Catalina 385 •

The afternoon we test-sailed the new Catalina 385 on the Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis, the breeze was a pleasant 10 knots out of the northeast and the bay fairly calm. As we motored out of Back Creek, we rolled out the mainsail and then rolled out the red, white and blue screecher. The 385 put her shoulder down and started to really scream as we watched the speedo climb from 5 to 6 and finally 7 knots.

With the wind just forward of the beam, the 385 heeled to about 10 degrees. The helm was incredibly light despite the big headsail. With a tweak of the main traveler, we were able to balance the helm to neutral so the boat steered herself straight without a finger on the wheel. This is the mark of a boat that has her proportions just right.

We flew out into the bay and then rolled up the screecher to see how she sailed with the 135 percent genoa. Hard on the wind, the boat maintained a happy 7 knots in the 10 knots of true breeze and tacked inside 90 degrees quite easily. The boat we were sailing has the shoal draft winged keel and a slightly shallower rudder than the deep draft version, but this did not seem to affect her performance upwind and we noted that we were making very little leeway. Again, hard on the wind and heeled to almost 15 degrees, the 385 had a very light helm that was easily balanced with traveler adjustments.

Running back into Annapolis, we hauled the genoa to windward so we could run squarely downwind wing-and-wing. This is not the fastest point of sail, but we still maintained close to 6 knots, which proved that despite a moderate-displacement cruising hull, the 385 is a slippery and handy sailing boat.

The deck layout works really well for a couple sailing together or a larger group. The mainsail controls and traveler are all managed with line stoppers and a winch next to the companionway. The genoa sheets and control line for the headsail are within reach of the helmsman. The cockpit is not overly wide, so you always have a good foot or hip brace point, which allows you to work with both hands. Visibility from the raised helm seats to windward and leeward is excellent.

The Selden spar and headsail roller furling gear work easily and have very smooth actions, so deploying and then furling the sails was a cinch. The Selden bowsprit for the screecher fits neatly in the stemhead fitting and bow rollers so we could tack the big sail down well forward of the pulpit to keep it clear of any potential snags.

Back in Back Creek we put the boat through its paces under power. At cruising revs she will cruise at 6.5 knots easily and can get close to 8 when pushed. The boat has a nice tight turning radius for maneuvering in close quarters, and with a three-bladed prop will stop in two boat lengths from cruising speed. We had to back her into the marina slip in a crosswind, so we gave ourselves plenty of distance and then backed steadily and surely into the slip and managed to pick up both bowlines on their pilings as we slid by.

A couple’s cruising boat, the 385 packs a lot of performance and ease into the moderate hull and benefits from the developments and evolutions that went into the new 445 and 355, which have both proven so popular over the last two years.

ACCOMMODATIONS
The interior of the 385 is finished in hand rubbed and varnished teak and teak veneers, so the whole cabin feels warm and traditional. The saloon has a U-shaped galley with a large fridge, twin sinks and a propane stove and oven. The navigator’s desk faces aft and has a folding top that will accommodate a laptop computer. The electrical panel is outboard and shielded by a tinted acrylic door so you can monitor the panel without having it glaring in your face.

The L-shaped dinette to port has a quad-leaf folding table that will seat several people when open, but takes up very little space when folded. On the boat we tested, the table was varnished to a very high gloss and looked magnificent. Across from the dinette, the twin easy seats are separated by a folding table that will be useful for playing cards or board games. The bench in the dinette will make an excellent sea berth.

The owner’s cabin and the spa-style head are forward. The large double berth with an inner-spring mattress has an articulated tilt mechanism, so you can lounge in bed in the “up” position or sleep in the normal “down” position. The head has a designer sink, a huge shower stall and plenty of storage for bathroom articles and the medicine kit.

The 385 holds 100 gallons of water, so you will not have to skimp on washing up. Plus, with a six-gallon hot water heater, you should have plenty of hot water for short showers. The guest cabin aft has a large athwartship double berth and a small bench where you can sit while putting on your shoes. Plus, there are large lockers for storage of your guest’s gear and for spare parts and all the sundries cruisers collect along the way.

For a couple or a family, the 385 is laid out to provide comfort and privacy in the sleeping cabins and open living in the saloon. You could literally fit a dozen people below decks for, say, the boat christening party.

DETAILS
The 385 is a production built cruiser that employs proven production techniques. The hull is a one-piece hand laid fiberglass molding with a large internal grid fixed in place with aerospace adhesives and fiberglass tabbing. The deck is a cored composite molding that offers stiffness under foot and good heat and sound insulation. A large molded deck liner provides a fully finished ceiling that complements the teak joinery.

The forward section of the hull has what Catalina calls the Strike Zone; this is a watertight compartment forward of the forward bulkhead that will prevent water ingress should you run up on a half submerged object such as a container.

The mast is deck-stepped with a large compression post beneath it, which transfers compression loads to the internal grid and the keel. The mast shrouds run to Catalina’s unique Secure Socket chainplates, which in turn transfer sidestay loads to the chainplates that are firmly glassed into the boat’s structural grid; this system also helps to prevent deck leaks around the chainplates.

The boat’s engine and systems have been installed with regular maintenance in mind. The well insulated engine compartment keeps engine noise to a minimum. And special hatches and doors have been provided, so you can check and top up engine oil and cooling fluid quickly and easily. Should you need to get to the whole engine, the engine box slides out for full 360˚ access to the motor.

Under the water, Catalina uses lead for their keels and engineers massive, robust stainless steel bolt attachments to the integral hull grid. The rudder is a hand-molded fiberglass part with a stainless steel rudderpost and internal stainless steel framing for strength. The rudder post is fixed in place with a large watertight rudder bearing and is operated via the Edson steering system and quadrant.

Down below, you will find that the furniture is assembled by hand and all pieces have solid teak corner posts and solid wood cabinet doors and drawer fronts. The main interior doors are solid teak as well and have top and bottom louvers that enhance ventilation to inhibit mildew growth. Drawers are all wood with stainless self-closing steel sliders.

The engineering and construction details that go into modern Catalinas combine the best in traditional production construction techniques with a definite emphasis on quality, not only in the manufactured parts but also in the choice of OEM equipment such as hatches and ports, and optional equipment such as inverters and battery chargers. The company strives to build boats that are safe, sail well, are easy to maintain and will hold value for a long time. In the 385, they have certainly succeeded.

Catalina 385
LOA 39’2”
LOD 38’2”
LWL 34’5”
Beam 13’1”
Draft (shoal) 4’8”
Draft (deep) 6’10”
Ballast (shoal) 6,200 lbs.
Ballast(deep) 5,200 lbs.
Displacement 16,000 lbs.
Sail Area 802 sq. ft.
Water 100 gals.
Fuel 40 gals.
Holding 31 gals.
Engine 40-hp.
Mast height 54’0”
Displ/LWL 179(w)/168(f)
Sail area/Displ 19.3(w)/20.6(f)
Ballast ratio 37.6(w)/33.5(f)
Base price $208,495

Catalina Yachts
Largo, FL
727-544-6681
www.catalinayachts.com

Bruckmann 50 MKII

The breeze was light and there was a little chop, but the boats were able to fill their sails and gathered speed to about 4 knots in the 8 knots of wind. The boats were sailed by their owners—Dan Betty from Andover, MA, Keith and Diana Anderson from Montgomery, TX, and John Cryer and Edna Ramos from Houston, TX—so they were somewhat shorthanded for close maneuvers. Still, one by one, the 50s formed up on Dan Betty’s 50 and we were able to more or less get them sailing in formation through all angles of sail. You wouldn’t normally think of displacement motorsailers as nimble, but the 50s were fully capable of sailing close and turning smartly when called upon to do so.

As we wrapped up the photo shoot, the three boats waved so long and headed off in their own directions for the choice cruising grounds of Nantucket Sound. It was only by coincidence that the three owners and their boats were all together in Falmouth at the same time. Yet it is no coincidence that Falmouth Marine has become the boatyard and marina favored by Bruckmann 50 owners over the years. Dan Betty has been keeping his boats at the yard for many years and has worked closely with the yard to maintain and improve his own 50. So when new owners come along, Dan often persuades them to join him in Falmouth. The yard is now the certified Bruckmann service yard in New England.

The Bruckmann 50 has earned the reputation of being one of the best-designed, best built cruising motorsailers available anywhere. The hull was designed from the keel up to combine the best qualities of a displacement sailboat with the load carrying ability and buoyancy aft of a displacement powerboat. This was no easy task, but Canadian yacht designer Mark Ellis got it right. The 50 is a true 10 knot boat that can achieve top speed under power, under sail with 15 knots of breeze or more, and when motorsailing.

DESIGN CHANGES

Over the years, owners have worked with Mark Bruckmann and Mark Ellis to create their own semi-custom 50s, and with yards like Falmouth Marine to modify and upgrade the boats. This year, Mark Bruckmann took many of the ideas that owners have put into their boats to create the new Mark II version.The biggest change to the design is the addition of an extended stern platform that lengthens the waterline, adds balance to the boat, offers an excellent boarding and swim platform, and provides a place to stow a dinghy while underway. The platform looks good on the stern and completes the boat in a very useful way.

The other significant design change is the addition of a 200hp John Deere engine as an optional upgrade. The boats so equipped have proven to be true 10 knot cruisers and can maintain near hull speed while burning less than five gallons of diesel per hour. The John Deere engines are quiet, powerful and have long lives when well maintained. Since you tend to use the engine all the time aboard a motorsailer, these qualities are important.

Owner Keith Anderson has been involved with farming all of his life, so when he learned that the 50 came with a John Deere engine as standard equipment he took it as a sign that the boat was right for his family.

LIVING ABOARD
Before we set out for some synchronized sailing, I was offered tours of the three Bruckmann 50s in Falmouth. They were all similar on deck, with roller furling headsails and Forespar Leisure Furl booms for the mainsails. The boats are designed to be cruised by a couple, so sheets, halyards and reefing control lines all lead aft to the cockpit and electric winches are standard.

Down below, each boat reflected the subtle differences between the owners in the layout of the furniture, the type of seats and the navigator’s chair in the pilothouse. Yet each offered complete 360º visibility through the huge pilothouse windows, so the inside steering station was the spot for standing watches and handling the boat at night or in cold, wet weather. For those who cruise in the higher latitudes, the Bruckmann 50 is truly a three- or even four-season cruising boat.

But the 50 is also set up for real indoor-outdoor living when cruising warmer climes. The pilothouse and large cockpit are linked via a large, watertight door and two opening windows. The cockpit has long benches and a lovely teak table with drop leaves that will seat six for dinner. In the tropics or on warm northern evenings, this is where the family will gather for sundowners and meals.

Forward and down two steps from the pilothouse, you’ll find the huge ship’s galley to port and the study or lower lounge to starboard. Keith and Diana Anderson love to cook, so the galley was a huge factor in their choice of the 50. It wraps around in a large U-shape with the stove and oven outboard, the sinks on the centerline forward, and the huge fridge freezer under the counter aft. With cabinets and drawers everywhere, the galley is truly a seagoing kitchen.

Across from the galley is the study, library or TV nook depending on how you want to set it up. On all three of the boats, this was also the laundry since the owners had full frontloading washers and dryers built in with access through two low doors. With gensets and high capacity watermakers, these boats are truly self-sufficient and as convenient as any home.

The guest cabin lies off the hall that runs forward to the master stateroom and can be set up in a number of configurations, including converting it into an office. The master stateroom forward has a large centerline double berth, ample drawer and locker storage, and two large hanging lockers. The forward cabin is large and airy and will be a very comfortable home while cruising.

John Cryer noted that he and Edna had looked at a lot of boats. They had owned a Beneteau 47.7 and were looking for what John called their “last boat.” They had discussed a custom design and met with several high-end semi-custom builders.

“It came down to the Y-Factor,” said John. “When Edna compared the living spaces and cruising accommodations on the boats out there, nothing suited our needs better than the Bruckmann 50.”

Dan Betty is a serial boat owner and has enjoyed both sailboats—a Mason 44 and a Northeast 400 motorsailer—and powerboats—a Hatteras 41, a Mathews 46 and an Atlantic 47—so he knew what he was looking for in his next and perhaps last boat. The 50 combined the best qualities of all of the great boats that he’d already owned.

One of the qualities in the boats that sets them apart is the classic Bristol or Herreshoff styling in the finish work below decks. Mark Bruckmann creates interiors that have white bulkheads that are trimmed and detailed with brightly varnished mahogany or teak. Drawer handles, hinges and latches are sturdy classic designs. Ports and hatches are all top of the line. The engine room under the raised pilothouse is a joy to look at and work in, with good access to all engineering systems.

The Bruckmann 50 MkII is a lovely and capable cruising boat, and with the addition of the stern platform and the optional 200hp engine, this great design has only gotten better.

BRUCKMANN 50 MKII
LOA51’2”
LWL44’6”
Beam15’5”
Draft6’0”
Displ.45,000 lbs
Ballast16,000 lbs.
Sail area1,135 sq. ft.

Bruckmann Yachts
2265 Royal Windsor Drive
Mississauga, ON L5J 1K5
CANADA
Ph: 905-855-1117
www.bruckmannyachts.com