Moving Up

[SailAway1]

I currently have a C22 that I absolutely love. The admiral says that she wants something bigger with an enclosed head so I've decided to start looking for a Catalina 250. We also plan to trailer the boat to multiple locations so a water ballast model is preferred. I've read dozens of reviews about the 250 but I would like some first hand advice from some real owners about specific problems with the 250 to look out for.
Greg

 

[Stu Jackson]

Good move, you'll double the volume of the boat.

Go to the C25/C250 forum for specific answers: http://catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/default.asp?CAT_ID=1

Great guys, in addition to this forum.

 

[SailAway1]

Thanks for the great advice Stu. I just joined and posted the same message.
Greg

 

[CaptDon01]

When we decided to get a bigger boat, (we had a Capri-18), We also wanted a C-250, water ballast, with the wheel steering,(serious "cool factor"!!). I searched and found one, but at the time we dry-sailed our C-18, and the C-250 was not able to be lifted by our crane at the club with a sling,(not recommended by Catalina). Our BIG reason was "pottie-privacy" with the C-250 and her enclosed head. So we decided to go back to a C-22, and found a wing keeled MK-II version. The C-22 had the "pottie-privacy" we wanted, but I didin't like having to move it at night if we slept in the V-berth. And I didn't like having to back into the V-berth, and found myself sleeping on the MK-II's quarter berths, (completely different interior that the old C-22's). Then I got looking at the MK-II's V-berth set-up one day, and with a very minor modification, I turned the V-berth area into an enclosed head with luggage storage. Our head has the same headroom as a C-250 water ballast version, but much more room, (but no sink). It's like a handicap stall! The C-250 would have required a 3/4 ton truck,(from C-250 owners advice) so with the C-22 I could keep my Ram 1500. Now depending on your situation, our C-22 only sleeps 2 now, (YEAH!!!!!), same beam as the C-250 at 8'4", and the C-250 water ballast only has 4" more headroom in the cabin than our MK-II. Granted, no cool wheel with my C-22, but instead I have an autopilot with remote, which is much cheaper. Good friends have a water ballasted C-250 and I was surprized how stable it is!!!, but they still experience some centerboard clunk, even with some carpet strips glued in. Nice boats, but for us, the C-22 MK-II just looks better, sails better,(points higher and is faster that our friends C-250), much less windage issues due to the hull profile of the C-250, the MK-II takes more wind before reefing is required than their C-250 WB, so I'm sold on the MK-II wing keel version. Also, the MK-II wing keel only draws 8" more water that your swing keeled C-22 does with the keel raised, so launching differences in minimal.

Good luck! At least your head is on straight staying in the Catalina family.

Don

 

[SailAway1]

Don - it's fantastic how you modified your C22 to meet your needs. I also found it a pain to move the porta-pottie every time we wanted to sleep in the v-birth. We finally took it out all together and bought a collapsible pottie that uses disposable bags. We store it under the table which wasn't too bad. This opened up the vacated area under the v-birth for needed storage. Still, that setup isn't sufficient for the Admiral.
You hit on a few points about the C250 that are really attractive to us. Wheel steering - like you said, serious cool factor. Enclosed head - a must for the Admiral. Stability - an added bonus. Sink - major points with the Admiral. Headroom - I know it's only 4 inches more that your Mark-II but they are a valuable 4 inches. The Admiral wants even more headroom that what the C250 water ballast offers but to get it we would have to go with a wing keel. Have you noticed a basic theme revolving around the wants/needs of the Admiral? ;-) I think wing keels are great but our intention is to travel to different places with the boat. I think the WK would be too heavy and too much windage on the trailer for my Toyota Tacoma 4WD drive pickup to handle.

Greg

 

[CaptDon01]

Greg, What is the tow capacity with your vehicle? The C-250 weight and the tandem trailer weight,(that's a BIG heavy trailer), plus the ouboard get's up there, I know it would've been a bit much for my Ram 1500. Another thing we looked at is while traveling with the C-250 with the walk-thru transom allows you to use it like a travel trailer if you raise the mast so you can install the pop-up tent makes it pretty handy. By the way, we had our original C-22 on the Alton Pool. What a BLAST, except the second year was the big flood. The boat was slipped at Portage Des Sioux and I didn't see the boat that year from Fathers Day in June to the 3rd week in September. We also lived in O'Fallon for a period of time when I worked in the control tower at Lambert.

Don

 

[SailAway1]

Don - when I purchased the truck, the advertised limit was 6500 lbs. It's a Toyota Tacoma 4WD TRD Sport model with the upgraded towing package. About 2 years later, I received a notice from Toyota along with a sticker to put on the door jam stating the weight limit was downgraded to 5800 lbs. That really ticked me off. At first I was considering a Hunter 26 but the C250 weighs about 1000 lbs less. Also, according to what I've read, the water ballast 250 weighs a less than the wing keel 250. I might be wrong but even with the 5800 lb limit, I should be okay.

I have a friend who sails on the Alton pool out of Portage Des Sioux. I believe he just sold his boat because of the flooding issues. Years ago, I had a power boat that I ran around in there too. It was a blast!

Greg

 

[Gene Neill]

Don - when I purchased the truck, the advertised limit was 6500 lbs. It's a Toyota Tacoma 4WD TRD Sport model with the upgraded towing package. About 2 years later, I received a notice from Toyota along with a sticker to put on the door jam stating the weight limit was downgraded to 5800 lbs. That really ticked me off.

Greg

This may tick you off more: I just bought a 2014 Tacoma TRD Sport (2WD) and it's tow rated at 6500lbs.

 

[CaptDon01]

Greg, I had a GREAT time on the Alton Pool. I ended up living on my C-22 from May to September in 1992. I got a slip at Palisades Yacht Club and had a blast! Many nights after an evening of sailing I anchored out at one of the many islands. I would set my alarm clock for 0500 so I would have time to motor back to the club and shower before going to work at the airport. My travek per-diem checks dropped $2,000. a month! My boss was all worried, I told him I was saving the government money, but me was concerned how it looked with me living on my boat while in St Louis on government business. Then 1993 came, and I was assigned another long term project at the airport, so I brought my C-22 back, and had her in a slip again, and then the flood hit. The river came up 19' and destroyed the club, but the boats were kept secure in their slips on the floating docks. The club owner came out every day to check the docks and the boats, and didn't lose a single boat! The Alton Pool is on my list of places to return when I retire!

Don