Some Catalina pocket cruiser questions

[Pinchecharlie]

I live in Montana and have been wanting a small sailboat for the lakes here. As you can imagine there are not many available and the ocean is a fer piece away lol. I have no real experience except a sailing class and I have no brand loyalty. I think I’d like a 22 but believe it or not it’s easier to find a 25 or 27. So my main questions are besides trailering being different wiukd it be that much more boat for a beginner to handle? I’d just like to do weekends and thought we’d camp on shore but I dunno? I will be doing another couple of more formal classes this summer and after that I’d like to buy but I like looking and dreaming and you k ie sometimes a deal comes along. Thanks we’re a couple with a nine year old daughter and a 12 year old dog lol. We will be sailing on flathead lake and several other lakes here. My dream is to someday do the inside passage to Alaska and then retire wealthy and tour the world lol!!! Probably just weekends though! Thanks Charlie in Bozeman Montana

[Rod Headlee]

Catalina 27 would be a great choice.

[wyb2]

You mention trailering, is the boat going to live in the water or on a trailer?

The 27 was clearly not designed for trailering, as it’s a couple inches wider than the legal limit of 8.5 ft (in most states anyway). Standard draft of 4 ft is also a lot for ramp launching, though looks like there is a 3 ft shoal draft option.

If you are keeping in the water for the season, towing it to and from the lake each year is probably doable.

The 22 and 25 on the other hand are both narrow enough for legal towing and available with swing keels that are raised for towing/launching. Montana means mountains right? What’s you tow vehicle? The 22 is half the weight of the 25.

If you are going to camp on shore, I would consider staying small. You sail from the cockpit, not the cabin.

[Pinchecharlie]

Trailering is just to get the boat to Montana and to get it out of the water in winter. I’d like to have it at my house for awhile to do projects just for fun and orientation but think I’d eventually like it in a slip for the season. I thought the best boat for me would be a 22 swing keel but since it’s a easy cheap boat Iam having a little bit of trouble finding one close by? And by close I mean the western Rockies close. I have a a 3/4 ton truck to tow with ? I’ve been researching and I’d actually love an older project but I don’t want to ship commercially from Florida or California unless you think it’s affordable? I found a contessa 26 for cheap in Florida lol! So I think I’ll scratch of the 27 for now . There’s a lot of very cheap 26-27 in Seattle and Portland but the trailer thing and I actually don’t know if the lakes here have the ability to “haul out” ?? I see som pretty big boats up on the flathead? Yes Montana is very much in the mountains lol

[wyb2]

If you are only towing twice a year with a 3/4 ton, you can manage a larger boat if you want to.

I can’t help with the local market, but the Venture/Macgregor line of boats from the 70s/80s (21-25) might be another to keep an eye out for. They are pretty similar to a Catalina 22 and, like the cat 22, were sold in big numbers. I’d be surprised if there aren’t at least a few hiding in old barns near any large lake.

[Don C L]

My old boat is up there on Flathead Lake! At Somers. I know they pull boats out for the winter there.

Anyway, the Catalina is such an easy and responsive boat to sail I'd say you'll be absolutely fine with either the 25 or 27. Go for it! Send photos! Flathead Lake is really beautiful.

Robin Lee Graham lives there in Somers too. I read he was looking to buy a sailboat up there a couple years ago too. (That would be hilarious if he ended up with mine!) Give him a wave if you sail by him on the lake!

[SV_FlyingTigress]

Originally Posted by Pinchecharlie

I live in Montana and have been wanting a small sailboat for the lakes here. As you can imagine there are not many available and the ocean is a fer piece away lol. I have no real experience except a sailing class and I have no brand loyalty. I think I’d like a 22 but believe it or not it’s easier to find a 25 or 27. So my main questions are besides trailering being different wiukd it be that much more boat for a beginner to handle? I’d just like to do weekends and thought we’d camp on shore but I dunno? I will be doing another couple of more formal classes this summer and after that I’d like to buy but I like looking and dreaming and you k ie sometimes a deal comes along. Thanks we’re a couple with a nine year old daughter and a 12 year old dog lol. We will be sailing on flathead lake and several other lakes here. My dream is to someday do the inside passage to Alaska and then retire wealthy and tour the world lol!!! Probably just weekends though! Thanks Charlie in Bozeman Montana

I am putting my Catalina 27 up for sale next week on FB Marketplace. It is in Missouri but has a very nice trailer. More than simple enough for a beginner, more than flexible enough to make a great sailing camper for many days if desirable. I put it in/out of Mark Twain Lake with my F150 but I would use a bigger vehicle to pull it very far. MO is a long way from Montana, I would look closer if you can find one closer.

[Pinchecharlie]

I’ve done many restoration projects over the years and I can fix about anything. I’ve however never messed with a sailboat. Iam wondering if the parts availability is an issue with certain brands? I did find several macgreggor 22’s and was wondering can these small boats share rigging? So can a guy use say Catalina stuff or bill provider parts? They are cheap and I just want to learn and don’t expect to sail i anywhere else with it. All the 70’s boats are available but I just don’t know when you lose on a purchase with a sailboat lol!

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Pinchecharlie

I’ve done many restoration projects over the years and I can fix about anything. I’ve however never messed with a sailboat. Iam wondering if the parts availability is an issue with certain brands? I did find several macgreggor 22’s and was wondering can these small boats share rigging? So can a guy use say Catalina stuff or bill provider parts? They are cheap and I just want to learn and don’t expect to sail i anywhere else with it. All the 70’s boats are available but I just don’t know when you lose on a purchase with a sailboat lol!

Catalinas are common with lots of stuff available for them. It's pretty hard to go wrong with one. The resale value is good on them too. Check here:
https://www.catalinadirect.com/

[noexit]

Originally Posted by Pinchecharlie

I’ve done many restoration projects over the years and I can fix about anything. I’ve however never messed with a sailboat. Iam wondering if the parts availability is an issue with certain brands? I did find several macgreggor 22’s and was wondering can these small boats share rigging? So can a guy use say Catalina stuff or bill provider parts? They are cheap and I just want to learn and don’t expect to sail i anywhere else with it. All the 70’s boats are available but I just don’t know when you lose on a purchase with a sailboat lol!

Most parts for most boats are off the shelf items from a handful of manufacturers. Don't get a boat with a bent or mast, boom, rudder, keel, or anything major because it is liable to cost more to replace than you could buy another one with everything intact.

Other rigging, winches, blocks, etc, just replace when needed, with the brand of your choice. For Catalinas, there are a couple sites like Catalina Direct that can sell you boat specific parts, but even there, much of it is just off-the-shelf stuff, or things like halyards cut the a specific length with a shackle pre-spliced. Something that you can do yourself pretty easily.

[Pinchecharlie]

Ok thanks. What I was wondering is if you can use whatever you want on a lesser known boat? I’ve been looking at a 1978 Pearson 22 and several macgreggor 22’s and an odd brand or two just because Montana is so far removed from the world lol. So even a boat in Seattle or Denver is 12 hours away Nevermind Missouri lol!!! There are a surprising number of boats here but most are larger believe it or not. Thanks I’ll continue to search thanks