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Captain Max
1st Mate

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USA
87 Posts
Initially Posted - 07/02/2019 :  16:04:55  Show Profile
Anybody use a 170 genoa for racing their Catalina 25?
Captain Max
"Wyvern"
84 Cat 25 FK
Bayview Marina
Dallas Tx Area

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5881 Posts
Response Posted - 07/02/2019 :  17:40:46  Show Profile
No, but I race a lot and have used a 180% on a 28' boat. In most venues you get handicap time added for a sail bigger than 155%, and the handicap will be X seconds per mile.

I've raced in 6 Catalina 25 National Championships and 2 Cal 25 National Championships and have never seen any boat in either class use a headsail bigger than 155%. One of the Catalina 25 racers had a big and expensive sail inventory, but his biggest headsail was a 155. That implies that those racers saw no significant advantage to a 170 or 180 that outweighed the added handicap time.

I have always believed the Catalina 25 to be under-rated. Currently the Chesapeake Bay PHRF rates a swing keel at 234. The fin keel tall rig is rated 225. By comparison, the rating for a J24 is 171. For the last two years that I owned my Catalina 25 T/FK, I raced against 13 J24s, and was usually about the 3rd boat around the windward mark. That's why I think the C25 is under-rated. If you apply a good racing bottom paint and scrub it before each race, and use good racing sails, the boat is capable of performing much better than it's 225 rating. Why can it sail better than its rating? Because not many serious, skilled racers race a C25, and most C25 racers don't prep their boats as well as J24 racers, or use as good racing sails as J24 racers. If a C25 is raced as well and prepped as well as a serious J24 racer, it is capable of sailing far better than it's rating.

My suggestion is to spend your money on good racing sails, use racing bottom paint, keep it scrubbed, tune your rig, and hone your skills. I think it will pay far more dividends, much sooner, than buying a 170.
Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore
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Captain Max
1st Mate

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USA
87 Posts
Response Posted - 07/04/2019 :  16:52:33  Show Profile
Excellent summary. Think you covered it. Had a bottom job 3 years ago and was very competitive for our fleet, not so much now#128522;. Truth is I’m more of a cruiser than racer. Love my furler, but it costs me racing. Never able to point quite as high. Thank you for addressing the question! BTW, were you racing std or tall rig?
Captain Max
"Wyvern"
84 Cat 25 FK
Bayview Marina
Dallas Tx Area
Edited by - Captain Max on 07/04/2019 16:53:58
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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5881 Posts
Response Posted - 07/04/2019 :  19:09:22  Show Profile
quote:
Originally posted by Captain Max

Love my furler, but it costs me racing. Never able to point quite as high.
The foot of a sail on a furler has to be be cut so that it sweeps up, so it will roll up properly, and that reduces your sail area. Reduced sail area reduces your boat speed, and reducing your boat speed reduces your ability to point. The fact that you have a furler doesn't mean you can't be competitive. If you want to get more competitive and are willing to spend enough to buy a new sail, you might consider buying a 155% deck sweeping racing jib. You can run it up the foil of your furler, but you might have to rig an auxiliary tack on your foredeck. The boat will sail as well and point as high as any similar C25 with a racing jib. You won't be able to furl the racing jib, however. You'll have to put it on and take it off and fold it each time you use it. If you're interested, take some photos of your furler and the deck around it and show them to a sailmaker, who should be able to advise you how to do it.

Whenever the wind is too strong for your 155, then you can race with your present furling jib. In stronger winds it should be competitive.
quote:
BTW, were you racing std or tall rig?
My C25 was a tall rig. The tall rig is faster than a standard rig in light and moderate winds, but the standard rig is faster in stronger winds, because the shorter rig has less weight aloft and can carry more sail area longer, before it has to reef.
Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore
Edited by - Steve Milby on 07/04/2019 19:11:26
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.