Design and Construction
The Mk II is reported to share exactly the same principal dimensions as the earlier model, with an overall length of 34 feet 6 inches, a waterline of 29 feet 10 inches, and a beam of 11 feet 9 inches anchor. From the side it looks much like the 1986 boat, but the deck and hull mold were modified substantially and the transom grew by more than two feet, which opened up the cockpit and boarding area. The hull is a single-piece fiberglass layup with no core, while the deck carries a balsa core. Hull and deck meet in a shoebox joint, fastened with flexible adhesive and stainless steel screws. Catalina made considerable use of modular fiberglass liners and structural grids, and the builder's literature described an engineered stub sole structural system with stainless steel tie rods and a molded structural liner. Older boats have held up well under hard use around the Chesapeake Bay, which speaks to the durability of the basic structure.
Rig and Handling
The standard rig carried 528 square feet of sail area, with a tall rig option pushing that to 554 square feet and lifting the sail-area-to-displacement ratio from 15.6 to 16.4. Underway the boat sails well on all points, and she has turned in respectable handicap-race results anchor. The one sailing fault noted by experienced testers is that weather helm grows a little more than desired when the wind builds. Most sailors surveyed preferred the standard keel over the wing version for all-around performance; the wing keel had appeared in 1987 with draft cut to 4 feet 3 inches, while the standard shoal option drew 4 feet 8 inches and the deep keel 5 feet 7 inches.
Accommodations
Below, the layout runs from a V-berth forward aft to the main saloon with a starboard dinette and port settee. The galley sits aft to starboard but suffers from very little working counter space, and the head is a good-sized compartment on the port side next to the companionway. The master cabin aft to starboard holds an athwartship double berth tucked under the cockpit. Two practical shortcomings stand out for liveaboard use: there is no decent sea berth, and the boat runs short on storage space for extended cruising.
Known Issues
The weather helm that builds in stronger breeze is a handling trait, not a failure, but it bears on how the boat feels on a hard beat. Storage volume is limited for long passages, and testers judged the rigging and construction a little light for extended offshore work. These are design-balance observations from years of owner and reviewer experience rather than repair items.
Refits and Ownership
Auxiliary power on most earlier boats was a 23 hp Universal M-25 diesel, with the 30 hp Universal M-35 fitted in some and Yanmar engines appearing in some later models; the Mk II per the spec record carries the M-35. A frequent owner-driven upgrade has been fitting a three-blade propeller to improve motoring performance. With more than 1,400 of the model series on the water, parts interchange and owner knowledge are easy to come by.
The Verdict
The Catalina 34 Mk II is a mature, well-supported coastal cruiser that refined a already-popular hull by widening the stern and improving cockpit access without disturbing the dimensions that made the original work. She is an easy boat to sail and maintain, if not a bluewater voyager by temperament.
Pros
- Proven numbers built and strong owner community support
- Roomy cockpit and enlarged boarding area from the Mk II redesign
- Solid fiberglass hull with no core below the waterline
- Sails well across the wind range and respects her handicap
Cons
- Limited storage and no proper sea berth for extended cruising
- Weather helm builds when the wind pipes up
- Rigging and construction considered light for offshore passages
- Galley counter space is tight
