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What Do I Have?!?!?

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Blowboat
Deckhand

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USA
18 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/16/2023 : 05:24:11

So, in mid-October we bought a Catalina 25. According to the previous owner (I'm learning to "love" previous owners) we were purchasing a 1984 C-25 tall rig with a fixed keel...and the draft was 5-feet. He also kept telling me the boat was ready to go. Now, I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer and I have been out of sailing for about 15 years, but I knew pretty much everything he said about the sailing condition of this boat was just wrong...I had to redo the backstay adjuster, had to redo the mainsheet traveler which he had moved to the cabin top, but wasn't functional, I'm having to re-rig the roller furling headsail. Oh, and our boat is actually a 1983 and I've never heard of a C-25 fixed keel with a 5-foot draft. We are inching closer and closer to getting this boat ready to sail.

Anyway...now I'm not sure if I have a tall rig or a standard. And on FB I get a few mixed messages. Next time I'm at the boat, I'll measure the luff of the mainsail. But yesterday I ran a tape measure up the mast and it measured just over 29 feet to the cabin top.

What is the mast height of a tall rig verses a standard rig?

Joseph Washburn (Southport, NC)
1983 C-25 FK/TR
"Disciple Ship"
#4090

keats
Navigator

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USA
215 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2023 : 08:13:26

A fin keel will have a draft of 4 feet so unless something's been modified that's probably what you have if the keel is fixed. The swing keel has a 5 foot draft.

Catalina lists the I dimension on the standard rig at 29 feet and on the tall rig 31 feet. This is the measurement from the forestay attachment to the spreader attachments on the deck (sheer line). Assuming your 28 foot measurement didn't quite get to the top and allowing for the cabin top height above the spreaders, you probably have a standard rig.

In factory rig, the boom on a tall rig will hit a normal sized person who's any higher than in a seated position (ask me how I know). A shorter person can stand under the boom on a standard rig.

I believe the build year is encoded in the hull id number which is engraved on the back of the transom. If you post it here someone can decode it.

Happy sailing.

Tim Keating
1985 C-25 TR/FK #4940
Midsummer
Lake Don Pedro, CA

Blowboat
Deckhand

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USA
18 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2023 : 13:35:24

Thanks, Tim!

So swing keel is 5-feet...I forgot. That means the PO told me the draft of this boat was 5 1/2 feet. Either way, what he was saying wasn't right.

So, I connected my 100' tape to the main halyard and took it to the top. It measured, to the top of the cabin, was just over 29 feet. But again, that was to the base of the mast...

Hoping I can get down to the boat this weekend and I'll try and measure the luff of the mainsail. Or is there a better measurement to get? I did measure my boom height from the cockpit floor, but my boom is adjustable so not sure how helpful that is at this point. But it was 36 inches.

Joseph Washburn (Southport, NC)
1983 C-25 FK/TR
"Disciple Ship"
#4090

keats
Navigator

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USA
215 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2023 : 14:14:55

Luff on standard rig will be about 24'-7"' and on tall 27'-7".

Wish this was easier for you. I was lucky as mine was sold within the family and we had the original invoice so I knew it was a tall. It was also surrounded by standard rigs in the marina and was noticeably taller from a distance.

There are times I wish I had a standard rig, like in the hot summer a bimini would be nice. Also boom height would be safer. On the other hand, you've got a lot of power in light winds, especially with a big genoa.

Tim Keating
1985 C-25 TR/FK #4940
Midsummer
Lake Don Pedro, CA

Blowboat
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
18 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2023 : 15:00:08

Thanks, Tim. In the end, it really doesn't matter...it is what it is. But now I am really curious to figure it out. My main goal yesterday was to measure for new battens, which I just discovered were not there. But it looks like the batten slots were sewn shut...not sure what that is about. I also want to check the mainsail shape to see if I might be alright without battens. As soon as I finish up a couple of needed things I hope to get her out of the slip and sailing and see how it goes. :)

Joseph Washburn (Southport, NC)
1983 C-25 FK/TR
"Disciple Ship"
#4090

keats
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
215 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2023 : 18:52:47

I think you will definitely want battens in your sail Joe. Take a close look at the batten pockets. Mine are sewn shut at the leech but there is an opening about 2" in. This is so you can slide the batten in then back so they won't fly out when sailing. Maybe yours load a different way?

Tim Keating
1985 C-25 TR/FK #4940
Midsummer
Lake Don Pedro, CA

Blowboat
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
18 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2023 : 19:13:29

I'll add that to my list for my next visit to the boat. I tried to look up and down the batten pocket, but it is likely I missed something.

Joseph Washburn (Southport, NC)
1983 C-25 FK/TR
"Disciple Ship"
#4090

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3367 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2023 : 21:51:44

As Tim indicated, some sails have a slot to slide the batten down and into the batten pocket. On my sail, the batten pocket is closed off at both ends but with a substantially reinforced velcro type strap closure near the leech. From the leech, the batten pocket seems sewed shut but the strap extends forward from the leech for 3" and it is at that point that one pulls the strap to gain access to the batten pocket along the leech.

Larry
'89 Robin's Nest#5820, Potomac River/Quantico, Va
http://catalina25.homestead.com/olarryr.html

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2023 : 22:10:46

Ya, the original batten pockets are generally sewn so the battens slip in and then are pushed down to be held in. Your P.O. apparently didn't know the draft (or much else)--fixed (fin) keels draw 4'. Join up and keep in touch here--folks here have a treasure trove of knowledge!

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 01/16/2023 22:16:12

bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1736 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2023 : 15:17:47

If you call Catalina yachts with the hull number they can (after checking records) tell you if it is a standard or tall rig. Also check our owner registry as possibly a former owner was a member and listed the boat, etc.

Peter Bigelow
C-25 TR/FK #2092 Limerick
Rowayton, Ct
Port Captain: Rowayton/Norwalk/Darien CT

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2023 : 16:05:07

A standard rig mast is 28' long. A tall rig mast is 30'. You measured it as something over 29'. You could have erred in measuring a tall rig mast shorter than it is, but you could not have erred in measuring a standard rig mast over 1 foot longer. Unless you simply mis-read the tape measurement, your mast is most likely a tall rig.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

Blowboat
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
18 Posts

Response Posted - 01/28/2023 : 18:53:11

quote:
Originally posted by bigelowp

If you call Catalina yachts with the hull number they can (after checking records) tell you if it is a standard or tall rig. Also check our owner registry as possibly a former owner was a member and listed the boat, etc.

Yea, I tried that. Contacted Catalina and was told all records that far back were lost in a fire

Blowboat
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
18 Posts

Response Posted - 01/28/2023 : 18:57:47

So, I was back at the boat today and raised the mainsail along with tape measure. I'm gonna say that I have a tall rig with a slighter shorter/modified sail ..perhaps. The luff measurement is 26' 8".

Joseph Washburn (Southport, NC)
1983 C-25 FK/TR
"Disciple Ship"
#4090

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 01/28/2023 : 19:06:08

Some tall rig owners put standard rig main sails on their boats to raise the boom and make a bimini fit under it better.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

Edited by - Steve Milby on 01/28/2023 19:18:43

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 01/29/2023 : 12:57:46

quote:
Originally posted by Steve Milby

Some tall rig owners put standard rig main sails on their boats to raise the boom and make a bimini fit under it better.

At full hoist, that would raise the boom almost 3'--I'd say that would look a little strange. I recall some TRs using Capri 25 mains that are 26'6", raising the boom about 8". Sounds like about what you have here.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 01/29/2023 12:58:59

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