Catalina Sailboats for Sale

Frank Butler and the Catalina 22

Frank Butler founded Catalina Yachts in 1969 and built its first model, the Catalina 22, in North Hollywood, California. He hoped to sell 100. By February 1975 hull number 5,000 was done; by September 1980, number 10,000; and by February 1990, number 15,000. SAIL magazine named it the trailerable boat of the decade in 1980.

The Catalina 27 followed in March 1970. The Catalina 30 came out in December 1974, won its class in the Newport to Ensenada Race, and reached hull number 6,000 in September 1990, a production record for keelboats. In May 1984 Catalina bought Morgan Yachts in Largo, Florida, which became its East Coast plant.

The boats you'll see

• Catalina 22: a trailerable boat with a swing keel. The most common first cruising sailboat.
• Catalina 25 and 27: small cruisers. By 1985 the C-27 was the largest keelboat class in the world.
• Catalina 30: the classic mid-size cruiser, with a huge owners' community.
• Catalina 34, 36 and 38: bigger cruisers. The 38 was used for the Congressional Cup match race in 1980.
• Catalina 42 and up: the first 42 was built in 1989.
• Capri and Coronado: Catalina's small daysailer and dinghy brands.

Spec sheet: the Catalina 315

The 315 is one of Catalina's current cruiser series. Catalina lists it at 33'0" overall, 31'0" on the hull and 26'6" on the waterline, with an 11'7" beam and 48'3" from the waterline to the masthead.

It comes with a choice of two keels:

• Wing keel: 4'4" draft, 4,400 lbs of ballast, designed weight 10,600 lbs
• Fin keel: 6'3" draft, 4,000 lbs of ballast, designed weight 10,200 lbs

Which keel a used boat has matters a lot. The wing keel lets you into shallower anchorages and marinas. The fin is the better choice for sailing upwind. Check which one you're looking at and match it to the water you sail.

The mast height also counts if you'll pass under fixed bridges. Measure your route against the 48-foot air draft plus antennas.

What to check on a used Catalina

Survey. On anything 25 feet or larger, hire a marine surveyor and haul the boat.

Keel and keel bolts. Look for cracks at the hull-to-keel joint and ask when the keel bolts were last checked. On a swing-keel 22, check the keel cable and winch.

Deck core. Have the surveyor check the deck for wet core around stanchions, chainplates and hardware.

Chainplates and rigging. Ask how old the standing rigging is. Look for leaks and corrosion at the chainplates.

Engine. Many older Catalinas have small diesels, often Universal. Check the hours, records and how it starts cold.

Sails. Look at the sails' age and condition. New sails are expensive.

Owner groups. Catalina has active owner associations and a long-running owners' magazine, Mainsheet. They're a good source for model-specific problems.