Renting the Zonie Catalina 30 Sailboat was the highlight of our summer vacation
Submitted: July 12, 2011
Stayed: July 2011
We rented the Zonie Catalina 30 for a 2 days the first week of July 2011. I would highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys sailing. We had rented another boat 2 years ago from this owner and were very happy with that experience as well. The owner personally gave my sons and me a 2 hour familiarization and some additional training I requested regarding the operation of the boat and the area. (He also offers additional training if you are interested) He sailed with us for almost 8 miles showing us the various functions of the boat, motor, and sails. He was also very accommodating and flexible as to when and where we could pickup and return the boat. He was very easy to reach by phone and email. He even called on my cell to point out an eagle that he had spotted as we were returning the boat to him on our last day so we could share that experience with everyone on board. We have been a sailing family for years, but had never rented a 30 foot sailboat before, 28 foot had been the biggest. We found the Zonie to be in excellent shape cosmetically and mechanically. All of the sails, lines, rigging, and gear were in excellent condition. The engine ran flawlessly. We had very nice sailing conditions on the lake. Winds were typically light in the morning 5-8 knots, and would build to 10 - 15 knots by late afternoon, then would subside back to 5 to 10 knots by sunset. In the 48 hours that we rented the boat, we were able to take out several different guests and had up to 6 people sailing comfortably on the boat. We sailed off and on for about 12 hours each day, and were able to rent a very nice slip in town for $35.00. The lake where the boat is located is a great place to sail because it is a very large lake, yet it has many protected areas. I have recommended this boat to 3 of our friends (in hopes that they will invite us along) and would recommend it to anyone. We found it very easy to sail with the roller furling jib. I was able to sail it very comfortably in 10 knots of wind with just me and my 12 year old son. It was a relatively fast boat considering the cruiser design, we recorded a max speed of 7.2 knots on the GPS unit and could easily sustain 6+ knots. Next time we rent, we hope to sail out onto the big lake for the day and possibly sail over to a harbor a few hours away. Thank you again to the owner for helping to make it a wonderful experience for me and my family
Recommended for:
Age 55+,
Adventure Seekers,
Sightseeing,
Families with Teenagers,
Families with Young Children,
Romantic Getaway
Helpful votes: 3/3
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