John and Lois have loved their Catalina 36 for close to 10 years. Each year they make numerous day sails, over nighters and a few multi day trips throughout the Chesapeake bay. The boat has served all their wants, been comfortable and reliable. It’s only shortfall is that it gets a bit cramped once bringing other guests onboard which is one of their favorite things to do.
They had been entertaining the idea of purchasing a West Virginia ski cabin after the successful winter vacations we have all had there over the last few years. After heavy deliberations weighing the pros and cons of ownership and further discussion with Kris and I as well as Fritz and Camille, they opted instead to start looking for a larger replacement for their beloved C36. A replacement that provided space for two or even 3 couples with multiple cabins and heads.
The C36 was always very much their boat, so we (the kids) backed away from providing much input on its care or future. But this was different from the beginning, John and Lois wanted our input and wanted to insure that this would be something we would all use. So from the beginning, we were asked to solicit opinions on boats they were entertaining.
After several weeks of looking at various boats for a general concept of what they wanted, including a Beneteau 440, C&C 42 and Bavaria 41s, everyone felt the Catalina 42 checked the boxes on the list while providing a familiarity with a trusted brand. The model came in a 3 cabin, two head layout that would provide enough space and comfort for all, and ultimately it was only 6 feet bigger than their last boat. So now that they knew what they wanted… it was time to shop for an actual boat.