Catalina 400 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a used Catalina 400 means choosing between the 1994-origin design and the 2000-evolved MkII, both 40-foot Catalina Yachts cruisers built in the United States with a bulb fin keel and spade rudder. The MkII brought twin helm wheels, a walk-through transom, and a redesigned deck, and the series stayed in production until around 2012. These are moderate-to-light displacement boats with lead ballast and a masthead rig, suited to coastal and moderate offshore use rather than heavy bluewater service.
Layouts on the Used Market
On the used market the MkII appears in two- or three-cabin arrangements. The two-cabin version is the one to seek for private volume: it places a very large aft master suite with a queen berth and two heads aft, but concedes some cockpit locker space to do so. The three-cabin layout trades that suite for separate guest quarters. Both keep the MkII's more open saloon and updated galley with added storage compared with the original 400, so a buyer weighing liveaboard potential should note the limited external locker storage that comes with the big aft cabin.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most boats on the market carry a bimini, dodger, chartplotter, and autopilot as standard cruising kit. Beyond those, it is common to find a swim platform, electric winches, radar, inverter, dinghy davits, air conditioning, and a cockpit shower — all useful for comfort and short-handed sail handling. Solar, hot water, a furling main, and simplified short-handed rigging show up less often as owner upgrades. For a buyer, electric winches and a furling main reduce cockpit workload, while an inverter and solar extend off-grid time; air conditioning and a cockpit shower signal a boat geared to warm-water cruising.
What to Inspect
Any survey should center on deck fittings and the keel-hull joint for signs of water intrusion or stress anchor. The MkII's balsa-cored deck means a fitting leak can admit moisture into the core, so test around winches, stanchions, and hardware mounts. The wing-keel version should get particular attention at the keel-hull interface, since that option carries the same joint scrutiny with slightly reduced stability than the deep fin.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Catalina 400s are typically found in the United States, Grenada, Georgia, Türkiye, and Australia. For a buyer, the checklist is straightforward: confirm whether the hull is the original or MkII for the cockpit and deck differences; choose the two-cabin layout only if you accept reduced locker space for the master suite; verify the keel type and its survey condition; and check the deck core at every fitting. With those points cleared, the 400 remains a roomy, manageable coastal cruiser.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Catalina 400. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 16 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 25 | 1 | $90,000 | — |
| Apr 25 | 1 | $109,000 | +21.1% |
| May 25 | 2 | $89,500 | -17.9% |
| Jun 25 | 2 | $125,000 | +39.7% |
| Jul 25 | 4 | $106,900 | -14.5% |
| Aug 25 | 3 | $124,900 | +16.8% |
| Sep 25 | 10 | $103,000 | -17.5% |
| Oct 25 | 4 | $89,000 | -13.6% |
| Jan 26 | 5 | $79,500 | -10.7% |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $64,090 | -19.4% |
| Mar 26 | 7 | $119,900 | +87.1% |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $109,250 | -8.9% |
| May 26 | 8 | $91,900 | -15.9% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $84,900 | -7.6% |
| Jul 26 | 6 | $94,000 | +10.7% |
| Aug 26 | 8 | $127,400 | +35.5% |
Where they're listed
Catalina 400 listings appear across 5 countries. United States has the most listings with 45 (91.8%), followed by Australia and Germany.
Country view
49 listings · 5 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $98,900 | 45 | 11 | 91.8% |
| Australia | $96,837 | 1 | 0 | 2.0% |
| Germany | $104,875 | 1 | 1 | 2.0% |
| Grenada | $69,000 | 1 | 0 | 2.0% |
| Turkey | $64,090 | 1 | 0 | 2.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lagoon 400 | 39.27' | $ 317,181 | 193 | 51 |
| Catalina 350 | 35.42' | $ 98,691 | 146 | 34 |
| Catalina 42 | 41.86' | $ 79,000 | 113 | 29 |
| Catalina 42 Mk II | 41.86' | $ 135,000 | 108 | 22 |
| CATALINA YACHTS 380 | 38.42' | $ 93,700 | 82 | 17 |
| Beneteau Oceanis 400 | 40' | $ 70,165 | 55 | 8 |
| Catalina 400You are here | — | $ 98,000 | 53 | 16 |
| Catalina 470 | 47.67' | $ 210,000 | 50 | 10 |
| Catalina 400 Mk II | 41.5' | $ 140,000 | 41 | 1 |
| Bavaria Yachts Cruiser 42 | 42.62' | $ 115,286 | 37 | 10 |
| Beneteau Oceanis Oceanis 400 CC | 41' | $ 104,670 | 36 | 12 |