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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Need help with C25 purchase

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bigcozy
Deckhand

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7 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/11/2002 : 22:23:22

Great forum this has helped me immensly. Here is my situation:

I was told of a C25 on a semi-private lake that had to be sold. The property owners association is forcing the sell of the boat, it exceeds their length rule. I have looked at the boat, a 1986, and it is very good condition. Here is the rub, the guy has no trailer for it, and he can't give it away. He started at $8K and is now down to much less than half of that.

My questions:

Are trailers available? I am in Central Arkansas and there is a Catalina dealer about 50 miles north of me. Can anyone ball park a price?

Can another trailer be modified to work?

Can a newbe de-mast the boat?

How difficult is to trailer the boat?

Edited by - on

swarchitect
1st Mate

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USA
41 Posts

Response Posted - 06/11/2002 : 22:34:58

I just bought a 1982 C25 deep keel, without a trailer or a cradle. The sailboat shop delivered it to my slip after I put a new coat of 2 year bottom paint on it, so I figure I have two years to solve this problem.

They delivered it on an "easy-loader" trailer. They are adjustable to most boats (including the deep keel version). Word is though, a used trailer is hard to find. I have two other sailor friends with deep keel boats and trailers, either of which I think could be adjusted to haul out my boat. One friend in a similar situation had a new trailer made for a Bavaria 28. The all aluminum brand new trailer costs about $5000. (I think I may just borrow it)

Scott Webb
hull #3134

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 06/11/2002 : 22:39:27

What is the keel configuration? Wing, swing, or fixed?

Don Lucier, North Star
C25 SR/FK
<img src="http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/fa836c5c/bc/Sailboat/__tn_BoatSmall.jpg?bcQvqB9AHJWWwPeD" border=0>

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bigcozy
Deckhand

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7 Posts

Response Posted - 06/11/2002 : 22:39:34

Whoa!!!! $5000 is more than the boat!

I should have mentioned this is a swing keel.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 06/11/2002 : 23:00:08

I happened upon a similar deal with a C25 fixed keel that was sitting on a cradle in the owners backyard. I got the boat cheap because it had to be hauled out by a marine transport company for $500.00. Have you checked into having a marine transport company haul it to your marina?

Don Lucier, North Star
C25 SR/FK

Edited by - on

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 06/12/2002 : 01:23:04

Build a cradle. Put it on a flatbed. Getting it out of the lake? How about a truck/crane. If your going to save a lot you may need to spend a bit to do it.

Doug&Ruth
Wind Lass
Tacoma Wa.

Edited by - on

MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 06/12/2002 : 02:15:21

I paid $5500 + tax and license last year to get my trailer built for a fin by trail rite. I didn't have a year to look for it. Works well though.

Matt Loeffler
E.C. Rider
Cat 25 86'
FK/SR _/)

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 06/12/2002 : 15:13:34

$5,500.00 and change for a trailer! YIKES! That is more than double what I paid for North Star.

Um, Mr. Cozy,...or can I just call you Big?..Anyway, before you go out and get a trailer think about how you are going to use the boat. A lot depends on what your needs are and the resources (sailing area, marina services, storage facilities, etc.) available to you. Are you going to put your boat in a slip and leave it there? Will you be putting it in different cruising grounds throughout the year? Do you singlehand?

The vast majority of sailors I know put their boats in the same marina year after year. If this is what you'll be doing, I'd suggest going without the trailer and just having it stored at a marina. I know that some marinas, like mine, do not have haulout and storage capabilities so I just sail my boat to a place that can haul out and store. Before buying my SR/FK, I trailered a swing keelboat for seven years and for me, it just wasn't worth the expense and effort to have a trailerable boat. I used the trailer exactly twice a year, once to splash in the spring and once in the fall for haulout. For the privilege of using this trailer twice a year, I had to register and license it every year, perform preventative maintenance, provide storage for it when the boat was in the water, etc. In addition, if your are trailing you must have a proper tow vehicle. For a 6,000 to 7,000 LB towing load you need a pretty capable tow vehicle. Along with the initial expense of this tow vehicle, you again have its ancillary costs of plates, insurance, low gas mileage, maintenance, etc. Now we get to off-season storage for the boat for those who have to haul out during winter. If you are not able to store the boat on your property then you'll have to pay to store your boat somewhere. Okay, now that we've covered just the basics needed for trailering, let's talk about setting up the boat. Firstly, it is not that difficult to step the mast (inspect running lights, install wind vane, attach radio antenna, untangle shrouds and stays, rig the roller furling), …INHALE…attach the boom, test and rig the roller furling, inspect and tune the standing rigging, bend the sails on...INHALE...rig the running rigging (halyards, topping lift, cunningham, downhaul, spinnaker guy, boom vang, mainsheet, jib sheet, spinnaker sheet, furling line, outhaul, jiffy reefing, flattening reef, etc)...INHALE...mount the outboard, put on the rudder, attach the....PHEW!..Well, you get the idea. Like I said, with the proper assistance, this isn't all that difficult, but is this something you want to do more than a couple of times a season? In my marina, they have dry storage where sailors can leave their boats sitting on their trailers fully rigged and ready to go. This is a good trailering option though for most people, launching and retrieving a boat is more than a one-person operation (although I have done it single-handedly, it is not something I would ever recommend). This means that your sailing will be limited to having at least one other person with you at all times, ruling out singlehanded sailing.

In a nutshell, assess your needs and abilities, and consider all your options before opening your wallet.

Don Lucier, North Star
C25 SR/FK

Edited by - on

MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2002 : 03:09:32

Don,
You seem very opposed to having a trailerable boat<img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle>. I haven't had my cat 25 that long, but I did have a 21 foot trailerable boat that lived on the trailer since we got it in "76". I know a 21 is a lot smaller boat than the 25, but the basics are the same. My dad and I could be sailing within 1/2 an hour from getting to the lake. We did have a system down, that I havent been able to get since. To bad for cancer. I have been working on getting the cat streamlined for my wife and myself. The last time she watched the kids and I grabbed a guy off of a motor boat to set up the rig. I was worn out when done, but I am still getting it figured out and expect to get it done faster and easier next time. You are right it doesn't come out that often,<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle> just for the end of the year and a few other trips, but it can be done and with the proper thought and attitude much can be done.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> PS if love these faces

Matt Loeffler
E.C. Rider
Cat 25 86'
FK/SR _/)

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2002 : 09:27:57

"You seem very opposed to having a trailerable boat." - Matt

By no means am I against a trailerable boat. I'm just speaking from my experience with a trailerable swinger after owning a 25 foot swing keel for 7 years and having just sold it two months ago. I even considered keeping my swinger for traveling and keeping my fixed keel boat in the slip for everyday use(Admiral said, "NO"" <img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle>). If the tone of my post seemed anti-trailer boat, I didn't mean it that way. I just wanted to convey to Bigcozy that before he spends $5,000 to $6,000 dollars for a trailer and untold thousands for a capable tow vehicle, he should consider all options. The point I was trying to make was, now that I have a fixed keel on a cradle my added costs over having the boat on the trailer was a $300.00 winter storage fee, but I no longer have to register, license, insure, store, and maintain a trailer and an expensive tow vehicle. Additionally, I will now only have to drop the mast for inspections and maintenance which makes life a lot easier.

"I know a 21 is a lot smaller boat than the 25, but the basics are the same. My dad and I could be sailing within 1/2 an hour from getting to the lake." - Matt

Yes, true the basics are the same, but the logistics are not. I could launch/retrieve and rig my Venture 25 singlehanded(not fun), but I wouldn't consider doing it on a Catalina 25 that is more than twice as heavy and has standing rigging that is twice as stout, and then doing it every other weekend or even once a month.

Don Lucier, North Star
C25 SR/FK

Edited by - dlucier on 06/13/2002 09:31:04

Edited by - on

bigcozy
Deckhand

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7 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2002 : 15:14:51

Thanks for the advice. I am having a trailer modified for a one time pull. I was told about $750 to have moved by a professional service, and there is no marina at all where the boat is now. I think I can have a trailer made for about $250 and then I will probably sell it. I have a company that fabricates things for me and they are very good, they have done this sort of thing before. I have a Ford F350 diesel so pulling isn't a problem.

Wanna hear the kicker? $1850 and it looks new.

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jellyfish
Navigator

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USA
171 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2002 : 15:32:42

I agree, the fun is sailing not rigging. my first boat was a prindle 16, although she was easy enough to rig: I found leaving her beached and ready to go was alot more fun than trailering her around.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2002 : 16:56:34

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Wanna hear the kicker? $1850 and it looks new.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>
That's a hell of a buy! You can spend quite a bit getting her home and still be way ahead of most of us! How did it get into the lake??

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette "Passage" in SW CT

Edited by - on

bigcozy
Deckhand

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7 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2002 : 20:10:34

It was put in by a dealer, the guys said it cost him about $500 to have it done. This is a very small private lake, and putting it there wasn't really very bright to start with.

Edited by - bigcozy on 06/13/2002 20:12:00

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2002 : 21:12:37

Soooo.... Have the same people "undo" it! At that price, you can afford it!

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette "Passage" in SW CT

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2002 : 21:53:40

How long has this guy owned the boat? If it has been in the water since he purchased it, what is the condition of the hull below the waterline? Blisters?

Don Lucier, North Star
C25 SR/FK

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bigcozy
Deckhand

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7 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2002 : 22:49:37

He bought the boat new in 86, he kept it at a lake for a few miles north of here. Then he hauled it out and left it for several years drydocked at a marina. He put it in this lake about a 7 or 8 months ago until the property owners came down on him. I got out in the water and looked underneath as best I could, I saw no blisters or paint problems. I suspect it was never used much, if any, the interior is really like new.

I was quoted 750 from the same guys that moved it for him, but he bought it from them and stored it at their marina. He was desperate to sell it, I even heard they had started legal action against him. Not a nice guy, but he took care of his boat. I wasn't really intersted in a non power boat, but I couldn't pass this up. Not sure where I am going to put this....

Edited by - bigcozy on 06/13/2002 22:50:11

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/14/2002 : 10:31:37

One last question, Big: Do you sail? Do you want to sail?

Blisters or none, if the boat shows as nicely as you say, it should be worth at least $7000... with some equipment like roller furling and a good outboard, maybe $9K or more. I don't know about Arkansas--your better market might be on the Gulf coast. If you want to make a few bucks, get it out of there and advertise it in TX and LA as a "fresh-water boat"--meaning aside from possible blisters, it's been in a friendly environment. If you want to try it yourself, you might want to look into a marina (slip or dry storage)--periodically rigging and unrigging a C-25 is a pretty big project for somebody who's not even sure they want a sailboat.

Good luck--I don't see much risk (except for some others down there seeing this thread and finding the boat).

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette "Passage" in SW CT

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 06/14/2002 10:33:29

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bigcozy
Deckhand

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7 Posts

Response Posted - 06/14/2002 : 21:07:46

I am not really much of a sailor, but this was too good to pass up. I figure if I can't get some use out of it, my extended family can. The right time at the right place I guess.

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