Catalina Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Catalina Capri-18 by Randle Domico

Year built	2007
Location of boat	Oregon
The boat is sailed on	Lakes
How the boat is used	Weekends and longer
Normal wind strength	23-30 knots
Average size of crew	solo
Liveaboard?	No
Owner bought the boat in	2007
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	Yes, this is the perfect boat for bay/lake sailing and the occasional coastal and short offshore cruising.
Gear that's been added	4HP 4-stroke Nissan Long shaftDepth sounderAll necessary anchorage, docking and safety equipment.I ordered this boat new with the following options:Mast Carrier Stern Boarding LadderStanchions, Stern Rails, and Lifelines with Pelican Hooks Adjustable Outboard Motor Bracket on Transom Self Contained Head Trailer, Galvanized, with Support Wheel and spare Electrical System with Panel, Cabin and Running Lights, Deep Cycle Battery Next time, I would definitely add the whisker pole to help with downwind performance.
Structural or complex improvements	None
The boat's best features	Ease of use.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	The cooler/step is not very stable as a step and can be a bit dangerous, especially in rough seas.It is also very difficult to slide in and out of its storage location. I am currently researching improvements to this area.The motor mount is too low and can cause a long shaft motor to drag in the water. In the lowest position the motor mount itself will drag.
Sailing characterisitcs	The boat is very forgiving and easy to sail. Performance is decent and the boat can easily reach hull speed on most points of sail with a decent breeze. Downwind performance could be improved with the addition of a whisker pole or the optional cruising spinnaker. With the right conditions and proper equipment this boat can plane downwind.
Motoring characterisitcs	Motoring in very heavy seas is a bit difficult, wich is typical for this size and type of boat.Basic menuvering around the marina is easily done with the motor locked striaght ahead and steering controlled with the tiller.
Liveability	Very basic, small and cozy. Two adults can sleep reasonably well, one in each berth. The V berth is useless for sleeping, except for small children. Extended trips can get a little crampt. Removing the center pads will create access to the porta-pottie and cooler.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)	Excellent.
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any	I purchased this boat through Catalina Yacht Anchorage in Ventura, Ca. Being an out-of-state buyer from Oregon and doing almost all of our correspondence via e-mail, Niki Phongpitag went out of his way to ensure that everything was in order and that the transaction was 100% ready before I arrived in Ventura to take delivery. It was the smoothest boat purchase I have ever made. He has also has been extremely helpful with customer support. If you are in the market for a Catalina in the Los Angles area, I definitely recommend you give Niki a call.Niki PhongpitagCatalina Yacht Anchorage - Ventura1101 Spinnaker Drive Ventura, CA 93001Tel (805) 644-1888Fax (805) 644-5710Cell (805) 407-8790Email nikip@cyayachts.com
Other comments	This is a fun, small, and easy to handle boat that is great for a new sailor and has a lot of features an experienced sailors will enjoy as well.

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