Catalina 38 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Catalina 38 means taking home a Sparkman & Stephens-derived IOR hull that Catalina built into a weekender over the next 14 years. The fleet is anchored by ex-charter examples and privately owned boats, with both two- and three-cabin layouts having reached the used market. Knowing the documented structural and mechanical facts separates a sound purchase from a money pit.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin layouts are the more common on the used market, but both are available; ex-charter examples are common. The interior was redesigned for weekender livability with a molded hull liner carrying the major components. Forward of the bulkhead are the head to port, lockers to starboard, and a V-berth for two adults. The saloon holds a port U-shaped dinette converting to a double, a starboard long settee with stowage, a snug aft U-shaped galley, and a nav station backing a quarter berth under the cockpit. Early boats had a fiberglass cabin sole; later ones gained teak and holly veneer.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
A chartplotter is commonly fitted across the used fleet. Autopilot, dodger, hot water, solar, bimini, and radar are often seen, while air conditioning, spinnaker, AIS, and inverter appear as sometimes-or-owner upgrades rather than standard equipment. Very early Catalina 38s left the factory with an Atomic 4 gasoline engine, but many have been replaced, and later boats carried a 24-horsepower Universal diesel; engine access is adequate on either installation.
What to Inspect
Owners with cruising plans might find the tankage limiting, so verify the actual water and fuel capacity against your intended use. The later 24-horsepower Universal diesel reportedly lacks the power to push the boat at hull speed in moderate wind and chop, a shortfall to confirm under sea trial rather than on paper. Passage from the cockpit to the foredeck can be tricky, especially if a wide dodger is fitted, so inspect the side-deck width and dodger footprint for safe movement forward. Early versus later cabin sole material — fiberglass or teak and holly veneer — should be noted as a condition and value marker.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The Catalina 38 typically appears on the used market in the United States and Mexico. With the builder still in business and providing design and parts support, spares and liner components remain obtainable.
- Confirm whether the Atomic 4 was replaced by a diesel and assess the later Universal's reported power deficit in a trial
- Measure side decks and dodger width for safe foredeck passage
- Budget for limited tankage on any cruising plan
- Favor later models with teak and holly sole if interior finish matters
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Catalina 38. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 15 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 | 1 | $ 15,000 | — |
| Mar 25 | 2 | $ 27,000 | +80.0% |
| Apr 25 | 1 | $ 15,000 | -44.4% |
| Jun 25 | 6 | $ 19,500 | +30.0% |
| Jul 25 | 4 | $ 24,900 | +27.7% |
| Aug 25 | 6 | $ 39,000 | +56.6% |
| Sep 25 | 7 | $ 35,000 | -10.3% |
| Oct 25 | 4 | $ 38,700 | +10.6% |
| Nov 25 | 2 | $ 26,443 | -31.7% |
| Dec 25 | 2 | $ 26,500 | +0.2% |
| Jan 26 | 8 | $ 37,000 | +39.6% |
| Feb 26 | 2 | $ 26,250 | -29.1% |
| Mar 26 | 4 | $ 49,125 | +87.1% |
| Apr 26 | 15 | $ 36,000 | -26.7% |
| May 26 | 7 | $ 37,999 | +5.6% |
Where they're listed
Catalina 38 listings appear across 2 countries. United States has the most listings with 52 (94.5%), followed by Mexico.
Country view
55 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $ 36,000 | 52 | 9 | 94.5% |
| Mexico | $ 30,000 | 3 | 1 | 5.5% |
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 38You are here | — | $ 36,000 | 59 | 12 |
| Sabre 38 | 37.83' | $ 49,900 | 46 | 16 |
| Beneteau First 38 | 40.2' | $ 34,214 | 32 | 7 |
| Northshore 38 | 37.99' | $ 50,732 | 11 | 0 |