Response

Allsail · Post by **Allsail** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 10:36 am

Although long delayed, wanted to respond to the post from Mr. Klocek.
below.

Joined: 02 Nov 2005
Posts: 19
Location: Keyport, New Jersey
Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2006 3:03 pm Post subject: Association response

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I believe that most owners are very happy with their boat and with Catalinaâ€™s customer support but when you do have a problem please do not expect that the association should always act on your behalf. This is one of those times when there may not be a solution that is satisfactory to all parties involved

The cavitation and refrigeration issues are not seen across all boats or experienced by all owners contrary to what a few may think or wish to believe and the association does not plan to act as an arbitrator between individual owners and Catalina, or the dealers. If you have an issue with your particular boat then please take it up with them.

Regarding the associations current involvement, we have been very much involved on a number of levels including providing this forum and facilitating various surveys and tests to capture valid information about issues that we then pass along to Catalina. I am sorry if you find that effort unsatisfactory. I would like to personally thank those members who have volunteered their considerable time and effort in this and other areas. Good Sailing.

Greg Klocek
Commodore C350IA
s/v Whitehook #199

First, i did have good discussion, at his suggestion, with Greg on the phone since the exchange of our posts. I share his concern that in our efforts to honestly communicate about our boats that we do not create a negative image of the 350, especially when just the opposite is the case. Moreover, the Association, under his leadership, has been an effective organization for the owners, in my opinion.

In Greg's post he apparently assumed that i did not try to work with the dealer/Catalina on the refrigeration issue. That is just not the case. I did not detail those efforts, so as not to exacerbate what Greg is concerned about. I would not have suggested the Association get involved if i had not aggressively pursued a solution through the dealer, manufacturer and Catalina or, it was not an issue that cut across wide spectrum of owners.

In relative terms, i believe Catalina is as good if not better than the other two big boat builders in responding to customer issues. It is just in general, customer service does not appear to be a strong suit in the boat building business. All other issues that i had, save one, and that was an individual issue, were handled in a timely and professional manner by my dealer.

In conclusion, i still disagree, and i hope i have that right, that on issues that owners, and dealers for that matter, can not get resolved with Catalina, and impact multiple owners, that the Association aggressively represent their members with Catalina to obtain/insist on a satisfactory resolution. Catalina gets a lot of marketing mileage out of the associations, and should respond in kind.

Finally, for nonowners who might read this and other posts, the C-350 is the best coastal cruiser on the market, for it's size and price. Remember, all boats have issues! There is new Sabre next to me, and he has issues that are not insignificant.

Allsail