Catalina 350 International Association

Hi all,
My wife and I have this weekend purchased our own Catalina 350. Don't know the hull no yet, it is in Adelaide, South Australia we live in Cairns Queensland. We will be trucking overland from Adelaide to the Gold Coast (2100km). Then after new rigging is installed and everything checked we will sail her home (1800km +-).

My first of I'm sure many questions to the forum is this. Where do people prefer to sleep on voyages? Up front or in the rear berth. I am wondering about the noise levels at anchorages for the forward berth?
Cheers

David

Welcome David.

Both locations have plus/minus.

Forward generally cooler, particularly if the engine has been running. But more motion if waves and depending on anchor rode/mooring, you can hear the "popping" as the rode pulls taught.

Aft cabin: less motion and quieter. But warmer.

We switch depending on the above.

BTW, we sent two months last summer (your winter) in your beautiful country. Drove 7,500 KM from Cairns to Adelaide. Of course we had to rent an appropriate vehicle-- Subaru OUTBACK.

Hi David,

If you are on a passage then my view has been that midships berths are the most comfortable and you have quick access to the cockpit if needed. I have a lee cloth (https://www.sailrite.com/How-to-Make-Le ... her%20bunk. ) that hangs from the cabin top grab handles and locks under the stb converted berth. As skipper I like to be close to the action at any time. You can rotate crew through that bunk as well, or just give them the options. I have been surprised that some people are happy to sleep soundly in the rear cabin even when motor sailing.

If at anchor then forrard cabin is often a bit quieter as you don't have wavelets slapping under the hull, and you have the head immediately at hand!

Good luck, on your passage north. You probably already know, you can do almost all of that day sailing if you wish to.

Thanks for the replies. Will start off in the fwd berth and see how things go. Great to be here.

David,
Have you completed your transit form the GC to Cairns yet? If not then call into the Coral Coast Marina, Airlie Beach on the way and we can catch up and swap stories!

In regard to where to sleep it may depend on many things, sometimes the need to sleep alone can take precedence, i.e. snoring, fidgeting, etc. I agree with the midships prior comment whilst in-transit especially downwind with an active following sea. When moored in a windless spot you can get a 'bit' mooring buoy bounce noise. Personally I find the front cabin much cooler here in our tropics, just leave everything open.

Hope to see you out there in due course.

Alex

Hi Alex,
Yes we completed in October and are now permanent in Cairns Marlin Marina (at least until we travel ). We did bypass Airlie after overnighting at Nara inlet and heading to Gloucester island resort (top spot). Happy to exchange emails and swap stories. We will be heading back to the Whitsundays next year after a first up trip to Lizard Island. As I posted in another forum I have done extensive work on the engine alarm buzzer problem and solved it to my satisfaction.
I am now about to tackle the damper plate issue and are having trouble finding a local supplier of the non-oem plate, if you have done this already would be grateful for any local insight.
Cheers,

David

I always slept in the aft cabin on my C34, 3277 MotorYacht, and my 31’ Allmand before that. I was explaining to my daughter (the newly graduated MD) who has always been placed in the V-birth how the 350 designates the V-birth as the “Owners stateroom” with a separate door into the head but that I’m still an aft cabin person! To which, she immediately told me “No dad, at your age you’re a prostate person!” Darn kids!!

Steve