Considering buying a Capri 14

SmoothSail'n

New Member
I am a new sailor considering buying a Capri 14.

I have heard some people love the capris, some hate them. The local club has a few that they rent and race so there are some folks with experience around my local area that I can ask for advice in the future as well.

The boat I am looking at is the fixed keel version, which I have read is tamer and better mannered than the centerboard version. Is this correct?

This is my list of things to look for when I inspect the boat:

fiberglass cracks / obvious repairs?
sails in good shape
standing rigging
running rigging
keel bolts (ever ran aground?)

any repairs known
any repairs needed
any parts known missing
any modifications to note


Does anyone have any further things I should look for or ask about?
 
Welcome SmoothSail'n to the group. When I looked at my boat to buy the mast was loaded on the deck and trailer sail slot down. I neglected to look at the complete sail slot and the previous owner did not tell me the mast had been "stressed".
Follow the track from the bottom to the top and make sure the slot is the same width with no bulge anywhere. See pic to see the bulge I missed. Not easy to deal with, the sail falls out.
Good Luck
Al
IMG_6276.JPG
 
If you consider the centerboard model, check for any cracks in the centerboard. Mine has a possibly catastrophic hairline crack that I didn't notice until a couple weeks after I'd bought it.
 
Honestly one of the main things to check is the integrity of the fiberglass. Forcefully push down hard on every section of the hull and look for soft spots cracks etc. and then the aluminum, I.e. Mast ,boom, tiller gungions.
Inspect the center board as best you can like caprintx says ,make shur center board is sound. If the hull is acceptable then you can haggle for price based on the rest of the boat.
You can find really good deals with sound hulls but the rest of the vessel might need attention.
New sails new lines new stays, if you research the cost of all those parts you can bring that to the table and explain how much it's going to cost to make her sailable.
Leave your rose eye glasses at home and you eventually find a steal and pride of ownership after working on bringing her back to life.
 
Nothing to add about the inspection replies, sound information.
I sail a 2016 model 14.2 Keel version which was purchased new from Catalina in the late summer of 2015. Coming from a Tanzer 16, a Tanzer 22, and a Cape Dory Typhoon I wanted a stable yet responsive sailing dingy which would be kept in the water at my dock during the season, mostly single handed, and not as tender as the center board version. She draws two feet, has 200 pounds of ballast in the keel, and has met every expectation so far. From light air up to at least 20 mph gusts I have had no problems sailing single handed without reefing the main (ordered with reef points). Hung a Honda 2.3 on the o/b motor bracket as an auxiliary and it is more than enough kick without adding too much weight on the stern. Kerr Lake is a 50,000 acre freshwater lake along the NC/Va state line and offers all of the sailing opportunities I need. Go for it as long as you are comfortable with the integrity of the hull and rigging.
 
Nothing to add about the inspection replies, sound information.
I sail a 2016 model 14.2 Keel version which was purchased new from Catalina in the late summer of 2015. Coming from a Tanzer 16, a Tanzer 22, and a Cape Dory Typhoon I wanted a stable yet responsive sailing dingy which would be kept in the water at my dock during the season, mostly single handed, and not as tender as the center board version. She draws two feet, has 200 pounds of ballast in the keel, and has met every expectation so far. From light air up to at least 20 mph gusts I have had no problems sailing single handed without reefing the main (ordered with reef points). Hung a Honda 2.3 on the o/b motor bracket as an auxiliary and it is more than enough kick without adding too much weight on the stern. Kerr Lake is a 50,000 acre freshwater lake along the NC/Va state line and offers all of the sailing opportunities I need. Go for it as long as you are comfortable with the integrity of the hull and rigging.
I am also a totally single hander. The most important thing to me was ease of launch and trailerabilty. My swing keel model excels there. You can yank it out of the water with boat way off centered on trailer and single handedly bounce it around once out of the water to get it perfect. Also store it in my back yard a lot, so with the help of a pull dolly (bought at Cabela's), the relatively light weight of the rig makes that doable. And the low profile of the rig makes for easy trailering and discreet storage, avoiding complaints from neighbors.
Yes I wish I had the superior handling traits of the fixed keel model but I have adapted to the more tender ways of mine. Considered having a weld/fab shop do a new keel (stainless?) which would give some better stability, but then you get into strengthening the pivot pin and hoisting considerations. This would be making a major change in the structural integrity of the boat. Anybody ever try this approach? So for now I will rely on my 190 lb body for ballast, reef points in the main, and the inner sense developed this season which has prevented me from taking a knockdown, to keep me satisfied with the "tender" swing keel version..........
 
Have no fear if you have some locals to teach you a few tricks to manage heavy winds etc. Most of the folks who 'hate' these seem to feel that they're unstable or unforgiving but if you have some reasonable training from anyone familiar with the boat you'll be comfortably tacking, jibbing, and dealing with gusts in a reasonable amount of time. I haven't capsized it in over 20 years... although there were a few incidents in Lake Michigan when I was 20 years younger and obviously less experienced... no problems now. Like others have mentioned she can be single handed by a 180-220 lbs person in 15 gusting to 20 kts although it's sporty and you need to have your skills strong. In anything less than 15 kts she's a dream and moves surprisingly well in little to no breeze. Best of all she's comfortable to take a date/friend out somewhere to beach it and picnic (don't know if the fixed keel is appropriate for that... no experience with it).

Coming from someone who grew up racing Hobie 16s, 420s, Sunfish, and a plethora of big boats (Pearson Flyer etc) as an adult I can still honestly say that the Capri 14.2 is still my favorite day sailor given the ease of rigging (you're certainly not stepping a Hobie mast), lightweight, easily trailerable if necessary (we just keep ours on the back beach now), and comfortable for the naive guest (the boom isn't so low that it's going to knock out the neighbor you're taking for a float on a jibe). There are certainly more 'exciting' boats and we're even dabbling in foiling Moths here now but the Capri is an all around pleasant performer that does not disappoint.

**I threw on some pics of the wife and grandkids pushing out to some island dunes with me in 12 gusting to 15 kts breezes that kept you on your toes but certainly weren't overwhelming
 

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