Design and Construction
Catana builds the 53’s hulls and decks in foam sandwich infusion, and the yard’s stiff build policy is reinforced by carbon fibre around critical areas like the chainplates, stiffeners and the mast base, as well as for the coachroof anchor. This infusion approach cut nearly a ton of weight compared to its predecessor, leaving the 53 with a relatively light displacement of about 30,865 pounds. The hulls are narrow below the waterline with knife-sharp bows that help them cleave waves and glide through a tack with impressive ease, while a high bridgedeck starts well aft to minimize the pounding that plagues many cats going to weather. The angular, boxy look is shared with the larger 62- and 70-foot Catana siblings, and the high topsides themselves contribute to good bridgedeck clearance. Reverse bows and long, curved daggerboards define the profile, and wide, flat, uncluttered side decks with flush hatches round out a deck meant for work without clutter.
Rig and Handling
The 53 carries twin helms set well aft, giving a clear view of the rig, though visibility directly forward and especially of the opposite bow is not what it is on a cat with a single elevated helm or flybridge anchor. That shortfall is partly answered by enlarged coachroof windows providing sightlines to the opposite bow via the saloon, and by hatches in the bimini positioned so the mainsail can be watched from the cockpit center without going out into the weather. Six Harken winches on the sides of the cockpit control both the sheets and the dinghy davits, and once a sailor learns the lines, the setup lets this large cat be easily singlehanded. A long bowsprit carries a top-down furler for a Code 0 or A-sail, while a nearly 1,200-square-foot mainsail and self-tacking jib drive close-winded performance that impressed testers: 4-plus knots in 7 knots of true wind at a 40-degree apparent angle, and 5 knots at 60 degrees. The engines are set far apart across the nearly 29-foot beam, making the boat easy to maneuver in tight spaces, with engine controls at both helms.
Performance Underway
Owners report the 53 loads up nicely in a squall and moves forward like a train—steady and stiff rather than squirmy and overpowered. The Atlantic crossing logged by the owners of the test boat included a number of 200-plus-mile days at a 9-knot average, and they had video of the boat doing 22 knots with long rooster tails astern and wine glasses in the saloon hardly disturbed. Under power, testers motored at 9.4 knots wide open at 3,000 rpm, while a more economical 7.4 knots comes at 2,200 rpm; for long passages the boat can motor at 6 knots on a single engine to save fuel and wear.
Accommodations
The 53 is offered with three or four cabins and a fully customizable head layout. The saloon, galley and cockpit share a wonderfully spacious open-plan layout on the flush-level bridgedeck, with huge front windows that include large opening sections and an L-shaped settee to port that flows to the outside dining area when the doors open. The saloon holds a forward-facing navstation in its forward port corner, and an air cushion between the headliner and composite structure minimizes condensation. The test boat placed the owner’s suite in the starboard hull with an oversized shower, and at least half the main deck interior was given to a galley with four Vitrifrigo refrigeration drawers, a bottle cooler and ample counter; the bows can become crew cabins, or simply invaluable gear stowage for cruisers, and even the stowage under the master berth is finished on both sides. A secondary autopilot control at the interior nav desk lets adjustments be made without leaving the saloon’s shelter.
Refits and Ownership
The 53 is a semi-production boat, and the as-tested example carried an 11 kW Cummins genset and 50,000 BTU of six-zone climate control. With 211 gallons of water and a light-ship displacement around 32,480 pounds, the platform is built to be lived aboard and crossed oceans on without constant modification.
The Verdict
The Catana 53 is a refined evolution of the marque’s performance-cruising ethos: light for its size, stiff in a seaway, and quick enough to make passages count. Its open-plan bridgedeck and shorthanded-friendly deck layout suit a couple or small crew, while the construction discipline keeps weight down without sacrificing load-carrying.
Pros
- Carbon-reinforced infusion layup cut a ton versus the predecessor
- Narrow hulls and curved daggerboards make light-air and heavy-air handling predictable
- Singlehanded-capable winch and furler setup with twin aft helms
- Open-plan saloon/galley/cockpit with strong sightlines via coachroof windows
Cons
- Twin aft helms compromise forward and opposite-bow visibility versus a flybridge cat
- Large light-air sailplan demands familiarity with line routing to sail shorthanded well
