Catalina 22 Sailboats for Sale

The three distinct generations complicate the search slightly. The original Mk I (broadly pre-1986) is the lightest and, in the eyes of one-design racers, the most desirable. A meaningful update came in 1986, introducing a more modern interior, additional beam, and an optional wing keel; this generation is sometimes called the New Design or Mk II and tends to attract cruisers and daysailors who value roominess over racing purity. The Mk III arrived in the mid-1990s and brought a lead-encased fiberglass swing keel before a relatively short production run ended around 2010. The Catalina 22 Sport, introduced in 2004, returned to the lighter original dimensions and adds fully-battened sails and a contemporary deck layout; Sport hulls are the newest on the brokerage market and typically command a meaningful premium over older examples. Knowing which generation you want before you start shopping will narrow the field considerably and help you avoid paying a cruiser's premium for a hull that a racer's fleet will welcome.

Layouts on the Used Market

The cabin arrangement across all generations follows the same basic template: a V-berth forward, a settee to starboard, a convertible dinette to port, a small galley area, and a porta-potti tucked into the V-berth. What varies is headroom and light. The pop-top coachroof — which lifts on four stainless legs and increases standing headroom from about four feet four inches to a more livable five feet seven inches — became standard equipment over time and is nearly universal on examples from the 1980s onward. Earlier Mk I boats without the pop-top do appear occasionally, and they feel noticeably more cave-like below; check whether the boat you are looking at has the option before assuming it does. The Mk II's longer, wider cabin trunk delivers a more generous interior by any measure, a trade-off the original designers accepted by adding weight and beam. On Sport models the cabin is clean and contemporary but deliberately spare — the accommodation is camper-grade at best and is understood to be so by buyers of that variant. Stowage throughout is modest regardless of generation; the area under the cockpit is largely inaccessible on older hulls, and buyers hoping to pack for more than a long weekend will need to be creative.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

On the used market, swing-keel versions are by far the more prevalent, reflecting the strong original demand from trailersailors who appreciated the ability to raise the keel and explore shoal water, then pull the boat out of the water and park it in the driveway between sails. Fin-keel examples exist and are sought after by those sailing from a fixed slip who want better upwind performance and simpler maintenance, but they are less commonly encountered. Wing-keel boats — an option introduced with the 1986 generation — appear regularly on the market.

The original headsail setup uses hanked-on sails, and roller furling has been one of the most common owner upgrades across all generations. Most boats you encounter will already have it fitted; those that do not will almost certainly be priced to account for the addition. Outboard power is standard, and a small four-stroke outboard in the five-to-seven horsepower range is the most typical arrangement, mounted to the transom and drawing from a portable tank stored in the cockpit seat locker. Bimini tops are a frequent upgrade, particularly on boats used in warmer climates, and a spinnaker or cruising chute will occasionally be included as part of the sail inventory. Earlier boats with hanked-on jibs sometimes have a boarding ladder stowed in the lazarette; this was an option rather than standard equipment and its presence or absence is worth noting. Instrumentation on older hulls tends to be minimal — a compass, possibly a depth sounder — and buyers who want electronic navigation typically add it themselves.

What to Inspect

The C22's long production history and widespread use means the known trouble spots are well-documented, and a careful inspection is straightforward once you know where to look.

Delamination in the fiberglass sandwich deck is the primary structural concern on any older example. Press firmly on the deck surface, particularly around hardware fastenings, the companionway coaming, and the cabin top edges, and listen for the hollow thud that indicates the core has separated or absorbed water. The aluminum-trimmed ports are notorious for weeping water into the cabin, and sustained leaks can reach the deck core over years of neglect. On the earliest hulls — generally pre-1976 — plywood was used for internal stringers, and any boat from that era deserves a careful look for soft spots and discoloration that would indicate rot. Boats built before 1976 also have lighter-gauge standing rigging and a less robust mast; if you are considering an early Mk I for anything beyond flat-water day sailing, budget to re-rig.

The swing keel mechanism deserves close attention on any swing-keel boat. The wire pennant that hoists the keel is subject to wear and has needed replacement on multiple occasions for many owners; ask for its history and inspect it carefully at the reel and at the keel attachment point. The keel hanger mounting bolts have a documented tendency to loosen or seize, and the pivot pins and cable on the swing keel can wear from the lateral movement that occurs every time the boat is sailed or trailered. The keel winch clutch spring is a small but critical component that occasionally requires replacement. Budget for this work if the boat has not had recent keel service.

If the boat carries the pop-top option, examine the gasket that seals the coachroof when it is lowered — deteriorated gaskets are a common source of leaks and are straightforward to replace. The cockpit scuppers on all generations drain slowly by design, and many owners have addressed this by adding supplementary transom drains; check whether this has been done and whether the existing scuppers are clear. On older models, the portable fuel tank for the outboard was originally stowed in a seat locker inside the cockpit that was not fully isolated from the cabin — a fire and vapour risk that Catalina corrected in later production; if you are looking at an early hull and the original stowage arrangement is still in place, plan to remedy it. Blistering was prevalent on early hulls but largely eliminated after manufacturing improvements in the mid-1980s; on a pre-1985 boat, check the underwater hull carefully and ask whether a barrier coat has been applied.

On any trailered boat, scrutinize the hull for impact damage at the bow, keel trunk, and along the waterline — boats trailered extensively are prone to stress cracks and minor structural damage from road vibration that is easy to overlook under a fresh coat of bottom paint. Finally, check the mast step and compression post below it in the cabin; a loose post or one showing signs of movement in its base pad indicates the rig loads have not been properly managed.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The Catalina 22 is one of the most widely available used sailboats in North America, with active listings common across the United States' Great Lakes, Gulf Coast, Pacific Coast, and inland lake markets. The boat is also well-represented in Canada, particularly in Ontario and British Columbia, and a meaningful number of examples circulate in Australia, where the design was built and marketed under a different name. European availability is thinner but not absent. Trailer-kept boats frequently change hands far from navigable water, so casting a wider geographic net than you normally might is worthwhile — the cost of trailering a boat a few hundred miles is often trivial relative to the condition premium of a freshwater-stored example.

Before you make an offer, work through this checklist:

• Confirm which generation — Mk I, New Design (post-1986), Mk III, or Sport — and verify the swing, fin, or wing keel configuration matches your intended use
• Press-test the entire deck for soft spots, paying close attention around all hardware penetrations and the companionway
• Inspect or replace the keel pennant wire, check the hanger bolts for security, and verify the keel pivot and winch clutch spring
• Examine all window and hatch gaskets, including the pop-top coachroof seal if fitted
• On pre-1976 boats, probe for plywood stringer rot and plan to upgrade the standing rigging
• Check the fuel tank stowage arrangement and correct any arrangement that allows a portable tank inside the cabin
• Verify cockpit scupper drainage and note whether transom drains have been added
• Review the sail inventory — whether roller furling is fitted, headsail size, and the age and condition of the mainsail
• Confirm the outboard is in running order and that its horsepower rating is adequate for the waters you intend to sail

A well-maintained Catalina 22 is genuinely hard to go wrong with: parts are available, the class association provides a ready community of fellow owners with institutional knowledge, and the boat's forgiving temperament makes it an excellent platform for building sailing skills. The inspection list above is not long, and most of the issues it covers are inexpensive to address. Buy one in good structural shape and you are unlikely to regret it.