New to Me Capri 18

[landownerkalganov]

Hello all, I just picked up my first sailboat, a Catalina Capri 18 (1986). I will be sailing it on White Bear Lake in Minnesota (I believe that is where it was first sold 40 years ago).

A couple questions for you guys:

1) Headsail was shredded in windstorm. It has a roller furling system. Jib cleats seem to be mounted on top of cabin. Does that limit me in what size of headsail I can replace with? Does anyone have any lightly used furling headsails they want to sell? I'm trying to have something on there before I launch the boat, but the timing of a new sail seems to be 4-6 weeks.

2) Does anyone have a PDF of the owners manual for the 86 Capri 18 or do I need to pay Catalina Direct?

3) The bottom has never been painted and is in pretty amazing shape, has been dry-sailed. Now it will be living on a buoy. My thought right now is that although it will now doubt accumulate green stuff, I can clean it off every few weeks with a scotch-brite pad and scuba mask. Honestly, everything about bottom paint sounds annoying to me, and possibly overkill for freshwater lakes. My thought is that if there is more growth than I want to expect this season, I can always paint it next year. If you think I should paint the bottom, tell me why and what I'm risking by not doing it.

Thanks all! I'm looking forward to getting on the water!

 

[Project_Mayhem]

It depends on the lake. The best thing to do is talk to local shops, marinas/yards and boaters to find out what works best. There's a freshwater lake in Wisconsin where the motorboats simply acid wash the bottom every year instead of using bottom paint.

I'm on Southern Lake Michigan. We get a fair amount of growth. It's enough to affect the performance of the boat. My last boat, with a shoal keel couldn't turn to windward under sail at the end of the season due to the growth. Touch ups were no comparison to a full recoat of VC17.

If you're willing to dive, try going without bottom paint. Worse case scenario, you get some staining and you end up painting it the following year.

 

[shemandr]

1) Jib cleats: You are limited with regard to jib sizes. Too long on the foot and the leach of the sail will hit the spreaders before reaching full trim in. Contact one of the used sail venders and don't limit yourself to sails for Capri 18. As long as the sail has more or less the same dimension you'll be good to go. But you have to measure. There are good instructions online for how to do that. There are a lot of small racing boats in that 18' area. You could end up with a lightly used sail because in competitive classes sailer buy new sails often.
3) Bottom paint: How cold is the water in White Bear Lake? You can scrub an 18' boat's bottom in about 15 minutes. I would try once a week when the water temp reaches 65. "Sailers do it with a clean bottom!" You may find less is necessary.
Congratulations on your purchase. The Capri line are reportedly sporty sailers.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Bottom painting is a once-a-year one or two hour simple job on an 18 ft boat. How much time and effort in routinely scrubbing it are you willing to do to save a few bucks?

 

[docjlb54]

Congrats! I am about to launch my Capri 18 on Canandaigua Lake, a Finger Lake in Upstate NY for the first time, having purchased it from an "aging out" neighbor on the lake. She kept if for many years on a buoy, as I will. I had to have the bottom repainted with anti-fouling paint, but I'm thinking the reduced maintenance will be worth it. My foresail, on a furler, was also shredded upon purchase. I waited nearly three months for the replacement, due to someone who shall not me mentioned's tariff and border policies between USA and Canada. Yes the size was limited by the cabin-mounted leads, but I expect the new furled headsail to be plenty for my use.

I still have to figure out the electronics, bailing system. I am waiting for new cushions.

Question: anyone with advice about refinishing teak trim on this boat? I was thinking of using a 3-part system (wash, recondition, oil) that I have for teak furniture, thinking it should be fine for freshwater lake. How fine a grit on sandpaper is too fine, risking damage to teak? Orbital sander okay, or just do it with block by hand?

James Budd
Canandaigua, NY

 

[john6206]

Congrats!
It’s a great boat. I love my Capri 18. Recently bought a bigger boat and I need to sell her, but I love sailing that boat.

Mine is a ‘95, and the Genoa sheets are more conventionally located further aft. The main sheet connects to the backstay, which freaked me out at first, but I never had any trouble with it.

If you plan to trailer it, there is no need for bottom paint. You would need to paint the bottom if you have a slip for the season.

@docjlb54
My teak trim was badly damaged. I removed it all and did some repairs, sanded the heck out of it.

I ended up painting everything with 2 coats of epoxy and 4 coats of Captains Varnish.

I think the oil works Ok, but it seems like I was doing it a couple times a year.