Catalina 309 Buyer's Guide
The Catalina 309 is a 32-foot-9-inch coastal cruiser built by Catalina Yachts from 2005 through 2012, designed by Gerry Douglas with a lead bulb keel and a fractional sloop rig. On the used market she competes with the Hunter 31, Beneteau Oceanis 31, and Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 32, and her appeal rests on a practical deck layout and an externally furled main that avoids the usual mast-cavity problems. A shopper should understand both the standard boat and the upgrades owners have added before committing.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every 309 shares the same fundamental plan: a 9,800-pound displacement hull on an 11-foot-6-inch beam, a transom opening aft to the swim step, and a vast cockpit with comfortable stern rail seats. The salon gives a six-footer headroom almost everywhere, and the lazarette is cavernous with a trash can reachable through a galley bulkhead flap. The folding steering wheel at the pedestal keeps the helm area open, with engine controls, compass, and instruments consolidated there. Shoal-draft wing-keel versions draw 4 feet 4 inches; the standard bulb keel draws 6 feet 3 inches.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most boats on the market carry a bimini, dodger, furling main, autopilot, and chartplotter as commonly fitted gear. Electric winches are often seen and worth having given the furling-led rig. Less common but found as owner upgrades are air conditioning, cockpit shower, hot water, and life raft. For buyer consequence, the meaningful clusters are power and energy — factory-optional Raymarine ST 60 instruments and autopilot, plus a Garmin chartplotter seen on test boats — and sail handling, where a Garhauer stainless davit on the stern rail and the in-mast furling main define the boat. A short-handed setup is a sometimes-seen owner upgrade.
What to Inspect
The in-mast furling system uses a continuous loop run under the traveler to a mast-mounted winch, and the furling line never enters the mast anchor, so check the loop, rope clutches, and mast winch for wear rather than mast-internal tangles. All through-hull fittings should be labeled and easily accessible; confirm that labeling and access are intact. The dripless shaft seal and the Yanmar fresh-water-cooled diesel are points to survey for service history. Inboard chainplates and wide side decks with non-skid are structural items to examine for compression or gelcoat crazing.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats typically appear in the United States, Italy, Australia, and Canada. For a shopper, the checklist is short and fact-backed: verify the external furling loop and mast winch operate cleanly, confirm through-hulls are labeled and reachable, inspect the dripless seal and Yanmar for records, and decide between the shoal wing keel and the deeper bulb based on cruising grounds. A 309 with electric winches, autopilot, and a sound furling system is the one to target.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Catalina 309. 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 | 3 | $59,900 | — |
| Feb 25 | 1 | $59,995 | +0.2% |
| May 25 | 3 | $78,500 | +30.8% |
| Jun 25 | 2 | $87,725 | +11.8% |
| Jul 25 | 3 | $85,000 | -3.1% |
| Aug 25 | 1 | $72,500 | -14.7% |
| Sep 25 | 8 | $70,450 | -2.8% |
| Oct 25 | 2 | $75,000 | +6.5% |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $88,523 | +18.0% |
| Dec 25 | 1 | $88,523 | 0.0% |
| Jan 26 | 4 | $76,788 | -13.3% |
| Feb 26 | 3 | $83,624 | +8.9% |
| Mar 26 | 3 | $38,999 | -53.4% |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $61,520 | +57.7% |
| May 26 | 6 | $64,450 | +4.8% |
| Jun 26 | 4 | $69,998 | +8.6% |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $94,471 | +35.0% |
| Aug 26 | 3 | $75,000 | -20.6% |
| Sep 26 | 12 | $68,950 | -8.1% |
Where they're listed
Catalina 309 listings appear across 4 countries. United States has the most listings with 29 (69.0%), followed by Italy and Australia.
Country view
42 listings · 4 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $68,900 | 29 | 14 | 69.0% |
| Italy | $88,523 | 7 | 0 | 16.7% |
| Australia | $83,624 | 5 | 1 | 11.9% |
| Canada | $63,017 | 1 | 0 | 2.4% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
11 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalina 30 | 29.92' | $ 15,000 | 233 | 66 |
| Catalina 34 | 34.5' | $ 32,250 | 154 | 46 |
| Bavaria Yachts Cruiser 39 | 39.16' | $ 96,403 | 111 | 33 |
| Catalina 355 | 35.42' | $ 200,000 | 76 | 21 |
| Catalina 30 Mk II | 29.92' | $ 20,000 | 60 | 13 |
| Bavaria Yachts Cruiser 33 | 32.78' | $ 84,017 | 59 | 13 |
| Catalina 310 | 31' | $ 55,772 | 57 | 6 |
| Catalina 309You are here | — | $ 69,998 | 42 | 15 |
| Hunter Marine 306 | 29.92' | $ 36,500 | 41 | 18 |
| Catalina 315 | 31.92' | $ 155,000 | 26 | 4 |
| Catalina 390 | 38.67' | $ 117,450 | 10 | 5 |