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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Crazing - Big deal or am I just crazy?

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Mike Chrisman
Deckhand

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USA
8 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/18/2006 : 17:37:41

Thank you for a wonderful forum. I've been lurking here for a while but am now very close to ordering a new 250 WK. This forum is one reason that the 250 is at the top of my list of potential new boats!

I stopped by my local dealer today and took another look at the '06 250 WB he has on the lot. One thing that I did notice gave me pause. While inspecting the boat, I noticed a few small cracks around the coaming steps and a few near the lower gudgeon at the stern. I realize that with any complex manufactured product there will be some issues of quality control -at any price point. Still, I was quite surprised to see these. I did some searching on the archives and found some threads that dealt with delivery issues, but many of the issues discussed appear to be more serious than cosmetic.

My questions are: Are these are common for a new boat today? (My 18 year old O'Day has them, but then again it's 18 years old.) Should I expect these and just get over it? Would this be something that is addressed by the warranty?

Judging by the responses from Catalina I have seen here on the web, I sense that Catalina does an above average job of making things right for their customers. I'm a few spaces down from the dealer's boat at the marina. He's a good guy who may not yet even be aware of what I noticed today. I have no doubt that he would make things right in the event of a warranty issue.

I still feel that Catalina's are built better than most of the boats I considered. And, I am not going to let worries of what might happen prevent me from buying a new boat. I'm just trying to set my own expectations apropriately before signing the big check.

Thanks!

Mike Chrisman

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britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2006 : 19:31:50

Mike, our C250 WB is now 17 months old and we too have the crazing around the fore & aft edges of the steps in the cockpit coaming. We couldn't tell you if they were there when we bought the boat as it was mid summer, blaringly bright and all we could see was this great big beautiful white boat!

Welcome to the forum, wish you luck with your purchase. Where will you be sailing her?

Paul.

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Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 11/19/2006 : 18:08:07

Mike,
Being a new boat with the spider cracks would bother me too. However they (cracks) would show up soon anyway. I don't know of any fiberglass sailboats that don't have them. Just strange to me to be on a new boat. Welcome to the forum, I hope it works out for you.

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Mike Chrisman
Deckhand

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USA
8 Posts

Response Posted - 11/19/2006 : 21:17:34

Thanks Paul and Tom.

I've been looking at the next boat for about 2 years, so I think the 250 will work out for me. I'm going to keep the boat on beautiful Brookville Lake in SE Indiana -not far from my home in Cincinnati, Ohio. It's home and we have a nice group of sailors there. The 250's going to be a bit more portable than my O'Day 240 thanks to the mast raising system, so I'm hoping to make a trip to Lake Erie next summer. I also have a good friend with an empty dock behind her house near the Gulf in Florida. Next step will be a bigger tow vehicle -maybe next year... I've got to finalize the boat first.

Regards,

Mike Chrisman

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2006 : 07:39:18

Mike,

I'm not familiar with the C250 - I have a C25, however, those cracks are the result of stress caused by almost anything depending on where they are. You'll eventually find a lot of them around the chain plates and cabin trunk to deck seam. They can also result from hull stress if the boat was lifted onto the trailer. The bottom line is that there is most likely no loss of structural intergrity when the cracks show up. The fiberglass is resiliant. The paint is not. It will not flex with the hull, and will thus crack under strain.

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jking
Navigator

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110 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2006 : 11:03:58

I too have stress cracks at the coaming steps, where the cockpit meets the aft cabin bulkhead, and at other places I recently posted. I find it hard to believe that these will not allow water into the deck (including the core.) I have owned several power boats before I became a sailor, and still own a Cobalt 226 runabout, which we bought new in 2000. I have never had a problem with stress cracks or crazing until I owned this boat.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2006 : 11:11:29

It sounds like the molds are getting tired, I wonder how Catalina judges when it is time for new molds. It seemed that every time they made new ones for the 25 they made deck alterations. Weren't the steps you guys are referring too added to the molds after people complained about stepping to the high coamings? Maybe that is the source of the problem, a mold modification.

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kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2006 : 14:30:34

I have not noticed cracks like that on my '06 250WK, but perhaps I am just blinded by the big beautiful white boat, like Paul. I did notice one tiny inperfection (an air hole) in the gelcoat in one spot. I should of had the dealer fix it, but I was having too much fun sailing...

I can tell you for sure that I am VERY impressed with how well these boats are built compared to the competition. A year later, I am still a very very happy owner.

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.