There is a difference, and duck!!!
The low boom is probably the biggest drawback of the Capri 22. Basically, assuming the mailsail is up, you can pretty safely assume that you won't have to duck when you tack, so long as you are sitting down. Other than that, it is always a good idea to duck. We installed a Boomkicker to ensure that the boom stayed up at least to the usual height at all times for safety. I am 6'2" and my wife is 5'1", and we both enjoy the safety factor it has added. On the other hand, our 16 month old can stand up with out any need to duck when we tack . . . . . If you are looking for a boat to comfortably sip cocktails while sailing, this is probably not the boat. On the other hand it handles beer in fully gimballed hanger real well, and outruns the cocktail hour folks every day of the week. You get used to the mid-cockpit traveler fairly quickly. They really are two rather different boats that overlap a bit on the ends of each boat's range. The Catalina 22 is more of a small family pocket cruiser that can be raced, and the Capri 22 more of a performance boat that you can cruise with. If you opt for a Capri 22, even if only to cruise with, get one with the racing package or at least retrofit the racing boom, adjustable backstay, etc. onto a regular Capri 22. They just make it so much nicer to sail. We don't race so my comments are based on day sailing. We do like the great stability of the fin keel though . . . . What kind of 27 are you thinking of parting with and where are you? George
