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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Capri 25 Specific Forum

Everything good about the Capri

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saribella
Captain

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USA
286 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/02/2008 : 18:16:47

List your opinion about what makes the Capri a great boat.

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Pirate Princess
1st Mate

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USA
37 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2008 : 22:17:35

Mine is the only Capri 25 (at this time) on the lake where I sail. There are several new Hunter 26 and Catalinas and misc. this and thats. The Capri has lots of deck space (which is absent from the other boats) for moving about on the boat topsides which in all honesty, if I am spending time on the boat that is where I spend my time. If you are in the cockpit of a newer style boat, you cannot get forward on the deck unless you climb up on the cabin top, those boats have no side deck space like the Capri.

Even though mine is an older boat than most at the docks, they all comment on how nice it is with the big cockpit and some have even said "it looks like an aircraft carrier with all the deck space". They all want to sail it and they are jealous of its speed.

Funny thing is, all of these guys had an opportunity to buy the boat after it had been sitting 15 years in a driveway. Now they are kicking themselves seeing how nice it turned out when I had restored it.

And THAT is what I like about the Capri, not to mention how sweet it is to sail.

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Ericson33
Admiral

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USA
892 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2008 : 23:07:15

I like the standing headroom below, and the full kitchen with enclosed head. Just kidden , the boat sails its numbers well, its responsive, and sails like a big dingy.

Huge cockpit, and the wife loves the forward deck. I like the low freeboard, and the boat is just plain sexy.

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joearcht
Navigator

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USA
241 Posts

Response Posted - 07/03/2008 : 07:24:04

I agree with aspects of both previous comments.
Great deck space. Low freeboard. fast and competitive still today.
I don't spend much time below decks nor want to, but it is a wonderful storage area for all of the paraphernalia that goes along with club racing.

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saribella
Captain

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USA
286 Posts

Response Posted - 07/03/2008 : 17:06:27

What of cost? Maintenance? Operation? Seasonal Cost?

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joearcht
Navigator

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USA
241 Posts

Response Posted - 07/04/2008 : 07:56:26

I paid $7,500.00 in 2006 for mine. Not the cheapest Capri 25 that was on the market, but I thought a fair price considering the upgrades, sails, condition, outboard, trailer, etc. that came with the boat. It had been diligently raced by PO and that's what I wanted it for.
Hull maintenance is same as any boat this size. I wet sail mine and it takes me about 15 min with snorkle and fins to wipe the bottom before a race. I like the minimal woodwork, with the exception of the wood under the traveler, I throw a tarp over the cabin top and keep the rest of the woodwork covered when the boat is not in use. So far, I've not had to refinish any wood yet other than the intial work I did upon obtaining the boat.
This boat is more complicated than any boat I've owned before, but I think the masthead rig is simpler than a fractional rig and I like that for now. Other than being tender when the wind kicks up I've found the boat to be very forgiving with smooth easy broaches when overpowered by gust.
I sail on a small fresh water lake where a 25' boat is about the biggest boat you would want to sail and I don't deal with very much wave action.
I also live in a part of the country where we can sail year round, so no seasonal cost other than re-painting the hull every few years and replacing sails. I'll clean the hull less in the cold weather, but plan to invest in a good wetsuit soon, so maybe that will improve.

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Pirate Princess
1st Mate

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USA
37 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2008 : 14:40:44

The cost on my boat was initially free . . . . sort of. As I have mentioned it sat in a driveway for 15 years but also with it, was another boat, a Designers Choice 14. The original owner used to baby both boats and took very good care of them.

He had left the area to take care of ailing parents on the family farm and left everything sitting as it was, house and boats and all for 15 years. When he decided to sell the boats, the caveat was the buyer had to buy both.

I purchased both boats for $1500.00 and brought the DC-14 home right away and restored it in one week and then sold it for what I paid for both the Capri and the DC. So the Capri was free (that is if you dont count the endless weeks of cleanup, hard labor, new lines, new caulk, some new teak and such).

Overall I was quite lucky, when I opened the sails they were neatly folded as if they were used yesterday. The spark plug in the outboard looked brand new. There were brand new spinaker sheets that had never been used.

I did replace the aft bulkheads as the originals were pretty bad but were ok enough to make templates. The only teak I absolutely had to replace was at the bottom of the companionway and it was rotten. The rest of the teak cleaned up ok and was salvageable. All the interior wood such as the cabin sole, the bench boards etc. had been removed and stored in his garage so those were also in fine shape after clean up.

I did remove and re-bed the ports/windows and had them powder-coated -they look new now. All the thru-deck hardware was removed and rebed with new caulk.

I made a new mahogany wood panel that is just below the companionway and installed a new electrical panel into that panel.

I did disconnect the old water tank and use the sink as "quick-storage" for keys, cell phones, dock lines etc. I kept the hose from the tank in place and where it runs under the port lazerette, I have velcro ties to hang extra line and such.

All in all I have spent approx. $1200.00 on restoration and maintenance. I do need to buy new interior cushions.

So in a way, the Capri found me, I did not go seeking a Capri specifically. I found an opportunity and it paid off. Even after sitting for all those years in neglect the boat held together pretty well. I have seen some older not-so-well-made boats with the headliners falling apart and things crumbling. And I like sailing a well designed boat that is still fast.

I like that old Capri!

Karen

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joemireur
1st Mate

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USA
33 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2008 : 20:53:53

Like others have said already, huge cockpit, low freeboard, plain sexy, some room on the foredeck, etc. Also moves easily when untied from the dock, even better with sails up!

I've bought and sold two other boats before the Capri. I wanted the biggest thing I could get on a trailer that I could pull down the road without attracting attention from the troopers. Its a little too wide for Texas roads, per the rules and regs. However, on a trailer, I'm almost ready (drop the mast and tidy up) to bail out from the coast at hurricane time. It takes only about 20 minutes to get the boat off the trailer and into the water and another 10 or 15 minutes to motor down the channel into Galveston Bay.

Currently I'm using the area below decks to store water that comes in whenever it wants. Thank you leaky windows! Prepare to meet the butyl tape! I think the only other things that leak right now are the companionway hatch and the hull, but only at the keel. I'm not sure I'm right about the keel leak. Between the keel and the windows its sort of like a presidential election, which problem is worse and should come in first?

Joe Mireur using God's own air and then leaving it unharmed for the next man

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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.