as a foot brace (as opposed to to the table on the binacle) as well as above head travler system that keeps the traveler at the more efficient boom end while keeping it out of the crew's way; however, the poor finish on the interior made the boats look cheap & junky. A neighbor on our dock has an '80s vintage Hunter 30 (or maybe 31) & the quality on that boat looks much better.

Edited by - on

seastream
Navigator

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USA
242 Posts

Response Posted - 03/08/2005 : 21:33:31

Thanks to all for your thoughts. It helped my wife to hear from other than myself. We won't be upgrading for at least another year...gotta let our daughter finish college. Meanwhile, we're eagerly awaiting the coming season...I think I've mentioned that we've secured a mooring at an ocean access location in Portsmouth, NH. Looking forward to doing trips to Cape Cod and such. Can't wait to see how our C25 performs offshore!

Bob

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 03/09/2005 : 06:42:37

A few years ago when I started looking for my first sailboat I called the Hunter factory and asked where I could find a dealer near me. They gave me a name of a dealer which was out of business, and then gave me a real hard time when I called back to tell them that and wouldn't give me much more information on Hunters. The catalina factory has been incredibly helpful to me.
I think factory support is a bid deal, especially when buying a used boat.
I also like my mast being supported by a total of 8 stays vs 3 for the Hunter

Edited by - on

ronrryan
Admiral

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USA
561 Posts

Response Posted - 03/09/2005 : 10:57:55

The OLD Cherubini hunters (pre-'84) were well designed and plenty strong for a price built boat. A hunter 27 from that era is in many ways a more comfortable and user-friendly boat than a Catalina 27. After that era, I heard many stories of declining quality control. As to the modern (B&R, "Euro") era, I am not qualified to comment. I know a fair amount about the old H27, having cruised one for a while. Fair winds, ron srsk Orion SW FL

Edited by - on

mwalkup
1st Mate

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USA
79 Posts

Response Posted - 03/09/2005 : 11:31:33

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by oldsalt
 I would certainly second what Stu has said regarding the B&R rig. Sailing down wind, they perform poorly due to the fact that you have to keep the main sheeted in and they force you to perform a lot of extra manuvering to get where you need to go.

Also the B&R rig is extremely dependent on its being tuned perfectly; it's more than a loss of performance, it'll come down if it isn't set up just right. Tuning that rig isn't a piece of cake either.

I believe Hunters are designed to perform best at the boat shows where they shine as examples of floating condos rather than being sea boats. Hunter brochures emphasize things like flat screen T.V.s and such, rather than seakeeping ability and they admitedly aim their products at the individuals who are just entering sailing rather than those who know sailboats.

Hunter also has a habit of replacing their entire line all too frequently making their previous models seem "obsolete" to prospective buyers. I could never understand their need to totally redesign their entire product line so often. Arches are in and the best thing since sliced bread.....then they're out.

Although they weren't all that pretty, and the joinery was crudely executed, the old Cherubini designed Hunters were in my opinion much better sailing vessels than the new boats de jeur that Hunter churns out these days.

Catalina improves its product line, but doesn't toss it out every few years simply for a different look. Why? Because they're suitable, purpose built sailing vessels rather than boat show eye catchers built to appeal to the dockside partying crowd

Where are all the 1978 Hunter 25s?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Edited by - on

mwalkup
1st Mate

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USA
79 Posts

Response Posted - 03/09/2005 : 11:40:02

Ooops! Looks like I hit a wrong button.
I wanted to highlight a line from Marks reply.

"I believe Hunters are designed to perform best at the boat shows where they shine as examples of floating condos rather than being sea boats"

That's really funny line guy. And to my way of thinking right on the money.

Mike
83 tr/fk #3528

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 03/09/2005 : 11:52:47

We sail on an inland lake and ALL of the Hunters do well and are sailed very hard. I would love to have a Hunter 28.5, fast and big.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 03/09/2005 : 14:30:16

My sailing buddy has one sharp looking Hunter 28.

His mast towers over mine.

Edited by - on

Kirk McKay
Navigator

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USA
111 Posts

Response Posted - 03/10/2005 : 10:11:38

Like everything, it kinda depends on what you're using it for. I moved up to a Hunter 30 in the middle of last season. The two main reason were interior space and wanting an inboard. I'm still pretty new to sailing and not the worlds greatest at it (as of yet

.) I'm sure I won't ever take it off-shore, so my needs are different than others might be. At this point I only do day and weekend sailing on the Chesapeake so being comfortable while staying overnight was big...we sometimes take other couples with us and the added space is key. Maybe when I become more proficiant at the finer points of sailing, I'll need to re-evaluate my boat needs, but for now I'm quite happy.
I loved learning on my C25, but I wanted a different experience now...try something different...

(Guess I'll get run off the board now...

)

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 03/10/2005 : 11:57:56

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Kirk McKay
 Like everything, it kinda depends on what you're using it for. I moved up to a Hunter 30 in the middle of last season. The two main reason were interior space and wanting an inboard. I'm still pretty new to sailing and not the worlds greatest at it (as of yet

)
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Only a schmuck would do that; we don't have any on this forum.

Edited by - on

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.