48°N TEST SAIL Catalina 355
www.CatalinaYachts.com
a mounting bracket for an add-on sprit for a cruising spinnaker. There has been a lot of thought
Catalina’s Gerry Douglas knows a
good thing when he sees it. With the success of the Catalina 445, he decided to incorporate the things that made that boat popular into a smaller boat, the Catalina 355. The 355 has been winning awards, so when we finally got one to Puget Sound we jumped on it. Cruising couples and families will
find a lot to like in the 355. Although the profile of the 355 is low, our test boat sported a hard dodger, which is a very practical addition in the Northwest. It is high enough so it doesn’t interfere with the helmsman’s vision forward. While it can block sightlines when trimming the sail, staying dry is wonderful. All mast lines lead through the dodger to stoppers. The cockpit is large with
high, comfortable seat backs. The stern pulpit seats are irresistible when just sailing along. Port side stowage is easily accessed via a large, gull-wing hatch. At first it doesn’t seem like there
is a backstay, but the split backstay is all the way outboard on the transom, opening up the walk through transom and area around the helmsman.. The new hull moves well with its long
waterline. The 12-foot beam is actually a foot narrower than the Catalina 350. The vertical batten mainsail furled nicely into a surprisingly svelte Selden mast. The traveler, mounted in front of the dodger, is 5-feet long, allowing for true mainsail adjustment. The double anchor roller integrates
put into below and it shows. The teak cabin features a traditional settee, with a “quad-fold” table that folds out “from cocktail to dining” size. The port side has two chairs with a small table in between, which can still convert to a bunk. Stowage can be accessed with out having to remove the cushions. As computers are becoming an
integral part of modern boating, there’s a special compartment in the top of the nav table to house the laptop, with power outlets. There is a stainless steel grab rail that runs the full length of the cabin on each side. The sink sits atop the cabinet in
the “spa style” head. Besides being stylish, it opens up space underneath. The whole area is a nice sized shower compartment. The L-shaped galley features a
refrigerator that can be accessed from the top and from the side. No more diving in to get to the bottom. A variety of compartments under the counters offer nice stowage space for all sizes
Cockpit seats have high backs for comfort. Split backstay mounted very wide on transom opens up stern pulpit seats and walk through transom.
48° NORTH, JUNE 2011 PAGE 46
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98