Catalina 250 Buyer's Guide
Shopping used Catalina 250 boats means weighing a trailerable water-ballast cruiser whose defining trait is a double-bottom seawater ballast system that must be filled to sail and drained to tow. These boats are found in meaningful numbers across the United States, Australia, and Canada, and the used fleet splits between charter four-cabin layouts—more common—and other configurations, with ex-charter examples common. What follows is a buyer's look at how they present on the brokerage market and what the documented record says to check.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Catalina 250's interior is versatile for its size, with a companionway pop top that delivers full standing headroom below when deployed. Forward is a small V-berth that can be enlarged for adults by removing the settee's forward divider; under the mast sits a circular settee with a table that doubles as a cockpit table. A huge aft double berth dominates the after cabin, though its overhead is only 17 inches above the cushion for most of its width. The head is enclosed to port with a portable toilet, and the starboard galley is minimal. Charter four-cabin versions are the more common layout on the used market, but both are available, and ex-charter examples are common.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
A bimini and autopilot are often seen on brokerage examples. Less commonly, and typically as owner upgrades, buyers will encounter a chartplotter, solar, or short-handed setup. The boat's standard equipment included sails, pivoting mast step, boom vang, and jiffy reefing gear, with a cockpit-mounted outboard well forward of an open transom. The stove is a single-burner Princess gas model and the icebox a removable cooler; the cabin table can be set up in the cockpit for al fresco dining. The manual bilge pump sits in the port footwell wall.
What to Inspect
The documented known issues begin with the water ballast: the boat should never be sailed without it, and early hulls did have some serious hull problems including a leak that influenced Catalina's decision to completely redesign the water ballast tank mold, though the builder tells us the early hulls have all been retrofitted. There is no positive flotation in the production version despite early brochure claims. The centerboard sweeps back about 15 degrees rather than vertically, and early brochures incorrectly depicted it as vertical. Neither jib winch handle can be cranked through 360 degrees without crushing knuckles against the nearby lifeline stanchion less than 9 inches away. The extensive interior hull liner almost totally thwarts access to the outer skin for repairs or wiring.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The Catalina 250 is typically available in the United States, Australia, and Canada, with charter four-cabin layouts and ex-charter boats common. When inspecting a candidate, keep this short checklist in mind:
- Confirm water ballast tank integrity and retrofit status on early hulls
- Verify centerboard geometry matches the 15-degree sweep, not brochure vertical
- Check winch clearance against lifeline stanchions
- Note absence of positive flotation in production boats
- Assess liner-limited access for any planned electrical or structural work
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Catalina 250. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 19 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 | 1 | $ 22,000 | — |
| Feb 25 | 4 | $ 15,900 | -27.7% |
| Mar 25 | 2 | $ 10,211 | -35.8% |
| Apr 25 | 5 | $ 14,900 | +45.9% |
| May 25 | 4 | $ 11,750 | -21.1% |
| Jun 25 | 1 | $ 9,000 | -23.4% |
| Jul 25 | 2 | $ 13,450 | +49.4% |
| Aug 25 | 4 | $ 15,250 | +13.4% |
| Sep 25 | 3 | $ 14,000 | -8.2% |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $ 21,315 | +52.3% |
| Nov 25 | 6 | $ 17,950 | -15.8% |
| Dec 25 | 2 | $ 19,900 | +10.9% |
| Jan 26 | 6 | $ 16,950 | -14.8% |
| Feb 26 | 3 | $ 7,500 | -55.8% |
| Mar 26 | 8 | $ 9,500 | +26.7% |
| Apr 26 | 7 | $ 18,000 | +89.5% |
| May 26 | 9 | $ 15,950 | -11.4% |
| Jun 26 | 6 | $ 14,500 | -9.1% |
| Jul 26 | 3 | $ 10,000 | -31.0% |
Where they're listed
Catalina 250 listings appear across 3 countries. United States has the most listings with 54 (94.7%), followed by Australia and Canada.
Country view
57 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $ 14,000 | 54 | 20 | 94.7% |
| Australia | $ 27,632 | 2 | 0 | 3.5% |
| Canada | $ 21,315 | 1 | 0 | 1.8% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
6 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalina 250You are here | — | $ 14,500 | 60 | 21 |
| Catalina 25 | 25' | $ 7,500 | 57 | 17 |
| Jeanneau Sun 2500 | 24.61' | $ 27,047 | 24 | 4 |
| Hunter Marine 240 | 24.08' | $ 9,500 | 21 | 5 |
| Monterey 275 Sport | 27.5' | $ 69,500 | 19 | 6 |
| MacGregor 25 | 24.92' | $ 4,550 | 12 | 8 |