The boat

Through the help of a sailing friend, I was able to locate a 1986 Catalina 34 in good (but not great) condition. This particular boat was not advertised for sale but the owner was “thinking of selling her.” We started a conversation, she gave me the location and slip number, and I went to take a look.

Condition is good, not great

Some of the lines on the boat weren’t stowed. The lines looked like they owners had just gone sailing yesterday, dropped the lines where they were, and went home. Similarly, the mainsail cover wasn’t completely secured. These things didn’t really alarm me these things showed the owners liked to use the boat. Considering her age, the hull looks to be in good shape. One bit of dock rash shows on the starboard side near the stern but it doesn’t look like it damaged the fiberglas laminate. I didn’t see obvious signs of rust or corrosion on the rigging. The running lines were a bit frayed but they didn’t look stiff in the way that unused lines can become. The mast looked straight from the front and the side, and it appears to be in column with the standing rigging. What did disturb me is that all of the open ports I could see had clear silicone sealant around them. That is a sure sign that one or more ports have leaked. I have not yet seen the inside of the boat but that happens on Friday (boat inspection day!) and I expect to see some water damage on the woodwork. The owner also reported that condensation forms in the strangest places so I’ll be on the lookout for mold, mildew, odd smells, and water collected in strange places.