Catalina 30
Catalina Yachts · Designed by Frank Butler · 1975–2008
- Draft
- 3' 10" to 5' 3"
- Length overall
- 29' 11"
- Beam
- 10' 10"
- Displacement
- 10,200 lb
- Number built
- Approx. 6,450
- Waterline length
- 25'
- Ballast
- 4,200 lb
- Advertised sail area
- 446 ft²
- Air draft
- 45' 11" to 47' 11"
- Hull construction
- Fiberglass
Keel and rig choices can change individual measurements.
Manufacturer/source specification ↗Speed
Lower PHRF means a faster racing handicap. Published configurations: 171–192. Rig, keel, and region affect ratings.
Reference source ↗Comfort at Sea
Raw Brewer Motion Comfort Ratio, a comparison of design motion at sea. It does not rate cabin space or guarantee comfort.
Bluewater Capability
The actual published Blue Water Value for the documented design or variant, not a seaworthiness certification.
Reference source ↗Keel and draft options
Draft matters when choosing a slip, cruising shallow water, or planning a haulout.
Sailing ratios
Calculated from the representative published dimensions and displacement, not measurements of a particular hull.
Construction & Equipment
Hull & Deck
- Hull below waterline
- Solid fiberglass (uncored) ↗
- Hull above waterline
- Solid fiberglass (uncored) ↗
- Deck construction
- Fiberglass sandwich laminate ↗
- Deck core
- Balsa / plywood ↗
- Interior hull liner
- Molded fiberglass liner ↗
- Hull-to-deck joint
- Overlapping shoebox joint · bonded · mechanically fastened · stainless fasteners ↗
- Keel construction
- Externally bolted lead ↗
- Bulkheads
- Plywood ↗
Rig & Steering
- Sail plan
- Masthead sloop ↗
- Rig options
- Standard rig · Standard rig + bowsprit · Tall rig · Tall rig + bowsprit ↗
- Mast
- Aluminum · deck-stepped ↗
- Mast support
- Compression post ↗
- Steering
- Mark I: tiller · Mark II: wheel · Mark III: wheel ↗
- Cockpit evolution
- Mark I: straight cockpit · Mark II: T-shaped cockpit · Mark III: walk-through transom ↗
Engines & Tankage
Accommodation
Production history
Mark I
- Original straight cockpit, designed for tiller steering and end-boom mainsheet controls.
- Later Mark I boats received factory improvements, including wheel-steering options and changes to mainsheet and rudder arrangements.
Mark II
- Redesigned T-shaped cockpit with wider coamings, intended for pedestal wheel steering.
- Halyards were routed inside the mast and led back to the cockpit. The wing-keel option was introduced during this generation.
Mark III
- Wider stern with a walk-through transom, swim/boarding platform and additional cockpit seating.
- An expanded galley and extra storage improved life below decks. The wing keel became standard.
Accommodation layout
Drawing: Catalina Yachts · Original source ↗
Owner experience & independent reviews
Owner experiences and professional commentary are separate sources. Condition varies from boat to boat.
What owners report
- Mast-step depression and deterioration of the compression support or bilge block are recurring owner repair topics. Read source
- Owners report water leaks around deck fittings and chainplates; check for damp bulkheads and wet core. Read source
What the magazines say
- Practical Sailor praises the room and cruising value, while noting mast-step depression, chainplate reinforcement on early boats, and other age-related inspection points. Read source
- SpinSheet sees a practical, roomy family cruiser, with survey attention warranted for deck cores, mast support, older chainplates and keel-joint leaks. Read source
Surveys & Known Issues
No surveys have been contributed for this boat yet.
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Watch the boat
Lady K Sailing: Perfect $20,000 Sailboat, Catalina 30 Refit on a Budget, Episode 358
Sources and further reading
Original research references. Check the exact model year and configuration when comparing boats.
- Catalina 30 factory brochure
- Catalina 30 original factory owners manual (undated early edition)
- Catalina 30 Association Bylaws
- Catalina 30 One Design Class Specifications
- Catalina 30 Mk III published BWV
- Catalina 30 specifications, representative original equipment
- Catalina 30 Association FAQs
- Catalina 30 Practical Sailor review
- Catalina 30 Review by Jack Hornor
- Catalina 30/309 model history
- Catalina Direct C-30 dinette cushion layout
- Catalina Direct C-30 Dinette Interior technical PDF
- Catalina Direct C-30 Mark II / Mark III rudder
- PHRF of Narragansett Bay - Base Handicaps, Catalina 30 class entries
- The Original Sailing Mini-Van
Specifications describe a model, not the condition or equipment of an individual boat. Verify dimensions and have any purchase professionally surveyed.