Catalina 22 vs. Com-pac 23

[Rob]

Did any Catalina 22 owners consider a Com-pac 23 in their search? What made you decide on a Catalina 22? Thanks.

 

[jeff]

cat22 vs compac

rob, funny u should ask that. i searched for months for the "right" boat in that 22-24' range. i always liked catalinas but was afraid of the swing keel based on a friends bad experience on his 25. then i saw a compac 23-2, wow what a beautiful boat. great lines, bow sprit, very classic. i almost purchased it,but the owner hadnt maintained it well. then i found a compac23-1. what a difference, the cabin was rough and unfinished compared to the 23-2. also they supposedly didnt sail as well as the 23-2 with the sprit. as i read, i also found that they weren't very fast. most of my recent sailing was on an ensign, so i like some speed. then i found the cat 22 wing keel, 1988. sold, enough speed, comfortable cabin, not quite as roomy as the compac, but enough for my needs, and i had read that the cat 22 was a decent sailing boat. well, i wasnt disappointed, i,m not keeping up with the ensigns,but she holds her own and really seems to like it the more the wind blows. i think either boat is good buy, u just need to find the one that your comfortable on and suits your needs. jeff.

 

[mg]

the diff for me

the compac is a nicer looking boat to my eye. but doesnt have long enough berths for me to be comfortalbe. i like the bulkhead below as it gives you a good place to lean up against for reading and stuff. you wont find a suitable place on the catalina to do that and it is one of my frustrations with the boat. the conpac is heavier at 3000lbs. and has an enclosed keel with concrete i beleive. the thing on the compac that i didnt like was that you can flex the keel sump with your hand on the aft portion. i didnt think it should flex at all. but thats just me.i doubt that it would ever be a safety issue. by the way the catalina and the odays flex or oilcan easily just aft of the keel on the bottom as well on the older swing models. i have a wing and have notbeen able flex the hull up and do that. one of the considerations when i bought. the catalina PHRFs at 270 and the compac at 260. so the 23 is 10seconds faster per mile. i also think the compac will cost more but you do get nice bronze hardware and opening ports on the newer ones. overall if i was shorter id be sailing a compac,but im not so....ive mentioned it before but there is no reason to put such short berths on boats in this size range. some day some design genius will build a 22 -23 footer that is comfortalble for a couple (after the kids are gone)and make a fortune . and no i dont think the water ballast aft cabin boats built to day are worth a darn . ive sailed several and they sail like crap, are tender and dont hold their value. so in the mean time i love my cat 22. best of luck

 

[Greg]

My thoughts C22 vs CP23

I have a Compac 16 and just purchased a wing keel '89 C22. I looked at both Compac 23 and Precision 23, too. Boiled down to this:1. Price - Catalina is less money. The Compac is slightly longer and has more sail area. I like the looks of the Catalina versus the more traditional Compac. The cabin layout of the Catalina was more appealing to me, also.2. Keel design - I don't think Compacs point as well due to their shallow-wide keel. I felt the wing keel pointed slightly higher.3. Rudder - Compac's aluminum plate does not help performance. I have modified my 16 to a airfoil design and it helps with weatherhelm greatly. I believe the 23 has a flat plate also. Article on Compacs Owners Website.4. The Compac is more weight to trailer. Both boats are general good boats and it comes down to your preferences.