s o wrote:
I'd like to add that before I actually do the crossing to Catalina with
a 19 footer, I'll do these things first.

1. (this goes w/o saying)have all USCG safety eqmpt's, gps, compass,
vhf radio and boat tow membership
2. do plenty of trial runs along the coast and to the mid-channel with
another adult
3. for the first actual run, I won't take the kids, just me and my
wife. I'll probably follow along the Catalina Express in the early
morning. dont' know if I could keep up with its 35-knot speed, though.
4. I know it's a bad idea to come back during the late afternoon or
evening, so I guess we'd always come back the next morning. We'd also
avoid the Santa Ana winds season.

would I get any "nods of approval" then? any comments are welcomed.
thx

so


Comment: After evaluating intended cruising areas, it makes sense to
choose a boat
sufficient for dealing with the worst conditions you are going to
encounter- not the "average" conditions, and not the conditions that
will prevail if you are particularly lucky or the weather
conforms to your plans. I hate to say it, but a 19' boat of that hull
configuration is probably not up the the worst conditions you are going
to encounter.

Bayliner builds a number of boats that would be very adequate for your
run to Catalina, but I doubt that even a conscientous Bayliner
salesperson would recommend the model you have in mind.

Sounds like you have already fallen "in love" with this boat. Take a
cold shower. :-)
(Cold freshwater shower beats a cold sal****er bath, any day.)

Why not ride that Catalina Express out to the Island some weekend when
the weather is a little "iffy" (not dead calm) and see what sort of
private boats have ventured out there from the coastline? If the place
is chock full of 19-foot Bayliners, then obviously that would be the
way to go. If. Most people are more than happy to talk about their
boats, so don't be afraid to ask some of the guys with smaller boats
how they handle the crossing. On the other hand, if you see darn few
boats under 24-25 feet and most of those are blue water fishboats,
that might allow you to convince yourself that something a bit more
substantial than the boat you have mentioned here might be appropriate.

That said, you can have a blast with a 19-foot Bayliner. You could
trailer that thing all over the place, and explore many different
inland lakes or sheltered salt water bays and estuaries. No reason to
avoid Baylinier, per se- but whatever boat you buy you will want to
make sure it's up to the task.