Just picked up a Catalina 27

[Jared_801]

I'm the Commodore for the Utah Lake Yacht Club. Yes we sail here. We sponsor the only Sea Scout Ship in Utah. Anywho, we just picked up a 1974 Catalina 27. It seems in good shape but I've got lots interesting things here. We really didn't get any info from the previous owner. It looks like furling boom. Not sure I like that set up. Anyone ever seen one of these? The travel is also oddly rigged. In any case we're pulling here out of the water in a week or two for a shave and a haircut.

FYI our club also owns a Catalina 22, 2 Hobie 16's Hobie Fox, Lido 14, G-Cat, Prindle, and a few other random things.

 

[Jon_E]

Furling boom? It looks like the main is flaked and resting on the boom quite naturally.

The traveler / car setup is definitely odd. I haven't seen anything like that before.

Congrats on your new boat. You'll love how she handles.

 

[Jared_801]

I realize the main is flaked, but there are gears at the gooseneck that turn the hole boom.

 

[Joe]

Someone took your traveller car and track. You'll have to replace it.... A Harken car and 4 feet of track plus fasteners will cost you about $250.

The boom and gooseneck are not OEM. It looks like a previous owner modification because who was too cheap to purchase a proper boom from Catalina Yachts.

Do not try to rig up the roller boom......keep it immobilized so you can install a vang, use slab reefing instead. Go to www.catalina27.org to get owner manual, equipment list and other important stuff.

 

[Jared_801]

I do intend to replace the boom. All the standing rigging was replaced a couple of months ago. I've been putting together a spreadsheet full of repairs. I'm up to about $2,000.

Because this will be used by the Sea Scouts we get to use their West Marine account that gets us a discount in lots of stuff.

We'll also have lots of free labour to help clean her up. I haven't found and evidence of delimitation yet.

We are looking for an outboard. We moved her around in the harbor with a little 5hp without a problem but I think we'll go for a 9.9 hp. Some one local does have an Atomic 4 they are selling for $800. Not sure what the cost of installing an inboard would be with a shaft and prop. A few of us know how to rebuild engines.

 

[Jared_801]

We sail her in a fresh water lake only. We only have to motor out about a half mile to get out of the harbor and set the sails.

 

[The Garbone]

If she is an OB from the factory I would advise leaving her that way. One of the fellows at my Marina was a Catalina dealer when these were new and he told me the OB model was a bit faster than the IB. I have a 9.9 long shaft on mine and it works just fine even in a strong blow. You may have to do some cutting on the transom to fit a modern motor.

Looks like you have some extra winches and cleats on there and you are missing your cabin top handrails. Also, that split backstay and tackle tensioner is not a stock setup. Very interesting rig.


Thanks for sharing.

 

[KingAirDriver]

If you are going to go through the trouble of installing an inboard, I would pass on the Atomic and get a M-18 or M20-3 diesel. They are out there for not much more than the Atomic.

 

[Jared_801]

Thanks for the info. I think we'll stick with an outboard. We're defiantly going to replace the boom after we get fix her up. I mean in the end we can still sail her with the current boom.

 

[Joe]

We are looking for an outboard. We moved her around in the harbor with a little 5hp without a problem but I think we'll go for a 9.9 hp. Some one local does have an Atomic 4 they are selling for $800. Not sure what the cost of installing an inboard would be with a shaft and prop. A few of us know how to rebuild engines.

A 9.9 electric start, remote control is optimal for these boats. Look for an older 2 stroke...they're much lighter.... or if you blow the budget, get the lightweight Nissan or Tohatsu 4 stroke.

Until you find the optimal motor, the 5 HP can certainly get you out and back, plus it will tilt up into the well with no modifications. The larger motor will not.... the well was designed with the old Evenrude or Johnson sailmasters in mind.... they had a very low cowling profile.

I leave my Tohatsu down, in neutral, when I'm daysailing.... with the remote and electric start it's just like having an inboard. When I'm done for the day, the motor will tilt up snugly into the well, but I must take off the cowling for it to fit, but then I put on a canvas cover for protection. Been doing it for 15 years that way, no harm to the motor, no noticable loss of speed... Of course, I'm in San Diego, not Utah. But the boat sits in salt water year round. No problems.

Modifying the transom opening to allow the motor to clear without removing the cowling could be a nice project for your scouts sometime down the road. I've seen some interesting solutions.... try google.... or you might call customer service at Catalina Yachts for their thoughts. Besides the opening, the access lid must be altered a bit... the back corner of the cowling will not allow it to close when the motor is tilted up.... I simply removed the hinges from the cover.... it sits up an inch or two... no big deal, because the motor still has the canvas cover.

BTW I've attached a few pics that may be of interes...one of the traveller, a couple of the motor and one looking down in the cockpit showing tha tiller pilot and the location of the remote control box.

 

[Jared_801]

Another question for you guys. Storage. We have a few places store her. One option is on the side of my home. The only reason I'd put it there is we'll have access to power, water, and air compressor and tools.

What is the minimum space required? I know the beam is jus under 9'. I think I have 11' wide and a good 40' deep spot.

 

[Jared_801]

We've been hard at work on our clubs 27. We've named her Pleiades

Some bow work. We'll be painter her dark blue so we used that color for the patch job.

We also beefed up the transom to get the motor to clear the rudder.

Finally got her into her slip.

Added a new steam and deck light and mast light.

Picked up a mast plate so we pulled off the old mast step. We're going to run the wired through and existing hole in the step.

We've still not found boom so we cut a Hobie 14 mast down to size. Not ideal but It's free.

Here is the Frankenstein gooseneck we made. Again not idea but it's free.