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Back from the Keys

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/24/2003 : 19:14:46

Hi Folks,

I just got back from my 3 1/2 week vacation/shakedown cruise for my new 89WK/TR, New trailer, new Honda 8hp. I spent about 2 weeks of this time in the Florida Keys.

I'm really busy now with catching up on bills and stuff, and intend to give a fuller report later.

But the executive summary is this
Winds consinstently 10 to 20 most days. Only one day with dead wind.
Only 15 minutes of rain
Temps in the mid 80's and Sunny so I had to use lots of sunscreen-darn.
Spent about 7 nights on the hook, the rest in Marinas
The 89 wing keel is a great boat. Speeds consistently in the 6 to 7 knot range with a full main and 110. I haven't figured out reefing yet. We don't need no stinkin reefs
New trailer is great, still tweaking the supports. Ramp launched and recovered several times. That's another story.
Honda is heavy as hell, but runs great.

I'll get back later with more stories/reports/reviews/lies

Several technical problems had to be worked out/still more to go!

Gotta go balance checkbook. Spent lots of money (that's no lie)

One last thought. After sailing in John Pennekamp park for a couple of days over the clear water and reefs in 15 to 20 knot winds I realized that I was hearing no keel clunk or cable hum like on my C22 swing. Nor did I get any creaking or hull noise crashing through the 2 to 3 foot chop. That's when I really started to appreciate my boat more and more. They only made 223 89 wing keels as they were built too strong and expensive. Lowell told me it would cost too much to produce the 89 wing again, and then they would have to sell for 40 to 45 grand.

Frank Gloss
89WK/TR

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 02/24/2003 : 19:35:26

Frank,

Glad to hear you made it back safely. It sounds like you had a pretty good shakedown cruise.

I agree with your assessment of the C25 in regards to the apparent strength of the hull. One of the first things I noticed when first sailing the C25 fin was the solid feel of the hull as it crashed through chop.

Again, welcome back.

Don Lucier, 'North Star'
C25 SR/FK
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2cc32b3127cce92e981259d130000001010" border=0>
Cradled on the hard, 200ft from Lake Erie

Edited by - dlucier on 02/24/2003 19:47:20

Edited by - on

Bruce Ebling
Navigator

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USA
155 Posts

Response Posted - 02/24/2003 : 19:39:00

Frank: So good to hear from you! Sounds like your vacation was great. I too have some stories (only trailering and retrieval) from my trip to Salt Lake. Maybe in the future we can trade some info, there are things on my 89 WK that I am not sure were factory installed and I would like another boat to compare with. Again, glad to hear from you and hope to chat more in the future.
Bruce Ebling
89 WK
"Selah"

Edited by - on

Ben - FL
Admiral

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880 Posts

Response Posted - 02/24/2003 : 19:48:49

I must say I do envy you! Glad you had a great time. I've been to the Keys four times but rented boats (not sail either). Sure would be nice to get back down there with Chick-a-pea. You must post some pictures for the rest of us. The main reason I traded in my C-22sk for a C-250 was I wanted room for scuba gear. But so far the only diving I've done is to scrap the hull. Did you do any scuba diving?
(I've exceeded my maximum allowable surface interval!)

Safe voyages,
Ben, FL s/v Chick-a-pea C250wk
<img src="http://www.members.aol.com:/benraye/pictures/fullsail.jpg" border=0>

Edited by - on

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2003 : 10:33:00

Glad you had a successful trip, Frank. I can't wait to hear more details on hopefully see some pics.

Welcome back too.

Ben
Adventurous
#5553
C25 SR/SK

Edited by - on

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2003 : 15:46:05

Hi Frank,

I'm glad to hear that your trip went so well. Like the others, I look forward to hearing a lot more about cruising the Keys in a 25' Catalina.

-- Leon Sisson

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2984 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2003 : 17:20:29

We've been thinking (envying) of you Frank... and wait to hear your yarns from the shake down sailing.

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224
R&R N/E Texas and Great Lakes

[url="http://www.cox-internet.com/arlynstewart/"]Arlyn's C250 Mods n Cruisin Stories[/url]

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2003 : 00:52:56

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
The main reason I traded in my C-22sk for a C-250 was I wanted room for scuba gear. But so far the only diving I've done is to scrape the hull. Did you do any scuba diving? (I've exceeded my maximum allowable surface interval!)
Safe voyages,
Ben, FL s/v Chick-a-pea C250wk
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>
Ben -
I have done a few dives from "Quiet Time" in Folsom Lake, and the only problem was getting the gear back into the boat. My regular dive buddy, Jon Robertson, and I both use weight-integrated BCD's (mine is a Sea-Pro AT-Pac, and his is a Zeagle), and the dead weight of lifting them back into the boat with that high Catalina 25 freeboard is a real gut-buster. I figure my AT-Pac with an aluminum 80, regulator, and 40 pounds of lead (this is cold-water diving with 7 mm wetsuits) weighs about 100 pounds; if I am also carrying my 30 cu ft pony bottle and it's regulator, the total is around 125 pounds! Imagine having to hoist something about as heavy - or heavier - than a 4-stroke long shaft outboard out of the water and back into your boat. And trying to do this without smashing it into the hull of the boat. The only practical way to do it is with the boom and mainsheets. I lift the boom to about a 30º up-angle with the topping lift and swing it out over the side, then do the lifting with the mainsheets and swing the load back over the coaming. An outboard motor davit would work too, if you had one.

I will probably take the boat to Lake Tahoe over the July 4th holiday and will try to do some dives at Rubicon Wall if Jon can make it that weekend. I also have a notion to take my dive gear on my next trip to the San Juans, but would have to try to find a local to go diving with (my wife is a non-diver). How is your 250 as a dive platform?

Larry Charlot
Catalina 25 #1205 "Quiet Time"
Sacramento, CA

Edited by - lcharlot on 02/26/2003 00:54:03

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Ben - FL
Admiral

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880 Posts

Response Posted - 02/27/2003 : 21:12:48

Hey Larry,
That's good info. I've often thought about using the boom for a davit. But I'm sailing a C-250 and it has an open transom with boarding ladder that drops down. Makes it easy to get back from a dive. I always strip my weight belt and chunk it aboard. Then the fins. Then I can just climb up. A tether rope at the stern is nice if I want to take the unit off in the water and pull it up after.

Safe voyages,
Ben, FL s/v Chick-a-pea C250wk
<img src="http://www.members.aol.com:/benraye/pictures/fullsail.jpg" border=0>

Edited by - on

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