Catalina-445 Blue Water Sailing Review

8/7/2019 Catalina-445 Blue Water Sailing Review

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At rst sight you knowthere is somethingdifferent about thenew Catalina 445. Thedesign’s topsides ap-

pear lower than her sister ships andthe cabin top has a lower prole. Thecockpit is large and has twin wheelsand throughout the cabin the mold-

ings are more angular, more modernthan we have seen from Catalinabefore.

This is the next generation Cat-alina and it has been created to be ane liveaboard home, a sweet sailing,offshore-quality boat and an excel-lent, long-term value for its owners.BWS joined Catalina’s V.P. Gerry

Douglas, who designed the 445,aboard the new boat in Oakland, Ca-lif., for a test spin on San Francisco

Bay. The boat had just premiered at

the Strictly Sail Pacic boat show toa very warm reception from dealersand potential customers.

Gerry took the helm, we castoff the mooring lines and he thenbacked the new 445 out of the slipand turned for the channel. Thenew boat maneuvered easily andsurely and had enough horsepower

to cruise at 6 knots with only 1,800rpm showing on the tachometer.

The boat was equipped with aroller furling headsail and an in-mastroller furling mainsail which makesailing the new boat a breeze. Unfor-tunately breeze was the missing ele-ment in our cruise of San FranciscoBay. But that didn’t stop us. We triedthe genoa for a while and then optedto roll it up and launch the newScreecher, which is a fairly at cut

reaching sail on its own free-ying

roller furling system.The Screecher did the trick so

we were able to reach away fromthe Oakland shore and out into thebay toward the Bay Bridge. It was aglorious spring Monday and we wereslipping along nicely in the 80-de-gree sunshine.

The DesignThe new 445 is an evolutionary

design for Douglas and Catalina. Thehull is ner and slipperier than it’snearest Catalina cousin, the amaz-ingly durable Catalina 42. The hull’sdesign numbers tells us a lot aboutthe parameters of the boat. The sailarea-to-displacement ratio is 18.1, which is higher than most otherproduction boats in this size rangeand indicates that the boat has been

spec’d out and rigged for better than

Catalina 445

Live-aboard

Cruiser

Catalina listens to what cruisers and

customers want—the all-new and

innovative 445 is the latest result



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average sailing ability and speed.(The SA/D is a measure of a design’s“power to weight” ratio.)

The displacement-to-length ratioof 165 indicates that the 445 is fairly light but still in the middle rangeof boats in this size range. The DLoffers a ratio that allows you to com-pare boats and predict their quick-ness and speed capabilities. Thelower the ratio, the lighter the boat.By way of comparison, the Beneteau43 has a DL of 126 (quite light) whilethe Tartan 43 has DL of 234 (moder-

ate).A design’s ballast ratio shows you

what percentage of the overall dis-placement is contained in the ballastand keel and thus how resistant it isto heeling. The ratio can range from25 percent in traditional cruisers tonearly 50 percent in high tech racingmachines. The 445’s ballast ratiois quite high at 39 percent whencompared to other boats in its class;this gives the boat a very solid feel

beneath you and allows it to standstify to the breeze when sailing up- wind. It is worth noting that Catalinastill uses lead in its keels and has notswitched to cast iron.

We did not put the 445’s numbersto the test during our sail on SanFrancisco Bay but we did discoverthat the new boat is slippery in alight breeze, and that it is both funand easy to sail.

On Deck The cockpit and deck layouts are

very well thought out with short-handed crews in mind. The primary sheet winches are large multi-speed winches and placed near the aft wheels in reach of the helmsman.The twin wheels are positioned toenable the helmsman to see forwardfrom the neatly elevated seats portand starboard; the steering linkagebetween the wheels and rudder are

smooth and offer a very good touch

at the helm.The cockpit is large and roomy

with a folding table that will seat sixfor a meal. There is a swiveling podbuilt into the aft end of the table forthe chartplotter so you can see thescreen from both sides of the boat.

Storage for sails, lines and gearhas been provided in three goodcockpit lockers, two aft and oneunder the starboard seat. The portcockpit seat is a “gull-wing” moldingthat ips up to reveal a large hatch- way into the aft port cabin. This will

be particularly useful when the cabinbelow is being used as a storagelocker.

The running rigging is set up forcruising in all weather. The main-sheet traveler on the cabin top is ful-ly adjustable so you can power up orde-power the sail as the wind gusts.The traveler control lines both run tojammers on the port side of the cock-pit. The genoa sheet tracks on theside decks are extra long, which will

permit you to trim a reefed genoa ac-curately by moving the cars forwardor trim a small storm jib when the wind really picks up. Few productionboats offer this detail.

With halyards and reeng linesled aft on the cabin top to wincheson either side of the cockpit, you willbe able to handle all sail trim tasksfrom the cockpit; and, with a dodgerrigged, you can stay dry and out of the wind while doing so.

Catalina has always maintainedclose relationships with the ownersof their boats so they benet froma lot of feedback from those whoare actually out there sailing andcruising. This feedback leads to alot of useful details in each newdesign. On deck on the new445, you will nd handholdsand rails just where you will need them whenunderway. You will nd

an anchor locker

forward that is equipped with a largeelectric windlass and ample roomfor anchors, rodes and a secondary anchor. And, you will note the 27-inchlifelines that add to safety and security while you are working on deck whilesailing.

Flexible AccOmmODATiOns

The 445 was designed for a couple who will be cruising on their ownbut will often have friends andfamily join them. The accommoda-tion plan has been tailored to meet

these specic needs with a largemaster cabin forward tted out witha centerline double berth and itsown head and a second double cabinaft to starboard with a second head.Bo th he ad s ar e relatively large and the forward oneha s a se par ate showerstall.

The port aft cabinhas been created



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as a exible living space that canaccommodate three different uses.Without the need for fancy tools, you can have either a double berthor upper and lower single berths.Or, if you do not have guests aboard, you can convert the cabin into a workshop and storeroom. BWS hasnot seen a production boat with sucha exible cabin and we think it is agreat idea.

The saloon has the large galley toport. The twin sinks are nearly onthe centerline so they will drain onboth tacks; the front loading fridgefaces aft so it doesn’t disgorge itscontents when the boat heels or rolls;the three-burner, gimbaled stove has acutting board top that you can use asa level surface even when the boat isheeled over or rolling; and, there arelarge storage lockers and rack spacefor all of the supplies, cutlery and

dishes you will need.

The chart table to starboard hasbeen designed to t regular Chart-Kits on top and to neatly store alaptop computer inside. A pod ateye level can be designed to house achartplotter. Radios and other instru-ments can be installed in the largecabinet outboard of the table. This isa very modern and attractive nav sta-tion that will appeal to experiencedsailors who will appreciate the fact

that it faces forward.The dinette to port has a folding

table that converts from a low coffeetable to a large dining table that willseat ve or six. The dinette can alsobe converted into double berth.

To starboard the split settee islong enough to be a sea berth and will be favored in heavy weathersince it is right over the boat’s centerof gravity. A small table folds up inthe middle of the settee, which will

be useful for playing cards, holding

drinks or just for reading.The décor and nish of the 445 is

modern without being trendy. Thefurniture is teak veneer with solidteak corners and framing. The doorsand drawer fronts are solid teak withhand joined handles and louvers andhigh quality stainless steel latchesand hinges.

The oors, which are all on onelevel so you don’t trip, are teak and

holly patterned laminate that is bothattractive and easy to keep clean. Youcan tell the 445 was designed andbuilt by sailors for sailors becausethere are hand holds everywhere andddles on the tables and around thegalley counter.

UnDer The hOOD

The engineering and systemsaboard the 445 are all well thoughtout and of high quality. The engine

compartment under the companion-



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way ladder is very accessible so you

can get right in there to perform rou-tine maintenance. The lters for theengine are all grouped to starboardand are easily reached and changedthrough a special compartment inthe starboard aft cabin.

Auxiliary systems such as a water-maker, air conditioning or a gensetcan be t into the spaces under theberths in the aft cabins or in thelarge lazarettes aft so they will beeasy to get at and work on. The hot

water heater nestles beneath thenavigator’s bench and the two 8Dbatteries (440 amp hours) t into abattery compartment just forward of the engine.

The standard Yanmar 54-horse-power engine will drive the boat athull speed and can maintain a cruis-ing speed of 7 knots at very efcientrpm. With 66 gallons of fuel, the445 will have a motoring range at 6knots of nearly 700 miles—enough

to motor from Newport to Bermuda.Both heads have their own hold-

ing tanks, which have been built inthe head compartments above the waterline so they will drain when theoverboard seacocks are open. This isa convenient set up for coastal cruis-ers who regularly sail in the ocean.The tanks also can be emptied withshore side pump out facilities.

The installation of the electricalsystems, water systems and elec-

tronics are all to ABYC and IMIC

standards and recommendations so

you know you can rely on them forthe long term

The new Catalina 445 is an attrac-tive and innovative addition to theCatalina eet. The boat will serve well as a long haul cruiser whetheralong the coasts or across oceans.And those who want to live aboardfor any length of time will nd thatthe boat is big enough and comfort-able enough to be a great oatinghome away from home. Plus the 445

offers its owners excellent value that will continue to hold its value for years to come.

Catalina 445

LOA 44’5”

LWL 38’4”

Beam 13’7”

Draft (std) 4’10”

Draft (deep) 6’11”

Displ. 20,000 lbs.

Ballast 8,00 0 lbs.Fuel 66 Gals.

Water 182 gals.

Waste 54 gals.

SA/D 18.1

DL 165

B/D 39%

Catalina Yachts

Woodland Hills, CA

and Largo, FLPh: 818-884-7700

Ph: 727-544-6681

www.catalinayachts.com

An attractive and

innovative addition

to the Catalina

feet

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Catalina-445 Blue Water Sailing Review