My fiancee and I are moving up to Monterey and looking to buy a sail boat. I really like the Catalina 250 but some have said it is too small for Monterey Bay. Thoughts, comments, suggestions?
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Too small? for what?
Too small for what? It all depends on what the conditions are when you go out. Monterey Bay can be gorgeous as well as treacherous. So can a lake. It's a four or five hour sail from Santa Cruz to Monterey. Except for winter when fronts move through, the weather is very predictable and noaa and local weather do good marine forecasts. I sailed a C25 overnight from San Francisco to Monterey in 1994 and over-nighted going back. Good sized boats for coastal cruising if properly equipped, understanding the difference between a 250 and a 25.
If you hang around here long enough, you'll find that we generally frown upon the "some have said..." malarkey. We leave that nonsense for the politicians...:naughty:
Too small for what? It all depends on what the conditions are when you go out. Monterey Bay can be gorgeous as well as treacherous. So can a lake. It's a four or five hour sail from Santa Cruz to Monterey. Except for winter when fronts move through, the weather is very predictable and noaa and local weather do good marine forecasts. I sailed a C25 overnight from San Francisco to Monterey in 1994 and over-nighted going back. Good sized boats for coastal cruising if properly equipped, understanding the difference between a 250 and a 25.
If you hang around here long enough, you'll find that we generally frown upon the "some have said..." malarkey. We leave that nonsense for the politicians...:naughty:
Thanks
Stu,
Thanks for responding. I do realize that Monterey Bay can be both very calm, and quite treacherous. Also, in perfect conditions it is possible to row across The Atlantic. Let me try to be a little more specific with my question: If you were living and sailing out of Monterey, do you think a 25 foot boat would be a good choice? I'm not trying to brave any storms or sail too far off shore, but at the same time I don't want my sailing days severely limited by "standard" Monterey Bay conditions or my passengers being tossed around. I'm looking for a comfortable day sailer with potential for the occasional overnight. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Stu,
Thanks for responding. I do realize that Monterey Bay can be both very calm, and quite treacherous. Also, in perfect conditions it is possible to row across The Atlantic. Let me try to be a little more specific with my question: If you were living and sailing out of Monterey, do you think a 25 foot boat would be a good choice? I'm not trying to brave any storms or sail too far off shore, but at the same time I don't want my sailing days severely limited by "standard" Monterey Bay conditions or my passengers being tossed around. I'm looking for a comfortable day sailer with potential for the occasional overnight. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
250 owner
As a 2002 250WK owner for 2 years and sailed her over 3k ocean miles, I can say the cabin is huge inside for a 25 footer. Also, cockpit is big and well laid out. Boat is light and fast in light winds.
The problem is when the winds\seas pick up. Even to average conditions. The boat has a lot of freeboard, suceptible to leeward movement, rounds up easily, and is like a bucking bronco in just 3-4 foot chop. She's a tender boat, and doesn't stiffen much all the way to near knockdown. Reef early and deep.
I would look closer at a 270, 27, Capri 26, 28, or an Ericson 26\27\28. I would even look at a cat 25 (800lb more ballast) for Monterey before the 250. The 250 is a (calm)bay\lake boat, or on standard So Cal fair weather ocean days.
As a 2002 250WK owner for 2 years and sailed her over 3k ocean miles, I can say the cabin is huge inside for a 25 footer. Also, cockpit is big and well laid out. Boat is light and fast in light winds.
The problem is when the winds\seas pick up. Even to average conditions. The boat has a lot of freeboard, suceptible to leeward movement, rounds up easily, and is like a bucking bronco in just 3-4 foot chop. She's a tender boat, and doesn't stiffen much all the way to near knockdown. Reef early and deep.
I would look closer at a 270, 27, Capri 26, 28, or an Ericson 26\27\28. I would even look at a cat 25 (800lb more ballast) for Monterey before the 250. The 250 is a (calm)bay\lake boat, or on standard So Cal fair weather ocean days.
Didn't I answer that in my first post? I had a C25, not your boat. Why not ask at the C25 Association? http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=2
When I got back into sailing a number of years ago our first boat was a Mac22. It worked great at Lake Havasu, AZ but not so great in Long Beach, Ca. In other words,my wife felt it was "too Tippy" (her words not mine). After about a year she said those magic words - maybe we should look for a bigger boat!! Shabam and within 2 weeks I had a C25, which we kept in Long Beach, Ca. The reason for purchasing that boat ( I really wanted a C30) was we were afraid of losing out jobs and we felt we could easily get the C25 on a trailer if we had to. Anyway, after about 2 years with the C25 I heard those magic words again and ended up with a C30. The difference between the C25 and the C30 is night and day from every aspects of both boats. If you were looking at the C30, and I realize it is more money, you would not have to worry about the sea conditions. A C30 or for that matter a C25 will take care of you in a tough situation long after you can't take care of her. The C30 will have an easier time of it.
Incidently, about 6 months after buying the C30 I lost my job but life went on.
Incidently, about 6 months after buying the C30 I lost my job but life went on.
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