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Catalina Capri 26 ?

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Boomeroo
Navigator

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Australia
128 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/25/2016 : 07:36:22

We are just coming to the end of a great summer and autumn ( Fall?) and reviewed our last few years on the swing keel 25 . We are really happy .. but would like head room and a better Head / shower and a walk thru stern . Just saw a wing keel 26 advertised but their association isn't as open as ours, so not much info.. .
Does anyone have comparison . The big beam and outboard set up worries me re motor coming out of the water in small waves or with person on bow when anchoring ..
love some comments on the comparison between the two models
hope your summer is a good one

Graeme Bishop boomeroo Australia
C25 SK

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2016 : 08:10:25

quote:
Originally posted by OJ

Not sure about down there, but the 26 is a rare model in the U.S., only two currently for sale on YachtWorld.com (one of which has an inboard). Don't recall any C26 owners having contributed here.
Others here, however, have commented that moving up from a C25 to a C27 would not be worth the effort . . .

1989 C25 TR/WK, #5822
1973 McVay Minuet 19
1975 Jester 12
1981 C25 SR/SK, #2428
1981 C22 SR/SK,
Tanzer 16
Sunfish

"There is nothing, absolutely nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." Kenneth Grahame

Edited by - OJ on 05/25/2016 08:12:31

Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1511 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2016 : 08:27:31

I have only seen photos of the boat online, most of the "for sale" boats around here have an inboard diesel, not outboard.

The boat owners next to me currently have a C350, they previously owned a Capri 26. Their only comment about the Capri was that it was not a very good racer. I don't race, so that is not a priority for me.

When we decided to move up, we started looking at C28's, then C30's then the 310 and 315's. And then started looking at C34's and C36's. At the boat shows, we kept climbing on catamarans. And not being able to afford an Antares just yet........... we went with a Gemini. Which is a pretty good jump from a C25.

Having looked at all of those models, and also having been actually aboard most of them. I think that I would focus on the C28 or C30 first. Both models are available with a walk-thru transom. Have enclosed heads with a shower and a hot water heater.

In any case good luck. Also, get out and actually get on the boats you are thinking about. I was surprised to find out that the C30 did not seem as large inside as I thought it would be by looking at photos.

Davy J

2005 Gemini 105Mc
PO 1987 C25 #5509 SR/SK
Tampa Bay

Edited by - Davy J on 05/25/2016 08:47:47

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2016 : 08:56:03

The Capri 26 was a generally nice sailboat overall, but many people bought them with the idea that they would be good racers, based on the good racing performance of the Capri 25, and in that respect they were disappointed. I raced my Catalina 25 T/FK against a couple, and didn't think they were really competitive with either the tall or standard rig Catalina 25. Nevertheless, they were appealing to the eye, nicely built, and generally good sailing boats. To the best of my recollection, I never crewed on one or had the helm. If you want a nice cruising boat, I think you'd be pleased with one.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2016 : 13:40:01

I haven't been on one, but while it is almost 2' beamier, it appears to give up over a foot in length-on-deck due to the raked transom, which has to translate to a reduction in the cockpit or interior length, and would also seem to complicate an outboard setup. I'll second checking out the C-28 Mk II and C-270. There are lots of C-27s for substantially less than the 28 or 270, but not with open transoms.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 05/26/2016 06:07:39

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2016 : 21:21:04

We have several at our lake. The OB model has an OB mounted so far back that steering with the OB is out of the question, even tilting it is hard. The inborn version is a better boat. Very nice baby C-28. Very handsome in the water.

Frank Hopper

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 05/26/2016 : 06:13:45

We have 2 Capri 26's in our club, and I have raced on both, in the non-spinnaker handicap class. One has a furling headsail, the other doesn't, and both are fin keel boats. They are 1,000 lbs heavier than a C-25 and have the same basic sail area as a C-25 TR, 295 sq ft. The boat is roomy inside, with a stand-up head back by the companionway ladder to the cockpit, open cabin interior, decent galley with a large built-in cooler. Don't know how well insulated the cooler is for a long trip.
Rudder is under the boat and yes, the transom-mounted outboard can be a bit difficult to work with, you definitely do not use the motor tiller to help steer in tight places. 9.8 hp works fine with it on our lake.

The boat does not point anywhere near as well as the C-25, but she is very stable and performs very well in heavy air. She is not a good light air boat. The mast is stepped farther forward than a C-25, shrouds are one upper and one lower on each side secured slightly aft of the mast; the J dimension is 8' 4", only 4" longer than the J on a C-22 and much shorter than a C-25, so the main plays a bigger role in sail trim. The traveler is cabin-top mounted over the companionway, so it is a harder boat to single-hand than the C-25.

DavidP
1975 C-22 SK #5459 "Shadowfax" Fleet 52
PO of 1984 C-25 SK/TR #4142 "Recess"
Percy Priest Yacht Club, Hamilton Creek Marina, Nashville, TN

shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 05/26/2016 : 11:21:56

The Capri 26 became the Catalina 270... similar boats, with design tweaks... I think the 270 is a slightly more refined boat for the money.
The Capri 26 was a great boat, but probably should have carried the Catalina moniker, and might have been more successful.

I always liked the looks of the Capri 26, especially with a wing keel. I imagined that I would eventually own one. When I saw a very beautiful one sailing on our lake, and sailed past it at a high rate of speed, my love affair for the boat quickly diminished. I would imagine though in an area with higher average wind speeds, it'd be a fine boat as a daily cruiser. Just don't think much about racing it, despite the Capri name.

For the record Capri sailboats were never "racing only" boats. The Capri 14.2 and 16.5 were not race boats per se despite being OD. Other examples of Capris that weren't racers were the Capri 18, and 16.

It was the Capri 235, and 37 that seems to have perpetuated the idea that Capri was all about racing, as well as the 25, and 30.

Facts? I LOVE sailboatdata:

Shockingly no sailboatdata on the 16, but it DID exist! http://newimages.yachtworld.com/resize/1/54/65/4695465_20140426062220148_1_XLARGE.jpg?f=/1/54/65/4695465_20140426062220148_1_XLARGE.jpg&w=606&h=467&t=1398522153000
Capri 18 http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?CLASS_ID=4856
Catalina 270 http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?CLASS_ID=3383
Capri 26 http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?CLASS_ID=698
Catalina 28 http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_ID=6438
Capri 23.5 (melges 24 competition) http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=7586
Also surprising nothing on the Capri 30.. but it ALSO did exist
http://www.sailboatlistings.com/sailimg/m/16015/main.jpg
Capri 37 http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=7584

The Capri 25 was meant to go up against the J/24, Evelyn 25, and Olson 25
The Capri 30 was supposed to beat the Olson 30
The Capri 23.5 was supposed to be the Melges 24 competition (neat boat I'd love to see one in person)

The Capri 37 was designed for one race, fleet matched OD.

C&C 32 Smith Mountain Lake Virginia

Edited by - shnool on 05/26/2016 11:30:42

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 05/26/2016 : 14:24:34

quote:
Originally posted by shnool

The Capri 26 became the Catalina 270... similar boats, with design tweaks...

Not based on SailboatData's specs and drawings--they're two different hulls and rigs. The 270 has the more contemporary, much wider stern, longer hull, different interior arrangement, etc... It's clearly a newer design--more of a scaled up C-250 hull. I recall the C-28 being dropped about the time the C-270 arrived. At the time, I suspected I'd like the C-270 better.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2016 : 08:00:25

I'll ask a dumb question: how much more boat do you get with the 27 footers? More living space in the cabin (beamier, elbow room, etc) and what about the cockpit? Any more seaworthy for open blue water or just another coastal cruiser?

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2016 : 09:51:10

I haven't read the book, but have long heard that the C27 was listed in John Vigor's book, "Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere." The main difference between the C25s and C27s is that the latter are built more robustly. The interior plans are very similar, and I remember hearing that the C27 v berth is actually slightly shorter than the C25.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2016 : 09:53:39

Compared to the C-25, the C-27 has more beam in the main salon, good standing headroom, and sails like the heavier boat it is. Either can outrun the other depending on conditions. The C-28 Mk II felt more like a slighly shrunken C-30 in the cabin, with a larger cockpit due to the beamy stern--a very nice coastal cruiser. I suspect the C-270 was very similar, but was never on one. I wouldn't choose any of them to sail several days over the horizon where there's no place to hide when Mother Nature calls... Crossing the Atlantic takes several weeks, so "weather windows" are not to be believed.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 05/27/2016 10:00:22

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