Design and Construction
The Catalina 30 has a hand-laid solid-fiberglass hull. Plywood reinforces the laminate in high-stress areas, including the tops of the cockpit coamings where the winches sit. The external lead keel is secured to the hull with stainless steel bolts. At the factory, its surface was only roughly faired with polyester putty.
The hull-to-deck joint is substantial. The deck molding slips over the hull molding, and the joint is filled with what appears to be fiberglass slurry. A soft plastic rubrail, carried by an aluminum extrusion fastened with stainless self-tapping screws, finishes the seam. An integral solid-wood sheerstrake laminated into the hull adds further strength.
Inside, the bulkheads are teak-faced plywood. The hull interior is completely lined, which gives it a pleasing finish but prevents inspection of the internal structure.
Rig, Keel, and Handling
The Catalina 30 is a masthead sloop with a straight-section aluminum spar, double lower shrouds, and, on older hulls, wooden spreaders. The deck-stepped mast is supported below by a wooden compression column. Catalina strengthened the lower-shroud chainplate attachments after building the earliest boats.
Below the water, the boat has a swept-back, fairly high-aspect-ratio keel of the type popularized by IOR racers in the early 1970s. A high-aspect spade rudder, mounted on a small skeg, is faired into the underbody.
She is a very stiff boat, though, like many wide modern hulls, she rapidly develops weather helm when heeled. A shoal-draft version, drawing 11 inches less than the standard model, found favor in thin-water regions. Catalina also offered a taller rig for light-air venues. The bowsprit version has its own PHRF class rating, and factory sails were available at a lower cost than comparable work from racing lofts.
Accommodations
The forward cabin has large, tapered V-berths that form a roomy double with a filler. In the main cabin, an L-shaped settee sits to port and a straight settee to starboard. When it isn’t needed, the table folds against the forward bulkhead.
A large U-shaped galley to port includes a standard gimbaled alcohol stove with oven and double sinks. Opposite, the batteries are securely mounted beneath the small chart table. Under the starboard cockpit is a large double quarterberth, though headroom is limited over its inboard half.
The engine sits beneath the settee and part of the galley counter, with excellent access through service traps. This arrangement is practical for maintenance, but the engine’s position in the lowest part of the bilge leaves it vulnerable to bilgewater. The main cabin is also very noisy under power because the engine box has no soundproofing.
The cockpit is large and comfortable. With wheel steering, it can easily accommodate the helmsman and four companions. A large sail locker beneath the port seat is properly sealed off from the space under the cockpit. The boat also has secure double lifelines and rails.
Engines and Systems
Early boats used the 65-cubic-inch Atomic-4 gasoline engine. An 11-horsepower Atomic-Diesel was available as a paid option. In a flat calm, the small diesel pushes the hull at about 5 knots, but it transmits substantial vibration despite its flexible mounts and coupling.
The optional shower and the uninsulated icebox both drain directly into the bilge. Batteries, by contrast, are well mounted under the chart table.
Known Issues
Every boat examined showed some play in the rudder stocks. All also showed local deflection at the top of the cabin trunk around the mast step, ranging upward from as little as 1/16 inch.
Some owners report leaking stanchions. That’s worth noting because the stanchions are through-bolted with washers rather than backing plates. The molded hatch in the front of the cabin trunk provides good ventilation in port but is prone to leaking in heavy weather.
The sliding companionway hatch is unnecessarily large. Because the main bulkhead slopes forward, the drop boards can’t be left out to provide ventilation in the rain. The cockpit drains are small, and strainers reduce their effective size further.
The Verdict
The W/Bowsprit Catalina 30 is a straightforward and numerous cruiser-racer. Its stiff, solid hand-laid hull, lead ballast, practical deck gear, roomy accommodations, and good engine access make it an accessible coastal boat. However, its documented detailing issues and structural soft spots call for a careful survey.
Pros
- Stiff hull with lead ballast and solid-fiberglass construction
- Excellent engine access through the settee service traps
- Large, comfortable cockpit with secure double lifelines and rails
- Tapered forward V-berths that form a large double
- Large U-shaped galley
Cons
- Rudder-stock play and cabin-trunk deflection at the mast step on examined boats
- Noisy, vibration-prone operation under power, with no soundproofing in the engine box
- Shower and icebox drain into the bilge
- Bilge-mounted engine is vulnerable to bilgewater
- Forward molded hatch is prone to leaking
- Oversized companionway hatch
