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.
My name is Scott. I am in the beginnings of buying a catalina 25! I live in Flagstaff arizona and sail often in southern california, around the san diego/mission bay area out to catalina and up to the channel islands and santa barbara. This will be my first boat in a long time, I have been chartering boats since I moved from north carolina to arizona in 2001, so it will be nice to be able to have my own. Figured the C25 is the perfect size and weight for a guy that lives up in the mountains. Thought I would introduce myself here. I live in Flagstaff, right off of I-40 so whenever any of you are passing through, feel free to park and stay. I work for a river rafting company in the Grand Canyon, fun stuff. Anyway, I am looking at a 1988 wing keel nearby and it looks promising. I will post photos and info if I end up getting it, it looks to be in pretty good shape. Anyway, thought I would just introduce myself. I will join the association as soon as I know wether or not I end up getting the boat. Good to meet you all. Cheers, Scott
Looks good, as does the trailer! (I'm wondering if the thing on the coachroof is an add-on hatch or a solar panel...) <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> Since it's raised above the top of the coach roof and appears to have square edges my vote is it's a solar panel.
here are my thoughts drafted in a letter to the listing agent, who doesn't sail and really only sells motorboats with no knowledge of sailboats whatsoever, I am not sure how he came up with the list price....For a little background, the Previous Owner seemed to take care of it until a couple of years ago, and has since passed away, so the boat has been sitting in the slip for some time now not being used. There is no one around that has any knowledge of the history of the boat...
I did make it out to the boat. sorry for missing you today, work always seems to interfere with life.... Anyway,Thanks for leaving it open for me, I learned a lot about the boat. Sorry this is so long, but here are my findings:
As with most Arizona boats, the fiberglass and metal parts are in great shape. There is not too much oxidation. A little buff out and a tiny bit of gelcoat work and the hull and deck will look really nice, there are a couple of places on the deck that have had some hardware removed through the years, but all in all until recently, it has been taken well care of.
And of course, as with most AZ boats, the plastic, wood, and fabric parts are worn out from the dry, the heat, and the sun.
The mast and the boom and the wire standing rigging all look good.
The Jib- 110%- is newer and looks good- it does not have a uv protection strip on it nor does it have a separate sleeve- the sail will degrade quickly in the sun without this. As with all the running rigging, the furler line is dry and brittle and will need to be replaced, I would not trust it on a windy day if you needed to reef the jib. The jub furler foil is bent, most likely from transporting on the trailer- I did not see any crutches or mounting system for the mast when it is unstepped on the trailer, this will cause that. Most boats have a stern crutch and a cradle that fits in the mast-step itself, and a cradle that spans the bow pulpit so the mast and standing rigging is supported all along its length. These will have to be purchased before the boat is moved to protect the mast.
The mainsail should be O.K. it is older than the Jib, but atleast not the original sail, it has a couple of years left in it. Again the issue here is the running rigging all needs to be replaced, the mainsheet, topping lift, traveler sheet, vang, and mainsail halyard are all brittle and I would not trust them to anything but the faintest breeze, It is good that the mainsail has a UV cover, but it does not cover these lines, The previous owner would have been better to stow the lines down below when not using the boat. The reefing lines are good though as they were covered by the mainsail cover.
These were the only two sails, a second larger, lighter air jib would have been nice, and it is missing the spinnaker and sheets for it, although the spinnaker pole is in the quarterberth down below and the mast is rigged to hold it. I would not use the spinnaker halyard, it would break. It needs to be replaced.
The cockpit is pretty standard, all original smaller #6 and #7 winches- most people have upgraded these to larger self tailing winches, much easier to sail that way, it only has one winch handle. The tiller handle has been replaced recently, the old one is on the port bunk down below. The new one looks very nice There appears to be a bimini frame in the cockpit, but no sunbrella fabric for it. Although there are some random pieces of blue sunbrella in a bag in the port lazarette, none of them fit the bimini frame.
The instruments in the cockpit are minimal. there is a compass, a knotmeter- that turned on and read zero, I assume that it works and is calibrated. And there is a fish finder at the bottom of the companionway. I assume the previous owner installed it as a replacement for the depth sounder when it failed, it did not turn on. All the navigation lights work.
There are older cockpit cushions down below that have several small holes and will need refinishing sooner or later. There is a cover for the pop-top, it is the white vinyl cover, it appears to have never been used. Being stowed for many years in the lazarette sitting in the Arizona heat has shrunk the vinyl to the point that it is too small to attach over the pop-top, you can drape it loosely but does not reach the snaps, it will not keep any weather out. Maybe soaking it in very hot water and installing it wet will stretch it back enough to work. All of the exterior wood is in need of attention, the companionway boards have been damaged with the middle one split in half and repaired strangely, the top is ready to split as well- these are not the original boards- they might be homemade. The grab rails are in good shape and appear strong, but need some covering, either cetol or varnish asap. the skinny eyebrow trim is worn out. I don't know what Catalina was thinking. These pieces are really too thin to last outside for any length of time without constant attention and most owners just remove them and fill the screwholes or replace the wood once they reach their current condition, I am surprised they are still on the boat. The sill around the companionway on the port side is beginning to show some end-grain splitting, it might need to be replaced soon.
The outboard has little to be desired. The motor mount goes up and down so atleast the parts attached to the hull are in working order, so a replacement outboard will be easy. I did get it started. It is a pull start and I did not see a means of charging the boat batteries from it. There is no indication of how old it is or how many hours are on it, the zincs in the lower unit are still there, the prop is in poor shape and I did not find a spare prop on the boat. The outboard is definitely not the selling point of this boat.
The fiberglass and gelcoat all over the deck, and expecially in the cockpit is in very nice shape for its age. Most mid eighties cockpits have had numerous items dropped on them throughout the years with small nicks and chips, expecially the transom cutout where the tiller is. Catalina actually has a plastic trim cover for this area you can buy since so many boats have alot of damage here, but this boat looks really good. All the stantions are secured and do not wobble. The life lines appear to have been replaced some time-my guess is mid-nineties. the padding on the aft lifelines is a nice touch. The stantions appear to not leak and there is no crazing or soft spots in the deck where they are installed. The chainplates for the mast are in very good shape, a lot of catalina 25's leak here and sustain water intrusion and damage to the deck and bulkheads, very expensive and time consuming to fix. I would not even consider buying the boat if it had that problem. The plastic opening ports are in working order and do not appear to leak. The fixed windows are crazed and opaque and the aft starboard one is cracked considerably, yet there is no signs of leaking from it. All in all the exterior of the boat has some very good bones and is in good shape, all the issues I saw required only replacing items that can be easily purchased through Catalina Direct or westmarine.
Down below,
It is very clean and almost everything worked, there are several lights that do not work and I could not get the head to work. I do not think it has been used in a VERY long time. I think the boat has not been sailed much recently, but was used mostly in its slip with electricity and the marina bathroom close at hand. Both of the sea-cocks are functional and not frozen. Niether of the sinks worked for me, but the boat just might be out of water, I tried to unscrew the inspection port in the freshwater tank, but was afraid to force it. All the cushions look great. the stove is a CNG stove and would not light for me, I think the tank is empty. The bilge is very dry, I do not think it has had water in it for a long time, the electric bilge pump works fine, the manual bilge pump in the cockpit was not tested as I could not find the handle for it.
The poptop is in good working order, the gasket is in good shape, the hatch dogs to secure the poptop in the down position are worn out, one is bent, and should be replaced. The original Catalina accordion doors are unfortunately missing, there is not a source for replacements any longer, the previous owner has used towels instead. Both the batteries appear newer and are trickle charging and holding a charge. The rest of the electrical is original. The stereo works, the vhf works and the AC circuits work, although they really need to be fused and GFCI's installed. I did not test the items such as the air conditioning and the television that will be most likely removed by me or any future owner. All in all, down below is original, clean, and spartan. it even smells ok. nothing like old boats I have looked at in california or washington!
To sum up the boat, it is a nice sound boat that is pretty clean, but has been recently neglected and left out in the sun a little too long. the accessories on it are the bare bones, orignial and spartan, not many add ons and a minimal sail inventory. Most mid eighties catalina 25's in this condition without any extras, yet without any known defects are selling for 3,000 to 5,000. Those selling for more usually have a list of extras such as new bottom paint, new bimini, new or rebuilt outboard, new sails, new cushions, new head or porta potty, 4 or 5 sails in the inventory, LED lighting, new batteries, ect.
Your listing also includes a trailer that is in very nice condition with brand new brakes and is a big selling point for the boat. Assuming it has high quality 'load E' rated tires and the extention hitch is not bent and still retracts and extends, this could add 1,500 to 2,000 to the sale price of the boat. Most catalina 25's sell for 1,200 to 1,500 more than they would without a trailer, but your trailer is better than most.
Here is a link to "sailingtexas" and all sailboats and their listing price that have sold so far in 2013 and also 2012. It does not give the sale price. There are several catalina 25's in this list. I am sure as a broker, you have access to more stats and sale prices than I do. Arizona will have a slight premium over the texas prices as we have a drier climate and do not have salt water boats here, only freshwater.
Anyway, as I mentioned before I think the range for this boat is between 3,000 and 5,000. and I personally would put this boat squarely in the middle at 4,000. Assuming the underwater parts are OK without any blisters or damage from the trailer or rocks, It has a good sound hull and most everything works on it and while there are a lot of things that are worn out and need replacing, it is all something that a prospective owner can do easily without the incurred cost of a yard to do any work. Add on the nice trailer for $1,500 to $2,000 and I think that this boat has a fair market value of $5,800-$6,200.
I know this is considerably less than the listing price, but I think if you lowered the listing price a little bit, you might find someone willing to pay a little bit more than I would be willing to. I have looked at ALOT of Catalina 25's the last couple of years and most of them I politely decline to even finish looking at because of their condition.There are just so many Catalina 25's...... anyway let me know what you guys think it is worth... Cheers, Scott
I hesitate to comment here in any way that would possibly affect your negotiations. (Everyone in the world can see us.) Your inspection is impressive--you might want to consider a career in marine surveying! (All you need is a moisture meter for cores and a temperature meter for engines.)
Do you know the make and model of the furler? The bent foil could be a tricky issue, or maybe not... Many are made of sections that are riveted together, and can be replaced <i>if</i> they're available anywhere.
CNG stove? That's random! I'd probably scrap that... (I also scrapped my factory-original pressurized alcohol stove, referred to by many as the "curtain burner."
The older 2-stroke outboard is marginal in terms of value--it will probably take you where you need to go, with some noise and smoke. $2500 (?) will get you into a nice, quiet 4-stroke Tohatsu with alternator, electric start, and an extra-long shaft.
I wonder whether the furling 110% jib has sun protection in the form of a sacrificial white Dacron strip, as opposed to colored Sunbrella we all see... Mine had the Dacron, which I believe the current owner is having replaced about 15 years later. Just a thought...
The trailer looks and sounds like a positive.
The 1988 version, especially with the wing keel, has some significant enhancements from earlier years, although the ultimate C-25 was the 1989 through the end of production (1991), where the cabin sole was lowered and flattened. So this is close to the pick of the litter... but not quite. (Mine was a 1985, which had most of what the 1988 has, and it was a very nice vessel.)
All in all, it sounds like it has very good bones. I will withhold comment on prices during your negotiation, except to say I think you have a somewhat rare opportunity there in your back yard. Best of luck in your quest--we look forward to having you join an outstanding community! This site speaks for itself, compared to those for pretty much any other boat on the water.
What is under the cabin sole in the earlier versions that warrant the higher, uneven sole anyway? is that something that could be modified by a super- duper fiberglass guy (not me!) not that I would do it, but just wondering why Catalina did it this way.....
....and any ideas on what this boat is worth? its ok by me to post it all, fair market value is fair market value, right? I just don't want to over pay for it.
Most are CDI and unless the extrusion is kinked the bend is OK and will work out when rigged. You are a tough negotiator. The interior should have been replaced by now the original fabric gets brittle and splits with use. Many add an inch in height to the 3" foam making it 4" for comfort. The uneven floor is a vestigial remnant of the early boats which often had dinette interiors and used that floor as a platform for the dinette seating on the port side. In 89 the interior was completely redesigned and the new molds were able to lower the floor several inches, ironically they shortened the poptop struts so the overall poptop raised measurement did not change but the closed top head room was better. As to the value of the trailer, it is a nice one but here is the reality of trailers, they add no value to boats in "maritime" locations where full marina services with hoists and storage are available and in places like Arizona and Kansas where trailers are required they add no value because you can't sell a boat with out one. Tires only need to be D rated. You are really tough on your suggested price for this boat, the listed price looks right to me. You are quoting prices for early beaters and this is not one of those. An 89 inboard sold at my club for 14k last year. A nice 88 sold for 10k at my club 7 years ago. I am not surprised that you are used to beaters in SoCal being so cheap but inland boats really are YEARS younger in terms of wear and tear so it is rare to find really cheap inland boats unless they were abused. One of those at my club now, the seller does not mention the swing keel crash that sunk the boat as we got her to the crane. We have a saying here that is true. A 10k boat will cost you 10k whether you pay it up front for a nicely maintained boat or pay it over time bringing a poorly maintained boat up to spec. he only thing keeping this from being a priced at 10k is the old motor and this way you get to pick your own 4 stroke. I looks to me like if you can get it for under 8 you will have found a great deal, under 7 and you will have stolen it, asking price really does seem about right.
Good luck with the negotiations. You do need about $500 in running rigging and that is a good point for you.
Looks like you may have found a jewel. Maybe all the motor will need is a good tune-up. The trailer looks great. They are hard to find by themselves and, if in really good condition, should account for about $3-3.5k of the asking price.
Since you've allowed us to weigh in, possibly in favor of the seller, I agree with just about everything Frank said. Potential "comparables" go back no further than around 1983(?), when some significant changes were made. Most C-25s on the market before 1988 are swing keels (for trailering, but creating maintenance and safety "issues"), and fin keels (with 4' draft--more difficult to get on and off a trailer). I'm not sure when the wing was first a factory offering--mid '80s somewhere--but there are some earlier ones that were retrofitted from swing keels (after the boat sank from hull damage). The swinger was discontinued around 1987, since the wing drew only a couple of inches more, performed adequately for most owners, and eliminated the issues. So the wing option is a relatively late enhancement, and relatively (although not extraordinarily) rare in the market.
The outboard is sort of the wild card here... Just about anyone who's re-powered since about 1990 has gone to a 4-stroke, probably with electric start and an alternator. They're quieter, smoother, burn less gas, and generate no smoke (nice for motoring down-wind). If this boat had one, it'd probably be reasonable to ask $10K for it. Without (but with a serviceable motor), maybe a grand less. Local markets vary, and nearby competition can trump the "market", but I think this one is on for just about the right number. You found no real flaws--just a few things that should be attended to... Guess what?? That's what a boat is about. (<b>BOAT</b> = <b>B</b>reak <b>O</b>ut <b>A</b>nother <b>T</b>housand.)
A professional survey would get further into things like any moisture in the deck core (less likely in AZ), delamination in the hull (not at all common on Catalinas, especially of this vintage), blistering (not terribly uncommon in fresh water), outboard cooling (less likely a problem in fresh water), rigging integrity,... I generally recommend it, but in your case it would be only if there's a surveyer in your area with real sailboat experience, which might be doubtful.
I think you've lucked into something--hope it works for you!
I'd personally consider an '88 more of a late '80's boat rather than mid-eighties.
I thought the CDI furlers had a flexible foil but either way it shouldn't be too hard or expensive to repair the damage.
You yourself said you have looked at a lot of C-25's and it sounds like most were not anything near what you were looking for. Your not going to find an '88 in perfect condition and honestly I'd seriously think about this one. Looking at the pictures (odd there are more of the trailer than the boat) I'd seriously make a move on it. Pictures of the interior would make it easier for us to finalize our thoughts.
Based on the pictures in the ad and your comments I'm not sure you're going to find one in better condition (at least not in the near future). The fact several items need repair or replacing and the boat is minimally equipped this boat gives you the opportunity to customize and make it into what YOU want it to be, not a redesign of a previous owners dream.
Ultimately your gut will tell you if the boat and selling price make it "the one" for you! Mine did after spending almost a year looking. I knew within 2 minutes of 1st seeing my boat. The outside said yes immediately and as soon as the hatch was opened I knew I was going to buy it. Negotiations took about 10 minutes and it was a done deal.
Gary's buy sounds like my sale--the buyers couldn't hide their excitement even before they saw my beautiful interior! Negotiations took a minute or two, and I had a check in hand!
Getting back to "rareness" and the relationship to older boats, consider that, roughly speaking, Catalina built over 500 C-25s in 1980 alone. In '88-91, the end of the run, they made right around 300 total. (Source: Our <i>Owners</i> list, linked to at left.) The '89-91, in my opinion, may have been the best values in a 25' cruiser ever built by anyone. The '88 is not much less than that. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more ocean-worthy coastal cruiser that can be trailered behind something other than a Freightliner (although the tow vehicle should be fairly robust, as we've discussed here often). The Pacific Seacraft Dana 24 is indeed better designed for true blue-water passagemaking, but check <i>those</i> prices!
I live in Scottsdale and have been looking for a boat for about 60 days, I was on this boat twice for a total of about 3 hrs.
I thought the boat needed at least $5k to make it lake/sea worthy and maybe more. I told him/the agent what I intended to offer and he said he would not even accept it and bring it to the family for consideration. The boat has not been out of the water in 8-10 years and they were unwilling to pull the boat for a bottom inspection. The motor is a anchor and can not be fixed IMHO. I will say the bilge was 100% dry, not a drop which is always nice.
I think the boat has some redeeming qualities and the trailer ads some value, but I'm glad I passed.
FWIW, the owner passed away only abut 60 days ago.... Good luck with your decision.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by sdpinaz</i> <br />What is under the cabin sole in the earlier versions that warrant the higher, uneven sole anyway? is that something that could be modified by a super- duper fiberglass guy (not me!) not that I would do it, but just wondering why Catalina did it this way..... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
The swing keel mechanism. From what I've been told they were all built the same, swing keel or not...
Being unwilling to haul the boat for a bottom inspection is a potential red flag. However, the one I bought had been in the water continuously for several years, and I bought it without a bottom inspection. Mine had a lot of cosmetic blisters, but it was not a problem for my intended use of the boat. Odds are better than fair that it may have a lot of hull blisters. Only a haul-out and pressure washing will tell you for sure. Alternatively, maybe you can find a diver who does bottom cleaning. A guy here does it for about $50-75 for a 25 footer. Might be money well spent before you buy, if the seller will let you do it. The diver could then tell you if it has a serious blister problem. If you decide to buy the boat, the bottom cleaning would need to be done anyway.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by dmpilc</i> <br />Being unwilling to haul the boat for a bottom inspection is a potential red flag. However, the one I bought had been in the water continuously for several years, and I bought it without a bottom inspection. Mine had a lot of cosmetic blisters, but it was not a problem for my intended use of the boat. Odds are better than fair that it may have a lot of hull blisters. Only a haul-out and pressure washing will tell you for sure. Alternatively, maybe you can find a diver who does bottom cleaning. A guy here does it for about $50-75 for a 25 footer. Might be money well spent before you buy, if the seller will let you do it. The diver could then tell you if it has a serious blister problem. If you decide to buy the boat, the bottom cleaning would need to be done anyway. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> If you decide you are serious about this boat offer to pay to have it hauled out so you can inspect the bottom. If they still refuse I'd walk away.
If you do make an offer I'd definitely make it contingent on having the boat hauled and that the boat has a good bottom.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by azguy</i> <br />The swing keel mechanism. From what I've been told they were all built the same, swing keel or not...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I think that's true. In the early years, there were two keels, swing and (fixed) fin. The swing required clearance for the trunk that let it fit partially into the hull. There were two interiors (and a third for a few years), that were separate moldings--"traditional" and "dinette". From what I can deduce, both molds were designed to fit either keel. Thus, the uneven floor that was eliminated and lowered in 1989, after the swing keel had been discontinued.
I can't dispute anything from somebody with eyes-on knowledge, but I will say that a 25-year-old boat is not going to be like new unless it's had a "ground-up restoration". What's needed to make it "seaworthy" is always open to interpretation. I let a professional surveyor make that interpretation for me, and used his report as a "to-do" list. I also attended the survey with a clip-board, and asked lots of questions.
The fact that this boat has a trailer would seem to make a bottom inspection pretty simple--just pull it out on the trailer. If the bottom is painted, gelcoat blisters will be harder to detect (but not necessarily impossible). Gelcoat blisters are not a reason not to buy a boat--they just suggest some work, and eventually a barrier coat to prevent further development. Boats can sail just fine with gelcoat blisters, for the short term--in the longer term, they should be attended to and the barrier coat applied to prevent osmosis into the laminates... but when have you heard of a heavy fiberglass hull like these disintegrating?? Some time during the '80s, gelcoats were developed that minimize this issue, but I know of 60's Pearson Tritons, one of the earliest production fiberglass sailboats, that are still crashing waves to this day.
A 2-stroke outboard that can be turned over but won't start probably needs a serious carb cleaning--maybe nothing more. It's a strikingly simple system, but the oil in 2-stroke gas, when allowed to dry in the carb, will do it in (temporarily).
I gather from your report that you have a pretty good idea of what you're looking at... Carry on!
Thanks for all the info and the feedback, guys. Just an update: The family of the boat owner has agreed to 7,000 contingent on my "below the waterline" inspection. I will go down on monday and pressure wash the hull and if all seems reasonable will come home with the boat. If I come home with the boat, I will start another thread with lots of photos and lots of questions. Thanks again for your perspective, Cheers, Scott
Blisters smaller than a quarter should not be bothered with, I would leave anything smaller than a fifty cent piece alone. So if you see blisters, most will be in the bottom paint and those that aren't are no big deal ... unless they are.
Good News guys! Checked out the boat once I got it on the trailer, look really good! a couple of blisters around the waterline on the port side, nothing even as big as a dime, mostly 1/4 inch diameter, maybe a dozen or so. No damage at all to the keel. The rudder is riddled with blisters, but I cannot tell, it looked like the blisters were between the gelcoat and the bottom paint. I can pop the blisters with very little pressure, scrape it off and it is white underneath. Ever heard of this happening? maybe the prep work was done incorrectly when they painted, this is not the case at all on the hull. Anyway I brought the boat home late last night and it is tucked snugly into its berth next to my house. So I am the proud owner of a 1988 Wing Keel/Standard Rig Hull # 5727. Gonna go out and start cleaning it up, pictures to follow! Cheers, Scott
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.