Catalina 27 Capabilites?

[Bobnoxx99]

yo crash are you near La Mariana? If so you sound like you know what you're doing and I would appreciate if you needed beer money, to come to my boat and tell me what i have or need to get this thing going.

[s/v Beth]

If your 27 was like mine the tank is under the port side aft berth. Although I owned a 27 and did some great lake sailing on it, I would not take it out on the ocean without major work on the deck to hull joint and upgrading the standing rigging.

[jeremiason]

I have owned a total of three Catalina Sailboats.

My first was a 1977 C-27 (Hull #3438), which I owned for seven yerars.

Would I sail the a Catalina 27 around the world? NO... It was not designed to do it. With that said, I knew Serge Testa and he sailed an 11 foot sailboat around the world, so anything is possible.

The Catalina 27 was designed to be a cheap family sailboat and capable of trailering.

The C-27 performed very well in the winds of San Francisco Bay and Northern California. Several of the boats are still racing in the SF YRA and local Beer Cans. With their SF Bay PHRF of 196 for O/B and 204 for I/B they are very competive

The early boats were designed with three different engines (Petter Deisel, Atomic Four and an Outboard version). They also had two rigs, a standard and a tall rig with a sprit.

The early boats also had three different floor plans, Dinette, Galley Forward and Galley Aft, which would determine the location of your water tank. Mine was a dinette version and the water tank was located in the port seatte.

The early boats had a few design problems with the rigs. If yours has not been upgraded, I would suggest you do that as soon as possible to avoid a catastrophic failiure of the rig.

Change the Aluminum Spreader Backets out for Stainless Steel Brckets.
Change the Lower Shroud anchor bolts out to U-Bolts with Backing Plates.
Check the chain plates and ensure the bolts are not pulling through the plywood bulkheads
Change the Traveler

All of these upgrades can be found in kits from Catalina Direct, the largest supplier of Catalina Parts outside the Factory. They are also very good at giveing free tech advice... Another sorce for rigging is Garhauer Marine

With over 6400 Catalina sailboats made, you will find them throughout the US. Becasue of this, there is a strong owners group, which is a great source of information. The is no need to reinvent the wheel with the C-27... Lots of owners have already broken, fixed or upgraded just about anything you can think of. Just ask them...

The International Catalina 27 Association and its C-27 Yahoo Discussion Group.

I wish you good luck with your "new to you" boats and sincerly hope you find as much enjoyment with them as I did!

[s/v Beth]

Not to rain on your parade Tom but the op asked about intra island travel around Hawaii and travel across to Australia. I have been out on the Pacific around Hawaii, and I would not take a 27 passage making in those waters. The design could handle it,the build would not. I took apart a 72 to upgrade it, eventually I came to the conclusion that it was cheaper just to get another boat.

[jeremiason]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

Not to rain on your parade Tom but the op asked about intra island travel around Hawaii and travel across to Australia. I have been out on the Pacific around Hawaii, and I would not take a 27 passage making in those waters. The design could handle it,the build would not. I took apart a 72 to upgrade it, eventually I came to the conclusion that it was cheaper just to get another boat.

What about my post gave you the idea that I said the boat would make it to Australia? I said I would NOT go around the world in a C-27... So to clarify, I would not cross oceans with a C-27 or go out in heavy weather if I didn't have to.

Based on my experience in San Francisco Bay winds, both racing and cruising this boat, I do believe it will hold up fine inter-island crusing. Although the Molokini Express might be challenging, uncomfortable and for a new sailor probably not recommened.

Of course they would have to do the Rig modifications I mentioned earlier, to avoid any catoshrophic failures, but even with the addition complete standing rigging replacement, this would cost less than $1500 for a do-it-yourself'er for the complete package.

To the orginal poster and the other poster who had also bought a C-27...

I would suggest that you sail the crap out of the boats and learn all you can from them.... Only spend enough money to make the vessel safe and seaworthy.

Catalina 27's are cheap to maintain and will give you some good experience for the buck.

When you think you are ready to cross oceans, instead of making expenive upgrades to a boat that wasn't designed to cross oceans, save your money and look for a blue water ready boat when you are ready to leave Hawaii.

[jeremiason]

Also here are couple of examples of extreme mods to the Catalina 27... I still think that you can get a better boat for less money, but some people just love them and are willoing to spend the money.

Juggernaut - the first Catalina 27 to circumnavigate:
http://catalinayachts.com/pdf/halfoffame/ACFB0.pdf

Sovereignty completed the Great Circle Route of the Eastern US: Sovereignty: A Unique Catalina 27 (hull # 65) - Sovereignty & Personal Freedom

Bijou was completely by her owner refitted at a cost of about $30k:
Judy B's "Bijou" - A Catalina 27 Website

Also here is some general chat about structural improvements to the C-27:
Preparing a Catalina 27 for offshore

[Bobnoxx99]

there is a drain at the back is it ok to use drano to unclog or better to use snake or what?

[jeremiason]

Originally Posted by Bobnoxx99

there is a drain at the back is it ok to use drano to unclog or better to use snake or what?

Don't use Draino on anything in you boat!

Where is the drain you are referring to?

[rover88]

What I like about Catalina is that they are the first to tell you what their boats are made for and they are not meant to be bluewater capable. That said, they are sound little coastal cruisers and the 27 is a great size for the beginner (my son owns a Catalina 30).

With any of these type boats there are a few things you should have checked before getting out in any rough stuff. First are the keel bolts that attach the keel to the boat. Second are the chain plates that attach the standing rigging. Next is the rigging itself. Then the mast compression plate and finally the rudder and steering connections. Chances are everything will be serviceable but if not, the above items are what will cause catastrophic failures.

Compliments to you in that you have done what many only dream or talk about - you are a sailboat owner. Your little 27 will give you a great deal of knowledge and enjoyment, but when you are hooked and ready to go farther, you may need to look for a boat more capable of long term cruising.

So sail around the islands carefully, learn and enjoy. Keep the boat sound and tidy but don't put a lot of money in it. In a short while you should be able to sell it and put that money into a heavier displacement boat more suited to offshore work.

[SkiprJohn]

Your Catalina 27 will go to any major island in Hawaii as long as you 1. check your rigging and 2. watch your weather. Alenuihaha channel between Maui and the Big Island is the roughest but if the weather is light trades or light and variable you can do it.
You need to get your sailing skills up so go out as many times as possible and get some instruction if you can.
If the drain you are talking about is the cockpit drain then just take a high pressure hose to it until it gets the junk out of it. Make certain when you do take the high pressure hose to it that you see water coming out of the hull where the throughhull fitting shoud be and you are not filling the boat with water because of a broken hose.
You can also put pressure on the throughhull fitting to reverse it to help clear the debris. No draino. You don't want to contaminate the very contaminated waters any more than they already are. If you don't have a high pressure hose then get a bit of water in the cockpit and use a plumbers plunger.
kind regards,

[Bobnoxx99]

the one at the back which drains the water right outside the hatch where you sit and steer. thank you!