Catalina Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Catalina Capri-18 by john6206

Year built	1993
Location of boat	Michigan
The boat is sailed on	The Great Lakes
How the boat is used	Day sailing
Normal wind strength	10-15 knots
Average size of crew	2-4
Liveaboard?	No
Owner bought the boat in	2019
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	Yes! I don’t know if we’ll keep it forever, but it was affordable and it has been a great boat.
Gear that's been added	Updated the stereo, added USB charging ports, added a boomkicker, replaced the cabin lights and the bow lights. 6 HP Mercury Sailpro propane outboard.
Structural or complex improvements
The boat's best features	This boat is great once it’s on the water. It’s stable, and a much better sailer than I thought it would be. The 135 Genoa makes a difference I’m sure. It’s super fun. The little cabin is just right for two people to camp in, provided you don’t pack too much!
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	It’s a little more on a challenge on the trailer, in and at the boat ramp. At 1500 lbs, this boat is just a little too much (in my opinion) to tow, rig, launch, daysail, and drive back home the same day. Our typical use is at least one overnight, and usually at a motel. Best use is 5 days in a marina, a couple days sleeping on the boat and a couple nights in a bed and breakfast for good measure. Your actual mileage may vary. Our rigging time is typically 90 minutes from parking the car, to motoring away from the boat launch. I’ve heard people can do it in 45. I’m just admitting right now that they are better than me. That mast seems to get heavier every summer. We have two trailer tongue extensions, the big one is heavy and hard to work with. We have only successfully launched with the little one a couple of times. We’ve never launched without the tongue extension.
Sailing characterisitcs	It points reasonably well when properly tuned. Although, like most boats, falling off the wind a bit will give you better speed. It’s not a race boat, but I’m not disappointed with its speed. It’s stable enough to make rookie sailors feel confident.
Motoring characterisitcs	It motors pretty well. If you use boat the motor and the tiller you can turn very sharply - great for marinas.
Liveability	Everything is subjective. If you are used to backpacking, this boat has TONS of room. My opinion is camping space for two for a night or two. One person with access to a bathroom could be comfortable on this boat for a week.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)	N/A
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any	N/A
Other comments	Solid performer, comfortable daysailer.

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