Hello fellow 355 owners,

We just finished our first racing series on Tenacious (Hull #6).  This was a eight-race series, scoring the best six races.  We sailed with four crew and finished with four firsts and two seconds.  

Our club started us with a provisional PHRF  rating of 127 and sailed with a spinnaker and folding prop. 


We raced against some good boats with better than average sailors.  Our competition included two Hunter 30's, a Hunter 34, Hunter 36, two Hunter 38's, a Beneteau 35S5 & Beneteau 46.  Also competing were a couple of J22's, an Erickson 26, Catalina Capri 22, and a Freedom 21.  We are very happy with the 355 boats speed.  Catalina has really built a great boat.  This boat sails well in all wind conditions.

Annie Bennett, Owner and Skipper of Sydney Private Sailing,  recently posted a relatively extensive review of the Catalina 355 on the Catalina 320 Google Group forum.  She has graciously agreed for us to reprint it here.  Most of the early C-355 owners that we have spoken with agree with her assessment.  While the list of positives is quite lengthy, there are a few items that need attention as the Catalina design team reviews the early boats off the line and modifies future builds.

Here is Annie’s June 2011 review:

I was lucky enough to go to the Sanctuary Cove Boatshow last month to take a look at the new Catalina 355.  I liked it very much and thought I'd send an email with my personal opinions.  

There were just two things I thought weren't quite right:-

1. Under the engine box - As far as I could see, there didn't appear to be a contained area under the engine box to hold any oil or fuel leaks and prevent them leaking towards the bilge. The Catalina shipwright said he could easily make a fibreglass wall to hold any spills but it seemed like something for the factory.
2. Traveller - you could flick it up and out of it's cleat as normal but the angle of the coach roof meant you couldn't flick it back down again into the cleat and would have to put your fingers right up to the cleat.  The shipwright said he could mount blocks under the traveller to raise it up to solve this but again, easier done at the factory.

Is there a way of raising these issues direct with the factory?

Now for the long list of things I liked:-

1. Ladder over engine box is easy to remove & lid on top of engine box hinges up to allow access (slightly awkward but ok) to dipstick without having to remove engine box.
2. Engine seacock,  the big R20TUL Racor fuel filter, the see through strainer and the coolant bottle all easily visible and accessible through a little door in the head.
3. Mattress layout in aft cabin goes athwartships like in older C32s so easier to put one on top of other to get at propellor shaft.  Dealer said PSS seal no longer standard so would have to ask for it.
4. Electric bed in forward cabin - end towards bow tilts up at touch of button to allow you to sit up and comfortably read in bed.  Enough shelf on either side of sitting up in bed position for glass of water, novel and cup of tea (preferably made by obliging husband).  LED lights looked good.
5. Foot end of mattress in forward cabin folds back on itself to allow you to access storage underneath without having to balance mattress on top of your head.
6. Dining table very attractive with corners that fold in so you can have larger or smaller table easily without having to replace one with the other.
7. Drawers pull out for easy storage access under seats & good storage on each side above seats in main saloon where the C32 has none.  Opening side window in forward cabin but other than hatch over your head, there are no side opening windows in main saloon other than in galley area.  This might be bad - less ventilation OR might be good - less risk of water coming in on those calm hot days when you leave windows open only to have a power boat roar past and swamp you.  Probably enough ventilation anyway when anchored with hatch in forward cabin open and overhead hatch in main cabin open.
8. Dedicated space for laptop under chart table lid.
9. Instruments are behind dark glass panel.  Looks neat and good for keeping little fingers away.  Battery switches are underneath chart table.
10. Galley area nice.  Fridge top and front opening.
11. Both forward and aft cabins nice and big enough for couples so won't feel you have to give up the better cabin to guests.
12. Mirror in bathroom tilts so can get at appropriate angle for tall or short people.  Attractive modern glass basin.  Normal size toilet looked smart and is (I think) standard with the push button flush.  No more having to explain to guests how to operate the pump.
13. There was a dedicated grey water area in the bilge.  This will be probably be useful in Australia for boats used for charter as NSW Maritime requires a grey water tank for new boats.
14. Blinds are hidden in recess below windows so lift up rather than pulling down.  I liked this as on Topcat, people are impressed by the blinds and then want to play with them with sticky fingers.  On the 355, children wouldn't know there are any blinds.
15. Holding tank is now in cockpit locker so no risk of smells in main saloon.  Dealer said because mounted quite high, easy to empty by gravity if out to sea.
16. Metal toe rail will be good for attaching things like pulleys for outboard sheets to.  Toe rail had gaps (sorry can't think what proper name is) for mooring lines to go through to attach to cleats so lines won't wear fibreglass.  There were midship cleats on display boat and are (I think) standard.
17. Optional prodder for furling code zero looked fun.
18. Display boat's cockpit table was in white and looked good.
19. Moulded space for 2 gas bottles - good for when the gas runs out just when you are about to cook dinner!
20. Power boat style swim ladder.  Pushpit still feels safe and sturdy with life lines that retract into pushpit when not neded - very neat and clever.  A small section of the lifelines also opens on both sides.
21. Clear vision for short people from helm both standing and sitting although as in 320, not enough room (in my opinion) to stand behind helm with seat in position.  The board which slots in if required to prevent small dogs falling out the back of the boat has a dedicated storage spot clipped to the underside of the escape hatch to the aft cabin.  Took a while to work out what this was.
22. Helm area slightly higher than rest of cockpit which sounds odd but was very subtle and was nice.  Gave a feeling of giving the skipper their own private area with winches in easy reach on each side and would keep non sailing guests from being in the way.  Chartplotter mounts infront of helm on low pedestal  and the deck is molded to allow for 2 instruments low on either side.  It's comfortable to sit and reach the wheel and have good visitibility of the instruments and boat traffic sitting either right at the back or on the side at the back.   On Topcat, if I sat right at the back I wouldn't be able to see properly to steer.
23. Washboards - no washboards but a folding door with timber edge to dark glass that opens out and clips on the starboard side.  Looks good and would make it easy to shut the boat quickly if it starts to rain.

I really liked the boat (great headroom below deck for tall people) and felt that it was big enough to provide the extra space and comfort I'd like whilst still small enough I would be able to manage it on my own - especially with the inmast furling mainsail.  It's nothing like the 350 but more like the old 34 combined with the old 36 but updated and made better than either which is exactly what I'd like.  

The mini schnauzer wouldn't be able to jump from couch to couch down below when we tack - too big a distance.  Would have to think about a bed under the table for her with a lee cloth - or she might enjoy the electric bed! (she can operate the electric windows on our car with her paws)

Sorry this has been a bit long.
Annie Bennett
Topcat 1073
http://www.sydneyprivatesailing.com.au/profile.htm

Blogger’s Note:  Current C-355 owners and others who have sailed on one, please feel free to comment on Annie’s observations.  Annie, we greatly appreciate your willingness to share your thoughts with us!  (If I'm ever in Sydney again, expect a visitor!  ~ Diane)

We commissioned our boat, C355 Hull #6, aka Tenacious, on January 17, 2011 and have loved every moment of ownership.  Along the way, we've learned a few things about the boat's systems.  We've made a few adjustments and "improvements" to meet our personal wants and needs.  We've discovered that it is a fast boat that should be highly competitive in our small club PHRF racing activities.

As we search for the best avenue to host a discussion board with threads,. feel free to make comments or ask questions in the comments section and we'll answer or search for the answer!

We have pictures posted on Facebook if you're interested: 

•  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.1725058730231.98498.1351266646&l=047a5e7017  (our factory visit)
  
• https://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.1878596368576.110830.1351266646&l=9c51e1b5f9 (splash day)
• https://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.1884203788758.111267.1351266646 (maiden voyage weekend)