New Catalina 275

[Curt]

I saw one and I would want one, a few years old and less than the 75K commissioned price with trailer.

Spent a rainy day in Annapolis at the boat show and loved every minute. Thought I had seen it all while onboard a $9,000,000 privately owned Swan, untiI was able to board a $10,000,000 catamaran. Meanwhile back in in the real world the 275 is really well laid out for my needs. Huge comfortable cockpit, great hardware, all lines handle aft and an open transom. Below deck is a nicely appointed V birth/setee and table. Small functional galley and enclosed head. Only 3 births but would make a great weekender.

 

[sinnettc]

$75K? Yikes! It does look sweet from the photos I've seen.

 

[aviatorjames]

Hull # 1...
I'm still excited about this boat (except the price)
Make mine a simple trailerable...
A wing keel with portable head and an outboard.

 

[shnool]

I am actually a little disappointed... it looks tubbier than I expected. Maybe it's just the picture.

On paper it looks pretty lively, sporty enough to be fun... but also with enough room to actually overnight on it without waking up with leg cramps.

A couple cove stripes, and some boot stripes might be enough to break up those topsides to make it look less like a battleship, and more like something great for beer cans... and they may very well have a good seller...
I'm sorry, $75k for a trailerable 27 footer, with trailer? Not a bad price either. NO wonder Catalina sells so many sailboats. Jim Lee has a helluva boat at 26 feet and a lot more performance, and he's at a massive cutthroat price when he's at $84k with his boat right now (without sails).

Anyone else notice that Catalina has all but abandoned the 25 foot size that has actually been REALLY popular for them? Perhaps the 275 was meant to take the 25 foot crowd and gather them into a 27, and push the 27 foot crowd to 315? Seems like a large gap in their product lines... wonder if they are having selling issues in these sizes?

 

[Curt]

The hull is a bit more streamlined than the Capri 22 and I am not a fan of the color but could easily get used to it. The headroom below deck was plenty for my 6'1" and would be plenty comfortable for a weekender. I am not sure I would like the smaller self tacking jib although that seems to be popular these days. It may be plenty of head sail given the boat is main sail driven and it is fairly large. The cockpit layout is very nice and the coaming cushions were in just the right place to make me feel at home.

For a long time I have looked for a day sailor that would comfortably acommodate 6. This would meet the needs but I am not a $75K for a boat kind of sailor. Maybe in retirement when there are a few used on the market. I would love to find a ride onone to see if it really is as advertised.

Chingaletta goes on the hard tomorrow morning and there is no wind today. This day sucks.
Cheers,
Curt _/)

 

[aviatorjames]

I like it!
A couple from their Facebook page...

 

[Curt]

Hey James,

Thanks for the pics of # 1, someone has an in at the factory. I absolutely like the look even more now that I see it under sail. Nice high aspect main, self tacking jib and the spinnaker furled on the bow sprit. Other than a furling main I don't think it could get much easier to set sail.

The cushion at the stern are a great touch, it was a comfortable seat at the boat show. Now I want one even more. Just have to save a lot more pennies. Maybe a retirement gift to me, used, way down the road.

Cheers,
Curt _/)

 

[HERSH]

Interesting boat. Big cockpit. ( I have been on some 30+ ft. boats and their cockpit is smaller then a
Capri 22.

"Gun mount" spinnaker pole like the J-105's.

Big main, small jib, like the Colgate 26.

Steering -- tiller ?

$75K Ouch. Well I think the new Capri 22's are over $22,000

Hershey.

 

[aviatorjames]

A few more pic's...

Tiller steering, an open transom and a huge cockpit with a raised traveler...

Looks trailerable to me!!! (this trailer was obviously built just to get her to the boat show)

This is a sleek looking yacht...

Did I mention the huge cockpit? ...where we spend 90% of our time...

I think we need some winches back there somewhere on the rails...

Great idea for the cooler...

Settee & table convert to a berth... wonder what the dimensions are here...

Enclosed head with a choice of a marine head or a porta pottie...

...yeppers, a very interesting yacht indeed!

 

[Curt]

James,

The Catalina info says it is 8"6" to make it trailerable. I don't see it as a portable day sailor but maybe a yearly move from north to south and back. And I was told the same thing by a rep at the Annapolis show,

Choice of head is a great idea. I have always been a fan of portable as opposed to built in, flushing the holding tank is a pain.

The cooler is a great idea. When I did not see one the rep opened it to reveal a nice selection of local craft beer on ice.

The cockpit is huge, like you say, where we spend most all of out time. It is laid out well and the helm seating is comfortable for me, my feet rest comfprtably on the setee and my back against the corner rails. I would add some cushioning to the rails.

I noticed the lack of a winch aft of the cabin trunk as well but the only rear reason to have it would be to crank in the the asymmetrical cruising spinnaker. May be a convenience but is it really needed?

I know all about tiller feel and the connection to movement and all but I thought a nice big wheel would be well placed. Large enough to reach from the helm seats, plus it would look damn nice. I would be willing to bet a wheel will be an option in a few years.

The cabin seating was comfortable with the gear bags stuffed with foam. Not sure how comfy it will be when they are filled with gear. and I did not see a filler cushion for the table when it is converted. I was able to lay comfortably along the seat but I doubt 2 talll folks could do it comfortably.

Overall it is everything that I would want in a boat. Transportable, comfortable topside and below. Appears simple enough to set sail and single hand. Could be comfortable for a long weekend. Price is a bit steep in my mind but like you say the new 22's are over $22K these days. When compaired to a Tartain 26 at over $ 100K the 275 is way more boat for the money, but still out of my price range. Mayby a well used version in 10 years.

Thanks for the pics,
Curt _/)

 

[aviatorjames]

Despite what the rep says, I think this may be a very good yacht to trailer regularly!!
...the photo of her on the trailer does not look that unwieldy to me.

LOA is only about 3' longer than a Capri 22. (the LWL, however, is 6' longer!)
...the sailplane trailer I used to drag around was about 31' long.

The rigging looks just as simple as a 22... with a backstay. (important)
...these new, small keel-boats without backstays present a problem for trailering regularly.

The draft is about a foot deeper than a 22.
...it will sit higher on the trailer, but nothing a good tongue extension won't solve.

We'll have to see what the displacement ends up being in production.
...having to own a full size truck to trailer would certainly be an added expense!

Oh... and they need to put some glass on that forward hatch for more interior light!

 

[aviatorjames]

I see what you mean about winches... with a self tacking jib and all.
So when you run a gennaker sheet back to those rail blocks...
Where do you take them? ...to the cabin top winch?

 

[shnool]

It's probably ratchet block to cleat... and if that isn't enough, it's back to the cabintops.., it makes it tough when the winds pipe up, but I bet that was to save on cost (winches cost a lot of $$)...

It looks better than original pictures... but who was the boy genius who decided on light blue hull?

It looks sportier than it's specs... but I saw a #5000 curb weight which would be brutally slow, and belie the look. #5000 is probably high.

That traveler looks like a PITA... it was a huge mistake to sink the traveler on the Capri 25, and in fact is on the top 5 lists for people to raise it out of the trough built for it (cause the lines get stuck in the lazarette lids)...

I am not a big fan of the tiny jib, large roachy main, but I know it's fast, and easier to deal with. I wonder what the all-up speed is actually going to work out to... and those are some pretty poorly shaped sails too, not as good as some of the more recent sail cuts for Catalina.

I just know these will sell well though... and they should.

 

[Curt]

James,

Given the boat is built as a cruiser and not a racer I would be plenty happy leading the gennaker sheets to a ratchet block and cleat located somewhere in the area of the traveler. There the sheets would be in easy reach from behind or in front of the traveler. If the wind where strong enough to need a winch I would just head up until I could trim by hand then fall off again. How's that for lazy.

Hey Snool, The base weight on the spec sheet is 5,000 lb and calls out the ballast as 2,200 lb / wing keel and and 2,040 lb for the fin. The blue color is an optional choice, standard is white. I did not like the blue when I saw a photo but in person it grows on you.

With an lOA of 27' 6" and a waterline of 26' 7" there is plenty of wetted surface. The 8' 6" in beam makes the boat considerably more streamlined than out 22's I would bet the 380 sf of sail will move along quite well with the for the weight and should be fairly comfortable in a chop.

Some light through the hatch would be nice. Since I have time before I buy one , maybe they will change the design for me. We may be heading for a family get away to the keys in January. If we do I may search out a dealer and beg a ride.

Cheers,
Curt _/)

 

[Kunzig]

Well, I found this photo on Winter's (dealer in NJ) post Annapolis Show page. They say this is a 275... looks like a CP22 to me!!!

I think the color looks OK, but I agree with the Mrs. that another color would look better - a royal blue maybe?

 

[aviatorjames]

I guess we better change the name of this website!
Oh yeah...
My Catalina 275 is now for sale... $35,000... half the price of new!!!

 

[aviatorjames]

Am I the only one that likes the blue gel-coat?
I think it looks nice on the that Capri 22.

 

[jerrymlewis]

I like the blue....


Jerry

 

[jerrymlewis]

That blue would match your Ridgeline Aviator James!

 

[shnool]

You guys are crazy... that's the color blue underneath the awlgrip white I had on my boat, I removed the white, and saw the blue, and decided that even a lousy paintjob would be better than that color!

Light blue and light yellow are "classic" Catalina colors, and I know WHY they do it, (light colors hold up better than dark and chalk up slower than dark)... but honestly I dislike ANY light color except white. I am quite sure it's not just me, but it's certainly an opinion more than anything (and should be taken as such, certainly NOT worth kicking this thing out of the driveway for)...

Curt, #5000 is a lot of weight for a 27 footer to consider it a "sport" anything, but also not enough to think it "slow." With #2200 in keel, that puts it heavier overall than a J/27, which runs #3800 with #1500 in the keel.. where a Catalina 27 is #6850, and #2700 of it in keel.

Look in the area around the hull numbers, that is the original gelcoat color: