Catalina 27 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Catalina 27 means entering the deepest end of the small-cruiser market: more than 6,600 were built between 1971 and 1991, and the boat's two-decade run produced a wide spread of factory and owner configurations. Knowing which generation and which refit details separate a sound coastal cruiser from a deferred-maintenance headache is the whole game when you step aboard a specific hull.
Layouts on the Used Market
Two interior arrangements were offered across the production span: the traditional aft-galley plan and the midships galley/dinette version. The forward V-berths are consistently reported by owners as too short and narrow for two adults, so the quarterberths are the berths that actually sleep anyone comfortably. Early boats carried the electrical panel on the port quarterberth face; later models relocated a proper circuit-breaker panel to the starboard quarterberth. Newer hulls also gained a seahood at the companionway and a molded-in foredeck anchor well, both useful tells when you are trying to place a boat's build era.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used fleet, a bimini and an autopilot are often seen, while a chartplotter appears as a less frequent owner upgrade. For a buyer, the meaningful cluster is sail-handling and steering: an autopilot reduces solo watch burden on a light coastal hull, and a bimini extends comfortable daysailing. Beyond those, the traveler location matters more than any gadget—the forward location over the hatch blocks a dodger and adds mainsheet friction, so a boat with the aft cockpit traveler or a sensible reroute is the better find.
What to Inspect
The inboard installation sits under the cockpit with notoriously poor access; owners rate it one or less of five, so confirm you can reach the oil fill, filter, and belt before committing. Original lower-shroud U-bolt chainplates have failed and dropped rigs, and leaking chainplates have rotted attached bulkheads, so probe the chainplate bases and bulkhead edges for softness. Early cast aluminum spreader sockets are a known rig-loss point and should have been swapped for later stainless fabrications. Check through-hulls: older gate-valve fittings on glassed nipples and poor early installations are leak paths, and the icebox drain skin fitting lets water return to the box when heeled. Confirm fuel-tank installation quality on early inboards and look for the absent backing plates under deck hardware that invite flex and leaks.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats turn up routinely in the United States, Australia, Canada, and Greece. Before you make an offer, run this short checklist:
- Confirm chainplate bedding and bulkhead integrity.
- Verify spreader sockets are stainless, not cast aluminum.
- Test inboard access or favor an outboard model.
- Inspect through-hulls and icebox drain routing.
- Seek later-model seahood, breaker panel, and ventilation hatches.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Catalina 27. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 20 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 | 3 | $17,900 | — |
| Feb 25 | 3 | $9,500 | -46.9% |
| Mar 25 | 2 | $6,475 | -31.8% |
| Apr 25 | 5 | $7,750 | +19.7% |
| May 25 | 2 | $12,250 | +58.1% |
| Jun 25 | 7 | $7,000 | -42.9% |
| Jul 25 | 4 | $7,950 | +13.6% |
| Aug 25 | 8 | $6,650 | -16.4% |
| Sep 25 | 7 | $8,500 | +27.8% |
| Oct 25 | 7 | $9,500 | +11.8% |
| Nov 25 | 5 | $7,000 | -26.3% |
| Dec 25 | 4 | $7,725 | +10.4% |
| Jan 26 | 8 | $8,750 | +13.3% |
| Feb 26 | 7 | $5,995 | -31.5% |
| Mar 26 | 3 | $18,900 | +215.3% |
| Apr 26 | 11 | $10,000 | -47.1% |
| May 26 | 5 | $2,500 | -75.0% |
| Jun 26 | 8 | $7,873 | +214.9% |
| Jul 26 | 7 | $5,950 | -24.4% |
| Aug 26 | 5 | $10,399 | +74.8% |
Where they're listed
Catalina 27 listings appear across 5 countries. United States has the most listings with 68 (90.7%), followed by Australia and Canada.
Country view
75 listings · 5 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $7,625 | 68 | 16 | 90.7% |
| Australia | $26,523 | 4 | 0 | 5.3% |
| Canada | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 1.3% |
| Greece | $11,653 | 1 | 0 | 1.3% |
| Netherlands | $22,723 | 1 | 1 | 1.3% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
4 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalina 22 | 23.83' | $ 6,500 | 79 | 25 |
| Catalina 27You are here | — | $ 7,900 | 77 | 20 |
| Seamaster Ltd 27 | 26.83' | $ 9,509 | 16 | 3 |
| Pearson 27 | 26.92' | $ 11,000 | 15 | 3 |