Calling all Catalina 275 owners

Jun 6, 2016
204
Catalina 275 Wilmette, IL
Seeing that we are a small group of C275 owners and rather scattered, I thought I would start the first thread in this newly created group as a place to introduce yourself. That said, I'm the owner of hull #14, purchased in June of 2014. The boat spends its summers in Wilmette Harbor, IL about 12 nm north of downtown Chicago and its winters in a heated facility in Kenosha, WI. The boat replaced a Capri22 and I am really enjoying sailing it, despite the fact that it's not as fast as it looks.

Here's a picture of it right after its first splash in:
P1020341.JPG
 
Feb 23, 2017
6
Catalina C275 Sport Portsmouth, Rhode Island
I own hull #29 "Chipara" and downsized from a Sabre 386 because I wanted to single hand and not be reliant on crew. I love the boat and agree with Codybear, she's not as fast as she looks. That being said, the C275 is no dog and a hoot off the wind with the A sail up. I keep the boat in Portsmouth, RI and sail her from May to October.
DSC_0123.JPG
 
  • Like
Likes: Azure

Azure

.
Mar 5, 2017
27
Catalina 275 Sport 1 San Francisco
Hi Catalina 275 Owners
I am the owner of hull #1. I purchased it in Nova Scotia and had it trucked out to San Francisco Bay.
It had been stored on the hard for two years since purchased at the Toronto Boat Show.
I am currently enjoying the boat and trying to learn as much about her sailing characteristics as I can. San Francisco YRA recently rated her at 150 with a +3 for fixed prop and +3 for small headsail.
I agree with the other owners that she is slower than she looks but for many reasons I am very happy with my purchase.
So far, the only major modification was to add sail tracks to the rail in order to tame leech flutter when reaching.
 

weinie

.
Sep 6, 2010
1,297
Jeanneau 349 port washington, ny
Maybe look into putting a "screacher" type sail on a top down furler on the sprit to boost your sail area, especially in the light stuff.
 

Azure

.
Mar 5, 2017
27
Catalina 275 Sport 1 San Francisco
We have done two Club races and placed second to last both times. I raced double handed with my girlfriend who is learning to sail. Since we are still learning the boat I don't think that we are ready to decide if our rating is correct. In the future I might consider a code zero and a feathering prop.
 
Jun 6, 2016
204
Catalina 275 Wilmette, IL
I'd really like to know how these clubs are coming up with their ratings. I matched myself to a half dozen J/24's on an upwind and they all were going faster and out pointing me. And they have a PHRF of 171. And I have no doubt they would do the same from A to C. Even my club has given me something in the 160's, where I was not told of the exact number. Us C275 owners can thank Gerry for our PHRF woes when he appended "Sport" to the name of our boat. A word that should never be in the same sentence as "Catalina 275". A Seascape 27, yes (but even they don't use it); a C275, no. I've done my fair share of small boat OD racing and much prefer that any day. There are way too many variables and inaccuracy in PHRF to make it legitimate in my eyes.
 

Azure

.
Mar 5, 2017
27
Catalina 275 Sport 1 San Francisco
Well I am still trying to discover characteristics of the boat and make tweaks to improve performance. Next year I might appeal my handicap. I am glad that you started this thread to share information and also it can be used as evidence when presenting an appeal. Do you have any hints that you can share about sail handling in different conditions.
 
Jun 6, 2016
204
Catalina 275 Wilmette, IL
In order to prevent ourselves from hijacking our own thread, we should probably create a new thread under Catalina 275.
 
Mar 20, 2012
17
Hunter 28.5 leach lake Walker mn.
Hi all.. I purchased Hull #2 at the Chicago boat show, winter of 2014. I love everything about the boat except the PERF rating. I purchased a very flat spin (sorta code 0). I use it on a top down furler, I also have the factory Doyle spin. If you didn't get a spin your missing out on a lot of fun. I got the light blue version... its growing on me..I think. (I never saw the dark blue before. I like the white!)
 
Jun 6, 2016
204
Catalina 275 Wilmette, IL
(I like the white!)
There is a slight mod to my boat. Catalina sands to within 3/4 to 1" of the stripe for the application of the bottom paint as you see on hull #5:

Hull5.JPG


Don't ask me why. So you end up with a lot of exposed bottom paint. So I spent the time to buff out their extremely high water line and created a wider line between the stripe and the bottom paint as you can see in my picture in post #1. As for spins, I just have the stock spin that looks like this on a light wind day beam reaching:

C274_14_Spin.jpg
 
Jun 6, 2016
204
Catalina 275 Wilmette, IL
I purchased Hull #2 at the Chicago boat show, winter of 2014.
Forgot to say, my wife and I spent a lot of time on your boat at Strictly Sail making up our minds. Also crawled all over with my camera (unfortunately, deleted almost all) so I could plan on my enhancements. So I guess I should say thanks for letting me spend time on your then future boat.
 

PMK

.
Dec 3, 2016
43
Catalina 275S Annapolis, MD
Hello All. I purchased Hull #9 in January and launched in Annapolis last week. I am the boat's first owner. My previous boat, which I owned for 15 years was a C&C 110 (37 ft). I plan to race my boat "Cloud Nine" and was surprised by the rating assigned by the handicappers for PHRF Chesapeake: 138/141 spin/NS for Windward/Leeward and 132/141 for random leg courses. I was expecting a rating higher that 180 and asked the handicappers to recheck their assessment. I'll let the group know the outcome of the reassessment.
 
Feb 23, 2017
6
Catalina C275 Sport Portsmouth, Rhode Island
PM - PHRF of Narragansett Bay came up with the same numbers, just slightly higher than a J88! It's pretty discouraging.
 
Jun 6, 2016
204
Catalina 275 Wilmette, IL
138/141 spin/NS for Windward/Leeward and 132/141 for random leg courses. I was expecting a rating higher that 180 and asked the handicappers to recheck their assessment.
The curse of the word "Sport". Contact Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound and see if 189 was a fair rating (see YRALIS ratings). I suspect these low ratings are coming from people that do not understand that the C275 is not a planing hull and is subject to the resistance of the bow wave just like most boats. Further, the C275 is not a 5000 pound boat. If you have a chance to weigh your boat, have it weighed. Unfortunately, sales of C275's have peaked and there is not enough of them out there to correctly assess the rating.

Otherwise, congratulation on your purchase and don't worry about the rating too much. Someone has to come in last.
 
Jun 6, 2016
204
Catalina 275 Wilmette, IL
Another option, invite the person that assigned your rating to come out and skipper your boat for a race and see how close he comes to his own rating. May be the quickest way to get your rating changed.
 
Jul 13, 2017
10
Catalina 275 Annapolis
Hi, I'm a potential future owner, though I wouldn't buy until the October boat show here in Annapolis to get the show discounts. I'm not completely surprised about PHRF Chesapeake; they habitually rate boats as faster than in other regions of the country &, let's face it--they don't care about a boat unless it rates ~100 or better. As a result, racing at the bottom end is all but dead. Which means either buy a hot rocket with a dedicated crew of 5-6 (under age 35), an overpriced J, or a (dying) legacy class. What I've currently got is a Colgate 26 which has been a fine boat, but I'm thinking a bit more of a cabin would be nice, not to mention a boom I don't have to bend over to get under (-: I'm building up a list of questions about this model, but perhaps should start a new thread instead of hijacking this one?
 

PMK

.
Dec 3, 2016
43
Catalina 275S Annapolis, MD
Hi Snarkhunter, I bought my C275 early this year and have been sailing and racing out of Annapolis (Back Creek) this season. It would be great to see another C275 on the Annapolis waters! Let me know if you would like to see my boat and join me for a sail or a race.
 
Jul 13, 2017
10
Catalina 275 Annapolis
Great! I & a couple of my regulars have been trying to arrange a test sail for over a year without any luck! Can you take 2-3 of us out at some point (ie, myself and 1-2 of my crew)? 2 of us are retired & could go during the week, but the one I'd really like out there to give an opinion is still on the job and could only make it on a weekend. I myself wouldn't mind racing, either.

My current boat, Redshift, is drysailed out of Bert Jabin's. One issue is whether their forklifts would still be able to lift the boat in and out of the water--there's a publicity photo with the boat on the lift, but a phone call got the (anonymous) answer that it wouldn't work.
 

Thos

.
Aug 2, 2017
3
Catalina 275s PCYC
Dear All,
By means of introduction I bought hull #8 here in Toronto from Swans Yacht Sales at the end of the 2014 season. My wife and I sail out of Port Credit Yacht Club and have done a bit of offshore doublehanded as well as a few club races. Have the top down stock spin and a feathering Kiwi prop.
The original phrf rating was 175 spin and 214 NFS which changed to 162 and 202 after the prop change. Basically we trail the fleet even with good crew and few snags on the course.
Boat name is That'lldo and she suits our purposes nicely. Pic is of my wife comfortably dressed for unseasonably cold July sail this year.
Much appreciate the threads and am glad to have the chance for contact if and when necessary.
 

Attachments