Stability: Catalina 25 vs Larger Boats

[DaveSiegel]

We sail a 1982 Catalina 25 on Lake St Clair and when the wake from large power boats hits, the 25 bounces around like a cork, spoiling the experience for my wife and even making me nervous.
We are planning to move up to a larger boat for day sailing and weekending and the prime consideration is a boat that would provide a smoother ride in rough water.
I would appreciate the opinion of Catalina owners who have experience with both a Catalina 25 and larger Catalina boats. Some of the possibilities we are considering are mid 90’s-early 2000 Catalina 310, 320, 34mkII, 350, 36mkII.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated as we are new to sailing this season. Thanks.

 

[mortyd]

for the most part, the larger and heavier the boat the greater stabiity in ambient waves. you are considering a very large range of boats, all of which should be a vast improvement in wake stability. from what i can tell the 310 seems to have held value extremely well.

 

[svPelican]

Hi Dave -- Sailing a bigger boat makes a huge difference. We sailed Catalina 25's for a few years. Fun sailing, but you're right... they bounce around quite a bit. We now have a Catalina 30, and it's completely different regarding the motion. The additional length, width, and the extra 3 tons keeps it much steadier in the water. Wake from large powerboats will move it a bit, but there's no comparison.
Jim & Pam

 

[NC-C320]

Generally, the larger/heavier the boat, the less you will be affected by power boat wakes. While not sure about your tolerance, my Catalina 320 to me feels very stable. But still, large wakes will rock you some. A key to minimizing the discomfort from power boat wakes is to turn into them at a slight angle...30-45 degrees is usually good. You only have to do this long enough for the first 3-4 waves to pass, then you can resume your original course. Just watch the wake as it approaches you after the power boat passes, monentarily turn towards the wake for the first waves, then back to original course. After awhile, it becomes automatic. As to safety discomfort, you are generally safe even if the wake hits you if you have braced yourself monentarily. Just don't try to walk about the decks and ignore your surroundings (i.e. the coming wake).

Edit: Just for clarity, the angle that wake approaches you is dependent on the course of the power boat, and likely his speed and hull design. When you are sailing close hauled towards/into the wind, you approach the waves at roughly a 45 degree angle. That is what I am recommending above. To me, anyway, that seems the best way to handle an oncoming wake. If you get hit by two boat wakes simultaneously from either side, you are going to get bounced around a bit, and I'm not sure you can do much....correcting for one side is likely doing the wrong thing for the other side. If you are in really heavy traffic, be careful of any maneuvers that you make that could be misunderstood by nearby boats, that in turn causes them to do something that results in a collision....sometimes, it's just better to suffer through the rocking and rolling and hold your course and speed.

 

[Stu Jackson]

We have had a C22, a C25 (12 years) and our C34 for 14 years. Sure, there's a difference.

It's unfortunate that you feel nervous, but bigger won't always help until you consider what it is that's making you nervous. If it's the wakes, most of the time I see folks trying to handle them incorrectly.

There are generally two considerations: (1) the other boat making the wake coming AT you, or (2) the big ba*tard passing you.

(1) Most folks make the mistake of turning into the wake. All this does is MAKE IT A LOT WORSE. If you examine the pattern of the waves coming at you, you will notice that they are in the same direction as wind waves when you are sailing upwind. You boat hull is designed to do just that. Don't turn into the wake, just keep going.

(2) The passing wake is the worst, since it is exactly the same as quartering seas, which corkscrews your boat. What I've found works the best is to turn to PARALLEL the wakes. This makes the boat motion in only one direction, abeam, instead of the double motion of the corkscrew.

If you don't employ these tricks, then even a bigger boat will give you same darned motions.

Although it's late in the season for you, try them.

Bigger is always more fun, though, and we've been there-done that and enjoy our C34 immensely (pi!).

Good luck.

Before you make a choice, an earlier poster is correct: your listed choices are incredibly different boats, way, way different. Do some research before you jump.

 

[mortyd]

do you wear a life vest? you should.

 

[DaveSiegel]

There are generally two considerations: (1) the other boat making the wake coming AT you, or (2) the big ba*tard passing you.

The big ba*tard passing is what worries me, especially when there are two passing boats, one on each side of us, which frequently occurs. The 25 rocks from side-to-side at increasing heel angles. One speedboat had 3 large Mercury outboards and was traveling about 40-50 kts. He passed pretty close to us and I thought the boat was going to roll over.

 

[dlewis812]

currently own both a cat 25 and 30. still love to take the 25 out however it really feels like a toy boat compared to the 30. i sail the 30 in NY harbor which with all the boat traffic from ferries, barges etc can get rough. even though there are many J24's from the local school and with the proper handling advise above i would not want to be in the 25 (especially when it comes time to using the outboard).

(also find the 30 just as easy to singlehand)

 

[cromer]

Hi Dave, i'm currently selling my 1989 Catalina 30 located on Lake St. Clair. You can find the listing on sailboatlistings.com, sailboatowners.com, boattrader, and craigslist. If you would like to go for a sea trial contact me.

 

[DaveSiegel]

Hi Dave, i'm currently selling my 1989 Catalina 30 located on Lake St. Clair. You can find the listing on sailboatlistings.com, sailboatowners.com, boattrader, and craigslist. If you would like to go for a sea trial contact me.

Thanks for the offer, but I'm currently looking at later model boats in the late 90's-2000's.

 

[jrowan]

Stu and I have had may of the same usage of boats over the years. We have owned a C 22, C 25, S-2 8.5 (28'), O'Day 34, & now a Catalina 30. Of course a bigger boat will feel safer, as the weight of the keel, longer water line length & wider beam give greater stability, as other have said. Although what gives a sailor confidence at sea is experience, its not the size that really matters. As an example, a young guy named Matt Rutherford from our home here on the Chesapeake just sailed & non-stop cirumnavigated all the way around North & South America through the Northwest passage and around the great Cape Horn, in a 1970's 27 foot Albin Vega. Size doesn't matter, it's skill and experience that define the real sailors. I've seen small boats do great things, and stupid guys on big boats do dumb things. Get your sea legs on the C 25 & then you will learn to appreciate the bigger boat when your ready for it.
ps. The joy of a small boat is their maneuverability. Big boats can be a big pain when it comes to docking them, and their more demanding maintenance. Sometimes I wish I could still park her in the backyard for the winter. Cheers.

 

[StanFM]

I must be messed up in the head. When we're sailing along smoothly and a big wake comes, I'm thinking-- "Finally, some action!" My wife does not have the same reaction, though.

Stan

 

[Patrice]

HI,
Same here, we had a Cat25 for a few years, loved the boat. Like said before, best is to learn how to approch comming waves. Try at different angle, and see how your boat react.
We now have a Cat34, and of coarse the boat being heavier handle waves a lot smoother.

 

[Joe Diver]

I grew up in a boating family. We always had a ski boat, runabout, or general pleasure boat.

And they all bounce around in rough water or when a boat wake comes along.

Just my experience....but boats move around.....unless it's dead flat calm and you're the only one on the lake.

My C25 moves around...but overall it's pretty stable. Turn correctly to take an approaching boat wake at the right angle and it knifes right through with a minimum of bouncing or rolling.

It's alot more stable than the 14' jon boat I had as a kid.....and is not even close to my friend's C36.....also, I'm on a relatively small lake. I would not want to be out on the ocean (coastal) in 5' waves.

 

[swampcreek]

We just sold our 1993 Mac and bought a 2000 C320...We LOVE IT! Much faster more stable, the wife doesn't freak out on wind gusts. Don't get me wrong, the Mac was a great boat but the C320 is a different world.