Swing keel vs. Fixed keel.

[bakeroo]

Please advice. I currently own a Catalina 18 and am considering a move to a larger boat. Besides the trailerability of a swing keel boat{Catalina 25}, what are the advantages and disadvatages? thanks in advance for your help and suggestions.

Tom Baker

 

[Tom J]

Depends on how skinny the water is where you sail. When I sailed my O'Day 23 off Cape Cod, I could sail anywhere I wanted, because the swing-up center board would ride right over the shoals. Where I lived in Florida, you could double the area you could sail in if you could crank up the keel a bit.

 

[Joe Diver]

The keel and lifting components must be inspected annually, and completely replaced (not the keel) every 3 years.

Failure of the lifting system can result in a violent keel drop, damaging the boat and possibly sinking it.

Catalina does not recommend a swinger be kept in salt water.

Won't point as high as a fixed keeler.

Swingers have the advantage of easier trailering, shoal drafting for skinny water. Most folks who get the swingers do it for those two reasons.

However, don't let the "cons" sway you away from a good deal on a boat you love. The C25 swingers are great boats! Lots of folks have them, they were the most popular model of the C25. There are plenty of them still sailing the blue. Just be aware of your responsibility to take care of the lifting system, and do not blow that off.....it could sink your boat.

 

[Stu Jackson]

If you're considering a Catalina 25, you need to get to know these guys

http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=3

 

[hewebb]

You could also consider a wing keel, we draw 3 1/2 feet and can launch in 6 feet of water with a trailer tongue extension.

 

[bakeroo]

Could I safely sail a swing keel boat in salt water if it were for only short trips, say to Catalina Is. ? There is a very nice C25 listed on Craigslist under Bakersfield that looks to be a very nice boat. If you have time to look, please let me know what you think.
thanks,

Tom

 

[CaptDon01]

Tom,

Where in SoCal are you? We've got some GREAT trailer-sailor stuff going on. Just last week my wife and I hosted 11 trailer-sailors, (including one Capri-18 from Ridgecrest, CA), at the Chula Vista Marina in south San Diego Bay. I see you have a Capri/Catalina-18.....GREAT little boat, we also had one, and sailed her to Catalina Island with the SoCal Potter's, (we'll be making the trip again July 23- 28, WHAT A GREAT TRIP!!!!). Extremely capable boat out in the Pacific. We also sailed her out on whale watching events. You just have to watch the weather, but the boat will take more than you can! Anyway, one of the things that attracted us to the C-18 was the keel design. We sailed a swing-keel C-22 back in the midwest for years, and I didn't want the extra maintenance of a swing keel in salt water, and especially the KEEL-CLUNK. We did all the up-grades on our old C-22, and could never eliminate it. We wanted more cabin room, and "pottie-privacy", so we sold our C-18 a couple years ago and purchased a C-22 MK-II version with a wing keel. Very solid boat, extremely stable, and NO KEEL-CLUNK, and just about zero keel maintenance. I will say the C-18 was nicer dealing with kelp out in the ocean. The leading edges have slightly more angle, and I never had to deal with kelp catching on the C-18 keel, (ours was the wing-keel C-18). Our C-22 MK-II with the Capri-22 wing keel performs excelent, BUT...catches kelp easier. So we keep a watchful eye for it and steer around when ever possible. I can't imagine the problems of dealing with kelp with a swing keel and trying to get kelp off the keel cable! And the C-25 is a BIG boat to trailer, and I believe the keel weight is around 900 pounds. We've been out in some rough water, and I sure like the security knowing my keel is secured to the bottom!

My personal opinion, I would not want a swing keel boat ever again! And the pre-95 catalina swing keels were cast iron. So you got cast iron, bronze, and stainless steel sitting in salt water......not for me, thank you...... And we found our C-22 MK-II actually easier to raise the mast than our C-18, (gin-pole is longer, more leverage), and the boat sits lower on the trailer, so it's easier to launch, however, we normally launch our boat with one of the cranes at the yacht club, including our C-18.

Get in touch for some GREAT SoCal sailing outtings!

Don
"Y-Knot?"

 

[sinnettc]

Kelp? I hates kelp! :cussing:

I managed to snag some outside Friday Harbor on our trip to the San Juans a couple summers ago. Brought me to a complete halt and suddenly we were broadside to the current & wind! You never saw someone remove a whisker pole and then start an engine as quick as I did.

Now when my wife says "I see kelp" I ask where instead of saying "ok".

More on topic, there's a professional captain up in Portland (OR) who sailed a Capri 18 from California (San Diego?) to Hawaii as a teenager. I think the boat is easily capable of sailing to Catalina and back.

 

[bakeroo]

How do I contact you?

Capt. Don,

I would love to be involved w/ your trailer Sailor group. How can I contact you?

Tom

Tom,

Where in SoCal are you? We've got some GREAT trailer-sailor stuff going on. Just last week my wife and I hosted 11 trailer-sailors, (including one Capri-18 from Ridgecrest, CA), at the Chula Vista Marina in south San Diego Bay. I see you have a Capri/Catalina-18.....GREAT little boat, we also had one, and sailed her to Catalina Island with the SoCal Potter's, (we'll be making the trip again July 23- 28, WHAT A GREAT TRIP!!!!). Extremely capable boat out in the Pacific. We also sailed her out on whale watching events. You just have to watch the weather, but the boat will take more than you can! Anyway, one of the things that attracted us to the C-18 was the keel design. We sailed a swing-keel C-22 back in the midwest for years, and I didn't want the extra maintenance of a swing keel in salt water, and especially the KEEL-CLUNK. We did all the up-grades on our old C-22, and could never eliminate it. We wanted more cabin room, and "pottie-privacy", so we sold our C-18 a couple years ago and purchased a C-22 MK-II version with a wing keel. Very solid boat, extremely stable, and NO KEEL-CLUNK, and just about zero keel maintenance. I will say the C-18 was nicer dealing with kelp out in the ocean. The leading edges have slightly more angle, and I never had to deal with kelp catching on the C-18 keel, (ours was the wing-keel C-18). Our C-22 MK-II with the Capri-22 wing keel performs excelent, BUT...catches kelp easier. So we keep a watchful eye for it and steer around when ever possible. I can't imagine the problems of dealing with kelp with a swing keel and trying to get kelp off the keel cable! And the C-25 is a BIG boat to trailer, and I believe the keel weight is around 900 pounds. We've been out in some rough water, and I sure like the security knowing my keel is secured to the bottom!

My personal opinion, I would not want a swing keel boat ever again! And the pre-95 catalina swing keels were cast iron. So you got cast iron, bronze, and stainless steel sitting in salt water......not for me, thank you...... And we found our C-22 MK-II actually easier to raise the mast than our C-18, (gin-pole is longer, more leverage), and the boat sits lower on the trailer, so it's easier to launch, however, we normally launch our boat with one of the cranes at the yacht club, including our C-18.

Get in touch for some GREAT SoCal sailing outtings!

Don
"Y-Knot?"

 

[CaptDon01]

Tom, check your messages on your profile page, I sent you my contact information.

Don