Capri 26 Explained

Capri 26
Insignia:File:Capri 26 sail badge.png
Insignia Size:100px
Designer:Frank W. Butler and Gerry Douglas
Location:United States
Year:1990
No Built:320
Builder:Catalina Yachts
Draft:4.83feet
Displacement:52500NaN0
Hull Type:monohull
Construction:fiberglass
Loa:26.16feet
Lwl:22.92feet
Beam:9.83feet
Engine:inboard two-cylinder diesel engine
Keel Type:fin keel
Ballast:19000NaN0
Rudder Type:internally-mounted spade-type rudder
Rig Type:Bermuda rig
I:32.9feet
J:8.7feet
P:27.8feet
E:11feet
Sailplan:masthead sloop
Sailarea Main:152.9square feet
Sailarea Headsail:143.12square feet
Sailarea Total:296.02square feet
Phrf:210

The Capri 26 is an American trailerable sailboat that was designed by Frank W. Butler and Gerry Douglas as a cruiser-racer and first built in 1990.[1] [2] [3]

Production

The design was built by Catalina Yachts in the United States from 1990 to 1999, with 320 boats completed, but it is now out of production.[1] [2] [4]

Design

The Capri 26 was designed in response to customer feedback from owners of smaller Capri series sailboats. Prospective buyers were looking for a slightly bigger boat with more "large boat" comforts and enough space for a family, while retaining the capability to be road transported by boat trailer.[3]

The Capri 26 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of fiberglass, with wooden trim. It has a masthead sloop rig, a raked stem, a walk-through reverse transom, an internally mounted spade-type rudder controlled by a tiller and a fixed fin keel or optional shoal draft, wing keel.[1] [2]

The boat is fitted with a inboard two-cylinder diesel engine for docking and maneuvering. The fuel tank holds and the fresh water tank has a capacity of .[2]

The design has sleeping accommodation for four people, with two straight settees which can be joined over the lower-able drop-leaf table in the main cabin and an aft cabin with a large double berth under the cockpit. The galley is located on the starboard side just forward of the companionway ladder. The galley is equipped with a two-burner recessed stove, an ice box and a sink with a pressurized water supply. The spacious head is located just aft of companionway on the port side. Cabin headroom is 73inches.[1] [2]

Ventilation is provided by four opening main cabin ports, plus one in the cockpit that provides fresh air to the aft cabin beneath.[2]

The design has a PHRF racing average handicap of 210 and a hull speed of 6.4kn.[2]

Variants

Capri 26 fin keel
  • Model with a fin keel and a draft of 4.83feet. It displaces 52500NaN0 and carries 19000NaN0 of ballast.[1] [2]
    Capri 26 wing keel
  • Model with a shoal draft wing keel and a draft of 3.42feet. It displaces 51000NaN0 and carries 17500NaN0 of ballast.[1] [2]

    Operational history

    In a 2010 review Steve Henkel wrote, "the Capri 26 (actually 23' 8" on deck because of her sharply raked transom) is full of big-boat features, which might make her desirable to the big-and-tall crowd. Headroom is over six feet, and the beam of almost ten feet allows a humungus double berth in the main cabin—good for a couple sailing without kids or guests, but maybe not so good for overnight parties of four or more. Best features: Cockpit seats are deep and comfortable ... Worst features: The aft berth can feel somewhat constricted to those with claustrophobia. Racing the boat is a good possibility for those of competitive spirit, with her [PHRF] handicap of 210 and max speed of 6.4 [knots] due to her long waterline, but skippers should remember to stow all heavy gear ashore. Though the bow and stern areas might look tempting as stowage areas, for best boat speed they should be kept empty of any heavy gear—and there is no significant stowage area amidships, other than on the cabin sole under the table."[2]

    See also

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Capri 26 sailboat. 12 February 2021. McArthur. Bruce. sailboatdata.com. 2020. https://archive.today/20210213131207/https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/capri-26-catalina. 13 February 2021. live.
    2. Henkel, Steve: The Sailor's Book of Small Cruising Sailboats, page 282. International Marine/McGraw-Hill, 2010.
    3. Web site: The Birth of the Capri 26. 12 February 2021. Catalina Mainsheet Magazine. 1998. https://web.archive.org/web/20210212185202/https://dicksimonyachts.com/blog/carver-waypoints-magazine-archives/the-birth-of-the-capri-26-catalina-mainsheet-magazine. 12 February 2021. live.
    4. Web site: Catalina Yachts. 12 February 2021. McArthur. Bruce. sailboatdata.com. 2020. https://archive.today/20210209224049/https://sailboatdata.com/builder/catalina-yachts. 9 February 2021. live.