Siren song of a Catalina 22

by Dave Reed, Sailing World
My web browser knows perfectly well what I’ve been up to, and the algorithm is now screaming “Catalina 22” into my feed. This means that I’ve done something stupid and bought a boat. A project boat, nonetheless. So, yes—I’ve joined the club of wide-eyed, shallow-pocketed sailors who see an old boat on a trailer and think, “doesn’t look too bad.”

And here we go.

Long story short: Here in Newport, Rhode Island, there’s a simple use-it-or-lose-it mooring ordinance, so for the past year I’d been on the hunt for an inexpensive trailerable 20-footer that would scratch my itch for overnight bay excursions and local beer can racing. I can’t afford the ridiculously high winter storage fees, so I needed something I could haul myself and store in my driveway.

A chance and casual conversation at the yacht club bar this past winter led me to an owner who was eager to rid herself of a lawn ornament. – Full report