Catalina 28 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used market for a Catalina 28 means looking at a Gerry Douglas design that first appeared in 1991 and was refined into the MK II in 1995, with both generations still circulating among brokers and owners. It is a coastal cruiser first and last, with a famously roomy hull for its length and a straightforward systems layout that suits a first-time big-boat buyer.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin layouts are the more common on the used market, but both are available, and ex-charter examples are common. The standard arrangement gives a forward V-berth, a saloon with facing settees, a starboard galley, a port head with shower, and an aft athwartship double tucked under the cockpit; the MK II widened that aft hull section slightly so the double berths two adults more comfortably. The interior is high-volume for a 28-footer, often feeling closer to a 32-foot boat below.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most boats on the market carry a chartplotter as standard fit, with autopilot, cockpit shower, asymmetric and conventional spinnakers, and a bimini often seen. Less common but worth noting as owner upgrades are an inverter, hot water, and a swim platform. For a buyer, the meaningful clusters are navigation (chartplotter, often autopilot) and sail handling and comfort (bimini, cockpit shower, spinnaker gear); a swim platform and inverter are nice-to-have upgrades rather than baseline equipment.
What to Inspect
Several documented issues deserve a close look. Hairline gelcoat cracks at sharply curved cockpit corners and deck-to-hull joint fractures from piling strikes are both frequently seen. Some owners report gelcoat crazing and annoying leaks, including around the pedestal base, and the aft cabin is known for poor ventilation. The refrigeration compartment is awkward to reach, locker latches are often inadequate, and batteries sit in the stern; sound insulation needs improvement on older models. The stuffing box is accessed only by dismantling the aft berth.
Availability and Buyer’s Takeaway
These boats turn up regularly in the United States, Spain, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. For a shopper, the short list is: confirm which keel and rig you are getting, check deck-corner and hull-joint gelcoat closely, verify aft-cabin ventilation and locker latches, and budget for sound insulation or refrigeration access fixes on older hulls.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Catalina 28. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 17 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 25 | 3 | $19,900 | — |
| Apr 25 | 3 | $22,900 | +15.1% |
| May 25 | 1 | $25,000 | +9.2% |
| Jun 25 | 1 | $24,950 | -0.2% |
| Jul 25 | 2 | $24,750 | -0.8% |
| Aug 25 | 1 | $23,800 | -3.8% |
| Sep 25 | 4 | $30,700 | +29.0% |
| Oct 25 | 6 | $25,000 | -18.6% |
| Nov 25 | 5 | $25,000 | 0.0% |
| Dec 25 | 1 | $25,000 | 0.0% |
| Jan 26 | 2 | $39,134 | +56.5% |
| Feb 26 | 2 | $25,000 | -36.1% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $32,000 | +28.0% |
| Apr 26 | 8 | $23,971 | -25.1% |
| May 26 | 3 | $23,600 | -1.5% |
| Jun 26 | 7 | $23,600 | 0.0% |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $25,000 | +5.9% |
Where they're listed
Catalina 28 listings appear across 5 countries. United States has the most listings with 31 (77.5%), followed by Canada and Spain.
Country view
40 listings · 5 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $25,000 | 31 | 8 | 77.5% |
| Canada | $35,982 | 3 | 0 | 7.5% |
| Spain | $33,016 | 3 | 0 | 7.5% |
| United Kingdom | $29,743 | 2 | 0 | 5.0% |
| Australia | $42,285 | 1 | 0 | 2.5% |
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 28 Mk II | 29.42' | $ 33,900 | 71 | 10 |
| Catalina 28You are here | — | $ 25,000 | 39 | 7 |
| Oday 28 | 28.25' | $ 9,900 | 27 | 4 |
| Colvic Countess 28 | 28' | $ 10,426 | 23 | 3 |
| Marlow-Hunter 28 | 28.01' | $ 17,899 | 15 | 5 |
| Jeanneau First 28 | 28.21' | $ 26,527 | 12 | 3 |