Catalina Morgan 38 Buyer's Guide
The Catalina Morgan 38—also seen as the Morgan 38 CC or Morgan 381—is a center-cockpit, aft-cabin cruiser from the Morgan Division of Catalina Yachts, introduced in late 1992 as the first new Morgan in over a decade. Fewer than 100 were built through the 1990s, and she remains a practical choice for live-aboard coastal cruising, though buyers should focus on a few documented weak points rather than market mythology.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every example is a center-cockpit, aft-cabin design with the companionway at the forward end of the cockpit leading to a main saloon laid out for four people. The aft master stateroom carries a centerline queen berth, while the v-berth forward pairs a small head with shower and a hanging locker, and a second head with separate shower serves the saloon and aft cabin. The galley sits along the port side near the aft passage and is notably roomy, with stove, icebox, and freezer outboard and sink inboard. The foredeck anchor locker is small by necessity, sacrificed to maximize v-berth space.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, boats commonly carry solar, a bimini, autopilot, chartplotter, dodger, furling main, cockpit shower, and radar, with a short-handed setup often seen among owner upgrades. For buyer consequence, the meaningful clusters are power and energy—solar, often lithium batteries, and an inverter—where lithium and inverter suggest a boat set up for extended anchor life; and canvas and sail handling, where a furling main and bimini/dodger reflect standard cruising dress. A few hulls may show dinghy davits or teak decks, also in the often-seen tier. Less common are heating, electric winches, freezer, hot water, swim platform, and Starlink, which appear as occasional owner additions. Auxiliary power is typically a Westerbeke diesel, with a few Yanmars, mounted beneath the cockpit deck and galley counter.
What to Inspect
The rub rail is small for a nearly 18,000-pound boat and is easily damaged in minor docking incidents, so check its straightness and the deck joint behind it. Surveyors note that deck fittings, windows, and port lights leak persistently more often than usual on this model, and inspect those attachments closely. The transom-mounted hatch often leaks in heavy rain, likely because it was not designed for vertical fitment, and the starboard side of the engine has limited access despite removable service panels.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Catalina Morgan 38s are found in the United States market. For a buyer, the short checklist is: confirm rub rail and hull-to-deck joint condition; trace window, port, and hardware leaks; test the transom hatch in rain or with a hose; verify engine service access; and review the galley and aft-cabin layout against your live-aboard needs.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Catalina Morgan 38. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 7 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25 | 1 | $89,000 | — |
| Sep 25 | 2 | $57,250 | -35.7% |
| Nov 25 | 2 | $96,000 | +67.7% |
| Dec 25 | 2 | $74,900 | -22.0% |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $74,900 | 0.0% |
| Jul 26 | 3 | $54,900 | -26.7% |
| Aug 26 | 2 | $77,750 | +41.6% |
Where they're listed
Catalina Morgan 38 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 10.
Country view
10 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $74,900 | 10 | 5 | 100.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bavaria Yachts Cruiser 38 | 40.35' | $ 79,101 | 172 | 35 |
| CATALINA YACHTS 380 | 38.42' | $ 94,900 | 97 | 31 |
| Catalina 387 | 39.83' | $ 124,000 | 38 | 13 |
| Morgan Morgan 440 | 45.92' | $ 187,000 | 37 | 9 |
| Morgan 383/384 | 38.33' | $ 51,000 | 27 | 5 |
| Morgan 382 | 38.33' | $ 35,900 | 27 | 7 |
| Beneteau Moorings 38 | 38.25' | $ 51,000 | 14 | 4 |
| Morgan Morgan 38You are here | — | $ 74,900 | 10 | 5 |
| Morgan 32 | 31.92' | $ 27,200 | 6 | 1 |
| Morgan 38 | 37.67' | $ 69,000 | 5 | 1 |
| Catalina Morgan 43 | 43' | $ 55,000 | 5 | 2 |