1985 Catalina 36 Boat in Sausalito, CA 94965 US

Large V berth forward with two deck lights and large opening hatch as well as hanging locker and ample storage. Next aft port is head with  wand shower.

Next aft is salon with large u-shaped dinette which drops down to form double berth port side with two seats with cocktail table in between across to starboard.

U-shaped galley is far aft port side with large, comfortable nav station with built-in swivel chair and quarter berth starboard.

New Corian counters with twin polished stainless steel deep sinks with hot/cold pressure water, Gas Systems gimballed two burner CNG stove with oven, top loading ice box with Dometic refrigeration. Manual pump toilet (new in 2020) with holding tank.

110V AC / 12V DC. 30 amp shorepower service, two batteries in separate banks with parallel switch..

Raymarine autopilot, Raytheon SL70 radar, Raymarine depth sounder/knot meter, Standard Horizon VHF radio, Ritchie magnetic compass.

Keel stepped single spreader mast, new mainsail (2022) in great shape on Tides Marine sail track (2021), 160% jib on roller furler, standing rigging new in 2019 at which time the Harken roller furler was also replaced. Two Lewmar #48 self tailing winches, two Lewmar #30 self tailing winches, single Lewmar #16 seld tailing winch. Ronstan mainsheet with traveller, Ronstan boomvang, inboard and outboard genoa tracks. 

Fin keel with spade rudder, one piece hull and deck molds of single skin gelcoat over multiple fiberglass laminates and complete hull liner bonded at deck/hull, fiberglass deck with light gray contrast non-skid inserts and varnished grab rails on cabintop, boat last hauled and bottom painted in late 2023.

Stainless steel bow & stern pulpits, stainless steel stanchions with double lifelines, stainless steel swim ladder. Tall dodger with grab rails, canvas looks new.

Danforth #18 anchor with chain and line rode, Simpson Lawrence manual windlass.

Stainless steel hoist for dinghy outboard motor.

Universal three-cylinder fresh water cooled 25 hp diesel engine with Hurth transmission, 1" stainless steel shaft thru bronze strut to two-bladed bronze prop, Edson wheel, cable and quadrant steering.

Engine last serviced in 2025 by Chuck's Marine.

Some might say Catalina Yachts builds Fords for cruising sailors; their boats are relatively well built and contemporarily styled and economically priced. While some compromises are necessary to build affordable boats in this size and price range, the fact is many of today's cruising sailors are fulfilling lifelong dreams because of Catalina's efforts to make cruising sailboats affordable to most sailors.

With nearly 3,000 boats sold over the first 26 years, the Catalina 36 is arguably the most popular sailboat of this size ever built. Designed by in-house naval architect Gerry Douglas, the Catalina 36 measures 36' 4" length overall with a beam of 11' 11". Draft ranges between 4' 5" and 5' 10" depending on year and keel configuration and designed displacement ranges from 13,500 lbs to 14,100 lbs.

The Catalina 36 hull is built of a solid laminate with fiberglass and plastic resin. No balsa or foam core is used in the hull composite although newer models do use Coremat to build up laminate thickness economically. The decks and cabin are a cored composite with either balsa wood and plywood core sandwiched between fiberglass laminates.

The deck-to-hull joint is a shoebox style which is less expensive to build and more vulnerable to damage from minor docking incidents than a more substantial flanged joint with a heavy-duty rub rail. Fiberglass liners are used extensively for interior components which are tabbed in place with fiberglass and resin or set in adhesives. The result is a sound structure but one that is sometimes difficult to access for inspection or service. The most common problems on aging Catalina 36 models are damaged and leaking deck-to-hull joints, leaking windows and hatches and perhaps some degree of osmotic blistering.

On deck the Catalina 36 features wide side decks, double lifelines and a molded toe rail for safety. There is an anchor locker and stainless steel roller at the bow for easy handling and storage of ground tackle. All halyards are led to winches at the companionway and the mainsheet traveler is mounted forward of the companionway to keep controls out of the cockpit. The cockpit of the MK II model is certainly roomier than earlier models but both have long and comfortable seating and wheel steering is at the stern.

Although there have been several minor refinements over the years, the interior arrangement of today's Catalina 36 MK II is pretty much the same as it was in 1982. There is a V-berth forward followed by a head with shower to port and hanging locker and storage to starboard. In 1993 a second door was added so that the head could be entered from the V-berth or the main saloon.

In the main saloon there is U-shaped dinette to port and two seats separated by a small table to starboard. The galley is aft to port and is complete with a double stainless steel sink, two burner stove and oven, top loading icebox and adequate storage. There is a small navigation station opposite the galley followed by a quarter berth cabin with an athwartship double berth. The size and access to the quarter berth cabin is the most notably improvement made possible by the extended beam of the MK II model.

Auxiliary power is provided by Universal/Westerbeke marine diesel engines, and depending on the year, power may be three- or four-cylinder models ranging from 21 to 30 hp.

The Catalina 36 is rigged as a masthead sloop with a single spreader mast and fore and aft lower shrouds. Two sail plans are offered; a standard rig with 555 square feet of sail area and a tall rig with 601 square feet. The mast of the tall rig is two feet taller and the boom a foot longer to account for the extra sail area. The sail area-to-displacement ratio in either case is very modest at 15.2 and 16.5 respectively.

It is always nice when there is a strong support network for used boat buyers and the Catalina 36 has one of the best. The Catalina 36 owners association has 10 fleets nationwide and a Web site at www.catalina36.org is the most impressive and helpful I have seen. All things considered, the pros certainly outweigh the cons for anyone looking for an affordable cruising boat in the 36-foot size range.

Rveiew by Jack Hornor, Naval Architect

The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.