Hi, I am new to sailing and I am looking at a Catalina 25 with a fixed keel. What Is the best way to go fixed or retractable? I am told by the sellers it is a self righting boat. I do worry about heeling over, if that is the right term. I plan on using it on the Columbia River and large lakes. I also was trying to determine the weight since I am going to pull it with a half ton pickup. I plan on taking lessons soon and hoped that this boat would be a good one to learn with. Also I am near retirement and may be doing allot of sailing on my own. Is this boat easy for one person to sail? Thanks
Fixed Keel or retractable?
- Thread starter Dellray
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Are you going to be a "Trailer Sailer"?
I think that either model is designed to be similar in balance, since the fixed keel is heavier, but has slightly less draft. The swing keel is going to need more draft, but is slightly lighter in weight, so they seem to balance out. One positive of the swing keel is that you can raise it off the bottom if you run aground, while you need to employ other tactics with a fixed keel under the same circumstances. Best advice is, do not run aground. Someday I'll take my own advice. Your biggest concern should be how do you launch the fixed keel boat?; since it needs deeper water to get it floating off of the trailer. If you are going to travel to different locations as your post said, you may want to give preference to the swing keel. As far as heeling goes, there are several ways to address it. First, the boat needs to heel some when sailing, and in very light wind, you would even move weight to the lee side to give the boat some heel (it increases the waterline). If the wind is heavy and the boat heels too much for comfort, ease the sheets a little to spill some wind, or better yet, put a reef in the mainsail and use a smaller jib. The displacement weight of a swing keel is 4150lbs and a fin keel is 4550lbs. You need to add the weight of the trailer, outboard, and accessaries too. Look up your 1/2 ton pickup's towing rating for the answer.
I think that either model is designed to be similar in balance, since the fixed keel is heavier, but has slightly less draft. The swing keel is going to need more draft, but is slightly lighter in weight, so they seem to balance out. One positive of the swing keel is that you can raise it off the bottom if you run aground, while you need to employ other tactics with a fixed keel under the same circumstances. Best advice is, do not run aground. Someday I'll take my own advice. Your biggest concern should be how do you launch the fixed keel boat?; since it needs deeper water to get it floating off of the trailer. If you are going to travel to different locations as your post said, you may want to give preference to the swing keel. As far as heeling goes, there are several ways to address it. First, the boat needs to heel some when sailing, and in very light wind, you would even move weight to the lee side to give the boat some heel (it increases the waterline). If the wind is heavy and the boat heels too much for comfort, ease the sheets a little to spill some wind, or better yet, put a reef in the mainsail and use a smaller jib. The displacement weight of a swing keel is 4150lbs and a fin keel is 4550lbs. You need to add the weight of the trailer, outboard, and accessaries too. Look up your 1/2 ton pickup's towing rating for the answer.
Try the C25 Association
website, they're experts on this boat. Easy to sail: you betcha!, and safe, too. http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=3 also see the post right below yours on the Ask a Catalina board: http://www.sailboatowners.com/forums/pviewall.tpl?fno=22&uid=73200280089&SKU=2007044082812.1
website, they're experts on this boat. Easy to sail: you betcha!, and safe, too. http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=3 also see the post right below yours on the Ask a Catalina board: http://www.sailboatowners.com/forums/pviewall.tpl?fno=22&uid=73200280089&SKU=2007044082812.1
Swing, wing or fixed
First, ask this question at the C25 site as Stu suggested. Next, It really depends on the kind of sailing your going to do. If you plan to trailer/sailer mostly, then there's no question that the swinger is the way to go. Launching a fin keel from a trailer requires LOTS of water depth, probably a trailer extension of significant length and, from what I've been able to glean from similar research, significant experience launching. While technically possible, not practically realistic. The next option for trailer sailoring would be a wing keel. Shorter than a fin but longer than a retracted swinger. Also not a snap to launch but requires a little less water. If you're committed to trailer/sailer, look at the C250 water ballast.
First, ask this question at the C25 site as Stu suggested. Next, It really depends on the kind of sailing your going to do. If you plan to trailer/sailer mostly, then there's no question that the swinger is the way to go. Launching a fin keel from a trailer requires LOTS of water depth, probably a trailer extension of significant length and, from what I've been able to glean from similar research, significant experience launching. While technically possible, not practically realistic. The next option for trailer sailoring would be a wing keel. Shorter than a fin but longer than a retracted swinger. Also not a snap to launch but requires a little less water. If you're committed to trailer/sailer, look at the C250 water ballast.
Don't worry
The catalina 25 would be very hard to capsize. I sailed one for 16 years with complete confidence. Ours was a fixed keel model, but I sailed alongside many swing keeled boats. They are pretty comparable. Both myself and others have sailed with the 150% headsail in way too much wind, without serious difficulty. Although during one such episode my wife refused to release the jibsheet because the cleat and winch were under water due to excessive heel! If you are going to be trailering and ramp launching, then get a swing keel model. That's what they're for. BTW- the C25 is a great sailing boat, that is, it sails well. And $12,000 is a little high, but that's a good looking trailer.
The catalina 25 would be very hard to capsize. I sailed one for 16 years with complete confidence. Ours was a fixed keel model, but I sailed alongside many swing keeled boats. They are pretty comparable. Both myself and others have sailed with the 150% headsail in way too much wind, without serious difficulty. Although during one such episode my wife refused to release the jibsheet because the cleat and winch were under water due to excessive heel! If you are going to be trailering and ramp launching, then get a swing keel model. That's what they're for. BTW- the C25 is a great sailing boat, that is, it sails well. And $12,000 is a little high, but that's a good looking trailer.
Let's Sail
I have a 25' swing keel above Ice Harbor Dam on the Snake River. There are 4-5 25's there and it's a great boat for the area. Although it's still to cold for me I plan on being out in April and would be glad to have you out. Bill
I have a 25' swing keel above Ice Harbor Dam on the Snake River. There are 4-5 25's there and it's a great boat for the area. Although it's still to cold for me I plan on being out in April and would be glad to have you out. Bill
C 25 is a great boat
I had a C 25 swing keel for 2 years and pulled it with a dodge 2000 8 Cyl. Pulling the boat was no big deal. stoping was much harder,I needed stoping room.I had no breaks on the trailer but moved the boat less then 20ml.The hard part was finding a boat ramp that was deep enought to float the boat off the trailer.I have had some ramps that i needed to take the air out of the tire to float off and 4x4 will make things much easer to pull the boat out ,The ramps are wet and slipery and most ramps are short in the fall becouse the water gos down I had a winch on the frount of the truck to pull me out .(I had 2WD) .I think a 1/2 tone truck would need a WT distributing hitch with snap bars to cut down on sway and smooth out the ride I bought one from draw tight for $350 bucks I bull a 12000 lb trailer with a F350 DSL( very smooth ride) John
I had a C 25 swing keel for 2 years and pulled it with a dodge 2000 8 Cyl. Pulling the boat was no big deal. stoping was much harder,I needed stoping room.I had no breaks on the trailer but moved the boat less then 20ml.The hard part was finding a boat ramp that was deep enought to float the boat off the trailer.I have had some ramps that i needed to take the air out of the tire to float off and 4x4 will make things much easer to pull the boat out ,The ramps are wet and slipery and most ramps are short in the fall becouse the water gos down I had a winch on the frount of the truck to pull me out .(I had 2WD) .I think a 1/2 tone truck would need a WT distributing hitch with snap bars to cut down on sway and smooth out the ride I bought one from draw tight for $350 bucks I bull a 12000 lb trailer with a F350 DSL( very smooth ride) John
C 25 is a great boat
I had a C 25 swing keel for 2 years and pulled it with a dodge 2000 8 Cyl. Pulling the boat was no big deal. stoping was much harder,I needed stoping room.I had no breaks on the trailer but moved the boat less then 20ml.The hard part was finding a boat ramp that was deep enought to float the boat off the trailer.I have had some ramps that i needed to take the air out of the tire to float off and 4x4 will make things much easer to pull the boat out ,The ramps are wet and slipery and most ramps are short in the fall becouse the water gos down I had a winch on the frount of the truck to pull me out .(I had 2WD) .I think a 1/2 tone truck would need a WT distributing hitch with snap bars to cut down on sway and smooth out the ride I bought one from draw tight for $350 bucks I bull a 12000 lb trailer with a F350 DSL( very smooth ride) John
I had a C 25 swing keel for 2 years and pulled it with a dodge 2000 8 Cyl. Pulling the boat was no big deal. stoping was much harder,I needed stoping room.I had no breaks on the trailer but moved the boat less then 20ml.The hard part was finding a boat ramp that was deep enought to float the boat off the trailer.I have had some ramps that i needed to take the air out of the tire to float off and 4x4 will make things much easer to pull the boat out ,The ramps are wet and slipery and most ramps are short in the fall becouse the water gos down I had a winch on the frount of the truck to pull me out .(I had 2WD) .I think a 1/2 tone truck would need a WT distributing hitch with snap bars to cut down on sway and smooth out the ride I bought one from draw tight for $350 bucks I bull a 12000 lb trailer with a F350 DSL( very smooth ride) John
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