# Catalina "Capri 26" comments



## msl (Jul 4, 2001)

*Catalina "Capri 26" comments*

Would anyone familiar with the Catalina Capri 26 care to comment about:
build quality 
sailing (handling)
inboard vs outboard
trailerability 
It would be used as a lakeboat and coastal, bay areas. At the most a Florida - Bahamas trip in favorable conditions.
Thanks


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*Catalina "Capri 26" comments*

OH its an awful boat 
lousy workmanship 
real slow
really high depreciation
and so forth 
Now tell me where the one you are looking at is located, best with the telephone or email of the owner ...

Although I am not familiar with the bahamas I probably would not consider to sail there with a capri 26, but than i might be wrong
( as I am certainly with my first statements ..lol . I am looking for one ! )

Thorsten


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*Capri 26*



Wega24 said:


> OH its an awful boat
> lousy workmanship
> real slow
> really high depreciation
> ...


I hope Thorsten was practicing his sarchasm because the Capri 26 (At least for me) has been a great 1st boat). I have a 1991 Wing keel with an outboard.

PROS:

Good interior room - I've had 4 adults and 4 kids sleep over night on her.
Stable - Have had her over to 32 degrees. The furthest I have had her out is 10 Mi off shore in San Diego. She weathered 8' swells pretty well on the way to Mission Bay.
Trailerable: Mine weighs in at 5100 lbs empty, but the fin keel is a little heavier I think
Shallow draft Wing or Fin Keel. I only draw 3.5' (Which has come in handy) but I'm sure I have given up some windward performance because of the wing keel.
Room: 6' Headroom-Which makes it a palace for my little 5'8" self. Two 9' cockpit benches are ideal for outdoor sleeping, the drop down talble makes a large double (Or quadruple with kids) berth, the under Cockpit Pilot berth easily sleeps two. I usually end up as the entertainment boat at a raft up. I have had 10 people in the cockpit.
Enclosed head, with shower
Pressure water - I have a hot water heater which gives me two days hot-warm water once unplugged from the dock
Wide - 9'6" beam - gives you 1' decks on either side of the cabin. Foredeck has room for 1/2 a dozen kids hanging feet over to catch the wakes.
Sugarscoop Transom - Great for access to the outboard, swimming, boarding from dingy
Diesel OR outboard (Diesel takes up all the room under the companionway that's why I like my outboard)
Tiller - Gives you the Feel of the ocean.
Active community of owners (there is a capri 26 yahoo group out there)
CONS:

Did I say it was WIDE - the 9'6" makes you only legal on the road on a trailer if you have WIDE LOAD permits, signs, etc. A pain.
Performance: She easily get's to within 45degrees of windward and her hull is rated at 5Kts. (I have had her up to 8.15Kts when I had the 32degree heel) but generally 4-5 kts is typical in 10-15kts breeze.
Sailplan: On my sloop, the foresail (IMHO) is a little undersized. I have a 100% Jib rollerfurled, that I have difficulty trimming to perfection. (Luffs a lot). I move the genoa cars around a lot. My winches are on the cabin top and if I want to upgrade to a 130-150Genny, I have to get two winches, genoa car tracks, etc mounted on the deck above the cockpit. There are oodles of C26's out there already set up with 4 winches.
Wood, there is not a lot of wood on the outside, but there is enough to tie you up every couple of years sanding, staining and varnishing. To me, this is part of the joy of boat ownership.
Parts not easy to obtain - I needed a new stern ladder (Mine developed a rust hole) and it took me a long time, photos and measurments to help Catalina figure out what the heck I had there. It's a special bend because of the sugar scoop transom. Other plastic parts have withered away over the years, and it's not easy to find those either.
I have to disagree with the workmanship comment - Occasionally I'll find a screw that is out of place, but not often. Depreciation seems to have leveled out.  The range right now is about 12,000 - 22,000 for a capri 26. I paid 18K for mine in 2001. (But my 7,500 gvw trailer would add to the value, that I bought after the purchase of the boat).

I hope this helps
Captainjimbolio

You can see pictures of her in my avitar and sig.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

I seriously doubt either one cares much at this point...since the posts in question are FIVE YEARS OLD. Please don't revive dead threads and you might want to read the dates of the posts before responding to them. 

BTW Wega24 most likely was being sarcastic given his looking for one.

Also recommend you read the post in my signature.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

LOL, my bad, 
My blood just got up about my boat. You know how it is. 

I read your post, and will be more careful. Thanks


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

De nada captain Jim.


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## Diverboy (Oct 24, 2008)

*Capri 26 help!*

Hello there I am also A Capri 26 owner, I appreciate your enthusiasm for the boat. Its very hard to get info on her. Your last poat said you were considering getting a larger Genoa, Did you? and if so how does it sail? I am considering a 155% but my fellow sailors seem to think that the 155% will be overpowering her, and hard to handle. What are your thoughts?



captainjimbolio said:


> I hope Thorsten was practicing his sarchasm because the Capri 26 (At least for me) has been a great 1st boat). I have a 1991 Wing keel with an outboard.
> 
> PROS:
> 
> ...


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## Delirious (Dec 16, 2001)

Capri's are built adequate for what they are designed for - a light day sailor & weekender. I wouldn't hesitate to do some coastal crusing picking the days carefully and keeping the weather radio on.

It's got an active class association ( Capri 26 National Association ) and is a good solution for a pocket cruiser.

PS - whether a 155% is overpowering it will depend entirely on the winds in your area. I like a 140 to 135% for lake sailing and winds of 10 to 20 knots.


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## cavelamb (Nov 13, 2006)

*Capri 26*

I just learned about the Capri 26.
I've sailed the 18 (for several years) and 22.

I thought the line topped out with the 25, which is a 
slightly bigger version of a 22, which is a slightly bigger 
version of an 18. The 26 looks like a whole 'nother thing, 
though.

I've found several old links to boats that were once for sale,
but not there any more.

Does anyone here know of a 26 for sale?
Preferably somewhere near Texas, but any US boat would 
be considered.

Thanks

Richard


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## astraeus (Jan 30, 2006)

cavelamb said:


> I just learned about the Capri 26.
> I've sailed the 18 (for several years) and 22.
> 
> I thought the line topped out with the 25, which is a
> ...


Try:

Sailing Texas, sailing lessons, sailboats for sale, sailboat rentals, charters, used sailboats

Pretty good source for trailerable boats.


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## splets (May 15, 2000)

*Great Boat!!*

Great boat for sale in the Phoenix area with a trailer!!!


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## astraeus (Jan 30, 2006)

Splets, 

You just bought that boat, are you selling already???

Your just tired of being picked on for having pink sails.:laugher


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## splets (May 15, 2000)

*Of Course*

Of course the boat is for sale, isn't yours? The boat has a trailer, lots of sails, and in great condition!!


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## cavelamb (Nov 13, 2006)

Do you have a link for this boat?
Price? 
condition?
Recent Survey?

Cavelamb at earthlink.net


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## cavelamb (Nov 13, 2006)

I found one locally! 1991 wing keel with outboard power.
Well equipped and all the comforts of home.
So I bought it for my birthday (April).

It's exactly the same as my old Capri 18 - but 50% bigger.

Sweet!

Richard


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## KeelHaulin (Mar 7, 2006)

Congrats... Have a fun sailing season!


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## KeanM (May 14, 2020)

*Re: Catalina "Capri 26" comments*

Hello, I hope this forum is still active.
I own a 1993 Catalina Capri 26. I love the boat but have had cooling issues with my Suzuki outboard. It may be strictly the engine at fault but I'm looking for advice from other owners with outboards. Mine is a long shaft but feel it should be replaced with an extra long shaft. Any advice would be helpful.
Thanks,
KM


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## danvon (Dec 10, 2012)

*Re: Catalina "Capri 26" comments*



KeanM said:


> Hello, I hope this forum is still active.
> I own a 1993 Catalina Capri 26. I love the boat but have had cooling issues with my Suzuki outboard. It may be strictly the engine at fault but I'm looking for advice from other owners with outboards. Mine is a long shaft but feel it should be replaced with an extra long shaft. Any advice would be helpful.
> Thanks,
> KM


You might want to re-title this as Outboard Issues. This doesn't really seem like a Capri-specific problem. Are you not seeing cooling water flowing through the motor? Having trouble with the prop coming out of the water?


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