[Sunroof]

Ahhhh, now your talking about my biggest passion......sailing!

I sail a 1988 Catalina 30 Mark II on Lake Lanier, Georgia which presently is slowly evaporating away!! If you consider a sailboat do not hesitate to check out inland locations for a fantastic buy. First, you get a freshwater boat with probably little use and abuse (no swells, rolling seas, towering waves or troublesome bottom growth). With that said, go checkout this site: snugharborboats.com one of our local brokers and Hunter/Catalina dealers. Ann (owner) probably has 50+ vessels she is brokering that are fantastic deals including a nice O'Day 302, several Catalina 30's (check out the Mark II interior of the '88), and many others. Lake Lanier just north of Atlanta is the most popular lake in the nation with thousands of sailboats. Good buys are plentiful.

I have owned eight sailboats spanning the last 40 years and lived aboard a Coronado 35 for several years on the east coast. Dollar for dollar, the Catalina 30 is the best value and boat for the buck. Over 6,500 hulls have been manaufactured and the support and parts network is legendary. If I were to consider a Catalina 30 for coastal work, I would want the 22 HP Universal, 3-cylinder diesel. With tides and currents to deal with, you must ensure you have enough power to get through all conditions. If you research the Catalina 30 you will find that they started out with the Atomic 4 gas powered engine, which is very dependable, but due to vapor and explosion concerns moved into the 11 hp Universal diesel through the late 1970's early 1980 series. Unfortunately, this engine did not provide sufficient power in tidal situations, so Catalina then moved for a brief time onto the Universal M-16, which produced 14 horsepower. In the late 1980's they finally went to the M-25 (22 hp), which is standard today. For a well equipped 1987-1988 Mark II (upgraded cockpit, interior, electrical harness, winged keel, engine, etc) a decent model sitting in freshwater can be bought for 26K - 32K. Consider shipping to California and your sailing!

With the economy the way it is, if you have the $$$$, it could'nt be a better time then to buy a boat. Be prudent in your selection, have a reputable surveyor perform a thorough survey, get it out on a sea trial and go for it. Key is..........take your time. Whatever you wind up with, congradulations.

Bob
1988 Catalina 30 Mark II
"Breezin II"
Lake Lanier, Georgia

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