I have been looking to purchase a 1979 Catalina 27. Anything I should be looking for? Problem areas? Thanks!
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Catalina 27 (79)
The Catalina 27's have all kinds of problems, but almost all of them are common to other boat brands; an older boat is going to have more problems. None of the problems are "catastrophic" but are irritants and can be repaired, this from a long list like leaky windows, leaking stanchions, leaking around the chain plate, etc. The only problem that will challenge, and it too is repairable, is the cut out in the transom for a motor (if your's has one). The cut out is designed for a smaller 2 stroke engine. When you go to purchase a new engine, you'll find you have only 4 strokes available - with a larger profile taking more room - which requires a larger cut out, a new type of bracket applied, or as I did, had the hole filled in and a power bracket applied. My boat is a 75 and had none of the "modern" amenities added, such as shore power, and adequate electrical power while under way to run things like a small 700 watt microwave, chart plotter, radar, etc. If you are getting an older boat, then come equipped with the psyche that there will be problems but you will take care of them. There are magazines and books dedicated to "reviving" older boats. To be honest, when I purchased my boat I past up on a survey. I knew the guy would hand me a long list of problems and it would discourage me from purchasing my Catalina. Instead I used the money saved to repair two problems my boat had. The hull on the boat was sound and that was basically all I cared about. Many areas of the boat need to be twigged, repaired, replaced, or polished. I started with the most "impacting" problems the boat had and I'm working my way down the list. You will find a lot of help on this forum, other forums, and sites of people who have "revived" their Catalina 27 and posted how to do it. One of the advantages of the Catalina is that there are so many of them around that the internet supports the care and maintenance of them quite well. This may not seem like much until you see some poor sap who has purchased a very small production run boat asking for help and no one responds. In England, it is the rage to purchase an older boat and bring them back to life. This concept is growing in North America, but will never be as popular due to the higher wages allowing purchases of more recent yeared boats. The Catalina 27 is a sound boat and will give you years of pleasure, but the boat you are looking at will most likely have issues you will need to address; if you are willing to accept that premise, you should enjoy many years of sailing on her.
The Catalina 27's have all kinds of problems, but almost all of them are common to other boat brands; an older boat is going to have more problems. None of the problems are "catastrophic" but are irritants and can be repaired, this from a long list like leaky windows, leaking stanchions, leaking around the chain plate, etc. The only problem that will challenge, and it too is repairable, is the cut out in the transom for a motor (if your's has one). The cut out is designed for a smaller 2 stroke engine. When you go to purchase a new engine, you'll find you have only 4 strokes available - with a larger profile taking more room - which requires a larger cut out, a new type of bracket applied, or as I did, had the hole filled in and a power bracket applied. My boat is a 75 and had none of the "modern" amenities added, such as shore power, and adequate electrical power while under way to run things like a small 700 watt microwave, chart plotter, radar, etc. If you are getting an older boat, then come equipped with the psyche that there will be problems but you will take care of them. There are magazines and books dedicated to "reviving" older boats. To be honest, when I purchased my boat I past up on a survey. I knew the guy would hand me a long list of problems and it would discourage me from purchasing my Catalina. Instead I used the money saved to repair two problems my boat had. The hull on the boat was sound and that was basically all I cared about. Many areas of the boat need to be twigged, repaired, replaced, or polished. I started with the most "impacting" problems the boat had and I'm working my way down the list. You will find a lot of help on this forum, other forums, and sites of people who have "revived" their Catalina 27 and posted how to do it. One of the advantages of the Catalina is that there are so many of them around that the internet supports the care and maintenance of them quite well. This may not seem like much until you see some poor sap who has purchased a very small production run boat asking for help and no one responds. In England, it is the rage to purchase an older boat and bring them back to life. This concept is growing in North America, but will never be as popular due to the higher wages allowing purchases of more recent yeared boats. The Catalina 27 is a sound boat and will give you years of pleasure, but the boat you are looking at will most likely have issues you will need to address; if you are willing to accept that premise, you should enjoy many years of sailing on her.
J
jimg
Cat 27 ditto
I agree with just about all that rsn48 said. You may hear how you absolutely must replace keel bolts, put in new bulkheads, add new chainplates, and change the spreader brackets. The truth is that you probably don't for most of the sailing most of us do. Look at the boat carefully (I bought mine without a survey, also) and assume that you'll have to do some work. Also, on a boat in this price range, sails could be a very big percentage of the total cost if you needed to buy new ones. Make sure the sail inventory is in decent shape. My only different comment would be that if it is an outboard model, I would not change the transom to fit a new 4 stroke motor. There is an enormous supply of used 2 strokes out there, and they're cheap and easy to repair. The 80's Johnson/Evinrudes fit perfectly and are readily available for a quarter of the price of a new 4 stroke.
I agree with just about all that rsn48 said. You may hear how you absolutely must replace keel bolts, put in new bulkheads, add new chainplates, and change the spreader brackets. The truth is that you probably don't for most of the sailing most of us do. Look at the boat carefully (I bought mine without a survey, also) and assume that you'll have to do some work. Also, on a boat in this price range, sails could be a very big percentage of the total cost if you needed to buy new ones. Make sure the sail inventory is in decent shape. My only different comment would be that if it is an outboard model, I would not change the transom to fit a new 4 stroke motor. There is an enormous supply of used 2 strokes out there, and they're cheap and easy to repair. The 80's Johnson/Evinrudes fit perfectly and are readily available for a quarter of the price of a new 4 stroke.
So, what they are trying to say is....
Check the keel bolts for rust. If they still have threads that's good. Check the bulkheads for rot inside where the chainplates attach and below. Check the deck for staturation by dropping/ bouncing a screwdriver handle on it while holding it by the tip and letting go from a few inches above. If it bounces that's good. If it doesn't bounce then water has gotten in. Those are the three big issues. If the boat passes those we have more. I recently bought a '74 C-27. I haven't sailed it yet but I love it. Lots of work though. Badge'
Check the keel bolts for rust. If they still have threads that's good. Check the bulkheads for rot inside where the chainplates attach and below. Check the deck for staturation by dropping/ bouncing a screwdriver handle on it while holding it by the tip and letting go from a few inches above. If it bounces that's good. If it doesn't bounce then water has gotten in. Those are the three big issues. If the boat passes those we have more. I recently bought a '74 C-27. I haven't sailed it yet but I love it. Lots of work though. Badge'
B
BB
Any info re: small crack in the keel?
Thanks for the suggestions in looking at the boat. The advice was both accurate and helpful. Great seller who is willing to help out with taking care of any leaks or problems prior to sale. One remaining question: The boat has a seperation in the keel at about where it joins with the hull. I was told that this crack has been fixed before and returns every year. Any advice re: cause or repair?
Thanks for the suggestions in looking at the boat. The advice was both accurate and helpful. Great seller who is willing to help out with taking care of any leaks or problems prior to sale. One remaining question: The boat has a seperation in the keel at about where it joins with the hull. I was told that this crack has been fixed before and returns every year. Any advice re: cause or repair?
T
Tom Monroe
It's commonly called ...
... the "Catalina smile." You'll find a bunch a stuff related to it in the archives. Two possible causes: 1. In those older models, there is a piece of wood that acts as a spacer down there under the bildge. I think it might be called a keelson. Anyway, if water gets into it, it rots allows play in the keelbolts, which then causes the smile-shaped crack you're seeing. If this is the problem, it's a big one. 2. But, more commonly, and much more likely in your case, it's caused by improperly blocking the keel when the boat is stored for the winter. The keel has a slight slant to it, making the fore edge have a shallower daft than the aft edge. So if the boat is just sat down on some level blocking, more weight can rest on the keel's trailing edge than the fore edge. This pulls the top fore edge if the keel away from the hull, and you see the smile. The cure is to first properly block the boat, then tighten the keel bolts to factory spec (call catalina and they'll tell you the torque). The expoxy the smile and repaint the hull. Pay attention to badger's comments. They're right on, and I'd add that the spreader sockets need to have been retro'd ... probably already have. (Maybe I shouldn't dampen your enthusiasm by making rude comments about the designer of the Princess stove.) Go to www.catalina27.org, join, and sign up for the forum. All kinds of people there, including me, willing to help you.
... the "Catalina smile." You'll find a bunch a stuff related to it in the archives. Two possible causes: 1. In those older models, there is a piece of wood that acts as a spacer down there under the bildge. I think it might be called a keelson. Anyway, if water gets into it, it rots allows play in the keelbolts, which then causes the smile-shaped crack you're seeing. If this is the problem, it's a big one. 2. But, more commonly, and much more likely in your case, it's caused by improperly blocking the keel when the boat is stored for the winter. The keel has a slight slant to it, making the fore edge have a shallower daft than the aft edge. So if the boat is just sat down on some level blocking, more weight can rest on the keel's trailing edge than the fore edge. This pulls the top fore edge if the keel away from the hull, and you see the smile. The cure is to first properly block the boat, then tighten the keel bolts to factory spec (call catalina and they'll tell you the torque). The expoxy the smile and repaint the hull. Pay attention to badger's comments. They're right on, and I'd add that the spreader sockets need to have been retro'd ... probably already have. (Maybe I shouldn't dampen your enthusiasm by making rude comments about the designer of the Princess stove.) Go to www.catalina27.org, join, and sign up for the forum. All kinds of people there, including me, willing to help you.
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