For the first couple of years of ownership of my C250 water ballast, I took a non committal position as to recommending it to others. While I loved the overall design which fit exactly to my needs for a cruising capable design with easy trailerability, setup and launch, its handling needed some taming. After providing some balance to the 2nd generation rudder, the handling starting falling into place and the boat was worthy of recommendation to the buyer looking for a trailer sailor in the mid twenty foot length and especially for someone wanting a boat capable of supporting distant cruise destinations.Recommending The C250 Water Ballast, Yes / No
However, current boats are being shipped with a 3rd generation blade rudder which has inadequate lift and control. Also, the C250 water ballast design is much more versatile with a beaching rudder, hence perhaps why it was originally equipped with one. Unfortunately, Catalina dropped the beaching rudder option after deciding that too many warranty issues resulted from wrongful operation (kicked back for shallow water operation).
A rudder is so basic to a sailboat, that much of the handling of the boat is influenced negatively if the rudder has inadequacies. For this reason, its my recommendation that a prospective buyer make a high aspect ratio beaching rudder a condition of purchase even if it means waiving rudder warranty. If that is not possible... the rudder being shipped with the wing keel version could be a compromise. I would not buy the boat with the shorter blade rudder that Catalina is currently shipping with the boat... it is inadequate. It does not provide adequate control to fully enjoy the potentials of the boat. It does not support autopilot use in conditions beyond lightly moderate and the boat is given to rounding up in moderate puffs because of inadequate control.
In part, as always a determination of the requirements of a design are important. If the boat is sailed locally in light to moderate conditions, the short rudder may be ok, but its not ok for the trailer cruiser. To sail waters like the Great Lakes and North Channel require both full rudder control and beaching ability to enjoy the small remote anchorages. One inadvertent moment could leave one rudderless a long ways from nowhere, a vacation cruise ruined perhaps after trailering the boat more than a thousand miles. The beaching rudder provides the contingency for not only getting into the remote anchorages, but in providing the safety to protect the cruise.
The longer blade rudder will need removed to beach, launch and load as well as be subject to damage during an accidental grounding. Frankly, I would not be happy with these compromises. Until Catalina once again offers a viable rudder option, its unfortunate that this great design cannot be fully appreciated by the trailer cruiser.