I have owned fixed keel Catalina 25 and 27 sailboats in past but don't have any practical experience the with swing keels models. I have recently relocated and am looking at a 1986 Catalina 25 with a swing keel. The boat is in overall good shape, but I am concerned with what I read about the swing keel - high maintenance, possibility of sinking, cable vibration and need to keep bottom paint job updated etc. I will be sailing in an area where shallow water is not a concern and the boat will not be trailered. Based on this I do not need the swing keel. Should this be a reason to reject the Catalina 25 (note my concern that Catalina 25s are scarce in my Texas hill country)? I would be interested in any suggestions. I see lots of Catalina 22s with swing keels but not 25s. So far I have not found a good drawing of the Catalina 25 swing keel to evaluate its makeup. Does one exist? If I decide to buy this boat, what should I pay attention to when checking out the swing keel operation? This boat also has a Cruise Design roller furling system, but I can't find any information on it on the internet. Any suggestions? Thanks for your help,
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I recently went through this
too. I decided the swing was not worth the maintenance issues since I, too, had little interest in launching and retrieving regularly. But, having said that, there are lots of swingers out there and their owners seem to love them.
too. I decided the swing was not worth the maintenance issues since I, too, had little interest in launching and retrieving regularly. But, having said that, there are lots of swingers out there and their owners seem to love them.
2 years and still working
I have 1980 with a swing keel no problems in the 2 years since it has been under my care. No reports from previous owners of problems either. In our location haul out is difficult so the ability to use a trailer on occasion is convienent.
I have 1980 with a swing keel no problems in the 2 years since it has been under my care. No reports from previous owners of problems either. In our location haul out is difficult so the ability to use a trailer on occasion is convienent.
Swing Keel 25
I owned a Catalina 25 for 14 years before moving to a Catalina 36. The swing keel is a movable part and subject to wear and abuse just like any other movable part of our boats. With simple, regular maintenance, you have nothing to be concerned with. The swinging 25 is all about mobility. If you don't plan to trailer the boat, look for a fixed keel boat. My case was simple, I sail in the Canadian North Channel an 8 hour drive from my home. It's where I wanted to sail so trailer maintenance and keel maintenance and suburban maintenance was just part of the fun of messing around on the boat and planning the trip. My Catalina 25 was a big boat for a trailerable sailboat and that was important to me and my growing family. The swing keel was the right choice, at the right time. If the previous owner did his/her job, you will be fine. The cable is cheap to replace so plan for that expense very few years. To check the swing keel for wear, lower the keel all the way down while tied to your slip and rock the boat hard, listen and feel for a hard slap as the swing keel wobbles. No wobble, your in business. Everything else is easy. Keep your keel down while tied to your slip, no chance of the keel cable parting while you are away and sinking your boat. (If you have replaced the keel cable.) One trick I found on my 25, when the keel is down, the boat was bow heavy. Rain water would collect in the front portion of the cockpit instead of running to the rear scuppers. I installed a front drain and connected it to my rear drain with a flexible hose. When I came to my boat after a few weeks, the cockpit was clean and dry. Bob mentions cable vibration, that is true but kind of fun also. You can slack off on your cable to quiet the vibration but I liked adjusting the keel up to adjust the balance of the boat. The cable hums as you go fast so humming cable means hauling the mail. Just part of the fun.
I owned a Catalina 25 for 14 years before moving to a Catalina 36. The swing keel is a movable part and subject to wear and abuse just like any other movable part of our boats. With simple, regular maintenance, you have nothing to be concerned with. The swinging 25 is all about mobility. If you don't plan to trailer the boat, look for a fixed keel boat. My case was simple, I sail in the Canadian North Channel an 8 hour drive from my home. It's where I wanted to sail so trailer maintenance and keel maintenance and suburban maintenance was just part of the fun of messing around on the boat and planning the trip. My Catalina 25 was a big boat for a trailerable sailboat and that was important to me and my growing family. The swing keel was the right choice, at the right time. If the previous owner did his/her job, you will be fine. The cable is cheap to replace so plan for that expense very few years. To check the swing keel for wear, lower the keel all the way down while tied to your slip and rock the boat hard, listen and feel for a hard slap as the swing keel wobbles. No wobble, your in business. Everything else is easy. Keep your keel down while tied to your slip, no chance of the keel cable parting while you are away and sinking your boat. (If you have replaced the keel cable.) One trick I found on my 25, when the keel is down, the boat was bow heavy. Rain water would collect in the front portion of the cockpit instead of running to the rear scuppers. I installed a front drain and connected it to my rear drain with a flexible hose. When I came to my boat after a few weeks, the cockpit was clean and dry. Bob mentions cable vibration, that is true but kind of fun also. You can slack off on your cable to quiet the vibration but I liked adjusting the keel up to adjust the balance of the boat. The cable hums as you go fast so humming cable means hauling the mail. Just part of the fun.
Swing keel info needed
I read with interest the tip about rocking the boat to see if the swing keel has any wobble. How about when the boat is on a jack stand? The boat I'm looking at has the keel/board down on a 45 degree angle and resting on a block of wood to keep tension off the cable. If I lift the board just a little and attempt to wobble it should there be any side to side movement at all? If so how much...1/4", 1/2", 1" etc? Also, how would cable breaking sink the boat as someone stated? Wouldn't the board just bang down hard? Although you would never do this intentionally, would it actually sink the boat?
I read with interest the tip about rocking the boat to see if the swing keel has any wobble. How about when the boat is on a jack stand? The boat I'm looking at has the keel/board down on a 45 degree angle and resting on a block of wood to keep tension off the cable. If I lift the board just a little and attempt to wobble it should there be any side to side movement at all? If so how much...1/4", 1/2", 1" etc? Also, how would cable breaking sink the boat as someone stated? Wouldn't the board just bang down hard? Although you would never do this intentionally, would it actually sink the boat?
Answers
Answers as I see it. I have a C-22 BUT from what I understand the 25 has similar basic parts to the keel BUT a heavier keel weight. 1500lbs "If I lift the board just a little and attempt to wobble it should there be any side to side movement at all?" On the trailer while my keel is up it may sway an inch in either direction. but this has no reflection on when it's down. You can put shims on the top/front part of the keel to help limit the sway. I would of course check the hangers on a newly bought used boat, the pivot pin and the size and shape of the hole in the keel.A good idea would be to see C.D. for replacement hangers and spacers that remove the side play. "Also, how would cable breaking sink the boat as someone stated?" not meant to scare anyone off the boat but... If the keel is up and the cable breaks, it would fall quickly and come to meet the fiberglass of the hull very hard. Another point of concern is if the boat heels over far. (Beyond 90 degrees) The keel will swing up into the hull hitting it hard and then if the boat rights itself, the keel will swing back out. "Wouldn't the board just bang down hard?" 1500 lbs. would hit fairly hard with some momentum. "Although you would never do this intentionally, would it actually sink the boat?" I think that it could.
Answers as I see it. I have a C-22 BUT from what I understand the 25 has similar basic parts to the keel BUT a heavier keel weight. 1500lbs "If I lift the board just a little and attempt to wobble it should there be any side to side movement at all?" On the trailer while my keel is up it may sway an inch in either direction. but this has no reflection on when it's down. You can put shims on the top/front part of the keel to help limit the sway. I would of course check the hangers on a newly bought used boat, the pivot pin and the size and shape of the hole in the keel.A good idea would be to see C.D. for replacement hangers and spacers that remove the side play. "Also, how would cable breaking sink the boat as someone stated?" not meant to scare anyone off the boat but... If the keel is up and the cable breaks, it would fall quickly and come to meet the fiberglass of the hull very hard. Another point of concern is if the boat heels over far. (Beyond 90 degrees) The keel will swing up into the hull hitting it hard and then if the boat rights itself, the keel will swing back out. "Wouldn't the board just bang down hard?" 1500 lbs. would hit fairly hard with some momentum. "Although you would never do this intentionally, would it actually sink the boat?" I think that it could.
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