Catalina Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Catalina Capri-16.5 by Dan Rostrup

Year built	1999
Location of boat	Long Island, NY
The boat is sailed on	Bays, sounds, or protected salt water
How the boat is used	Day sailing
Normal wind strength	less than 10 knots
Average size of crew	2-4
Liveaboard?	No
Owner bought the boat in	1999
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	I would certianly buy the 16.5 again as it meets the needs of my famialy within budget and time restraints.
Gear that's been added	As I have small children I had to develope ways to rig the boat faster. Quick pins replaced the clevis pins in most places, helping to shorten rigging time. I ordered the boat with a roller furling and had sail slides installed on the main.
Structural or complex improvements	No structural or complex improvements were made. The boat is simple and efficient.
The boat's best features	The boat is simple to sail, quick, has a large watertight hatch for clothes, food etc., and with a kick-up rudder and swing keel can handle shallow waters. The boat holds my wife and 3 kids with ease.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	In the first season the rudder swelled slightly making the kick-up feature unusable; Catalina sent me a new one. I replaced the centerboard slot gasket after the second season with a stiffer material. On a beam reach in good wind the material would give way and water would flow into the boat faster than the scuppers would allow it to drain out. I haven't had a problem since.
Sailing characterisitcs	The boat is very light and sails nicely in light winds. In winds 12+mph it gets exciting 15-17mph and I would think about reefing. She heels a bit and will dip the rail in a good wind but doesn't flip easily.
Motoring characterisitcs	With a 3.3 Merc and the right weight placement I can get her in a plane. If I had to replace the motor I would get the Honda 2hp.
Liveability	Not a live aboard boat.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)	Catalina has been very helpful in my contacts with them.
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any	Unfortunately the dealer I used was about 125 miles away and is a hardship to visit.
Other comments	The 16.5 is a great boat if your looking for a day sailer for a small family. The designers have overcome many problems of earlier boat designs.

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