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First Boat 2 Options

7K views 29 replies 17 participants last post by  dongreerps 
#1 ·
Hello all,

I'm new to the forum, and first boat buyer (20-23ft). This is harder than buying a house :) . I plan spending 4K for the boat and reserve 2K for extras. (total 6k) The boat will be moored so I decided to look for a fixed keel. I live in Miami and plan to use the boat to sail the bay and the ICW.

I really like the CAPE DORY 22 and the CATALINA 22 (wing keel).

What do you guys think of these boats?

I am more inclined for the CapeDory because I feel she's a little boat that behaves like an adult, but I'm not sure if getting parts will be a pain... Getting parts for the CAT seems so easy.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Paulo
 
#2 ·
I suspect you'll find that most parts that you end up replacing can be bought from manufacturers like Harken and so on, often in greatly upgraded form. Lets face it, most of what wears out is blocks, lines, sails, and engine parts and you won't be buying them from the boat builder. Everything else can be fabricated.

The manufacturer of my Bristol has been out of business for 15 years and so far I haven't found that a problem. Bristol tended to use top quality fittings from vendors that are mostly still in business today.

That Cape Dory looks nice, BTW....
 
#3 ·
They're both good boats, just different. The CD will be heavy and not that fast. The design is old but should not be confused with better or more stable. Just different. The Cat 22 is a solid boat but not as "shippy" as the CD. Since she is not full keeled , she will probably be a bit faster and maybe point higher. The overhang in the CD loses a lot of internal space and waterline, reducing speed potential. But she looks good.

I have a LOT of experience in the Cat22 - my father owned one and I worked for the dealer. My brother-in-law had a CD Typhoon and now has a CD 25D so I'm familiar with the brand. My opinion is to by the boat that you like best. You won't go wrong in this price range. BTW - Your thumbnail cost estimates are rational, IMO.
 
#4 ·
To sail Biscayne Bay, I would go with the Catalina. You won't have to worry about going aground nearly as much. The Catalina is also a better light air performer. The seabreeze is nice, but my very limited experience on the Bay was that those big buildings on Miami Beach did a pretty good job of blocking the wind at the water level. And the CD certainly has more brightwork to take care of. As I recall, aren't the coamings mahogany on that boat? If so, you can't let that weather like teak; it has to be varnished or otherwise protected, and the Florida sun is hell on that stuff. Take the ongoing maintenance into account when choosing.

That being said, either boat will do you fine at that price. I would buy the one that is in better condition, "better" defined as (in my own order of importance) no blisters or delamination on the hull; no soft spots on the deck; engine condition; sail condition. And the only reason sails are last on my list here is because for boats that size, good used sails will run you less than a new outboard.

As far as support goes, Catalina is still in business and makes a good amount of money and good will supporting its old boats. And although CD is long gone, MarkSF is right, it doesn't make that much difference in finding parts or fixing things.
 
#6 ·
Then you can let those weather! My friend's CD Typhoon has mahogany coamings. The one CD 22 I have seen in person looked like it had mahogany coamings too. Maybe not; I wasn't paying close attention and it was about 15 years ago.

At least the coamings are relatively easy to care for: flat surfaces that you can sand. And if you don't take good care of them, they will just look crappy. Its the wooden toe rails on those boats that scare me. Not only are they hard to care for, I am really afraid of what's underneath. If you don't keep them up and well-bedded, you will have deck problems for sure. They look fantastic, but require a certaint type of owner: one who likes projects.
 
#8 ·
I think Sabreman did a good job describing the differences in how the two sail.

Caring for brightwork is either a relaxing afternoon and a six pack or something you hate with a passion. You already know which camp you're in.

A couple of additional thoughts. The Catalina 22 may not be as heavy as the Cape Dory, but she is a pretty tough little boat.

If you have any thoughts of racing the Catalina 22 is an active class, and you may find a group of C22 racers in the Miami area.

If/when you ever decide you want to sell the boat it may be easier to sell the Catalina. These boats have a real following.

We sailed a Catalina 22 for two seasons before stepping up to a Catalina 30. Loved that little boat and still miss her.

All that said let me ask you this. If all else is equal and the boats are in similar condition what is your heart telling you?

Jim
 
#14 ·
I think Sabreman did a good job describing the differences in how the two sail.

Caring for brightwork is either a relaxing afternoon and a six pack or something you hate with a passion. You already know which camp you're in.

A couple of additional thoughts. The Catalina 22 may not be as heavy as the Cape Dory, but she is a pretty tough little boat.

If you have any thoughts of racing the Catalina 22 is an active class, and you may find a group of C22 racers in the Miami area.

If/when you ever decide you want to sell the boat it may be easier to sell the Catalina. These boats have a real following.

We sailed a Catalina 22 for two seasons before stepping up to a Catalina 30. Loved that little boat and still miss her.

All that said let me ask you this. If all else is equal and the boats are in similar condition what is your heart telling you?

Jim
I am not recommending one boat over the other, but the Cape Dory's still have a very popular following today. I wouldn't worry about resale on the CD. They were built at a level that just isn't found anymore on most new boats. If a buyers wants a boat built with this kind of toughness they have to look at older boats of this variety. Granted the Catalina will have a wider appeal to most people, but they are also a lot easier to find if you want one.

Good luck in your search.
 
#9 ·
Jim,
My instinct tells me the CAT is the right boat; but somehow the CD made me think twice since all CD owners highly recommend their boats. I have sailed the CAT 22 before but not the CD.
I know both are good boats, I just hope to choose the one that better fits my style.
I'll be inspecting both on Thursday and I'm confident that the "right" boat will call to me when we meet in person. Till then I'll keep enjoying this boat purchasing voyage.
 
#11 ·
jim,
i'm confident that the "right" boat will call to me when we meet in person. Till then i'll keep enjoying this boat purchasing voyage.
+1 :d
 
#10 ·
the Cape Dory build quality should be far superior to a Cat 22.

I would look carefully at the weight of the Cat 22, there should be a relatively wide range of weight the boats actually ended up coming out if the factory.


I recall the Cat 22 is a chopper gun lay-up and the Ce Dory is solid hand laid FRG.
 
#12 ·
Welcome to the SN world, Paulo. Doesn't sound to me like you need any advice as you've got a great plan in action. The only thing I would add is to take your time. Since it is such a buyer's market, the odds are you'll end up with a great buy and resale concerns shouldn't be as much. Keep us informed, however, because we'd like to know how this plays out. Good luck.
 
#16 ·
What a little beauty!

Well I'd say this, in contradiction of advice you frequently hear : A sailboat should be bought with your heart, not your head. Let's face it, she'll take up all your time and most likely most of your money, so you might as well go for the one you like best.
 
#22 ·
I know I might hurt someone's feelings, but that boat is way way better looking than the Catalina! Sweet boat, glad to see another happy ending! Nice to see the final decision, as so often you see these posts and think, what did they do?
 
#29 ·
I know I might hurt someone's feelings, but that boat is way way better looking than the Catalina!
In less than 2 weeks I close on my third Catalina and my feelings aren't hurt. That's a good looking boat. Much prettier than the Cats.

Sailing for me is all about time on the water; I think a CD would take too much time to keep it looking nice, and it's too sweet of a boat to not have it look nice.

Beautiful boat! Congratulations. :)
 
#23 ·
Very pretty... looks in good shape. Congratulations and thanks for getting back and letting us know how it went.
 
#27 · (Edited)
That's a very pretty vessel.
I would classify it with those few small "pocket yachts" that are far more capable than their length might indicate.
Along with the Flicka, Nonsuch 22, Stonehorse, the Ericson 23, and... etc....

Good Quality and as others have noted it has a wonderful "row away" factor.
:cool:

Fair winds,


L
 
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