keel or center board

Jeremy Becker

Camp Counsellor
I'm looking to buy a new Catalina 14.2 which will sit at my dock all summer. My lake is shallow so I like the 24" draft of the keel boat, but I'm looking for feedback on the "fun" factor. Can anyone tell me if one sails differently from the other? How about stability? I am not racing so I prefer not to tip!

Your comments would be appreciated!
 
Hello Jeremy,
I have a Mod 2 with center-board and no, I have not sailed a 14.2 keel. My brother dreams of converting our Mod 2 to keel or alternatively adding weight to the center-board.
If I were to take a guess, I'd say the difference between the two would be like a two wheeler versus a trike. It's probably reasonable to say also, the CB version would be a lighter, more versatile boat, easier to towing about, beaching and likely, more challenging to sail but obviously, a lot more agile. So if none of those features I just mentioned are not on the top of your list, I would venture a guess that you would not be satisfied with the CB version!

I will look forward to reading about your final choice ;) :)
 
Hi Woodbark,

Thanks for the feedback. I'm hoping to hear from somone who has actually sailed a keel version. The Keel boat would be my preference, but I want to be comfortable about the handling differences, stability, etc.
 
I just sold my much loved and sailed C14.2 centerboard boat. I have also sailed the keel version probably 10 times (rental in San Diego). To me they both feel similar although the keel version wasn't as easy to steer using the "non-rudder" methods such as skipper and crew weight placement, jib/main sheet tension balancing, or vang. That said, I found the keel version to be as maneuverable as the CB version if you use the rudder.

Roll tacking and jibing are much easier with the CB version, as expected due to the 200 lbs of lead in the keel.

You'll appreciate the furling jib that comes standard with the keel version. You are right in your assumption that the centerboard version is less stable, but the keel version still is light enough that it needs the crew and skipper to help keep the boat flat: the CB version weighs 340 lbs with a 42 inch draft (CB down), the keel version is 570 lbs with a 24 inch draft --. Lastly, the CB version has a kick-up rudder.

-- Ed
 
Hi Ed,
Many thanks for your informative reply. I'd like to learn more, so at the risk of breaking the rules, is it possible for me to call you?
 
Jeremy, while I don't have a problem talking with you, as Woodbark says above, others on this forum also learn from discussions. We could always take it to private conversation via our avatars (called personal messaging, pm), but I bet others have contributions too. -- Ed
 
understood. so let me try to put my comments/questions into written words;
I'll begin by saying that I am a competent sailor but have never raced, nor do i plan to. I live on a small lake surrounded by mountains so the winds swirl and are quite tricky. The lake is quite shallow in spots, so the 24" draft of the keel version is a nice feature. That being said, i'm looking to buy this boat so i can go out for 1-2 hours with my wife who wants to keep her feet dry and not have to bounce around the boat helping me balance it. Hopefully, i'll head out solo a few times for a little more "action". Each fall i'll sail to the public launch, load the boat onto the trailer, and put it in my garage for the winter. in the spring, i'll do the opposite. The boat will sit on my dock or at a mooring for the summer.
Are you getting the picture? Based on the above, is the keel version right for me?
 
Jeremy, here's something you may want to consider; ..... with the Keel boat, you will already have a reasonably mild mannered craft which could be further tamed by furling the jib and reefing the main sail or getting a smaller mainsail!

Are you planning to single hand the sails when taking the wife along? .... You could sail with the with the main only to keep from strangling her with the jib sheets, ........ the boat will sail reasonably well with the main only, ..... no close hauling of course but you will enjoy a nice smooth beam reach and broad reach!
 
Great synopsis of your situation Jeremy. Believe it or not, you have the same story as I do. My wife and I own a cabin at 7000 feet on Huntington Lake in the Calfornia Sierra Nevada mountains; the lake is much deeper but the winds are tricky with plenty of puffs, reversals, and plain nasty stuff especially on hot days. My wife doesn't like boats to tip, as she says, so she really doesn't sail anymore. That's why I recently sold my C14.2 -- I was soloing it all the time, which isn't really a problem in stable winds, but as I said above, our lake is tricky. FYI, I now sail my Laser!

That said, I'm sure the keel version would be the best choice for you. It will balance easier and still will be a sporty feeling boat, more so than Catalina 18's, etc. The keel version actually has a shallower draft than the CB version while both are in sailing form. As I said, you'll love the furling jib; the sail area is the same on both versions. But you'll find that these boats have a lot of sail -- some here on this forum say they are overpowered. It is really nice to be able to reef that jib or furl it all the way, although I found that sailing with no jib made for too much weather helm (boat steers to weather) since the center of effort is now behind the center of lateral resistance.

I kept my boat in the slip all summer -- had a boom kicker so that I could store its mainsail flaked on the boom and covered it with Sunbrella cloth. I didn't have a furling jib, so I simply wrapped it around the forestay while at the dock. I didn't have a motor, but found it easy to put into my slip even though my slip was a downwind one. It is a bit tricky, but practice makes it easy.

The main thing that I see you saying that leads me to say the keel version is for you is that your winds are tricky. The CBboats are so responsive, that you'll find you really need to move and shift weight very quickly to avoid a capsize in a strong wind reversal. I installed a much larger tiller extension so that I could mess with the controls while soloing. Check the For Sale section for pictures of my equipment. Also read here about how others manage soloing their boats. Above all, I think you'll have a lot of fun with your C14.2, either version, but I'm betting your wife will like the keel version more.

Happy sailing and don't hesitate to ask more questions. -- Ed
 
thanks to both of you for responding to my posts. i will be sailing single handed, and i intend to fly both sails. my wife can handle the jib if necessary while coming about, and reefing or furling will be my strategy in high winds. because my dock is usually downwind, i plan to drop the sails in deeper water and motor in. if i decide to use a mooring, i'll sail in and swim home, but the water gets pretty cold in the late fall when the sailing is prime.
On a personal note to Ed; funny how things work out. i've been sailing my Bombardier invitation solo for the last few years and now i'm going "family" style. you are doing exactly the opposite! i hope we both have a ton of fun.
 
Hello Jeremy,
I have a Mod 2 with center-board and no, I have not sailed a 14.2 keel. My brother dreams of converting our Mod 2 to keel or alternatively adding weight to the center-board.
If I were to take a guess, I'd say the difference between the two would be like a two wheeler versus a trike. It's probably reasonable to say also, the CB version would be a lighter, more versatile boat, easier to towing about, beaching and likely, more challenging to sail but obviously, a lot more agile. So if none of those features I just mentioned are not on the top of your list, I would venture a guess that you would not be satisfied with the CB version!

I will look forward to reading about your final choice ;) :)

Hello Jeremy, I noticed you gave me a thumbs down, I am sorry but is there something in the content that you don't like? Please let me know ---- I would be happy to delete this reply if you find it inappropriate! ----
 
Hi woodbark,
The thumbs down was a complete rookie error. I don't know how it got there, but I was able to get rid of it. Sorry for any confusion, and thanks for participating in my thread.

Mystery solved. I am using an iPad and my right thumb must have brushed the icons on the right side of the page. Again, my sincere apologies.
 
Hi woodbark,
The thumbs down was a complete rookie error. I don't know how it got there, but I was able to get rid of it. Sorry for any confusion, and thanks for participating in my thread.

Mystery solved. I am using an iPad and my right thumb must have brushed the icons on the right side of the page. Again, my sincere apologies.
Acknowledged and accepted Jeremy! I suspected it was an error :oops: so happy we were able to clear that up :)

Now on to the real business! .... I guess we're all anxious to hear how you're coming along with your decision! ..... I can hear my brother yelling, "Get the Keel boat ~ get the Keel boat" :)

As for me, I am pretty sure when I get tired of scuttling around in that tiny space, or maybe after a couple of shin bangs into the barney post, I'll be converting our CB 14.2 to a Dagger board with a nice ballast bulb at the bottom end. Fortunately, Ontario has plenty of sweet sailing water that's good for 6' plus drafts. And, since the board will be the same length as the center-board, I won't need nearly as much weight as the keel boat's 200 lbs. .....I'm actually hoping for somewhere between 50 ~ 100 lbs. :)
 
my plan is to buy the keel version. all i need is somewhere to buy one. doesnt seem like catalina has a dealer in quebec.
 
my plan is to buy the keel version. all i need is somewhere to buy one. doesnt seem like catalina has a dealer in quebec.
We actually have one here in in Pickering. Maybe your local boat dealer could help you, even if they are not a Catalina dealer!
 
do you have a knowledgable contact at the pickering dealership who could answer my questions and sell me the boat?
 
do you have a knowledgable contact at the pickering dealership who could answer my questions and sell me the boat?
Hey Jeremy, the dealership in Pickering is Swan's Yacht Sales, I believe they are the Head Sales Office for Eastern Canada. I just spoke to Perry Tel: 905 420-2141, said he would be the person to speak to regarding a new purchase.

If you haven't already seen it, this is an image I got off of a google search:
14.2 full keel.jpg


this boat was on sale 2 years ago in Georgia, here's the link:
http://sailingtexas.com/201101/scapri142154.html
 
coming home from whitby.JPGCatalina 14_2 keel - trailer -01.jpg id like to upload some photos of my new 14.2 keel boat but the files seem to be too big. can someone tell me how to compress them so they'll post?
 
Thanks for the comment. I really wanted the blue hull and although they refused to do it, the factory finally broke down and agreed. Not sure if they have done it since, so I might have the only one out there. Overall, I love this boat. It is exactly what I was looking for. Fun, yet stable enough to run around on. I will be installing a boom kicker and a tiller tender this spring which should make raising and lowering the main much easier. I'm sorry I didn't know of their existence when I bought the boat or I would have installed them right away. Cheers!
 
You asked about launching depth. My trailer has an extension pole that I pull out when launching. This gives me 8-10 feet of additional distance without getting my car wet.
 
Hey Jeremy, the dealership in Pickering is Swan's Yacht Sales, I believe they are the Head Sales Office for Eastern Canada. I just spoke to Perry Tel: 905 420-2141, said he would be the person to speak to regarding a new purchase.

If you haven't already seen it, this is an image I got off of a google search:
View attachment 10952

this boat was on sale 2 years ago in Georgia, here's the link:
http://sailingtexas.com/201101/scapri142154.html
That 14.2 full keel that you mentioned from Georgia a couple of years ago, well, I bought the same exact boat today. It found it's way to Indiana!!! I need a Boom & Main sail for it though. Anyone have one? Thanks
 

Back
Top