Catalina Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Catalina Capri-22 by Jon Lehman

Year built	2002
Location of boat	Nashville, TN
The boat is sailed on	Lakes
How the boat is used	Day sailing
Normal wind strength	10-15 knots
Average size of crew	solo
Liveaboard?	No
Owner bought the boat in	2005
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	Definitely, this is an excellent boat for the money. It is a spirited sailing boat that's fun to club race but also stable enough to regularly singlehand. The new Mark II (2001 and later) is also a great looking boat with the new deck design. She definitely turns heads at the dock.
Gear that's been added	I added a CDI roller furler, a Tacktick electronic compass, a boomkicker, new FX pentex sails (Triradial 135RF Genoa/Main), a solar panel, and a combi sheet bag mounted on inside of the transom. The boat already had Standard Horizon depth/speed, a stereo with bulkhead mounted speakers, an asymmetric spinnaker with sock, a Forespar tiller lockbox (poor man's autopilot!), webbing that replaced the lifelines for backrests for the run of the cockpit and a few other goodies. I also added a extra long jib halyard and use a snatch block at the bow stem to help raise and lower the mast.
Structural or complex improvements	I modified the hatchboards by cutting them in half and adding stainless steel guides to the upper board to create a strong watertight fit. It makes them much easier to stow and manage.
The boat's best features	For her size, she's a great performing boat. I have the tall rig, fin keel version which is the highest performance version that they make. I wanted something with some get up and go but also not an all out racer that was too finicky. I downsized from a J/30 and haven't been disappointed. The new version of the boat is also designed for very low maintenance, no exterior wood!
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	I had to replace the Spinlock clutches on the cabintop. I also think the deck connector for the mast lighting needs some protection as I often snag it when tacking. Other than that everything seems to be working great.
Sailing characterisitcs	It is a great sailing boat in any kind of air. In light air she'll pass just about anything. In heavier air, you can easily handle the boat, but she'll like some weight on the rail to keep her flat. I have no trouble taking her out in just about anything.
Motoring characterisitcs	I have a Honda 5 HP, 4 stroke which is plenty of motor for this boat. She gets quickly up to hull speed at low RPM. She is pretty weight sensitive so you can basically steer depending on which side of the boat that you stand and how you shift your weight around. At very low RPM, the outboard will have a tendency to move off of a straight alignment because of the vibration. (I steer with the tiller not the outboard.) You need to set the rotation limiting screw on the outboaard as tight as possible to avoid the "drift."
Liveability	I honestly haven't overnighted on the boat but definitely could. The cockpit is large and very comfortable for daysailing.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)	They've been excellent. I have ordered a few parts and they have been very responsive and helpful.
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any	I bought her used from a dealer in Nebraska who was great to deal with. He personally delivered the boat to Nashville and followed up promptly on some after sale information that I needed.
Other comments	She's a great boat! I'd highly recommend her for daysailing and overnighting.

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