Garhauer supplies most of the deck gear for the C-250, including the vang, blocks and chainplates. Our test boat pointed within 45° of the wind, and on a reach, sailed at about 5 knots in the puffs. Stowage in the cockpit, in small (10″ x 12″ x 30″) under-seat lockers, is sparse. There are a few cabinet doors and drawers, but nothing like most sailors would want on a long cruise. Copyright © 1999-2021 Boats Group. The 12-volt battery, according to the owner’s manual, is a 90-amp-hour, marine-grade, deep-cycle model. The C-250 has a relatively easy motion, characteristic of a more heavily ballasted boat, no doubt due to the spread-out water ballast. The result is that the boat is not as stiff under sail as its lead-ballasted keelcenterboard cousins, such as the Precision 23. All Catalina yachts are designed and built with care using quality materials to assure you years of sailing enjoyment with a minimum of upkeep and maintenance. Strangely, the standard rudder is fixed rather than a kick-up type. 2004 Catalina 250 Catalina 250 Wing Keel 2004. Catalina 250 mkII water ballast My 2004 came from the factory with a Yanmar 1GM and a SD 20 sail drive, 53 Liter diesel tank, large water tank storage under the V berth (where the batteries are mounted as well) etc. There is not enough space to add a second battery without destroying the built-in tray and relocating it. The fixed-keel version of the Catalina 250 solves the stability problem that tainted its water-ballasted centerboard-equipped predecessor, and does so with a glorified interior that features … Catalina is expert at small, affordable sailing packages, and this 25-footer is a good example of the breed's progression. Above that angle, even considering that the stock 110% jib is relatively small, it probably would be time to reef the main. The C-250’s hull-deck joint is a modified shoe box type, with a vertical deck flange fitted over the turned-out rim of the hull, creating a joint with both vertical and horizontal mating surfaces—a strong configuration. We recommend against a wheel for this size and type of boat, for many reasons: It’s easier with a tiller to feel when the boat is balanced under sail; it’s faster to turn with a tiller; and a tiller is over a thousand dollars less expensive. At first glance, utilizing water ballast would seem to be ideal for trailering. The Catalina 250 also lacked a number of the liveaboard-type cruising features of the Catalina 25, but did benefit from a better enclosed head. Use Boat Trader to find out which boat or yacht is right for you. Nevertheless, we were surprised at its relatively good balance, considering the sailplan, underwater profile, and lead. When closed, it is sealed by a polyurethane foam weather strip— probably effective, but not elegant. It is 3/4″ thick, with a durable melamine surface, and is well braced by the 2-1/4″ anodized aluminum compression post, as well as by a pair of folding legs. Instead, the turning blocks are combined with cam cleats right at the mast, and the halyards are cleated at long distance. If one's uses are limited to protected waters, and ease of trailering with a medium-size vehicle is … We liked the minimal use of teak—just enough to keep the cabin from looking like the proverbial bathtub. We also liked the fact that a manual bilge pump, located in the port footwell wall, comes standard; and that the cabin table can be set up in the cockpit for al fresco dining. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. For the C-250, the CE is only about 6″ aft of the mast; by the above rule-of-thumb, the CLP should be about 3′ to 4′ feet aft of the mast. He purchased his C-250 without a trailer, so we didn’t get to check out either the trailer or the ease of rigging, launching, retrieving, and unrigging. However, one of the biggest strains on a tow vehicle is when it’s pulling a boat and trailer up a steep ramp during haul-out. In a Catalina 25 swing keel this was not a problem because we could just raise the keel and still get out to deeper water. It would be nice to see an update next time around on the C250 Wing Keel version. When it has passed through the eye of the wind, he again leaves the helm, grabs the new sheet, gives it a couple of turns around the new sheet winch, then trims. Thus, even with the sails trimmed perfectly, we found we couldn’t let go of the helm for more than a few seconds before it began to wander up into the wind in the puffs, or bear off in the lulls. Some anchors rated at 13 pounds will fit. Start with a modest kit, adding tools and materials only as your skills grow and projects require them. Appreciate your magazine.. A comparison between the sailing characteristics of the water ballast versus the wing keel would be interesting. Indeed the best and most distinctive points of the Catalina 250 include ease of trailering, a large cockpit and large internal volume. $18,000. The 3″ cushions were comfortable, but a heavy person might disagree. Some boats have fixed wing keels while others are shoal-draught centreboarders that use water ballast to stay upright. The profile drawing on the brochure indicates that the center of area of the full-down centerboard (virtually at the same location as the CLP) is practically in line with the mast—way too far forward. Sailboat and sailing yacht searchable database with more than 8,000 sailboats from around the world including sailboat photos and drawings. The early Catalina brochures announced that the C-250 had positive flotation, meaning the boat would float when holed. However, the sailaway prices we saw from two different dealers on the East Coast included an extra $2,500 for freight from California, and a whopping $1,500 for “commissioning, including bottom paint.” At that rate, we’d be tempted to buy a trailer and do the commissioning and painting ourselves—if not to pick up the boat at the factory and save the freight as well. The seller states it is a 2007 250 MKII. The smoked Plexiglas main hatch, if closed, might have made it easier to move around, but the boat’s owner was concerned that it might get scratched. Aft of the sink and stove is a space under the galley counter for a large (48-quart) portable Coleman ice chest, suitable for no more than short cruises. Also included as standard are sails, mast carrier, pivoting mast step, boom vang, jiffy reefing gear (except for one key block), a three-step swim ladder hinged on the transom, pulpit, lifelines and stanchions, trailer bow eye, and other extras. Do Twin Sheets Better Control the Mainsail? The Catalina 250 is available as a water ballast or wing keel boat. It is joined to the hull along the sheer flange, and is tabbed at seatbacks and seat risers. A C-shaped rubrail covers the line of pop rivets. Still, there is a 1/4″ to 1/2″ space between the liner and hull, if you can find a way to get to it. The wing keel model offers the increased stability and tracking afforded by a lead keel. Outboard was about the right size, though a 6-hp. The C-250 sales literature lists “halyards led aft to the cockpit” as a standard feature. Pre-owned 2006 Catalina 250 Wing Keel sloop sailboat (200 hrs) for sale in Westerly, Rhode Island (near New London, CT). The 350 has a conventional fin keel and spade rudder, though a shallow-draught wing keel is available, a long-time Catalina option. The owner’s Honda 8-hp. It has the two large windows vs the one large and one small. #Z4924. Removal of the centerboard trunk allows 5 additional inches of headroom in the cabin. Savings: We … The layout below is similar to many other modern sailboats under 30′: A single bright and airy cabin; Vberth forward, extending aft to twin settees forming a U-shaped dining area around a table supported by the mast compression post; an enclosed head compartment complete with a solid teak plywood door; small galley; and a big aft berth behind the companionway ladder, under the cockpit. Catalina says the boat has a “blister-resistant gel coat” and the company offers a limited 5-year gelcoat warranty. Yes, we realize the throughhull fittings (white plastic stubs) are located approximately 7″ above the waterline when the boat is floating level. Consequently, it’s best filled in situ with a garden hose, which we judge to be somewhat of a nuisance. Without getting into a complicated discussion of metacentric heights and centers of buoyancy versus centers of gravity, suffice it to say that the deeper the ballast the stiffer the hull, the heavier the ballast the stiffer the hull, and the lighter the ends of its hull the faster the boat. The C-250 is a purpose-built boat, adequate for daysailing or overnighting. Before fitting, all surfaces of the joint are swabbed with glue (in this case a bonding putty made with filled polyester resin), and are held together with pop rivets on roughly 3″ centers while the glue hardens. Newly Published From the PS Staff and Writers, Fighting Off Marine Electrical System Corrosion. Board position is a question of helm balance. In contrast, the Catalina hatch is hinged at its forward end, and when the aft end is raised, slightly improving headroom aft, forward visibility is reduced too much to safely attempt navigation. In discussing this situation with Gerry Douglas, Catalina’s vice president and chief designer, we learned that the sail plan/profile in the latest sales brochure (dated January, 1995) is incorrectly drawn, in that the board’s full-down position is swept back about 15°, rather than being vertical as shown.