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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Increased headroom in late model 25s?

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fineg
Deckhand

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USA
18 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/05/2012 : 12:47:38

I have a 1988 SR WK. Love everything about the boat except lack of headroom with the pop top down. Yes, I know I can put it up, and I even have the enclosure. But doing so every time I'm on the boat, then taking it down to sail, back up when moored, down when I leave the boat for the week, back up all over again when I come back is a hassle. And, here in AZ, when its 110 degrees in the blazing sun, the pop top cover has even less insulation than the rest of the boat making my home made air conditioning solution even less effective. I heard about a 1991 SR WK sold recently here and the boat shop owner said it had even more headroom than mine. I understand the FK and WK models already have more room than the SK's. I don't need much more, maybe 5 more inches. Getting sufficiently tired of crouching or banging my head that I'm seriously thinking of moving to a 27. But if there was a later model with even more head room I'd think about it. The hull sure seems like it would support more headroom. There seems to be about 5-6 inches of space between the cabin floor and the hull. I've even wondered if I could just cut out the cabin floor, put on a new one closer to the hull, and somehow figure out how to support the setees. Even if the floor wouldn't be flat, that would be ok. But that's major surgery, to be done by professional help at $90/hr, so buying a 27 might be the easier solution. Unless thare are 89-91 models that have already taken advantage of all the space down to the hull. Then I'd look at those. Any thoughts on this topic from anyone would be appreciated.

Greg
C-25 SR/WK
Lake Pleasant, AZ

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2012 : 14:30:03

I think I've seen a couple of pictures posted of one that has had the pop-top replaced with a fixed roof that was a little higher than standard. I would imagine that you could glass in the raised pop-top and make it watertight in the event of a knockdown. That would involve a lot of structural work. It would also mess with your forward visibility from the cockpit.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2012 : 14:53:35

Because the swing keel was phased out by then, the '89 introduced a new cabin liner that lowered and flattened the floor--I don't know that it was as much as 5", and I've never seen published headroom specs for C-25s. The one I was in was noticeably taller than my '85--I could stand without a slight slouch, but I'm just 5'9".

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fineg
Deckhand

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USA
18 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2012 : 17:23:47

Thanks Dave. That sounds like what the guy at my boat shop was mentioning. Darn, missed it by 1 year! I'll look around the next time I see an 89 or newer model. wish I'd have known that when the 1991 was available. That must have been one of the very last 25s made. It was quite expensive, but might have been worth it.

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4303 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2012 : 18:16:51

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fineg
 Thanks Dave. That sounds like what the guy at my boat shop was mentioning. Darn, missed it by 1 year! I'll look around the next time I see an 89 or newer model. wish I'd have known that when the 1991 was available. That must have been one of the very last 25s made. It was quite expensive, but might have been worth it.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I've got an '89 and I will be at the boat tomorrow night. I'll try to measure the headroom and report back.

Think I need to get pictures of my forestay for someone else now that I think about it.

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NautiC25
Admiral

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USA
957 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2012 : 05:16:05

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/bod/3066203509.html

Edited by - NautiC25 on 07/06/2012 05:16:29

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2012 : 05:38:03

I think you've got about 5'6" or 5'7" in the 89'. I'm 5'7" and was pretty much good in the main cabin, didn't hit my head until I went forward to the head area.

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Bill Holcomb
Admiral

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USA
769 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2012 : 06:02:14

Hi Greg,
In the first Catalina 25 Tech Manual (there are two of these with many tips for modifications and "fixes") there is a neat example for building a riser that partially raises the pop top. The tip is to build four of these risers - one for each corner of the pop top. The risers lift and hold the pop top up about five inches higher than when closed. With your location, you could make an insolated "pilot house" by walling in between the risers.

Bill Conway put together the first Tech Manual when he was the Association's Main Sheet Editor. I put together the second Tech Manual several years later when I was the Main Sheet Editor. The Association had the Tech Manuals for sale prior to the internet and our website - for about the price of publication and shipping.

Bill Holcomb - C25 Snickerdoodle #4839

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2012 : 06:18:06

I guess I should have scanned all of those Mainsheet tech articles…

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Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1218 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2012 : 09:22:49

Headroom is a big deal for me....I'm 6'3 +....so I'm looking at a much bigger boat if I want comfortable headroom.

With the pop top up and I'm standing in the cabin, the cabin roof is at shoulder level for me. Even with the pop top up, I still only have a few inches between my hair and the roof.

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4303 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2012 : 18:29:08

I measured the headroom in my '89 this morning. Measuring down the centerline of the boat the measurements are:

71" at the base of the companionway steps
67" at the front of the sliding hatch just before the overhead steps down
65" at the doorway into the head area

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fineg
Deckhand

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USA
18 Posts

Response Posted - 07/08/2012 : 14:47:58

Thanks Gary for the headroom measurements and to those who responded. The boat shown on Craig's List sold. Wish I had had a chance to look at it. I'm told it was absolutely bristol. At some point I'll find a 27 to measure and then see where things go. Unfortunately, I also hang out with folks who have nice sized cabin cruisers - man, does 9.5' or more of beam and 6'+ of headroom seem spacious!

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