Catalina 42 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Catalina 42 means choosing between two interior generations built around the same proven hull. Introduced for the 1989 model year and produced across Mk I and Mk II versions, the boat has a solid fiberglass hull and a cored deck, with the later Mk II bringing a rounded transom and a deeper rudder. Most used examples carry one of two cabin plans, and a buyer should weigh known construction points against the equipment and layouts typically seen ashore.
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 three-cabin arrangement gives two mirror-image aft staterooms and a galley amidships opposite the dinette, while the two-cabin version places the galley in the port quarter with a starboard nav station. Both share a forward head where a V-berth would sit and a Pullman berth between saloon and bow. On deck, the Mk II added cockpit storage and a fixed drop-leaf table; the helm seat opens to a molded swim platform.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Power and energy systems are commonly fitted with autopilot, chartplotter, inverter, and radar, while solar and heating are often seen and lithium batteries appear as an owner upgrade. Navigation is covered by the commonly fitted chartplotter and radar plus often-seen AIS. For comfort and sail handling, a dodger and bimini are common, air conditioning often appears, and dinghy davits or a watermaker show up as less common owner additions. A buyer should confirm whether the newer Schaefer 3100 furler and Lewmar 42 winches are present on a given Mk II rather than assuming them.
What to Inspect
Some reported cases of osmotic blistering have appeared on both pre-1995 and post-1995 hulls, though most repairs were handled under warranty anchor. Check the vinylester barrier coat history since Catalina adopted it in 1995. The deck is cored balsa with plywood under hardware, so probe around winches and stanchions for softness. The builder admitted original displacement estimates were low and actual weight runs closer to 22,500 pounds, so expect about 1.5 inches more draft than specified. Inside, the lack of convenient handholds is inherent to the cabin plan rather than a defect, but note the 72-inch Pullman berth suits only those under six feet.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These yachts turn up across the United States, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Grenada, and Trinidad and Tobago. For a buyer, the short checklist is: confirm hull generation and rudder type, inspect for blistering and deck core soundness, verify four-sided engine access on the Yanmar, and choose the cabin count that fits your plans.
- Decide two- versus three-cabin layout before traveling
- Survey hull barrier coat and deck core at fasteners
- Confirm Mk II rudder and furler upgrades if wanted
- Check fuel capacity against your cruising range needs
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Catalina 42. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 20 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 25 | 1 | $114,000 | — |
| Apr 25 | 4 | $69,250 | -39.3% |
| May 25 | 3 | $94,000 | +35.7% |
| Jun 25 | 3 | $59,900 | -36.3% |
| Jul 25 | 5 | $80,000 | +33.6% |
| Aug 25 | 8 | $68,950 | -13.8% |
| Sep 25 | 7 | $84,500 | +22.6% |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $63,654 | -24.7% |
| Nov 25 | 2 | $110,200 | +73.1% |
| Dec 25 | 5 | $84,500 | -23.3% |
| Jan 26 | 14 | $81,750 | -3.3% |
| Feb 26 | 5 | $84,000 | +2.8% |
| Mar 26 | 9 | $89,000 | +6.0% |
| Apr 26 | 20 | $75,000 | -15.7% |
| May 26 | 19 | $89,000 | +18.7% |
| Jun 26 | 14 | $71,950 | -19.2% |
| Jul 26 | 13 | $75,000 | +4.2% |
| Aug 26 | 4 | $78,950 | +5.3% |
| Sep 26 | 9 | $70,000 | -11.3% |
| Oct 26 | 3 | $84,500 | +20.7% |
Where they're listed
Catalina 42 listings appear across 5 countries. United States has the most listings with 96 (87.3%), followed by Canada and Mexico.
Country view
110 listings · 5 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $75,000 | 96 | 15 | 87.3% |
| Canada | $56,207 | 6 | 2 | 5.5% |
| Mexico | $92,000 | 4 | 1 | 3.6% |
| Dominican Republic | $109,000 | 3 | 0 | 2.7% |
| Netherlands | $111,388 | 1 | 1 | 0.9% |
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 42You are here | — | $ 75,000 | 117 | 23 |
| Catalina 42 Mk II | 41.86' | $ 125,491 | 108 | 23 |
| Hunter 42 Passage CC | 42.5' | $ 79,990 | 79 | 14 |
| Catalina 400 Mk II | 41.5' | $ 140,000 | 42 | 8 |
| Bavaria Yachts Cruiser 42 | 42.62' | $ 110,828 | 40 | 14 |
| Endeavour 42 | 42.25' | $ 79,500 | 36 | 5 |
| Palmer Johnson J/42 | 42' | $ 144,900 | 19 | 4 |
| Sabre 42 | 41.75' | $ 89,000 | 19 | 8 |
| Moody 42 | 41.79' | $ 64,980 | 14 | 3 |
| Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42.1 | 41.99' | $ 82,311 | 12 | 4 |
| Comfortina 42 | 42.19' | $ 188,632 | 7 | 4 |