C270 Fin verses Wing keel question

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CalCat

CalCat

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Mar 6, 2013
5
Catalina Capri 22 Dana Point
I'm getting ready to move up from my Capri 22 to a C270. My 22 has the wing keel that only points 'ok'. Seems not too many folks own the fin keel, so I'd really appreciate hearing from a C270 owner with a fin - how well do you point? Thanks in advance!
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
22,783
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
General consensus on the difference is that fins point "better" than wing keels. How much is always open to debate.
 
J

jimg

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Jun 5, 2004
175
catalina 27 dana point
C270 keel

All else being equal, there is absolutely no benefit to a wing keel anywhere around Dana Point (or pretty much anywhere else in SoCal for that matter).
 
CalCat

CalCat

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Mar 6, 2013
5
Catalina Capri 22 Dana Point
That's a great point JimG... I don't trailer and the harbor is plenty deep. Do you know if there's an optional tall rig to go with the 270, or is the tall rig automatically mated to a fin keel boat?
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
22,783
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Catalina provided tall rigs as OPTIONS, having nothing to do with the keel. For instance, some folks in thin water with light winds bought fin keels with tall rigs.

In general, the experience with tall rigs is that you simply have to reef sooner.
 
CalCat

CalCat

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Mar 6, 2013
5
Catalina Capri 22 Dana Point
Oh really! But that wouldn't stop someone from installing a C28MII mast, for an extra 3 feet in height?
 
Meriachee

Meriachee

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Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
Why would you install a 28 mast? The boat sails quite fine as it is, a properly set up rig and a 155 (plus a couple of inches in the foot) makes it go just fine. Well trimmed the boat sails itself it's so well balanced, and mine doesn't give anything away to the locals.
 
CalCat

CalCat

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Mar 6, 2013
5
Catalina Capri 22 Dana Point
It's just wishful thinking on my part, Meriachee. My current boat has a Sail_Area/Displacement ratio of 21 with the Standard rig (the tall rig is over 24!). Before that I owned several Hobie Cats - so I'm accustomed to light, tipsy but fast and responsive boats. The 270's S/D is 15. I've always preferred access to too much sail verses too little... but I probably need to rethink my priorities with a bigger boat. I'm glad to hear your comments about the 270 as a capable, spirited boat with its stock setup. Thank you!
 
Meriachee

Meriachee

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Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
Ha. She ain't no Hobie, in fact, the Admiral particularly likes the idea of having something better than 7.5 seconds to get stuff stowed before there's water comin' in. The thing that caught my thought was how much money you'd spend for a mast and rigging and lines and sails and on and on, and when you look at it from a cost/benefit perspective, buy a 155 and a Hobie. Use the 155 to make the Cat go, and the Hobie to do the wild thing, and use it like a dingy, and go on a vacation with the thousands you don't spend.
Either that, or just buy a 28mkii and watch the 270's do circles around you. (With respect to the 28mkii, of which I would still like one)
 
CalCat

CalCat

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Mar 6, 2013
5
Catalina Capri 22 Dana Point
Ha ha... the 270 is my first choice for sure. The 28mkII is 2000lb heavier so that was never an option (although they are nice boats down below, I agree). Hey, how do you like the clew location for the jib? It's on the cabin verses the rail, correct? Thanks!!
 
LakeOntario270

LakeOntario270

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Jan 4, 2013
270
Catalina 270 Rochester, NY
I think the cabin top winches are fine. However, if you want to use anything bigger than a 135 you should have the tracks on the deck and a second set of winches otherwise you don't have enough length to move the cart to really adjust things. I don't think you need a 155 anyway. Huge sails are only needed for going down wind, not up wind. For my boat I have a brand new 135 genoa I'm dying to try out, cursed winter. For down wind I have a asymmetrical spinnaker and a extra set of winches which will far outperform a 155 genoa,
 
K

keys please

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Dec 31, 2012
91
Catalina 28 mkll #649 Port Charlotte, fl

I came very close to buying a 270 meriachee.. as I to like your circle concept, but then realized that I am less into racing and more into cruising and... mostly into comfort and cruising..... so opted for the 28 mkll with a wing keel which does a great job is south Florida. all the best...
 
Meriachee

Meriachee

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Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
I would have bought the 28 over the 270, the admiral likes to bake, and fresh muffins is reason enough for a 28! The obvious drawbacks, the 28's that we found did not have trailers, and that's a logistical nightmare from 500 miles away (or however far) and even with a 3/4 ton diesel, the extra 2000 lbs is a stretch, not to mention that the 270 is BARELY legal, and the 28 is a lot wider (highway wise), so for us, the 270 was the choice.

I have a 135 and I know that the 155 will fit on the cabintop tracks. I added the winches at the back, and am working on a couple of spacer blocks to raise the lines above the cabintop so it doesn't wear the gel at the back of the track. In fact, a slightly longer foot (by a couple of inches) than a spec 155 will fit just fine on the cabin top. (There's a nice roll of laminate at FX waiting for a phone call after the mast is up and the tape measure comes out)

The difference in performance between the 135 and the 155 is not insignificant. I know of a few folks who have a 155, and they would never go back. I got a drifter from National for light downwind and it flies just fine wing and wing.

I'd really like to have an honest drag race with a 28 (wing) to see the difference. I know the 270 accelerates better, but a well understood 28 could use the extra weight to a huge momentum advantage in a forced ownership campaign on the course. :)

Cheers
Gary
 
LakeOntario270

LakeOntario270

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Jan 4, 2013
270
Catalina 270 Rochester, NY
I decided if I found the 270 too small I would find the 28 too small also so I might as well get a 30ft Catalina. The 28 was also more money by about 10K.

My wife would never bake on a boat so you are lucky. I will never buy a 28, 30 or 32ft Catalina anyway. Next stop, 355!!!
 
Meriachee

Meriachee

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Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
The rear access on the 28 is much more convenient than the 270, and the general shape of the seating is better for reading your book, we both noticed that after spending some time on a 28.
I think the berth area on the 315 is pretty adequate. We spent a few hours in a 355 at the Vancouver show this year, and I must say that I don't really like the "4 square" table. Yeah, it's got advantages, but for that much money, I don't want to look at hinges while I'm having my lunch. The Macgregor days are long gone!
 
Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Meriachee said:
I
The difference in performance between the 135 and the 155 is not insignificant. I know of a few folks who have a 155, and they would never go back. I got a drifter from National for light downwind and it flies just fine wing and wing.
Click to expand
Right. All else being equal, until a boat is fully powered up with a smaller headsail, a larger one will always be faster.
 
K

keys please

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Dec 31, 2012
91
Catalina 28 mkll #649 Port Charlotte, fl
sorry for the tardy reply but been down in the keys for the past week... i would also like a 350 but my lift will only handle 10,000.lbs..... at some point will have to get a bigger lift... and then.... allthe best...
 
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