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Catalina 350

2002–2008 · designed by Gerry Douglas (Catalina Yachts in-house) · built by Catalina Yachts

Modern (early-2000s) coastal cruiser in the Gerry Douglas-era Catalina line. Designed for serious coastal cruising and limited bluewater work by capable owners. Fin keel + bolt-on-lead + spade rudder + deck- stepped mast — production Catalina recipe. Aft-cockpit. Walk-around side decks, generous galley, dedicated aft cabin. Wing keel option.

Check this first — a wing keel was offered against the standard fin, changing both draft and ballast distribution. Confirm which is fitted before pricing or comparing performance figures, and remember a winged keel is the harder of the two to free if she settles into mud.

This is a general read on the Catalina 350 class — informed background, not a verdict on any individual boat. Condition, refit history, and how a particular hull was sailed and stored matter far more than class reputation. Use it to know what to look for; for a read on a specific listing, run a free FairKeel report on that boat.

At a glance

Hull form: Fin Keel
Ballast type: Bolt On Lead
Rudder: Spade
Mast step: Deck Stepped
Hull construction: Fiberglass
Production: 2002–2008
Built in: USA

What the Catalina 350 is known for

Gerry Douglas-era Catalina design — modern interior layout, generous volume, well-thought-out ergonomics for coastal cruising couples.
Catalina Yachts still in business — replacement parts and factory support remain available, unusual for a 20+ year-old production builder.
Active class association (Catalina 350 International Owners Association) — shared technical bulletins, parts knowledge.

Known trade-offs

Not an offshore platform without significant prep. Production-cruiser spec across rig, ballast retention, through-hulls, rudder bearings.
Smaller production run than the Catalina 30 or Catalina 36 — owner community is active but not at the larger Catalina-class scale.
First re-rig interval is now due on most hulls — budget for it.

Age-related quirks to expect

Wing keel option vs standard fin keel — different draft + ballast distribution severity: Low affects: all (option)

Universal 35hp four-cylinder diesel documented in Practical Sailor test boat severity: Low affects: 2002-2008

Original holding tank + sanitation hoses approaching end-of-life by year 20-25 severity: Low affects: 2002-2005

Headliner panel adhesion — some hulls show panel sag by year 15-20 severity: Low affects: 2002-2006

Systems to check before you buy

Engine (Universal 35hp four-cylinder diesel) priority: coastal, liveaboard

Practical Sailor test boat used a Universal four-cylinder 35hp diesel. Heat exchanger, raw-water pump, exhaust elbow, mounts, and service records remain the inspection focus at this age.

Standing rigging + chainplates priority: coastal, offshore

Original wire + stainless chainplates on most hulls reaching first re-rig interval (~20-25 years). Deck-stepped mast; check deck core under mast step. Chainplate leaks into deck core around shrouds are the recurring class issue.

Deck core + hull-deck joint priority: coastal, offshore, liveaboard

Catalina class-typical pattern — moisture-meter survey essential. Targeted areas: stanchions, genoa tracks, chainplates, mast step, traveller.

AC + DC electrical (panel + battery + charging) priority: liveaboard, coastal

Original house bank typically undersized for modern liveaboard use. Inverter/charger architecture varies by owner spec. Confirm capacity + condition before pricing against intended use.

How it fits your plans

Coastal: Excellent. Sweet spot. Substantial improvement in seakindly motion + tank capacity + cabin volume over the Catalina 320. Capable coastal platform.
Offshore: Possible with significant prep but not designed for it. Production- grade ballast retention, through-hull spec, and rudder bearing design = coastal-cruiser-tier. Many owners have done coastal Atlantic / Caribbean passages, but it's not a Pacific Seacraft.
Liveaboard: Strong. Generous galley, dedicated aft cabin, modern systems integration, ~40 gal fuel / ~70 gal water typical.
Weekending: Overkill but a forgiving platform.

This guide is the class. A report is that hull. Paste the listing you're looking at and FairKeel grades every claim in it against what's known about the Catalina 350 — where the evidence is thin, the red flags worth a second look, the costs likely to land in your first season, and whether the boat suits the plans you describe in a few short questions.

It won't read the photos or put a number on the boat — that's the $249 Deep-Dive, and for the real answer, a surveyor. It will tell you when a Deep-Dive isn't worth buying. Free, no account, usually a minute or two.

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