Catalina 30 Mk II Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Catalina 30 Mk II means looking at a design that began its later generation around hull 3300 in 1986, with a T-shaped cockpit marking the Mk II distinction. These are common ex-charter boats, and the three-cabin owner layouts appear more often on the used market, though both configurations turn up.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Mk II carries the same core accommodation footprint as the long-running Catalina 30 line, with a large forward V-berth cabin, an L-shaped settee and straight settee in the main saloon, a U-shaped port galley, and a starboard quarterberth under the cockpit. Ex-charter examples are common and may show heavier wear in the liners and hardware, while private three-cabin owner boats dominate the listings. The T-shaped cockpit is the visible Mk II tell, paired with the standard large sail locker under the port seat.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most boats on the market carry a dodger, bimini, autopilot, and chartplotter as commonly fitted gear. A smaller set of upgrades shows up less consistently: hot water, radar, and cabin heating appear as occasional owner additions rather than standard fit. For a buyer, the autopilot and chartplotter speak to shorthanded navigation ease, while the canvas pair extends seasonal comfort; heating and hot water are worth verifying in person since they were not universal.
What to Inspect
Every surveyed Catalina 30 showed some play in the rudder stocks, so grab the rudder and check for movement at the top of the stock where it meets the quadrant. All examined boats also displayed local deflection of the cabin trunk top at the mast step, from as little as 1/16 inch upward — sight across the trunk and look for a dip or crazing around the compression area. Some owners report leaking stanchions; at each stanchion base, tap the deck and look for softness, since the fittings were secured with plain washers instead of backing plates anchor. The sliding companionway hatch is oversized and the forward cabin-trunk molded hatch is a likely heavy-weather leaker, so examine both gaskets and frames for past water entry. Because the optional shower and icebox drain straight to the bilge and the engine sits at the bilge low point, smell the bilge and look for corrosion or standing water around the settee-mounted machinery. Under power, the unsoundproofed engine box lets the small diesel vibrate hard and make the cabin loud, so a sea trial will reveal whether mounts or coupling have been improved.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats are typically found in the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands.
- Check rudder stock for play at the quadrant
- Sight cabin trunk top for mast-step deflection
- Probe stanchion bases for deck softness
- Test companionway and cabin-trunk hatches for leaks
- Smell bilge for shower or icebox drainage traces
- Confirm engine mounts against vibration at cruise
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Catalina 30 Mk II. 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 | 2 | $27,400 | — |
| Feb 25 | 4 | $26,450 | -3.5% |
| Mar 25 | 2 | $15,750 | -40.5% |
| Apr 25 | 4 | $18,500 | +17.5% |
| May 25 | 3 | $29,800 | +61.1% |
| Jun 25 | 4 | $19,900 | -33.2% |
| Jul 25 | 1 | $9,500 | -52.3% |
| Aug 25 | 3 | $20,500 | +115.8% |
| Sep 25 | 8 | $23,748 | +15.8% |
| Oct 25 | 4 | $18,950 | -20.2% |
| Nov 25 | 6 | $22,200 | +17.2% |
| Dec 25 | 3 | $20,000 | -9.9% |
| Jan 26 | 6 | $19,900 | -0.5% |
| Feb 26 | 2 | $25,000 | +25.6% |
| Mar 26 | 3 | $27,900 | +11.6% |
| Apr 26 | 10 | $22,500 | -19.4% |
| May 26 | 2 | $14,900 | -33.8% |
| Jun 26 | 12 | $19,900 | +33.6% |
| Jul 26 | 3 | $19,900 | 0.0% |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $24,595 | +23.6% |
Where they're listed
Catalina 30 Mk II listings appear across 3 countries. United States has the most listings with 55 (94.8%), followed by Canada and Netherlands.
Country view
58 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $20,000 | 55 | 14 | 94.8% |
| Canada | $17,311 | 2 | 0 | 3.4% |
| Netherlands | $34,844 | 1 | 0 | 1.7% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
9 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalina 36 Mk II | 36.33' | $ 69,000 | 244 | 59 |
| Catalina 30 | 29.92' | $ 15,000 | 215 | 58 |
| Bavaria Yachts Cruiser 30 | 31.08' | $ 55,936 | 127 | 36 |
| Catalina 34 Mk II | 34.5' | $ 62,900 | 75 | 24 |
| Catalina 30 Mk IIYou are here | — | $ 20,000 | 61 | 16 |
| Moody 31 Mk II | 30.75' | $ 33,275 | 42 | 5 |
| Dufour Classic 30 | 30' | $ 35,805 | 28 | 9 |
| C&C 30 Mk I | 30' | $ 13,805 | 26 | 6 |
| Bavaria Yachts 350 | 35.25' | $ 55,354 | 13 | 7 |