Capri 14.2 or 16.5?

Trevor F.

New Member
What are the pros and cons of each?
I'm looking to buy my first boat, and I have a very tight budget. I'm liking the price range of the 14.2 much better, but will I regret not saving up for a 16.5 instead?

Also, there's way more Capri 14.2 listings out there, I'm struggling to find good 16.5 options.

Thanks!
 
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If this is your first boat you may be a new sailor looking for stability. I recently bought a used 16.5 after giving up my O'day 222 due to my age and limited agility. Wanted a swing keel without a trunk in the cockpit to allow for tacking mobility and balance ( port to starboard) for self and crew. Also have reef main and furling jib for better sail control. No hand holds on either boat so I am looking for advise to install. The 16.5 has much more room for under deck storage. Both have self bailing cockpits with inner and outer hulls. Check space between for accumulated water (hull leak - rain or sea) by removal of drain plug. Check for "oil canning" or hull deformation due to improper bunk support. In my opinion the 16.5 with good sail control and hand holds to assist shifting body weight should be a safe stable boat.
 
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I'm a 67 year old guy in above average shape for my age. Am able to single handle all aspects of operating my 14.2 swing keel Capri:
**Launch/retrieve was simplified by adding a pair of those upright guides that bolt onto the trailer.
**Step/lower mast with the help of a wooden crutch device I made up from 2x4's. It sits on floor of cockpit towards the rear of boat, allows for mast to sit about a foot above the transom. Also improves the way mast sits while trailering and stored.
**Got a nice little dolly that allows to pull trailer by hand in case you want to store it somewhere that's not accessible by car.
**Boat feels a bit on the tender side until you get used to it, then it becomes a sweetheart to sail. If you're not a good sailor, then this boat's not for you! **Added a set of reef points and a homemade system to hoist/lower jib. Also a tiller clutch that allows for leaving the helm to handle sails while underway. And a small lightweight Minkota trolling motor which makes it simple to move around in docking and boat traffic situations. Not to mention if the wind were to quit while you're out there!
**Sailed a Catalina 22 on Lake Michigan for 5 years and see my Capri as a baby version of that wonderful boat. Only difference is that the big guy had a 550 lb keel and Capri needs my 195 lb gut to give the stability needed, since the board has no weight. The fixed keel model of Capri is far more stable but also a huge PITA to launch/retrieve alone! The swing board makes for better pointing to weather than the fixed keel model, but only with the help of my agile movement on the boat.

In closing I would say that the 16.5 would be superior in room and stability, but on the flipside could be a fair amount harder for an old guy like me to operate singlehandedly. I'll keep mine as long as my body holds up!

PS, if anybody wants to see pics of my improvements let me know and I'll post them.

Cheers!
 
I'm a 67 year old guy in above average shape for my age. Am able to single handle all aspects of operating my 14.2 swing keel Capri:
**Launch/retrieve was simplified by adding a pair of those upright guides that bolt onto the trailer.
**Step/lower mast with the help of a wooden crutch device I made up from 2x4's. It sits on floor of cockpit towards the rear of boat, allows for mast to sit about a foot above the transom. Also improves the way mast sits while trailering and stored.
**Got a nice little dolly that allows to pull trailer by hand in case you want to store it somewhere that's not accessible by car.
**Boat feels a bit on the tender side until you get used to it, then it becomes a sweetheart to sail. If you're not a good sailor, then this boat's not for you! **Added a set of reef points and a homemade system to hoist/lower jib. Also a tiller clutch that allows for leaving the helm to handle sails while underway. And a small lightweight Minkota trolling motor which makes it simple to move around in docking and boat traffic situations. Not to mention if the wind were to quit while you're out there!
**Sailed a Catalina 22 on Lake Michigan for 5 years and see my Capri as a baby version of that wonderful boat. Only difference is that the big guy had a 550 lb keel and Capri needs my 195 lb gut to give the stability needed, since the board has no weight. The fixed keel model of Capri is far more stable but also a huge PITA to launch/retrieve alone! The swing board makes for better pointing to weather than the fixed keel model, but only with the help of my agile movement on the boat.

In closing I would say that the 16.5 would be superior in room and stability, but on the flipside could be a fair amount harder for an old guy like me to operate singlehandedly. I'll keep mine as long as my body holds up!

PS, if anybody wants to see pics of my improvements let me know and I'll post them.

Cheers!
Hi,
I just got a 16.5 and am 81. Sold an O'day 222 after 10 years. Wanted something smaller to handle. I would like to see pics of all your improvements including battery hold down if you have one. I am looking to install hand holds. Any advice? See my posts.
Thanks,
Bill
 
curious how you like your 16.5. Seems hard to find info on them and don't seem to be many around.
I'm looking at a 1995 in good condition with a relatively new trailer (2015). I've seen that vintage on sale on a few sites anywhere from $2000 to $5000, so wondering what year you have. This guy is asking $2500, but I've been driving by it every day since spring and it's still there.

Hoping to get it cheap if it looks good but don't want to insult the guy.

alf
 
Have any pics of that 95' 16.5 you are considering?
2K would be a good deal if it doesn't need any work.
Just picked up a 87 14.2 in near mint condition for 1K with good trailer.
They are both great value.
 
Have any pics of that 95' 16.5 you are considering?
2K would be a good deal if it doesn't need any work.
Just picked up a 87 14.2 in near mint condition for 1K with good trailer.
They are both great value.
Probably actually going to meet the guy to go over it tomorrow or Saturday so will have some pics and more info then.
 
For a totally single hander I can say the 14.2 is about as big as I can physically manage. Mast step. launch/retrieve (with help of the guide posts), ease of trailering and dragging it around with hand dolly, etc. are all doable. I look at the Rebel 16's we have on our lake and no way could I handle that one alone!
 
I'm a 67 year old guy in above average shape for my age. Am able to single handle all aspects of operating my 14.2 swing keel Capri:
**Launch/retrieve was simplified by adding a pair of those upright guides that bolt onto the trailer.
**Step/lower mast with the help of a wooden crutch device I made up from 2x4's. It sits on floor of cockpit towards the rear of boat, allows for mast to sit about a foot above the transom. Also improves the way mast sits while trailering and stored.
**Got a nice little dolly that allows to pull trailer by hand in case you want to store it somewhere that's not accessible by car.
**Boat feels a bit on the tender side until you get used to it, then it becomes a sweetheart to sail. If you're not a good sailor, then this boat's not for you! **Added a set of reef points and a homemade system to hoist/lower jib. Also a tiller clutch that allows for leaving the helm to handle sails while underway. And a small lightweight Minkota trolling motor which makes it simple to move around in docking and boat traffic situations. Not to mention if the wind were to quit while you're out there!
**Sailed a Catalina 22 on Lake Michigan for 5 years and see my Capri as a baby version of that wonderful boat. Only difference is that the big guy had a 550 lb keel and Capri needs my 195 lb gut to give the stability needed, since the board has no weight. The fixed keel model of Capri is far more stable but also a huge PITA to launch/retrieve alone! The swing board makes for better pointing to weather than the fixed keel model, but only with the help of my agile movement on the boat.

In closing I would say that the 16.5 would be superior in room and stability, but on the flipside could be a fair amount harder for an old guy like me to operate singlehandedly. I'll keep mine as long as my body holds up!

PS, if anybody wants to see pics of my improvements let me know and I'll post them.

Cheers!

I'd love to see your mast tool! That's the trickiest part of de-rigging for me... I almost always end up tapping the ground a few times with the top of the mast which Id prefer to avoid
 

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Where do you all put your boom and rudder when trailering? I have been trying to find a secure way to keep it in the boat but other than strapping the boom to the mast, I am running short of ideas.
 
The boom lays "just" perfectly diagonally if you place each end on opposite sides of the seats in the cockpit. (E.g. goose neck on portside up against the transom and the other end on your starboard side seat going diagonally across the cockpit) For the rudder, I place on the cockpit floor without issue
 

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