On 21 Sep 2003 12:02:45 GMT, (Bobsprit) wrote:

So you decide. They are both decent boats, but if you are doing
sailing for sailing's sake, the 9.6 is the better deal by far. If the
C. 30 is your first cruising boat, go that way. Neither boat is wrong,
just less or more right for you.

And then you might want to look at good Pearson 30, a boat that outsails the
Catalina as well and is better put togther than either. Average cost = 15K.

The Pearson 30 is an excellent boat and a great sailer, but is even
more into "old school" sailing than the Columbia 9.6, and is likely to
have an antique set of hank-on sails and one old car battery in it to
power the nav lights and maybe the LORAN G.

Sounds like heaven to me, but I am very much in the minority. The
Pearson 30 is probably the safest of the lot in a seaway, however,
being conservatively built and bulletproof, or nearly so. If I lived
in the U.S. Northeast or the Maritimes, I'd pop for the Pearson. On
the Great Lakes, you aren't going to have particularly grim conditions
(unless you choose to stay in the water into November...), and so can
have a lighter, more "convenient" vessel.

Or you could get a Grampian 30 or a Contessa for the truly nautical
feeling G.

Get any boat you come close to purchasing surveyed. It's a 300 buck
reality check that can help leverage the price in your favour.

R.

The Pearson 30 is an excellent boat and a great sailer, but is even
more into "old school" sailing than the Columbia 9.6, and is likely to
have an antique set of hank-on sails and one old car battery in it to
power the nav lights and maybe the LORAN G.

Pearson 30 was built between 1971 and 1981, I believe. Pretty much the same
era, but more of a sailors boat. Most have been updated. Mine had factory
wheel, along with furling and full batten main. Most alberg 30's I see these
days have furling! I now sail a C&C 32, which is faster and more refined...but
the P30 was a heck of a boat.

Capt RB
C&C 32
NY