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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Almost ready to buy the C-25

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cdavido
Deckhand

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9 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/03/2012 : 16:35:39

Members,

I'm looking for feedback about what you like best about your C-25's. We are newbies and have been sailing for about a year and are nearly ready to take the plunge on a 1990 C-25 wing keel. Plans are for a summer of lake sailing and doing some cleanup work on the boat. We are a family of 4 with two teenagers - both who have been sailing the last two years. Final look at the boat is this weekend!

Thanks for your input.

cdavido

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2012 : 17:02:13

Forgiving and easy to sail ranks high with excellent stability as conditions worsen. Catalina makes excellent use of the interior volume. A solidly built conservative hull makes it a great, affordable family boat.

Edited by - on

waterbaby
Navigator

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USA
168 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2012 : 17:41:42

I don't have enough experience to know if a CAT 25 is better than any other simular boat but I can tell you for sure this forum is the BEST!

I love my boat though, can't imagine having something different right now. Come On! Commit! :)

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2012 : 18:22:50

Hey Craig and welcome.

We are on our third Catalina, last two being C25s. We are also inland lake sailors. Believe many here have described this brand as the Chevrolet of sailboats. If and when we move up to a larger boat it will most likely be a Catalina.

In addition to the wing keel, the last 200+ C25s have the redesigned deck. We feel it is a much dryer boat than our previous 1981 model.

I've done a lot of work on these and know them inside/out. If you'd like to have someone to call while you are doing the final inspection - shoot me an e-mail at verus326 at yahoo dot com and I'll send you my cell #.

Indeed, the great members of this forum make owning a C250/25 all the better . . . not to mention the availability of parts and access to an engineer at the Woodland Hills facility.

We luv boat pix here!

Good luck and keep us posted!

Edited by - OJ on 04/03/2012 18:31:19

Chakana
1st Mate

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USA
62 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2012 : 19:02:18

From one newbie to another,we chose the Catalina 25 for several reasons. First we wanted a boat we could trailer away from here if we got bored of sailing (mostly tacking) up and down the Ohio River. We purchased the boat 300 miles away, and the drive home was awesome with our Ram 1500 pick up truck--didn't even know she was back there.
Secondly we wanted interior space. Enough so we could experiment with sleeping over and even living aboard for a week at a time. Hopefully to prepare us for sailing off into the sunset someday.
Thirdly we wanted a boat that was inexpensive, easy to find used, and and with lots internet support regarding refitting.
Our boat has exceeded our expectations in every way. There is no other boat that can do all these things. We would choose this boat again, 100 times over.
And ours is a swinger. With a wing keel, I would be too happy for words!!!!

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9081 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2012 : 20:04:06

The '90 is the pick of the litter--the last set of enhancements before the C-25 became too expensive for its market, and heavier than its newer competition at the time. IMHO, you're looking at one of the best values in a 25' cruising sailboat ever built by anyone. (Do you know whether this one is a tall or standard rig? We have great fans of both...)

Besides still having support from the company, you have a great third-party supplier called [url="http://catalinadirect.com/"]Catalina Direct[/url], which offers many replacements and upgrades for the C-25. They know these boats very well, and their C-25 Handbook (essentially their catalog with free updates) is one of the best $10 you'll spend on the boat. The best $22 will be your membership in this association, helping to make this site possible. It's an amazing community--one reason I chose the C-25.

Keep in touch!

Edited by - on

Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1218 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2012 : 20:08:53

I chose my C25 as my first sailboat because:

1. I wanted something affordable.
2. I wanted something built very well.
3. I wanted something easy to work on. (parts available)
4. I'm single handing 99% of the time, so manageable by myself.
5. Big enough for weekends aboard.
6. Not too big that the $$$$$ for everything breaks the bank.
7. Must have: head, galley, berths. Small camper, like a pop-up or Casita.

The C25 met my needs perfectly....and I must say, I've become quite fond of my little boat! So much so, that I tend to be brand loyal and when I move up some day, I'll most likely get another Catalina.

She's really easy to sail, maneuver, dock, launch....everything. She's also very forgiving.

However....I will tell you this...I'm 6'3 and 260#....big dude....by myself she's snug but okay for the weekend. If I had to share the space with a wife and 2 teenagers, I'd seriously look at a C30....I know you may not want to hear that....and it's just IMHO....everyone has different tolerances for personal space needs. I tend to like quite a bit. So, just think about how you'll be using the boat.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9081 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2012 : 20:25:04

"Joe" makes a good point... However, to balance it, particularly for a relatively new sailor, I'll point out that a 30' cruiser like the C-30 is literally <i>twice</i> as big as the C-25. By that I mean its displacement (10,000+ lbs.), and the general feel of handling the boat, the sails, and the systems. It's a whole different animal--a very nice one, but very different.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 04/03/2012 20:29:47

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3466 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2012 : 20:30:37

What I like best:

Wing keel - No moving parts and 2' 11" draft. Also made of lead means virtually no maintenance.

I like the way it sails

Pop Top - Do not use it often but when we do, It really opens up the boat & ventilation, yet provides inside accomodation out of the sun.

Cabin has good height clearance.

Catalina reputation and because of it being popular, there are many exact replacement parts available.

My spouse likes it.

Edited by - on

Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1218 Posts

Response Posted - 04/04/2012 : 06:13:45

Dave is spot on...the C30 is wonderfully roomy, but more $$$$ to buy and maintain....and replacement stuff can easily be double what the C25 costs. It's a bit more to handle, but you've been sailing for a year and your teenagers for 2, so y'all should be just fine.

When you go look at this one again, take everyone with you and put everyone on the boat.....I've had 5 people on my boat before: 3 adults and 2 small children (4 & 7), we were just fine. The kids spent most of the time bouncing around down in the cabin, peeking out of the v-berth hatch and coming to the cockpit in need of a hug from momma.

You really can't go wrong with the C25....it's a great boat....one of the best sailing vessels ever made (I really am very fond of mine).

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 04/04/2012 : 06:33:22

We are a family and as pointed out above, cruising aboard can be a challenge, but after about day 3, everyone catches the beat and we get along well. On our boat there are often 2 toddlers, a teen, my wife, and myself. We do not pack light. Usually my wife and I are in teh cockpit with the little kids while Chuck hangs out on the bow.

On race night its usually 3-4 adults, but less gear.

We find ourselves racing and doing more regattas than I anticipated when I bought the boat. Had I known the amount of racing we would end up doing I might have looked at more of a performance boat, but even so, we are very competitive in our little Catalina thanks to the boat sailing closely to its PHRF handicap.

Projects are easy to do, and I haven't come across any that really killed me, although I tend to be nervous to start anything on the boat. I do a lot of thinking and looking before I start working.

Any boat is a commitment of time and effort thoguh - they are easy to buy and hard to sell. be sure this is a whole-family activity before diving in. Chuck and I have a great time on teh baot, my wife is nervous, and the little guys only get to sail on fair weather days, undercanvassed or under power. Its a common scenario - many wives are less excited than their hubbies when it comes to sailing.

Edited by - on

Sam001
Vice Commodore

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USA
441 Posts

Response Posted - 04/04/2012 : 07:16:36

The gang who tracked my quest for a boat can tell you I took a long time to find a boat. I started looking at several brands.

A key for me was traditional lines, nice cruiser, able to get on a trailer (not a tractor trailer), excellent quality, and a good support group.

After several months of looking at various brands, I decided the Catalina 25 fit the bill. I spent the next 6 months researching, calling owners, and visiting boats until I found one.

As you have seen in the previous posts, this is a great group, and it is a great boat.

Edited by - on

pfduffy
Captain

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USA
317 Posts

Response Posted - 04/04/2012 : 07:38:09

What I love about my Catalina 25:

1) easy to sail - very forgiving
2) comfortable cockpit, roomy interior
3) built like a tank to absorb the inevitable run-ins with docks, pilings, and other fixed objects.
4) this forum
5) price was right for me (inherited from my father-in-law) who had tired of sailing.

I too have a 4 person family. My children are younger and my wife is not terribly interested in sailing. She does, however, understand my passion. I often day sail with my 4 year old daughter. Many days, I will simply unfurl the jib and sail under headsail alone. There are precious few things in life better than a peaceful afternoon sail with my daughter sleeping - her head in my lap.

We have not yet spent the night on the boat, but I expect that there will be plenty of room for me and the 2 kids. The accommodations are a bit sparse for my wife (no AC, no Room service, no cable tv, no king size bed) but I think it will be a fun outing for me and the kids when I decide do an overnight trip.

I don't think it is possible to make a better 25' trailerable cruising sailboat than what Catalina accomplished with this boat. As others have noted, the '89 and newer wing keel is the pick of the litter. You will not have any regrets!!

Edited by - on

JimGo
Admiral

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USA
962 Posts

Response Posted - 04/04/2012 : 08:34:58

We've only had our C25 since October. I wasn't intentionally looking for Catalinas when I started looking for boats last Spring - I was operating at a low enough price point that I was more "brand neutral." We have 2 boys (6 and almost 4), and when we talked about a boat, the one requirement my wife put on it was that it have a cabin big enough for the boys to hide in if there was bad weather or too much sun. Since that meant we were in the 18+ foot range (hard to find a cabin in something smaller, especially in my price range), that meant we couldn't sail at our local lake, which essentially pushed us to the NJ shore. That, in turn, meant we needed a very shallow draft boat, so we started looking for a swing keel. We also wanted something that, at least theoretically, was trailerable, and that basically kept us at or below 25'.

We looked at several boats, including MacGregor, Rhodes, Hunter, S2, Irwin, and Ericson. As discussed above, the C25 has one of the largest cabins you'll find in a 25 (the Irwin was a close 2nd, and had standing headroom even without a pop-top). It was practically palatial compared to many of the other boats we considered, and that is what helped push Catalina higher in our list - it meant more room for my boys to "spread out". I also chatted up a few friends who are current/former sailors, including a friend who has his captain's license and is active in the Sea Scouts, about what to look for in a boat. EVERYONE said that the problem with a boat like the S2, Ericson, and Irwin, is parts. They are great boats, solidly built, but there just weren't that many built. As a result, it's hard to find parts if/when something happens, and thus you're stuck having to have something custom made. Given my water budget (on the beer to champaign budget chart), the idea of custom stuff just wasn't appealing, so I decided to focus more on the "production" boats like Hunter and Catalina.

Early on, I toured a C25 that had a portion of the bow pulpit ripped out, and I stumbled upon this site as I was researching the cost of repair. The folks here were FANTASTIC, and gave great advice. Knowing that this kind of support network was available REALLY helped push Catalinas even higher in my list. So, when the opportunity came to get our 1984 swing keel at a price that we could live with, we jumped on it and so far we haven't regretted it (other than all the "incidental" expenses!).

To your specific boat - I think the wing keel will be an excellent choice. Given the shallow waters in which I expected/expect to sail, in my naievity, I looked hard for the shallowest draft possible - in hindsight, the 3 or so extra inches needed by the wing keel probably wouldn't have killed us, even for the very shallow bay in which we'll be sailing most of the time. Couple the very small difference in draft with the fact that you don't have to worry about maintaining a swing keel assembly, and the fact that the boat sits at basically the same height on a trailer as the swing keel, and the wing is really a great choice. Sure, there's a bit of a handling hit, but if you aren't racing, it's not a big deal.

I do agree with the comments above about the suitability of the cabin for longer stays - it will likely be tight. But, if everyone is enjoying themselves, it may be a small sacrifice and should afford you a great chance to spend some quality time together as a family before your kids head off to college and beyond.

Regardless of what you decide to do, good luck!

Edited by - JimGo on 04/04/2012 08:40:23

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 04/04/2012 : 08:50:33

Our "kids" are 29 and 30 and still love going out with us on our old C25. Sleeping aboard with two adult size children will be tight, but it is certainly doable. Day sailing with 4 is no problem. Chris and I have spent up to a week aboard without getting testy, and, although the C250 has a different layout, Henk can tell you about trailering around the U.S. and Canada and living aboard for a year!

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3466 Posts

Response Posted - 04/04/2012 : 08:50:37

Reading the other comments since I posted, I wanted to add, though, may not apply to your situation. My kids were older when I bought the boat. They were ~ 21 & 24 yrs old. As it turned out, my son was not so interested in the speed of a saiilboat and rarely goes out with us. In fact, after the first year of sailing, he has not been onboard since then. My daughter likes sailing but as they get past the teen years, they have other interests that pull at them and so she does not oftentimes go out with us. My spouse likes sailing but no way as much as I and I would say she is onboard probably 10% of the time I go sailing overall, maybe 20% of the time during the Spring/summer seasons. I mention this because while the boat may seem a bit tight with 4 onboard, over the next few years you may find that you oftentimes go sailing with less than what you are considering right now. So, depending on just how old your teenagers are and if their interest grows or wanes, that may also influence your decisions. Overall, the Cat 25 is a good fit for a family of four and comapres favorably to other 25 footers.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 04/04/2012 : 09:13:03

I started sailing when my youngest was still an infant and now my girls are 17 and 21. They don't go out as much as they used to, but every now and again they'll hang out with their dear old Dad on the water.

Edited by - on

Sam001
Vice Commodore

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USA
441 Posts

Response Posted - 04/05/2012 : 05:34:27

I got the boat for me.
My previous sailboat was liked by my daughters fiends more than her. :-)
We would have the ski boat and the sail boat both out at the same time.

Edited by - on

PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 04/05/2012 : 13:16:55

The C-25 is a big little pocket cruiser. It sails nicely, is forgiving and stable but fast for the kind of boat that she is. I can circles around other boats of similar size. She is very roomy for a 25, she even seems to have more room than bigger boats, and we sleep on our boat almost every Friday. She is like a little floating summer cottage. The only thing I don't like is the standing room, at 5'10" I can not stand up straight. Mine does not have a pop top.

Overall, I consider my purchase of the C-25 as probably the best investment I've ever made. I've certainly gotten my money's worth out of her and have no plans to sell her at this point.

Edited by - on

JimGo
Admiral

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USA
962 Posts

Response Posted - 04/05/2012 : 13:51:22

Hmmmmm...it drives me nuts when OP's ask a question like this and then disappear. There's a lot of good info in this thread; hopefully it has been read and was helpful!

Edited by - on

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4024 Posts

Response Posted - 04/05/2012 : 14:30:44

Ahhh, Whats a C25? You mean this isn't the Pontiac Catalina forum? Oh boy...

Edited by - on

cdavido
Deckhand

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9 Posts

Response Posted - 04/05/2012 : 16:33:12

Thanks for all the great feedback - 48 hours till the final walk through on the 1990 wing keel. Looking forward to learning more from such a great forum group.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9081 Posts

Response Posted - 04/05/2012 : 19:44:37

Nobody has mentioned surveying the boat, so I'll bring it up (as I'm known to do).

As nice as the 1990 C-25 is (or was), it is 22 years old. Every boat that age has things that need to be attended to, or will need it before too long. A certified marine surveyor, for about $350-400, will give you a detailed report on the hull, deck (which has plywood core that could have moisture and rot), electrical system, rigging, and engine (particularly its cooling efficiency), with priorities on various things to fix or watch. This can be made a contingency for the sale (like inspecting a house)--it's standard procedure when buying through a broker. The results might give you grounds to lower your offer, or even to walk away (not likely, but....) And some insurance carriers require a survey on boats older than xx years, in which case you might as well let the survey work for you (pre-purchase) as well as for them.

Generally, you're encouraged to attend the survey, ask questions, listen, and learn. I brought a clip-board.

You can find surveyors at [url="http://www.marinesurvey.org/index2.html"]this site[/url], or get recommendations from a marina or broker in your area. Considering the price tag on a 1990 C-25, I'll suggest that the survey bill is a good way to hedge your bet.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 04/05/2012 19:50:00

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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.