Practical Sailor reviewed the Catalina 445 as a used-boat candidate, providing the clearest account of how the boat was conceived and how individual examples have aged in service.
Design and Construction
The 445’s hull is solid fiberglass below the waterline and balsa-cored above it. The deck is also balsa-cored, with solid-glass hardpoints beneath winches and other loaded deck gear.
A structural fiberglass grid transfers the loads from the rig, keel, engine, and other heavy components into the hull. The traditional teak-and-holly cabin sole is fastened directly to this grid rather than floating above it.
Catalina chose lead for the keel—an expensive approach that the survey noted would “provide less trouble into the future” than iron. Two keel configurations left the factory. The deep-fin version, with a bulb keel and spade rudder, draws 6 feet 8 inches; a 5-foot wing keel was also available. The boat carries 7,200 pounds of lead ballast.
Rig and Handling
The Catalina 445 has a fractional 9/10ths double-spreader Selden mast. It is deck-stepped on a cast-aluminum plate with space for multiple turning blocks. A Selden furler handles the foresail, while genoa tracks run from amidships aft to the cockpit, allowing a range of jibs and genoas to be sheeted at accurate angles.
The mid-boom mainsheet runs through a robust traveler, with its lines led back into the cockpit. Double backstays terminate at the stern quarters, leaving the open transom clear. Factory choices included a traditional boom, in-boom furling, and in-mast furling; the last proved the most popular. Catalina also offered a Selden bowsprit for an asymmetrical spinnaker or Code 0, though the boat has no hardware for a symmetrical spinnaker.
Under power, the deep-keel test boat behaved as expected with its spade rudder and three-bladed fixed propeller. According to the owner, the Yanmar 4JH5E four-cylinder diesel produced a comfortable 6.5 knots at 2,100 rpm. Testers reached 7.5 knots at 2,800 rpm against a light breeze.
The boat also performed well under sail in light air. It made 3.5 knots to windward in 5 knots of true wind and exceeded 6 knots on a broad reach. The test sailors credited that easy speed to the hull form.
Accommodations
The main saloon has a U-shaped dinette to port, with white leather upholstery around a small adjustable table. The table expands to seat six or lowers to create a double berth. To starboard, two chairs flank a removable table; when the table is removed, the seating converts to a sea berth. Stainless-steel handrails run the length of the cabin just below the portlights.
Forward, the owner’s cabin has a pedestal berth with a sprung mattress and access from both sides. Its en suite head is finished in white melamine and includes an opening hatch and a shower stall with a glass door.
The L-shaped galley is to port at the foot of the companionway. Deep double sinks sit between a front-opening refrigerator and a top-loading freezer. A three-burner Force 10 stove is mounted against the hull beneath a powered vent, and the pot locker has cut-outs intended to prevent rattling.
The starboard aft cabin has a diagonally fitted double berth that extends across the centerline for additional room. Behind the galley to port, the “flex cabin” can serve as either a second aft cabin or a workshop. The main head and a forward-facing navigation table with a horizontal chart surface are to starboard.
Known Issues
The survey’s service history identified no structural defects, but it did raise two practical ownership concerns.
First, the engine is enclosed in a very tight box beneath the companionway. That restricted access makes routine servicing more difficult than it would be on a cruiser with an open engine bay.
Second, the aft-mounted factory bimini shades the twin helms effectively, but testers observed that it limited the view of the sail plan from the wheel. Buyers will need to weigh that drawback against the bimini’s sun protection, particularly for tropical use.
The Verdict
The Catalina 445 is a thoughtfully engineered cruiser from the beginning of Catalina’s 5 Series. It combines a load-distributing structural grid and lead ballast with a versatile interior that can provide three cabins or use the port aft space as a workshop.
The boat sails cleanly in light air and reaches readily off the wind. Its deck-stepped fractional rig and long genoa tracks also provide precise sail control. The record raises only two caveats: the tight engine compartment and the factory bimini’s effect on the helmsman’s view of the sails.
Pros
- Solid-fiberglass hull below the waterline, with balsa core above and lead ballast for low maintenance
- Structural grid distributes rig, keel, and engine loads into the hull
- Fractional sloop rig with long genoa tracks and several furling options
- Flexible port aft cabin that can serve as a berth or workshop
- Slippery hull that reached 7.5 knots under power and more than 6 knots under sail off the wind
Cons
- Very tight engine box beneath the companionway restricts service access
- Optional aft bimini limits the view of the sails from the helm
