Six years later, Catalina introduced the improved MkII. It updated the original with a redesigned deck, twin helm stations, and a walk-through transom. The series remained in production until around 2012. Reported hull numbers had passed 100 by late 1996, and some estimates put total production at roughly 500 boats.
Design and Construction
The Catalina 400 MkII has a hand-laid fiberglass hull and a balsa-cored deck for stiffness and insulation. Catalina used solid fiberglass in high-stress areas where deck hardware is fastened.
Standard lead ballast is 7,200 pounds against a displacement of 18,000 pounds, giving a ballast ratio of 40 percent. Along with a 13.5-foot beam and 34.83-foot waterline, those figures place the boat firmly in the moderate-to-light displacement cruiser class.
The original 400 came standard with a bulb fin keel and spade rudder. On the MkII, buyers could choose either a deep fin or a shallower wing keel. The wing keel reduces draft but gives up a little stability and upwind performance.
The Catalina 400 MkII is a coastal and moderate offshore cruiser. Its capsize screening figure is 2.00—acceptable for ocean work—but the boat wasn’t built to the standards of heavier, dedicated bluewater yachts.
Rig and Handling
Both generations are masthead sloops, but the MkII has a taller mast and slightly swept-back spreaders. The change brought a revised sail plan and a marginal performance gain. The forestay attaches near the masthead, and the rig is robust enough to carry a 135 percent genoa on a roller furler without complication.
Sail area includes a 400-square-foot mainsail and a 408-square-foot foretriangle. All primary control lines lead aft to the cockpit, helping make the boat manageable short-handed.
The MkII’s twin wheels allow the helmsperson to steer from the windward side for a clearer view of the sails and water. Its larger cockpit, walk-through transom, and swim platform also make stern access genuinely easier than on the single-wheel original.
Accommodations and Stowage
The MkII was offered with either two or three cabins. In both layouts, the updated saloon feels more open than the original, while the revised galley provides more storage.
The popular two-cabin version devotes the stern to a very large master suite with a queen berth; the layout also includes two heads. That arrangement sacrifices some cockpit-locker space, a common compromise when private cabin volume is maximized. For liveaboards, the resulting lack of external locker storage is the main drawback.
Known Issues
A thorough survey should pay particular attention to deck fittings and the keel-hull joint, where water intrusion or stress can appear. Because the deck is balsa-cored, leaking fittings are a particular concern if moisture migrates into the core.
The Verdict
The Catalina 400 MkII is a thoughtfully evolved coastal cruiser that balances interior volume with manageable handling. Its twin-wheel cockpit and aft-led controls make it easy for a couple to manage, while the two-cabin layout provides an unusual amount of private space for a boat of this length.
The wing-keel option opens up shallower waters at a measured cost in stability and upwind performance, and the balsa-cored deck calls for careful surveying. This isn’t a heavyweight passagemaker, but it is a well-resolved 40-foot platform for coastal and moderate offshore cruising.
Pros
- Twin helm stations, a walk-through transom, and a swim platform improve visibility and stern access
- Two-cabin layout provides a very large aft master suite and two heads
- Aft-led control lines support short-handed sailing
- Taller MkII mast delivers a marginal performance gain
- Capsize screening figure of 2.00 suits moderate offshore use
Cons
- Limited external locker storage in the two-cabin version
- Wing keel reduces stability and upwind ability compared with the deep fin
- Not built to the standards of dedicated bluewater yachts
- Balsa-cored deck requires careful inspection around fittings
