# Ericson 25 vs Catalina 25



## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

In my search for a boat I have narrowed it down to two boats a C25 and E25. I have gotten some basic information from the Catalina and Ericson owners sites. But figure their opinions are biased. I am looking for a group of people to put this in perspective.

I looked at a C25 this weekend and although not able to see inside it looked clean outside with 4 cockpit winches and spinnaker rigging. It looks overall clean even though it has not been registered since 04. The owner has moved out of state so it is hard to arrange a viewing.

I have also been talking with an Ericson 25 owner waiting on photos and hope to look at that boat this week or weekend.

The Catalina is a 83' C25 fixed keel with a 2 cycle 7.5 HP, looks clean and ready to sail.

The Ericson is a 74' E25 with a 4 cycle 7.5 short shaft Mecury OB with alternator. It has a keel C/B configuration. It has been used minimally for the last decade. The owners live in the mountains and have a Montgomery 17.

I figure I can get them both for around $4000. The Ericson probably needs a little bit more work to get in the water. I think the Catalina would be a good boat for our needs but I have always liked Ericson boats.

Ericson Pros.

Better Built ?
Easier to Launch
New Main
4 Stroke engine (need to add long shaft)
More Sails (New Main)
Catalina Pros

Newer
Faster
More parts available
Closer to splashing.
I would appreciate any thoughts and input comparing these two boats.

Thanks 
Jordan


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## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

*How about Keel C-B design*

Okay how about just some comments on the Keel C-B design on the Ericson?

I would appreciate any input on this design. Others I have seen have actually had stub keels. The Ericson 25 seems to have a lead bottom without any keel looking appendage, but a centerboard for windward performance. Any care to comment on this design?

Thanks


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## JimB517 (Feb 12, 2003)

*catalina 25*

Hi, I've sailed my 1978 Catalina 25 fin keel all over Southern CA and Mexico. I've sailed 2000 miles per year for the last 4 years. I've raced Newport - Ensenada, Crew of Two Around Catalina and the Border Run. I've single handed from San Diego around the Channel Islands 3 times and down Baja once. Nothing major has ever broken. Good boat, simple boat, solid boat. Parts available. Great owners group. Easy to find new or used sails - generally off the shelf. Factory support. There are some known weaknesses (like leaky windows on the old boats) to the Cat 25 but the owners group will tell you how to deal with them. Come to our owners group web site and download the guide to self-apprasing the Catalina 25 and do your own mini-survey before making an offer and doing a sea trial/survey.

You say the C25 is a fin keel and while it can be trailered, it is not really intended to be loaded and unloaded often. If you have to trailer, look for a swing keel or a newer wing keel.


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## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

JimB517 said:


> You say the C25 is a fin keel and while it can be trailered, it is not really intended to be loaded and unloaded often. If you have to trailer, look for a swing keel or a newer wing keel.


Thanks Jim,
I know the C25 is a very capable boat, and I have been to the site and downloaded the self appraisal information. What I would really like is the performance and reliability of a fin keel with the trailerability of a swing keel. The wing keel era boats are out of my price range. I would love to do some racing on my boat but any boat in my price range would not be race ready. I will have to stick with abusing OPBs.

I do not intend this boat to be a trailer sailor, it will live in a marina. Besides as a second home in town here and a daysailor and weekender, I would love to be able to be able to put the miles in you do and take a few trips like you describe on the coast, Baja, Lake Mead. That's why a trailer is important. A swing keel would open up my launching options but limit my performance. I am also leary of the stability of a swing keel design compared to a fixed keel, even though there are no s/k C25s nearby. That is why the E25s are being considered.

Funny story thought I have been searching for PHRF information on these boats and have not been able to find a location with both boats to get a good comparison. But just found a thread just now, in which you had contributed on the C25 site with this link. 
http://offshore.ussailing.org/Assets/Offshore/PHRF/High%20Low%20Mean%20PHRF%20Handicaps.pdf
Very good information. I see the PHRF on all configurations of these boats to be within about 10 PHRF points of each other, so that is less of a consideration than I had estimated it would be.

One thing the C25 has going for it though is space. Room for 2 in the v-berth and aft berth, and larger cockpit, all of which is nice for entertaining and sharing a cruise with friends. It may be tight but can't imagine many other 25 footers that could be more comfortable for 2 couples for the weekend. I met a family of 5 that spends every weekend on theirs in the Great Salt Lake.


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## sethpool (Jul 28, 2014)

This is an older thread but someone else thinking about the Catalina 25 will stumble into it just as I have. Here's a link to an extensive review of the Catalina 25 I researched and wrote. Fair winds!

Catalina 25 Review | Which Sailboat?


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## yellowsky (Mar 13, 2015)

Hello Everyone,
I too am in the market for a trailerable, or should I say, trailer launchable boat. I have read many posts from many forums and everyone has their own opinions about which ones would be easier to set up, launch, retrieve, sail, etc.. This is all well and good and the discussions can lead to many interesting threads and realizations. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I am a "show me" type person. What I would love to see would be a video of a husband and wife team show up at the boat ramp with a c25, e25, or any other of the larger trailerable sailboats. Then show the entire process of preparation, then show the actual launching, then show the actual trailering when done. 
I ask for this because i have heard so many things about if you can or can not launch this particular boat, or gee that can't be easy or it depends on the ramp or it takes so long everyone at the ramp will hate you or whatever. Lets get down to the facts. Show me launching one of these boats with just you and your spouse in a reasonable amount of time without damaging anything. This video would answer more questions and give me more satisfaction than a hundred forums of opinions. 
So, if anyone has such a video or can make one, then bring it, or "show me"!
Thanks


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## bshock (Dec 11, 2012)

Yellow, I'm afraid I don't have a video, but the first year I owned my C25 I didn't have a slip but kept the boat at a mast-up boat yard near the ramp at the busiest reservoir (Alum Creek Reservoir) in Ohio, and believe me, the ramp stress was HUGE! 

However, I was able to launch the boat in the same amount of time that a bass boat would launch. same with retreiving. 

but if I had to raise and lower the mast every time, it would add probably an hour to an hour and a half for both launch and retrieve.

That ramp was fairly steep, but I did sometimes use a strap, which only added about five minutes or so at the ramp.

JimB517, good to see you here!


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## L.A. Sail (Mar 13, 2015)

I am a sucker for Catalinas, but they are both great boats.


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

S2 7.9 launching is a breeze 18 inches draft board up... swept spreader rig... fast decent space below... yep I'm biased.

I used to launch and retrieve my Capri 25 each season myself... so anything is possible.

Mast Raising is simple...









Trailer launching can be difficult, but if you have a steep enough ramp, strap launching can even get a fin keel launched.








and the guy in the picture is about 6 foot tall.


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## Sailormon6 (May 9, 2002)

I had a Catalina 22 and thought it was easy to rig and launch, but I know others who think it's difficult. I had a Catalina 25 and thought it was much harder to rig and launch, but I know others who can rig and launch a C25 quickly. My point is that there are lots of factors that determine how easy it will be to rig and launch a boat. A swing arm trailer makes it much easier to launch a boat than a trailer with fixed bunks. Knowing how to rig the boat makes it much quicker, and it's much easier to raise the mast if you have the necessary equipment, such as an A-frame and a mast-up.

You can find plans for how to make an A-frame at Association Forum

This video shows a very efficient method for raising and lowering a mast on a Catalina 25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r33VCObNroY


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