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 How far can a Catalina 25 go?
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WesAllen
Navigator

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USA
222 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2013 :  06:39:59  Show Profile
Captmorgan (we did have a bottle on board) I put the boat in at the Franklin Locks upstream from Ft Myers where it is fresh water. We sailed to Naples the 1st day and spent the night at the city docks. Next day we sailed to Everglades city and spent the night at a Marina that I don't remember the name of. The next night was on the hook in a cove outside on Everglade City with about a dozen other boats because the water was to rough. That was a nice relaxing day. The Wildlife guys came and checked us out and all of the other boats that day and told us that if we left about 2 AM we could catch the tide and be in Key West before dark and they were right.

Then spent 4 nights at the Key West Marina before reversing the same route coming back. I know some people will be say we could have sailed straight to Key West and save a few days but it was an adventure not a race.

We ate most of our meals on the boat except at Key west (lots of great places to eat there). On the return trip the 1st day there was absolutely no wind or breeze and we motored all the way back to Everglade City.(93 miles) My 9.9 used 9 gallons of gas which I am extremely happy with. (stopped half way back for a refreshing swim)

Total trip was 10 days and 9 nights.

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Captmorgan
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USA
220 Posts

Response Posted - 09/04/2013 :  17:34:11  Show Profile
Its a DJI quad copter its about 650 . I borrowed it.<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by GaryB</i>
<br />Nice pictures!

What make & model helicopter do you have? I want one!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

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Captmorgan
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USA
220 Posts

Response Posted - 09/04/2013 :  17:36:14  Show Profile
Sounds like a nice trip. I hope to do this after I take the proper cruising safety classes. I also need another gas tank as I only have a 5 gallon tank. thanks for sharing the story


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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2013 :  15:58:46  Show Profile
My ex wife and I cruised our C25 for weeks at a time... Another couple, she was a hotty, cruised their well equipped Hunter 25.5 for extended periods... Remember that blog guys?

It's a fine vessel and often underestimated...

Sten

Edited by - redviking on 09/05/2013 15:59:53
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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2013 :  16:31:46  Show Profile
The biggest issue with taking the Catalina 25 offshore, in my opinion, is the very large companionway opening, the pop-top, and the sliding hatch. Each of these would be a severe liability in a knockdown or capsize situation. The rails that hold the sliding hatch are each held on with only 5 skinny (#8?) wood screws. I don't think it would take much force to tear those loose, and you would instantly have an enormous hole for water to pour in if the boat were on it's side or turtled. My impression from the (admittedly few) Purpose built blue water boats I've seen up close is that the companionway openings are very small, I suppose no bigger than they have to be to let crew squeeze through. The C-25 is a lovely coastal cruiser, and a fixed keel one could perhaps be beefed up for off-shore by permanently locking down the pop-top and sliding hatch with epoxy and through bolts, but in the end, I don't think Frank Butler ever intended his C-25 customers to go voyaging across big water in them.

Edited by - lcharlot on 09/08/2013 18:01:17
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pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2013 :  17:31:43  Show Profile
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by redviking</i>
<br />My ex wife and I cruised our C25 for weeks at a time... Another couple, she was a hotty, cruised their well equipped Hunter 25.5 for extended periods... Remember that blog guys?

It's a fine vessel and often underestimated...

Sten
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That was a fun thread, loved that bow shot.

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5408 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2013 :  17:22:40  Show Profile
I kinda remember it now ... After the 6th post!!!

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2013 :  16:03:21  Show Profile
Wish I could figure out why that happens sometimes... Bummer...

Sorry....

Sten

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oldragbaggers
1st Mate

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USA
47 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2014 :  16:57:50  Show Profile  Visit oldragbaggers's Homepage
I really enjoyed reading this thread and love the fact that there are other adventurous C-25 owners who have taken their boats farther afield successfully.

We currently live in Essex, MD, but when we retire in 4 years we are considering a move to Sarasota, FL (our original home town). Unless we win the lottery and buy a big maxi-cruiser we plan to take our C-25 with us. We talk about getting her there on her own keel, slowly, hopping from marina to anchorage to marina, short day hops with plenty of stops in places where we can reprovision so we don't have to overload the boat with supplies at any point in time.

It won't matter how long it takes, WE'LL BE RETIRED!!! We will also have a land cruiser (trailer) and might even break up the trip if it starts to feel confining by leaving the boat somewhere for a spell and spending some time traveling ashore.

For many years (30+) we thought we were going to retire and sail off into the sunset. But that ship has sailed without us, so this would be our big sailing adventure.

We currently have our C-25 on the hard doing a stem to stern, keel to masthead refit. By the time the next four years have passed she will be in the best condition we can possibly make her so she will be up to it, and so will we.

Becky

Edited by - oldragbaggers on 05/24/2014 19:56:21
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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5408 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2014 :  19:25:26  Show Profile
Becky - for the purposes of safety it would be advisable to include in your plans a way to lock down the slider and pop top (at least temporarily and making the crib boards more rigid or solid.

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oldragbaggers
1st Mate

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USA
47 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2014 :  19:55:41  Show Profile  Visit oldragbaggers's Homepage
Thanks Bruce. I'll take that under advisement.

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 05/26/2014 :  21:30:04  Show Profile
I have been totally self sufficient for 4 days and could easily double that.. A week with two people could be managed with a little care. Frozen gallon jugs of drinking water instead of ice, etc. see the current Mainsheet article on prepping a Capri 25 for the single handed transpac to Hawaii.

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4311 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2014 :  18:39:15  Show Profile
You are all better than I. Four hours away from the dock and I'm ready to get the heck off the boat!

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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5408 Posts

Response Posted - 05/28/2014 :  18:04:42  Show Profile
I've done 2&3-day sails with longish days at the helm (10+ hours). You get a little punch drunk especially in hot weather and I rely on my homemade tiller tamer as much as possible for good stretches of time. I never get bored since the wind, waves, clouds and sea-state are in constant flux. I am always within sight of land in LI Sound. I would be much more circumspect in open ocean or blue water conditions. If I were situated on the ocean I probably would not have a Catalina 25.

Edited by - Voyager on 05/28/2014 18:11:00
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oldragbaggers
1st Mate

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USA
47 Posts

Response Posted - 05/28/2014 :  20:23:05  Show Profile  Visit oldragbaggers's Homepage
I wouldn't mind stringing a bunch of days together and being gone for a week, a couple of weeks, or even longer. But I like shorter sailing days than 10 hours. And every couple of days would have to be a non sailing day spent doing other things.

I like to get off the boat and go sightseeing, walk around, eat out. Being on the boat for hours on end, day after day, just looking at water doesn't do it for me. I love the serenity and peacefulness of sailing, but only up to a point, then I need to stretch my legs and do something else.

I like to travel and see new places, even if they are just 10 miles down the road. An occasional night or two in an anchorage is okay too, but not every night, especially not on a boat as small as the C-25. It would get claustrophobic after a while. I would need easy access to shore or by day three I would be ready to jump ship, I'm sure.

For me the ideal cruise is a series of short day sails broken up by days of shoreside activities, berthing in marinas and eating at least one meal a day out. Occasionally anchoring by a nice beach and relaxing with a bottle of wine and a good book after a day of swimming. And then on to a nice marina for a hot shower the next day. I could go on like that for a very long time.

Offshore sailing would not be for me any more. I was more into roughing it and being self sufficient, with dreams of blue water, as a younger person. But I am much smarter now.

Becky

Edited by - oldragbaggers on 05/28/2014 20:36:52
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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5408 Posts

Response Posted - 05/29/2014 :  20:06:53  Show Profile
Read a story along those lines where a couple sailed all summer long in 2 day stints. They started one weekend sailing to a nearby harbor, toured around, then stayed on the boat on Saturday night. Then on Sunday they took a short sail to the next harbor. Because most ports on Long Island Sound are connected by train, on Sunday eve after dinner, they secured the boat on the anchor and hopped the train home for the work week. The next Saturday AM, they returned and sailed the boat from harbor to harbor enjoying the sights and pleasures, then Sunday night back to the rat race. In locations without RR service, they spotted a car. They continued this way all summer long and visited a large majority of ports, restaurants, a few B&Bs, hotels and enjoyed friends in many new places from Oyster Bay to Greenport and Stonington to City Island.
Maybe 10-20 miles each weekend gave them plenty of time on the water and corresponding time visiting ashore. You have to have a lot of faith in humankind (and your ground tackle) to leave your boat alone all week at anchor. Otherwise it seems a wonderful pasttime.

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oldragbaggers
1st Mate

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USA
47 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2014 :  03:59:46  Show Profile  Visit oldragbaggers's Homepage
That sounds like what I have in mind, Voyager, except for the leaving the boat on an anchor part. I think I would be more comfortable leaving it in a marina, if I left it at all, although it would no doubt cost a pretty penny.

If I were doing it for a long stretch of time I certainly wouldn't even be beyond getting off and renting a hotel room for a night occasionally, especially if the weather got snotty.

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cat30
1st Mate

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73 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2014 :  06:14:00  Show Profile
I've used my ex-Cat25 for 2-3 week trips on Long Island Sound, Newport and Block Island starting and ending on the Hudson River. I try to do about 6-7 hours of traveling when i'm not hanging on the anchor or at a slip somewhere. I little Honda 2000 generator provides power when needed. Occasional meals out are part of the plan- getting off the boat and walking for hours provides when needed exercise. A well stocked library with magazines and books on the boat provides a relaxing atmosphere. A small electric ice box keeps drinks and meals cold (thus the generator to top off the batteries).

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5408 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2014 :  15:13:43  Show Profile
That kind of daysailing to go longer distances seems quite doable in small boats like ours. You shouldn't overcommit to making long distances at any one go, say no more than 30-40 miles a day. You should plan or count on off-water activities during the trip especially if bad weather keeps you in harbor for a few days.
The things you should promise yourself is:
(1) No overly ambitious goals
(2) No extended time out of sight of land
(3) Don't force yourself to travel at night in unfamiliar places
(4) Watch the weather like a hawk - not just NOAA forecasts but local meterorogists (radio & TV), alternate sources of info and check the raw data from buoys and reporting station (temps, sky conditions, winds, sea state, precip, etc). I've been caught unprepared listening only to NOAA until it was too late.
(5) When in doubt, don't.
(6) Figure out your waypoints and stick to them. Have a ditch plan.
(7) Figure out how long it should take - then double it!

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oldragbaggers
1st Mate

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USA
47 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2014 :  17:16:03  Show Profile  Visit oldragbaggers's Homepage
Great advice, Voyager!!

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