Introduced in 2002 and produced for a decade with around 400 hulls completed, the Catalina 350 represents the California builder's commitment to comfortable, capable coastal and bluewater cruising. Designed by Frank Butler, this masthead sloop sits in a sweet spot between day sailing and extended passage-making, offering a roomy, family-friendly platform without sacrificing meaningful sailing performance. The fin keel with spade rudder configuration gives the 350 responsive handling and reasonable upwind ability, while the generous beam of over twelve feet translates to impressive interior volume for a boat of this length. Fiberglass construction keeps maintenance straightforward, a hallmark of the Catalina lineup. The sail area-to-displacement ratio suggests a boat that moves well in moderate conditions without being demanding for a shorthanded crew. The comfort ratio reflects a vessel better suited to coastal cruising and protected waters than heavy offshore passages, though many owners have taken these boats on more ambitious voyages. With a hull speed of over seven knots and a balanced, predictable hull form, the Catalina 350 earns its reputation as an accessible and dependable choice for sailors stepping up to serious cruising for the first time.
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How many Catalina 350s were built and when did production end?
The Catalina 350 entered production in 2002 and was built for approximately a decade, with around 400 hulls completed before the model was discontinued. For a mid-size cruiser in its price bracket, 400 units is a modest but respectable run, meaning used examples do come to market but aren't overwhelmingly common. Catalina Yachts produced the 350 at their facility in Woodland Hills, California, alongside other models in the 300–400 foot range. Buyers hunting for a specific year or equipment package may need patience, as inventory tends to be thin in any given region. The relatively tight hull count also means the Catalina 350 has held its value reasonably well compared to higher-volume Catalina models like the 36 or 42.
What is the PHRF rating for a Catalina 350 and how does it fare in club racing?
The Catalina 350 typically carries a PHRF rating in the range of 126–138 depending on region, configuration, and whether a spinnaker is flown. This places it firmly in the mid-fleet cruiser-racer category — faster than heavier full-keel boats of similar length but slower than purpose-built racers or lighter fin-keel designs. With a sail area-to-displacement ratio of 17.83 and a calculated hull speed of 7.49 knots, the 350 is genuinely capable in moderate breeze rather than just adequate. In club racing it tends to be competitive when sailed well in 10–18 knots of wind, where its generous 612 square feet of sail area and deep 6.66-foot fin keel let it point well without excessive leeway. Owners report that the boat becomes harder to rate-compete in light air below 8 knots, where its 12,937-pound displacement works against it.
Does the Catalina 350's 6.66-foot draft limit where you can sail or anchor?
The Catalina 350's 6.66-foot fin keel is one of the deepest in its size class among production cruisers, and it does meaningfully limit access to shoal anchorages, tidal rivers, and many Chesapeake Bay gunkholes. Buyers planning to cruise the Bahamas, the ICW south of Charleston, or the Florida Keys should think carefully, as much of that cruising ground expects drafts under five feet. On the positive side, the deep keel contributes to the 350's upwind performance and its capsize screening formula of 2.22 — right at the threshold generally considered acceptable for offshore use — reflects the ballast-to-displacement ratio that comes with carrying 5,137 pounds of ballast low in the keel. Catalina did not offer a shoal-draft option for the 350 as they have for some other models, so the 6.66-foot draft is fixed across the production run.
What are the known osmotic blister or hull delamination issues on used Catalina 350s?
The Catalina 350's fiberglass construction is generally well-regarded, but like most production FG boats from the early 2000s, osmotic blistering below the waterline is a documented concern on boats that have spent extended time in the water without a proper barrier coat. Hulls built in the early years of the production run (2002–2005) are most frequently flagged in pre-purchase surveys for minor to moderate print-through of the hull laminate, particularly in the forward sections below the waterline. Inspectors also recommend checking the keel-to-hull joint closely — the fin keel attachment on the 350 uses a bolted stub configuration, and weeping rust staining around the keel bolts has been noted on boats where the joint has not been properly maintained or re-bedded. Serious structural delamination is not a widespread fleet problem, but a professional survey with moisture readings is strongly advised on any 350 that has not had its bottom recently documented.
Can a Catalina 350 handle offshore or bluewater passages, or is it strictly a coastal cruiser?
The Catalina 350 sits in an ambiguous but genuinely usable middle ground for offshore work. Its capsize screening formula of 2.22 is right at the commonly cited 2.0 threshold that offshore rating rules use as a soft limit, meaning it does not comfortably clear the bar that stricter bluewater guidelines recommend. The comfort ratio of 20.22 is on the lower end, reflecting the relatively light displacement for the beam. That said, Catalina 350 owners have completed offshore passages including Caribbean runs and Gulf of Mexico crossings without incident, and the deep fin keel gives the boat positive directional stability that many shoal-draft coastal cruisers lack. The boat is best described as a capable coastal and near-offshore cruiser — suitable for well-planned offshore passages in settled conditions with an experienced crew, but not optimally built for sustained open-ocean passage-making the way a heavier blue-water dedicated design would be.