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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

'L' Interior

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islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/30/2015 : 12:04:23

I always thought that the L interior was (to me) the best of the three interiors offered. Anybody know why Catalina dropped it?

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 01/30/2015 : 19:02:38

I remember the dinette interior and the traditional interior, but not the L interior. Can you describe it?

edit: I just checked the pre-1988 brochure and it says there are only two floor plans, the dinette interior and the traditional interior. The post-1988 brochure only shows the traditional floor plan.

I can only guess that the dinette option was dropped because the traditional interior was more popular, and because it was probably either inefficient or costly or both to offer a choice of floor plans.

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

Edited by - Steve Milby on 01/30/2015 19:16:50

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 01/30/2015 : 20:58:47

Don Lucier

North Star SR/FK

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 01/30/2015 : 21:28:23

That is a nice layout, but I'd still guess that economics played a part in the decision. When Catalina stopped building C25s, one of their stated reasons for dropping the C25 was that it cost them too much to build it, so they must have been looking for ways to cut production costs. I think Bill Holcomb was a dealer "back in the day," and he might have some insight as to Catalina's reasoning.

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

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 01/30/2015 : 22:28:58

Wow! I like that configuration a lot!

Even though I've lost over 50# in the past year, the Dinette seats are tight and nearly useless (unless you like playing 4 handed cards).

Whenever I have guests sitting down below in the cabin, we usually have two on the starboard settee, one on the forward bench seat and maybe one on the aft bench seat. Often, folks will just sit on the companionway ladder not to squish into the bench seat.

One year, I just left the table in the down position (between the seats) all season and placed three cushions in the space - at least you could partially lie down there and get a little comfortable.

I've thought of removing the table entirely, but then there's no place to put your drink or coffee down.

I also like Scott (Islander)'s mini-table for his dinette configuration. It's approximately 1/2 the length of the standard table and gives people a lot more room to get comfy.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - Voyager on 01/30/2015 22:35:49

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 01/31/2015 : 07:27:26

Don shows the 'L' interior that was offered in the early years and like Bruce I think it would have been my choice back then instead of my Dinette configuration. I don't know at what year it was last offered but I would have dropped the Dinette and kept the 'Traditional' and the 'L'if it were my choice. These were the original choices, The 'L' is on the bottom...

quote:
I've lost over 50# in the past year

Wow Bruce, Good for you! I honestly don't remember you as being heavy. Welcome to the "Thin and handsome"

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Edited by - islander on 01/31/2015 10:13:52

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3754 Posts

Response Posted - 01/31/2015 : 08:14:55

It would definitely have been my layout pick. The dinette looks practical to the first time buyer, it works well for some, and the traditional looks, well, traditional, but I think the "L" is far and away the most efficient and flexible.

Edit: I would probably would have left seating for 2 on the starboard settee and converted the rest to storage and counter top, maybe a chart table/com center and electric panel.

Dave B. aboard Pearl
1982 TR/SK/Trad. #3399
Lake Erie/Florida Panhandle

Edited by - Dave5041 on 01/31/2015 08:27:05

Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 01/31/2015 : 09:31:27

I have the "L" shaped interior and it is quite flexible. You can lower the table and it makes a small bed. Another option is to lower the bed, bridge the aisle way with hatch boards and inflate an air mattress from one side to the other. Makes a great queen size bed. I would expect they discontinued it because the pedestal table wobbles excessively and does not make a very secure table as opposed to a wall attached table. Same thing happens in RV's as they age.

Joe Wergers
Utopia
Fleet 7/Oceanside, CA
78 C25 FK/SR #381

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 01/31/2015 : 11:04:47

It seems the "traditional" table is the only one that has not been problematic... Leaning on the aisle side of the dinette table would lever it off its wall brackets--a problem to which CD sells a solution. (I used a cedar shingle as a wedge.) The "L" table, supported only by the center pedestal, is likely to suffer from downward pressure on any side--CD apparently hasn't come up with the solution to that. Boats tend to rock and roll, and occupants tend to lean and grab.

I believe the last "generation" ('89-'91) offered only the traditional layout, probably due to production cost (one interior mold instead of two or three) as well as reliability of the table.

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 01/31/2015 11:06:45

Jan Briede
Navigator

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USA
162 Posts

Response Posted - 01/31/2015 : 12:11:45

my boat has that type of interior and I love it.

Jan Briede
Beagle
1979 TR #1242 FK
L-Dinette
Yorktown, VA
Blog -- http://vanomad.blogspot.com/

pearson39b
1st Mate

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93 Posts

Response Posted - 01/31/2015 : 20:01:28

My recently acquired C-25 came in this L shaped configuration and, indeed, the table was very wobbly. Was able to tighten it up some by replacing a couple of the bolts and cranking them down on Nylock nuts. Tough area to work in because of the limited space between the floor pan and the hull. Wonder if anyone else has cut out a section of the floor to access the outboard bolts?

It is a nice configuration, and I like the bridging idea mentioned by Sloop Smitten. A mini-table option also sounds interesting. Anyone have any photos, plans, suggestions?

Sailor Jerry
C-25 "Sea Song"
1978, SK, Std.
Pepin, WI

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 01/31/2015 : 20:42:22

Thinking about the dinette setup, I could move the table to center it over the aft seat. That way I could create a slightly wider table, widen the gap between it and the forward seat, maybe make the table a little shorter and add some storage underneath. I will say that the dinette table is very secure and solid, and having both seats gives me total and ample access to the bilge and keel bolts. Perhaps I can turn the existing table 90� so that I can still use it to fill in the gap between the seats when I want to create a queen sized pedestal. Seems like a good wintertime project.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2015 : 10:13:44

Bruce: When we had those cushions made, I had the inside quarterberth cushion shortened to the length for a bridge over the aisle, which I never made. It should fit well with the others. I never expected to sleep two in the quarterberth--the space under the cockpit sole was for storage only, and the larger outboard cushion was plenty for one.

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

Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

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844 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2015 : 11:07:34

I saw an L interior when we had our Catalina 22 up on Clear Lake during the summers before we bought our C25 in 1987 (sailed her for 12+ years!:)). Really liked it. The C22 had a dinette and it was fine for that boat but we didn't like it on the 25. The L's were VERY hard to find. We ended up with a traditional and were very happy with it. We kept the table up against the bulkhead most of the time unless we were our cruising and needed it for breakfast and dinner (it's cold here even in the summer!!!:)). With the poptop up and enclosed, with the table up, the saloon is a relative "ballroom." We loved that boat.

Stu
1986 C34 #224 "Aquavite"
Cowichan Bay, BC Maple Bay Marina
(formerly San Francisco)
(formerly C25 #2459 "Capricorn Two")

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2015 : 15:06:47

quote:
Originally posted by Stinkpotter

Bruce: When we had those cushions made, I had the inside quarterberth cushion shortened to the length for a bridge over the aisle, which I never made. It should fit well with the others. I never expected to sleep two in the quarterberth--the space under the cockpit sole was for storage only, and the larger outboard cushion was plenty for one.

Dave - thanks for your description.

I built a bridge to straddle the starboard settee and the dinette bench seats using some 5/8" plywood and 1" pine on the edges to protect and overlap the seats' teak trim boards. The cushion fits in between the space like a glove and when set up, the cushions serve as a very comfortable resting area.

For sleeping, however, I've added a queen size air mattress over the top. I found that my arms got caught in between the cushions. We've spent many a comfy night using the cushions as a base for the mattress.

Edit: And when I'm solo, the Q'berth cushion is perfect!

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - Voyager on 02/01/2015 15:08:11

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