I have questions for Catalina 16.5 owners. I currently own a Hunter 146 sailboat that has been a fun learning experience for my family. I have, however, had problems with it and also some things about its performance that I don't like. I am thinking seriously about buying a Catalina 16.5 but I want to make sure I am improving my situation. I would be most grateful if 16.5 owners could answer a few questions. Thank you! 1). My Hunter is made of plastic and the first hull cracked so badly the factory replaced it. My replacement hull now is beginning to crack. I know Catalinas are fiberglass. Do these hulls last many years or do they have (non collision related) cracking problems or other issues that I should watch out for? 2). My current sailboat has a very round bottom. I hate how it tips so much just getting in it from a dock. Is a 16.5 tippy due to its shape? Does it sail flat or heel a lot even in a moderate wind? 3). I want to put a gasoline motor on the sailboat to be able to traverse a very long channel to reach my sailing lake. Can a 16.5 handle a small four stroke without being out of balance? 4). My 17 year old wants a faster sailboat. Wife and I like to leisure sale. Can the 16.5 satisfy both? Thanks everybody!
Should I buy a Capri 16.5 ?
- Thread starter Wayne Arnold
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GET A CATALINA 22
THERE ARE OVER 15000 CATALINA 22. MOST AREAS HAVE ACTIVE FLEETS THAT RACE AND CRUISE. PRICE RANGES FROM 0 TO 20K. GOOD RACING AND CRUISING FLEETS. I HAVE RACED WITH A NATIONAL CHAMP AND CRUISED THE NORTHERN GULF CRUISE SINCE 2001. THE BOAT IS EASY TO SINGLE HAND AND STILL HAS POSITIONS FOR ALL TO HAVE A PART IN THE SAIL. THE C22 CAN BE PULLED BY A 6CYL. EXPLORER TYPE VEHICLE OR LARGER. YOUR WIFE WILL LIKE THE AMENITIES
THERE ARE OVER 15000 CATALINA 22. MOST AREAS HAVE ACTIVE FLEETS THAT RACE AND CRUISE. PRICE RANGES FROM 0 TO 20K. GOOD RACING AND CRUISING FLEETS. I HAVE RACED WITH A NATIONAL CHAMP AND CRUISED THE NORTHERN GULF CRUISE SINCE 2001. THE BOAT IS EASY TO SINGLE HAND AND STILL HAS POSITIONS FOR ALL TO HAVE A PART IN THE SAIL. THE C22 CAN BE PULLED BY A 6CYL. EXPLORER TYPE VEHICLE OR LARGER. YOUR WIFE WILL LIKE THE AMENITIES
Capri 16.5
I have a 16.5 and am very pleased with it. To answer your questions directly: 1. Capri 16.5's are Fiberglass and as far as I know have not had any major structural cracks/issues. Mine is a 1995 model and only has some minor "spider" web cracking around a spot that the previous owner ran into something. 2. The 16.5 will be somewhat more stable since it has a relatively flat bottom, but w/o any ballast it is still very sensitive to crew weight. 3. I don't have a motor on mine, but I was looking at the Torqeedo electric as a possibility. Very light and powerful and would work great on this boat. 4. It is a very fast boat, but also a very active boat. Crew weight is the only thing that keeps it on its feet. With winds above 12 knots, it can be a handfull and would certainly require having your feet in the hiking straps getting an ab muscle work out. By the way, mine is up for sale since I just bought a Catalina 22. I'm looking for more leisurely sailing myself.
I have a 16.5 and am very pleased with it. To answer your questions directly: 1. Capri 16.5's are Fiberglass and as far as I know have not had any major structural cracks/issues. Mine is a 1995 model and only has some minor "spider" web cracking around a spot that the previous owner ran into something. 2. The 16.5 will be somewhat more stable since it has a relatively flat bottom, but w/o any ballast it is still very sensitive to crew weight. 3. I don't have a motor on mine, but I was looking at the Torqeedo electric as a possibility. Very light and powerful and would work great on this boat. 4. It is a very fast boat, but also a very active boat. Crew weight is the only thing that keeps it on its feet. With winds above 12 knots, it can be a handfull and would certainly require having your feet in the hiking straps getting an ab muscle work out. By the way, mine is up for sale since I just bought a Catalina 22. I'm looking for more leisurely sailing myself.
Thanks Jeff.
Thanks for the feedback. Just the kind of info I am looking for from 16.5 owners. What is spider cracking? Is that some kind of a surface crack or does it go deeper and is more structural? Does it come with age, or only collision? I have an electric on my sailboat, and while it pushes it fine, where to put the car battery is the pain. I have placed it forward of the mast and also in the very back. Not really happy with either. Boat seems to plow when it is up front, and if in the back the bow is up a bit and the jib seems to pull the bow around in gusty winds. Sure seems like everyone loves the c22. My lake is kind of small for a cabin boat. Pulling it out of the water every night would likely be a little hard on it and me too. Wish I could locate a good daysailer that was really stable. Probably would be some sort of dingy design. Wayne
Thanks for the feedback. Just the kind of info I am looking for from 16.5 owners. What is spider cracking? Is that some kind of a surface crack or does it go deeper and is more structural? Does it come with age, or only collision? I have an electric on my sailboat, and while it pushes it fine, where to put the car battery is the pain. I have placed it forward of the mast and also in the very back. Not really happy with either. Boat seems to plow when it is up front, and if in the back the bow is up a bit and the jib seems to pull the bow around in gusty winds. Sure seems like everyone loves the c22. My lake is kind of small for a cabin boat. Pulling it out of the water every night would likely be a little hard on it and me too. Wish I could locate a good daysailer that was really stable. Probably would be some sort of dingy design. Wayne
16.5 Clarification
When I referred to spider web cracks I was really only talking about surface cracking. I have seen this show up in fiberglass boats around stressed joints such as where a stanchion is attached to a deck. However in this case it is due to a collision and is not structural. The Torqeedo is a very small electric motor that runs on its own attached battery. You can check it out at the link that I attached. The Capri 16.5 would certainly be a step up from the Hunter in speed and with the little cuddy cabin in the front for storage it has some additional amenities. Good luck with the searching.
When I referred to spider web cracks I was really only talking about surface cracking. I have seen this show up in fiberglass boats around stressed joints such as where a stanchion is attached to a deck. However in this case it is due to a collision and is not structural. The Torqeedo is a very small electric motor that runs on its own attached battery. You can check it out at the link that I attached. The Capri 16.5 would certainly be a step up from the Hunter in speed and with the little cuddy cabin in the front for storage it has some additional amenities. Good luck with the searching.
Electric Motor
Jeff, Thanks for the crack info and also the link. I have never seen an electric motor anything like that before. I find it surprising it can produce the thrust of a six horse gas motor, but then it is built in Germany so maybe it does. What does something like that sell for? If you do buy one for your boat I would be very interested in hearing how it performs. I wonder why someone doesn't invent a small thruster that is built into the transom of a sailboat? Seems like a small electric jet ski-like thruster could push a jet of water and a person would just use the rudder to control directon. On my sailboat it is just a big hassle trying to turn the electric motor, hold onto the rudder, and trying to set sail at the same time. Wayne
Jeff, Thanks for the crack info and also the link. I have never seen an electric motor anything like that before. I find it surprising it can produce the thrust of a six horse gas motor, but then it is built in Germany so maybe it does. What does something like that sell for? If you do buy one for your boat I would be very interested in hearing how it performs. I wonder why someone doesn't invent a small thruster that is built into the transom of a sailboat? Seems like a small electric jet ski-like thruster could push a jet of water and a person would just use the rudder to control directon. On my sailboat it is just a big hassle trying to turn the electric motor, hold onto the rudder, and trying to set sail at the same time. Wayne
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