Spacious headroom and teak woodwork below decks makes it feel like a larger boat. The companionway opening is large, allowing for easy in-and-out tasks, and the step to go below can be raised to make extra seating around the table.
The two twin-sized quarter berths can accommodate children, or provide accessible large storage for hundreds of pounds of food and gear. Minimizing safety issues on deck are the nice wide sides and trunk walkways forward.
REVIEW YOUR BOAT SOUTHWINDS is looking for sailors who like to write to review their sailboat — whether it is new or old, large or small. It can include the following: Year, model, make, designer, boat name Specifications: LOA, LWL, beam, draft, sail plan (square footage), displacement Sailing performance Comfort above and below deck Cruiser and/or Racer Is it a good liveaboard? Modifications you have made or would like General boat impression Quality of construction Photos Essential (contact us for photo specs) We have found that our readers love reviews by those who own the boats — comments are more personal and real All articles must be sent via email or on disc For more information and if interested, contact editor@southwindsmagazine.com or call (941) 795-8704
(If you hate your boat, we aren’t interested — you must at least like it) 46 January 2013
SOUTHWINDS
in ours, so the comparisons to Catalinas or Hunters seem unfair, because Cals have a stouter integral keel. In the salon, the drop-down table is great to make a breezy double sleeping space. However, after years of being wiggled in and out, the female end of the support post becomes enlarged or warped. The table wobbles if not properly shimmed or wedged. This can be very dangerous. The table was wiggly on our second Cal, so we left it down as a lounging area, and ate cross-legged at the dropped table, leaning over it. The cushions suffered, but it’s better than eating soup off a tipsy table. The port side bookshelves should be covered by bungee cargo netting, wooden slats, or canvas covers. Otherwise, anything stored on them will go airborne in rough seas. For cooking or washing up in the galley in rough seas, a strap to hold you in front of the preparation area is nice. Another below-deck comfort and safety issue is that the curved floor, designed for being heeled over, can be hard on the feet after long periods. Minimizing safety issues on deck are the nice wide sides and trunk walkways forward. We had diesels in both Cals, but if you get one with an Atomic 4, watch for all the explosive fumes that gasoline brings. On the design side, ventilation in the V-berth comes through the head, so this space is hard to use on hot, humid nights. The two opening ports in the head create decent ventilation, but it can be improved with solar vents and a wind scoop in the forward hatch. The hulls of many Cal 2-29s for sale look chalky. This cosmetic issue is easily fixed. The stock plastic rub rail deteriorates over the years, and then the chalk runs down the boat, leaving the stripe and hulls dull and faded. Fading paint is not the problem; it’s the chalk running down the side! Replacing the rail involves the seal for the hull-to-deck joint. We decided this was not worth the cosmetic improvements, and instead, regularly wiped the chalky parts with Penetrol for a six-month shine. Cal sailboats have a good reputation, and a welldeserved following. If you have caviar dreams on a corn chip budget, take note: the average cost of these boats in 2012 was less than $11,000. Their age makes them bargains, and they have a lot of good years left on them. They are an economical, easy-to-handle, and well-made coastal cruiser suitable for taking along the U.S. coast, the Bahamas, and beyond, for very little money. This leaves more money and time to spend enjoying cruises and thrilling sail adventures. www.southwindsmagazine.com