Catalina Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Catalina Capri-25 by Jim

Year built	1981
Location of boat	Chatfield, CO
The boat is sailed on	Lakes
How the boat is used	Racing
Normal wind strength	less than 10 knots
Average size of crew	2-4
Liveaboard?	No
Owner bought the boat in	2006
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	YES! I "up"-graded to the CP25 from a CP26, because of the better performance. The 26 is a GREAT cruiser, but lacks the performance of the 25. When looking for the upgrade, I looked at J/24 and Merit 25 - I think the CP25 was the best bet and would do it again in a heartbeat!
Gear that's been added	So far I'm working on replacing ALL of the running rigging and the electrical system. The boat sat neglected for a few years, and also required a COMPLETE bottom re-finish (now VC17m). The boat did come with a decent sail selection, so for racing I've not needed to upgrade much. Will be adding an adjustable transom mount to get the prop out of the water w/o removing the engine. Also added a CD player (a must have!).
Structural or complex improvements	PO upgraded the vang to 6:1 (if I recall correctly, maybe 8:1), and the outhaul to 6:1. Windward sheeting car for the traveller, very nice!
The boat's best features	FAST! In 5-7kts with flat water, this boat just wants to GO. There's still enough room inside to make it "livable" for short periods, but this really isnt a cruiser. I can sit on the qtr berth upright without hitting my head (I'm 5'10").The rig is very easy to tune, and the helm is VERY responsive (I still over-steer this boat!). It's very easy to steer this boat with crew weight. The cockpit is very roomy for a 25' racer, and I think laid out better than the J/24 or Merit boats. Upwind it's very easy to get this boat pointing well (just get up to speed first!).
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	In choppy water with light winds it's suceptible to having the bow pushed around, I'm working on tactics to avoid that (the CP26 would just blast thru the waves, so this is new to me!). Also, it's difficult to keep the boat flat in big winds (20+), and the boat is not fast heeling past about 20 deg. The windows leak. Watch the keel/hull joint, too.
Sailing characterisitcs	FAST! Great upwind, esp in lighter winds with calm seas. It can be touchy about the upwind groove if it's tuned for speed, but that's to be expected. It can be very fast downwind, experiment. Keep it as flat as possible in winds over 5kts. Under 5kts, give just a little heel to help the sails keep shape and try to avoid the chop/wakes. Steers well with just crew weight changes (and watch out when the crew tries to sneak a beer - you'll know it!). Be prepared to dump the traveller in puffs. Also, warn you're new crew that this is a wet boat on the rail!
Motoring characterisitcs	Motor? What's that? Oh yeah, that 3.5hp ballast I have on the transom. ;) The only issue I've had is that the 3.5hp can be easily overpowered in a good blow. Will cavitate easily if crew is on the fordeck.
Liveability	This is really more of a racer than a cruiser, but I'd have NO issues with spending a weekend aboard. Nice size qtr berts, and even a decent V-berth. The water system and sink are shot on mine, the sink replaced with an aluminum recyclables holder. :) Added a CD player and solar system, but I think music is a necessity to racing as well as cruising. The porta-potty I got with the boat doesnt fit, so I've resorted to the regatta cup (men's room) and bucket (lady's room). Please flush at the LEE rail. :)
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)	Never had to...
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any	Private party, runs a boatyard. He offered to refinish the bottom, but while doing it myself was a big PITA, at least now I know what's been done.
Other comments	This is my first impression, based on about 3mo worth of racing this summer. I'd recommend this model to anyone looking to get into racing! It's easy to tune, good performance (pay attention, it's not forgiving about sloppy driving - but no fast boat is). Seems about right with 4 crew, but I've done well with 2 as long as the winds are not cranking 25+. I went from regular DFL's in the CP26 to regular 1st, 2nd, 3rds in the CP25. And that's going from the 190+ PHRF "cruising" fleet to the 189- "racing" fleet.

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