Catalina 445: What You Should Know | Boat Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 มิ.ย. 2024
- Looking to buy a 40-50 foot sailboat? Considering a Catalina 445? See a Catalina 445 for sale? What are the pros and cons of this cruising sailboat? How does it compare to the Beneteau Oceanis 46? Watch this video to learn more about the specs of the Catalina 445.
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I love putting the engine daily checks in a separate locker. Genius!
We’ve our 445 for 12 years. We’ve also been chartering Beneteau’s and Jeanneau’s for around 17 years. The Catalina is a much more solid, seaworthy craft than its completion although they are good boats as well. Our opinion of the differences is similar to that of the reviewer. We primarily sail Green Bay and Lake Michigan. We have been caught a many times in 8 foot waves with three second wave periods which is much nastier than those we encountered in the Caribbean or South Pacific. While definitely not fun, the 445 handled these with aplomb. Overall, it is a well built and reliable craft that retains it’s value. Thanks to improvements, such as a hard dodger, dinghy davits, various upgraded electronics, including solar panels, it’s current resale value is only slightly less than we paid for it, which is a testament to the quality of it’s design.
Hi there. What do you say about Catalina 445 compared to J45? We have far less experience than you and would love your input. We looked on your name to try to see how to contact you directly but were unable to figure anything out. We hope you reply here though.
@@walking_man
No experience with the J45 but it was voted the best “crossover” (cruiser/racer) for 2023 in Sailing World magazine. It should be at nearly a million dollars or so. The 445 apparently races well in it’s class but is more a very solid, easy to sail cruiser.
@@cgrovespsyd Sounds like we should be looking more at the 445. Thank you for writing.
We are partial to Catalinas. We own a C 350, and while we love it, we dream of the 445 life. 😊
So much to love with your commentary across all your videos (here and Lady K). But I can't stop listening to a sailor who knows the difference between a saloon and a salon! Thanks for all you do for the sailing community. ❤
That traveller design is standard Catalina since at least 2000. Probably Garhauer. I don't think people know just how well Catalina's are equiped. There motto for years was 'The sailor's choice', and if you're a rigging nerd it's true!
We did our first charter last year on a C445. Loved everything about it. You really can tell that they listen to their users and that the sailing experience from the C36 and C42 is baked into this boat's DNA. Brilliant all-around cruiser for a couple and their lucky friends. (Sail a lot on 40-45' Beneteaus and Jeanneaus. Fine boats. But I'd spend the extra $100k for the Catalina.)
I see alot of ideas carried through from my 99. 380 Catalina
Good to they stick with what works
I was thinking the same exact thing.
Catalina all the way. More robust were it really matters. Plus more traditional styling. Can’t go wrong with the 5 series Catalinas.
I love these videos... Right in the price and size range I'm looking at... Keep them coming.
We have a 2017 445 and love it... We had the opportunity (in 2020) to spend a few hours going back and forth between the 2017 Beneteau 45 and the 445 at the dock, stern to, right next to each other at Riverside Marina. The Beneteau priced about $10k less. It was very enlightening. Full disclosure, we were bumping up from a Catalina 320, owned for 10 years and we loved. The first thing that struck me was the open transom with the fold out stern on the Beneteau. This bothered me. Nothing but a cable railing to keep us from heading off. I felt it was to exposed for me, my family and especially my grand kids. Also, the fold out stern seemed like more things to go wrong. Mounting davits is more involved ($$$). The most important thing to me was that walking around below in the Beneteau and the Catalina was a world of difference! The floor boards creaking and bouncy! You need a suction cup to get the floor boards up. Don't loose it or heaven forbid trying to find it in an emergency. None of that in the Catalina! Flooring is solid. I can only imagine what the Beneteau sounds like at sea with any kind of breeze, rattling and creaking. No grab rails in the Beneteau! When our 445 is at a 15 degree heel, there are solid hand holds to get the length of the boat below. Cabinets opening and closing were flimsy of the Beneteau. Now the one benefit that I wish Catalina would copy from the Beneteau: the integrated wine storage locker!
Hey Tim.
Please take a look at X-Yachts XC 47. I know it’s a very expensive boat, but I would like to hear your honest opinion.
The reason I ask is that it’s very hard to get honest reviews on TH-cam. Most reviews sounds more like advertising
I think the Catalina is worth it. In my experience the Catalinas hold up significantly better over 10 - 20 years. A 15 year old Catalina is much better looking in all respects, than the competitors, With the exception of Swedish & Dutch boats. Of course, those are in a higher price and level to begin with.
I have some answers for some that have posted a query here, but having trouble getting my comments to show up? 🙁I'm not sure why? But, I will try again later.
Super video Tim, I'll find the 42.5 one; somehow I missed it. Thanks again Tim! Marty
Great review! There are some benefits over the bigger Benny….but the cost is something to consider, as is the speed advantage, comfort and size. Both are Beautiful.
It would be nice if the review could follow a format similar to what PS used to do. I have a copy of "Practical Boat Buying" from PS published in 1992 that is still an excellent source of critical info. In the case of the boat here, for the same price I would just get an old Swan and spend money fixing it up, ending up with an offshore yacht rather than a weekend coastal cruiser.
You sound knowledgeable, so perhaps develop some sort of basic script idea & send it to Tim? Then he can see if it works for YT. Cheers chris. ⚓
Love to! What Uncle Joe said - happy to take a stab at it :)
@@practical-sailor 👍
I've owned two Catalina's - now a 36 MK II, obviously not as big as this. But the clincher for me was availability of parts, especially for my 25 yo Universal engine. I can get almost any part I need from Catalina Direct.
Looks amazing, I didn't catch whether it was a deck or keel step. Pretty sure it's a deck.
. You could do allot of sailing on 100,000$ , years in fact . I would take the Beni . You can always add extra hand holds on deck if you are worried
This is timely and interesting because I've seen comparable year and length pre-owned Catalina, Beneteau, and Bavaria boats for sale in BC, and the Catalina is consistently priced 15%-25% higher. I know it isn't all apples to apples comparison, but is it just the cost of a US made boat, or is the Catalina such a better boat?
Can you review the Catalina 355
The Catalina 445 is beautiful. We own a Catalina 355 and when compared to the same "sized" Beneteau the quality of build and features (all of the stainless on the top deck, an aluminum toe rail that is great for adding blocks for a spinnaker, etc.) are so much nicer. As you mention in other videos, the newer Beneteau (and the Jeanneau's) are more Ikea than classic sailboat. Plus, the support from the engineering folks at Catalina is amazing!
Pros for the Catalina 445:
- Spreaders don't interfere with downwind mainsail trim
- Twin backstays
- Much larger mainsheet traveler
- Innerspring mattresses
- Throttle/shifter is not down by your ankle
- Switch panel is labeled in ENGLISH (not French with English in small font underneath)
- Real teak woodwork
- Stern pulpit seats
- Solid rub rail
I think that Catalina is really nice; very well thought out - and frankly - a better built boat than the Frenchies. As well it should be - for an extra hundred grand!
It depends on how you are sailing. If you are hugging the coast, the Bene is probably a better choice - larger, faster. But if you make an occasional offshore passage, I'd go with the 445 for all the reasons you mentioned, even things you didn't mention. All of the rigging is just beefier and will instill more confidence offshore. Yes Bene's have millions and millions of offshore miles. But I'll take the more robust design of the Catalina when going offshore.
Im actually of the opposite opinion based on beneteau's many boats not in the med but few catalinas outside coastal north america
@@sidewithwerewolves consider also the manufacture location. Bene builds boats in Europe and the US. Catalina's are all made in Florida.
😎
Beautiful yacht, but yeah, hard to beat a nice Bennettaeu & $100k for sailing & maintaining her.⚓
_Dropping 2x hooks today - a review & a how-to at the same time? Hope that works & you get both._
I only made the 728th like today. Sorry for being so late to the party. 😞
@2:10
Since I'm not sure, What is a solid tube ?
Is it a solid bar or a hollow tube ?
The pulpit is made from hollow tubes. "Solid was used to describe the construction - no gates or breaks in the run of tubing :)
Ok. Thank you for the reply.
I appreciate the clarification.
👍👍
I appreciate your videos.
Give me the Catalina.
The Benny all day the extra 100k goes a long long way to supplement life on the water
No way 100K more. I like the deck layout on the Cat. But gain 100K slows or many appliances needed . Plus speed is always a needed safety margin, IMHO.
How many?
How much speed are we talking about? You're not outrunning serious weather in either, so you're better off with the more seaworth of the 2 when you need it. Catalina's are simply more robust boats, because they don't try to compete with French Med cruisers, which are heavy on style and ease of use. Catalina's are not going to be for everyone, but they are the closest you're going to come a 'traditional' production boat. They have more in common with Hinckley than Beneteau, and the price reflects what that means. Making sure the wood lines up costs money. And it's wood. They either have more equipment (not a bachelor fridge with a door, but an Isotherm), or simple spend the money on real wood. Look at the interior, you may not like it but it cost more to fit out the interior of a Catalina than a Bene. Again, speed, is completely missing the point. Lightwind performance; maybe. Overall? These are not cars. There is no meaningful difference in 'top' speed. I can see people cross shopping, but IMHO these are not compariable boats. You aren't getting the same boat for $100K less. Catalina's in North America, are almost stand alone. Final point, is how many charter Catalina's have you seen, and why not. French boats are 'affordable' Catalina's are 'reasonably costly'.
I don’t see a 100k
$300k? I'm feeling so poor! Poor little chump change boy that I am. Keep 'em comin', my friend. You're on a good roll. Please bring the money number back to where most of us cheap blow boat boys are. Peace and love.❤
and girl sailors!