Catalina 22 vs. Coronado 25?

[Odie132]

I currently have a '77 Catalina 22 swing keel and I really like the boat. My only issue is its limitations as far as size... Being over 6' tall makes the cabin feel really cramped. I have an opportunity to get a '69 Coronado 25 for next to nothing. Admittedly my Catalina is in much better condition as I have been slowly restoring it over the past several months and the skills I've learned working on the Catalina will serve me well if I were to tackle the Coronado. The Coronado will need a bit more work than my Catalina did but I don't think it's anything I can't handle.

My question(s) for all of you with more experience/knowledge than me is which boat will serve me better for coastal sailing and overall enjoyment? I'm looking to eventually move up to a larger boat than 25' but the Coronado opportunity is here now. Assuming both boats were in similar condition, is one boat sturdier and better suited for sailing than the other? How much harder will the Coronado be to launch from a trailer than the Catalina? Will I regret choosing one boat over the other?

Any input or opinions would be welcomed!

 

[SenecaDaze]

My friend sails a 69 Coronado, more headroom than a cat22 but is a fixedkeel so forget about trailering. The Coronado is twice the boat in displacement but they are nearly evenly matched in hull speed. Another friend has sailed his catalina22 for 26 years which to me is a good indicator of its utility.

 

[Ray Bowles]

I sailed a Catalina 22 for a good many years and found it would out perform most boats 25 feet and less. Not all, most. I have sailed a Catalina 25 and it is similar to the Coranado 25. Both are somewhat heavy for their size and other than the extra room I found I liked my C22 much better. It is also much easier to find parts for and advise on.

We all sail for different reasons and enjoy different boats. If the Coranodo fits your style of sailing better then that is the best choice.
Ray

 

[higgs]

I do not remember the Coronado as being a trailerable boat. Fixed keel and is the mast one that can be stepped from a trailer?

 

[Apex]

Coronado in 69 vintage has Frank Butler's hand in the mix as well, I believe. They are very similar and the Coronado (speaking from a friend who has a Coronado 34) is a well founded and solid boat. A 25 is a great sized boat, our first keelboat was a Catalina 25. We moved up last summer to an Oday 28.

 

[rgranger]

I currently have a '77 Catalina 22 swing keel and I really like the boat. ... I have an opportunity to get a '69 Coronado 25 for next to nothing.

I've been down this exact road before. I have owned a MacGregor 22, and in graduate school my thesis adviser had a Catalina 22. And I have owned a Coronado 25' for about 5 years.

Here is what I can tell you about the two boats. The Coronado has a LOT more interior room. It is comfortable for an overnight. A 6hp outboard will push it just fine and the transom motor well is a very nice feature. It is NOT a trailerable boat. That is not to say that you could not set it up but the mast on the Coronado is very heavy. I had to drop mine to do some repairs on the sheaves and I just about gave myself a hernia lowering it. I'm a strong guy and have actually competed in state championship power lifting competitions so let me just say that without a cleaver mast raising system and a well set up trailer with rollers and breaks and an extension tongue ... you are not launching the Coronado from a trailer. Sailing wise!!!! she really shows her stuff in heavy wind. I took mine out one afternoon about an hour after the remnants of Hurricane Hanna passed over my home reservoir. We laid the gunnwale in the water and hit 9+ kt all afternoon. Always felt safe and secure (until the genoa sheet parted ) but she rounded right up and all was good.

The reason I sold the Coronado is because I got bored sailing the same waters over and over. The Coronado 25' is the only boat I've ever owned that was "stuck" at a marina.

My Mac 22 was a fantastic boat... but for different reasons. I trailered her to all sorts of adventures in the Chesapeake Bay, Albamarle sound, Pamlico sound etc. But it was cramped. And as my kids got bigger and my wife got tired of "camping" on the boat I felt I needed something larger or I would lose my crew. I sold the Mac 22 and got a Balboa 26'.

It seems like you are going through some similar cost-benefit analyses. Spend some time soul searching and make sure you really understand how you want to use the boat. If you think you could be happy with your boat at a marina and would like hanging out at the marina on the weekends... then the Coronado 25' has a lot to offer as far as space and accommodations go. If you think that would get old fast, then think about getting a Mac 25, 26D or 26S or a Rhodes 22, or even a Coronado 23' (I've owed one of those before too). The Mac 25' is actually very similar to the Catalina 22 in looks. It has a cast iron swing keel etc. but it also has a pop top and an enclosed head. Those are all much larger boats than the Catalina 22 but still trailerable. My Balboa 26' is huge compared to the Catalina 22 ... it has a mast raising system and is just barely trailerable. It takes me about 90 min. to set and launch her from the trailer.

The first two pics are my old Coronado 25'. The middle pic is my old Mac22. The last tow are of my current boat (Balboa 26).

 

[Apex]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Butler_(founder)

 

[kito]

Keep the c22. The 25 may be cheap but I bet you will put more money in it than it's worth. Plus, 2 years down the road you will be complaining about still not having enough headroom and being more of a pain to trailer. I have a c22 and am 6'5" but it is what it is. I avoided the 2' syndrome and went with a H30 that I can be comfortable in. I got my c22 for a song so may keep her for weekends at local lakes.

 

[Dan Johnson]

rgranger...

Attached is a pix of my Cor 27--note the strong resemblence to your 25.

 

[higgs]

I think you have to look at what you want to do with the boat. The Coronado will be more seaworthy and perform better in the heavy stuff, but will not give you the flexibility of a trailerable boat. The Cat will handle heavy weather, but will not perform as well in those conditions. On the other hand, light air performance goes to the Cat. What are your likely uses for the boat? Definately more room in the Cor.