Capri 14.2 garageability

andram

New Member
I'm considering the purchase of a 1991 mod 2 Capri. It's for sale at a dealer and they are asking $2300. The painted trailer needs some work and overall it isn't in A+ conditions so I was thinking of offering $1750-$1800. The biggest reservations I have regarding the Capri are:
1. 22.5' mast height. I know the mast sits at an angle when the boat is on the trailer, does this allow it to fit in a standard 20x20 garage?
2. I do have some concerns about stability. I will primarily be sailing on small inland MN lakes and there seems to be plenty of negative press about the Capri's stability. If the boat is relatively unstable there is no way my wife will want to come along, which is kind of the whole point. Can you put my fears to rest?

Thanks all!
 
First, it sounds like that's waaaay too much for the boat. I know there are regional variations, however I paid $1200 for my Mod 2, and it's almost perfect. As far as putting it in the garage, you may take a diagonal measurement in the space you would park it and see if you can get enough length. My guess is yes. You could even hang it from the ceiling across both parking areas. The mast is light, so rigging some type of sling should make the process easy. Stability is a relative thing. Some people get "excited" at 10 degrees of heel. It is tender, and will heel to about 20 degrees in a heartbeat. But then again, that's pretty much any boat of this size. Even my 22 footer moves to that pretty quickly. Neither means the boat is going over, but explain that to a very nervous passenger. Has your wife ever been sailing? If not, get her something under 25' first. I've seen people white knuckle on 35 footers in a 10 kt breeze.
 
Thanks for the reply! We've sailed together on a Hobie in about 3 knots of wind (woohoo:rolleyes:) and on a cat boat which didn't heal much. I'm used to 10-20 degree heel, and so long as the boat doesn't go over when the water is cold it might not be too bad. I am apprehensive about the price...
 
I would say as long as you're conservative, not much reason to worry. However, you could dump it if you don't mind the sheets. I found the boat more stable than I expected. Just start on light days and you can both work your way into it. It won't be as likely to flip, and you guys can work on your skills of being a team.
 
I use large hooks to hang my mast from the ceiling of the garage, along with the boom. Works great. The first couple of winters, it was in the garage, but as some other projects came along, it is in the backyard under a tarp.

Kent
 
Garage

My Capri went into the garage on the first day I brought it home. It is easy to move by hand if I need to but rarely have to. For the mast and boom, I built 2 small wood squares out of scrap 2x4 and screwed these into the ceiling. I slip one end of the mast in and then the other. I always aim the spreaders up and then rest the boom in one and the other end in the wood square.
 
Cos A = 24.6 degrees

If I remember my high school geometry correctly then you can fit a 22 foot mast in a 20 foot garage if the angle is 24.6 degrees. But wait, that would put the top of the mast at 9.16' from the floor if the bottom were on the floor. So while sitting on the boat where the butt of the mast might be 3' off the floor the ceiling would have to be 9.16 + 3 = 12'-2" high. Not likely. Hope that helps. Measuring it (garage and boat/mast) would be the only way to be sure.;)
 
Fortunately I have a 23' deep garage and my boat fits right in with mast and all with about a foot to spare. Now only if Spring would come early.....
 
Thanks everyone. My selection of boats is narrowing and the Capri is still a contender. I will have to take a look at the boat again and if we can get that price down to about $1800 I might go for it.
 
Depending on her condition (including sails, rigging, etc) a Mod 2 w/trailer for about $2K is pretty standard in the upper Midwest. They're just not as common around here (it's that whole "supply-demand" thing ;)). In fact, I couldn't find a decent one in Iowa/Western Illinois and ultimately got mine from a dealer near Minneapolis. Unless you're willing to go on quite a road trip or pay more for shipping, that's probably about the price you'd be looking at. And as the saying goes, "buy straw hats in the winter", so I'd think they'd be interested in negotiating (especially since you guys have at least a couple of weeks more of winter than we in balmy Iowa!).

My C14.2 w/mast fits easily in my smallish garage, so I doubt that would be an issue.

Regarding stability, I really don't think this boat's a lot different than any dinghy w/o a weighted keel. To quote the ASA's Sailing Fundamentals, "...small dinghies are relatively unstable and capsize following the simplest mistake". I've sailed similar vessels (e.g., FJs) and I don't think they're really any different, it's just the nature of the beast. I also sail on an inland lake with the characteristically changeable wind direction challenge (is it really possible for the wind to blow in multiple directions at the same time??), which makes a capsize possible. Any boat of this class will have the same issue. The C14.2's a great boat and if you can find one for a reasonable price (for the area), I'd go for it. But I did, so there you go! :)
 

Back
Top