Large V-berth forward with hanging locker & private access into the head. Next aft to port is spacious head with entertainment center and storage across starboard. Continue aft to main salon with U-shaped convertible dinette port side with twin captain's chairs and cocktail table starboard. Next aft port side is u-shaped galley with nav table with swing-out seat opposite, aft of nav station is master stateroom with very large double berth set athwartship under cockpit, solid privacy door and standing headroom in front of hanging locker.

Note interior is practically flawless throughout, airy and very spacious with 6'2+ headroom, teak & holly sole.

Twin deep polished stainless steel sinks with hot/cold pressure water (six gallon hot water heater, replaced in about 2020), Hillerange two burner propane stove with oven, built in Samsung microwave oven, two large ice boxes. Jabsco manual pump head.

RayMarine GPS color chartplotter, Raymarine ST60 knot meter, Raymarine ST60 depth sounder, Standard Horizon VHF radio with AIS and remote mike, Ritchie PowerDamp compass at the helm.

110V AC / 12V DC. Thirty amp shorepower service, 30 amp smart battery charger, two 4D batteries (2024) in two banks with parallel switch.

Keel-stepped single spreader aluminum mast with 1x19 stainless steel standing rigging (2019), aluminum boom with rigid boomvang and full batten mainsail with two reef points, 100% Rolly Tasker jib (2023) on Schaeffer rollerfurler, 135% Rolly Tasker genoa (2020, used only a couple times) in bag, Harken mainsheet with traveller, inboard genoa tracks, all running rigging replaced in 2019 and lead aft thru six rope clutches and two jam cleats, two Lewmar #48 self tailing winches, two Lewmar #30 self tailing winches.

Hand-laminated solid fiberglass hull with fiberglass over cored deck and all built to American Bureau of Shipping standards, spade rudder, last hauled and bottom painted in August of 2023.

Well constructed offshore dodger with side and back grabrails, new canvas in 2021 (new sail and wheel covers then as well), stainless steel stanchions with double lifelines (2019, upgraded to the all stainless steel kind without the white plastic covering).

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Low time on fresh water cooled four cylinder Universal diesel engine, List Marine did engine inspection, repacked stuffing box, realigned engine, replaced engine mounts, cleaned out the heat exchanger and replaced the throttle and shift cables in November 2023, oil and filters changed in early 2024.

In our opinion, Catalina Yachts has always offered a lot of boat for the money, so it was not surprising to me when the new Catalina 36 Mark II won the Best Value Award for the Midsize Cruiser category in Cruising World's 1995 Boat Of The Year competition. Notable is the high quality of her execution considering her reasonable price. For a typical sailaway sticker you get a smart-sailing, well-built, essentially seaworthy vessel with enough size and volume to provide great accommodations for doublehanded cruising and reasonable privacy even with two couples aboard.

We judges for the awards were fortunate to have designer Gerry Douglas along during our test sail on a cool fall day off Annapolis, Maryland. In a moderate, often puffy breeze the boat seemed lively, responsive and close winded with a tacking angle a hair less than 90 degrees. She impressed me as a boat that could have real potential for club racing. Douglas explained that although the boat is new, the Mark II has the same displacement as the Mark I version and she is allowed to race in the Catalina 36 one-design class.

The spade rudder is very effective. It has a vertical stock, preferable for efficiency when the boat heels. Several of the judges and I felt that the blade was slightly overbalanced; in other words, the leading edge projects a bit farther forward of the turning axis than necessary. This can cause the rudder to oversteer unless the helm is turned gently, and could be problematic should the helm be left unattended for very long without being locked or connected to a self-steering device. On the other hand, you don't need a lot of muscle to control the boat. As far as the spade configuration is concerned, spade rudders may lack the inherent strength of sturdy skeg-hung or keel-hung blades, but the Catalina 36's is built substantially with a stainless steel rudderstock and a well-engineered, internally welded web assembly.

The rig is straightforward and easy to tune, with a high-aspect-ratio mainsail, forward and after lower shrouds, and a large masthead foretriangle for power. I would want a detachable inner forestay for heavy weather offshore - as on most boats, a viable retrofit depending on the intended use of the vessel. A helmsman's Bimini fits nicely between the backstay and end of the main boom. If racing is a consideration, I would choose the optional tall rig that provides a respectable Sail Area/Displacement ratio of 17.0 (with the standard fin keel).

Built to American Bureau Of Shipping standards, the hull benefits from hand-laminated solid fiberglass. This low-tech but reliable approach offers high-impact resistance and guards against water saturation and the possible deterioration of a core. Thru-bolts are used to secure the hull-deck joint, rendered in conventional shoe-box fashion. The exterior vinyl rub rails inserted into the aluminum extrusion that finishes off the hull-deck detail are a good idea, provided they will stay in place; on some boats (not Catalinas) I have seen them work loose after a prolonged pounding into head seas.

The mast is keel stepped and there is a short tie-rod at the partners, a sensible deck-immobilizing feature not seen on every boat. The keel bolts are hefty; although I'd prefer slightly larger washers and a deeper sump. For protection against gel coat blistering and certain hull structural failures, Catalina Yachts provides a five-year warranty.

Belowdeck there are at least two noteworthy features. One is an after double stateroom, seldom seen on a 36-footer such as this with her cockpit aft. In this cabin a large double berth runs athwartship under the cockpit sole. Sitting headroom and access to the berth is from the starboard side. The other rather unique feature involves the game table in the main saloon, provided in addition to a sizable eating table. Directly across from the L-shaped or optional U-shaped dinette, the game table can be lowered to form a single berth. The trade-off for this arrangement is space, specifically at the nav station; the chart table incorporates a convertible seat that pulls out and blocks the passageway when it is in use.

The galley is a preferred U-shaped affair with double sinks, a large icebox and a clever top-opening dry food locker intended for grocery shopping bags. The space between the inner sink and companionway ladder is a bit tight -another trade-off, this time restricting movement a bit to provide more user-friendly galley space. Light and ventilation below are ample, but several of the hatches are quite far from the boat's centerline. Care must be taken to keep these closed when there is any threat of boisterous heeling. Access to the 30-horsepower diesel engine is excellent although it requires removal of a rather bulky enclosure, but this is not unlike virtually all production boats in this size range.

In their advertising literature the Catalina company makes the valid point that low maintenance is a major consideration for most owners. Hence the 36 has little if any brightwork to maintain on deck. For instance, she has stainless steel handrails on the cabin top. Rails of raw leak would be a better choice in my opinion. Raw teak is not difficult to maintain, it is more pleasing aesthetically and, unlike stainless steel, it doesn't feel so cold in low temperatures or become slippery when wet.

The decks are reasonably wide and there is room to walk past the shrouds. The cockpit is comfortable, though it would benefit from a foot brace installed on the sole as well as a means of reaching the mainsheet from the helm. A walk-through stern pulpit provides access to an indented transom swimming platform. At the opposite end of the boat there is a good anchor well and bow roller to handle the ground tackle.

A boat with a short fin keel, spade rudder and exposed propeller probably would not be the average cruiser's first choice for long-distance voyaging, but the Catalina 36 undoubtedly is capable of bluewater sailing. Her offshore assets include respectable flotsam impact resistance given her solid glass hull and the raked leading edge of her keel, along with moderate displacement for buoyancy without undue compromise to easy motion, and a very respectable Ballast-to-Displacement ratio for good stability. Primarily, she is a coastal cruiser but with enough versatility to serve as an occasional sea-goer, a temporary home afloat, or a satisfactory club racer. Most certainly she is a lot of boat for the buck.

What Catalina has accomplished in the 36 Mark II is to take a popular sailboat and make it better, significantly without infringing on the new vessel's one-design eligibility, and without turning the original vessel into a fossil. The feat is especially noteworthy given the pressure put on so many high-output production builders to saturate today's market with unabashed novelty. In the case of the 36 Mark II, Catalina avoids the "new, totally different, previously unavailable" vernacular and replaces it simply and sensibly with "new and improved."

Having built close to 1,350 of the elder 36s the strategy is well timed. The original boat was introduced 12 years ago and it has come to represent for its owners a happy blend of conservative, medium-displacement cruising logic and spry one-design racing potential. While intent on maintaining that trait, Gerry Douglas and the Catalina design team sought to update the vessel a la last year's 270 and 320 by creating a larger cockpit, enhancing the deck and interior, and pursuing a more modern appearance overall. They redrew the boat and built new tooling. Now you can own the Mark II and enjoy a brand-new 36-footer with a burgeoning class already established and in place. There is indeed a lot of value buried within this boat.

Catalina hand-laminates the hull out of solid glass and the deck out of glass with a marine plywood core. As noted, the hull-deck joint is of the shoe-box variety, double fastened by means of adhesive bonding and thru-bolts. An aluminum extrusion running the length of the boat does triple service: It finished the detail, it carries a high-impact vinyl rub rail, and it serves as a washer of sorts for the thru-bolts themselves.

Both hull and deck are reinforced structurally by liners heavily bonded into place. The deck is stiffened by a rigid liner that doubles as a finished overhead for the cabin interior. The hull is stiffened by a molded element that is essentially a liner, but might be considered more elaborate than that because it incorporates major architectural components such as settees, lockers and cabinets, and is designed to accept all rigging loads including torque and compression. The main chain plates, for example, terminate at hefty stainless knees that are bonded to the hull and bolted right through load-bearing sections of the liner. The liner laminate is of variable thickness depending on the structural constraints of a given area.

In the bilge, transverse floors built up of double- and triple-glassed timbers carry the mast step and the keel. These floors strengthen the hull below the waterline, offering added protection against the rigors of pounding and grounding, not to mention good purchase for the keel and a solid foundation for the rig. The keel itself is manufactured by Catalina and consists of cast lead hardened with antimony and supported on cast-in number-316 stainless keel bolts. Boat Of The Year judges remarked that the washers on these bolts appeared a bit small but, that notwithstanding, the design overall has plenty of integrity.

The 36 Mark II is powered by a 30-horsepower Universal diesel located behind a removable companionway element. Access for routine service is straightforward. Included are a 55-amp alternator and a bank of two 4-D deep-cycle batteries rated at 215 amp-hours each. The electrical scenario is well done, with a marine battery charger built in for shore-based charging, a complete 12-volt DC onboard system with monitors, breakers and a distribution panel, and an AC dockside package that includes six outlets and dedicated breakers. There is no wiring in the bilge; instead, a network of bonded-in PVC tubular races is installed behind the overhead during construction and all conduit is messengered through this.

Freshwater storage occurs in three separate tanks, two aft and one forward. It is plumbed to a valved manifold within a central mechanical locker located in the galley, which makes servicing and troubleshooting exceptionally convenient. In addition to the freshwater manifold, the locker houses a 12-volt water heater and pressure pumps for water usage to the galley and to head and stern showers. All galley thru-hulls are ABYC-approved Delrin. Essentially, the boat is set up for easy systems maintenance - without shortchanging you on the scope of those systems in the first place.

The Catalina 36 Mark II garnered Best Value honors in Cruising World's 1995 Boat Of The Year Midsize Cruiser category because it impressed our judges with the high level of its execution at an inherently reasonable price. The boat is attractive below, airy and bright, with a sensible package of mechanical perks and workable accommodations. It is fun to sail, responsive and weatherly, with good control at the helm and an easily managed sail plan. And finally, it is born of a proven pedigree, and makes no attempt to break what more than 1,000 owners already consider a decent mold.

Now the largest manufacturer of sailboats in the US, Catalina Yachts was formed in 1970, two years after founder Frank Butler was fired by the company to which he sold his first boatbuilding business.

Butler was the owner of a machine shop that provided parts for the aircraft industry when he began sailing at age 30. In 1961 he got the boatbuilding bug and formed Wesco Marine, soon changing the name to Coronado Yachts.

He successfully introduced the Coronado 25 in 1964, and sold the company to the Whitaker Corp. in 1968. A year later he was unemployed, and prohibited by a no-compete agreement from forming another company for two years.

With the expiration of the agreement in 1970 he established Catalina Yachts; introduced the Catalina 22, of which more than 15,500 have been sold; and began a steady ascent to the top of the industry.

The company’s 700 employees occupy more than 500,000 square feet of manufacturing space at two plants in California, and a third in Florida, purchased from Morgan Yachts. Butler still manages the daily affairs of the company, and continues to act as “warranty coordinator.” He is assisted by chief designer and engineer Gerry Douglas, and Sharon Day, director of marketing, both of whom are now co-owners.

Catalina’s model lines range from the 8-foot Sabot to a well-developed line of Catalina and Expedition daysailers to boats with cabins that run the gamut from the Capri 22 to the Catalina 470. The company also builds Nacra catamarans.

Design
Like most of the company’s boats, the Catalina 36 was designed by the in-house design team under the direction of Douglas.

“The target market for the 36 is couples and families who primarily weekend and vacation cruise but may be planning some extended cruising,” said Douglas. “They want a boat that is comfortable, offers reasonable performance, and is stable and predicable to handle. The boat suits their budget, and they can add gear for bluewater cruising.”

Like most modern production boats, the 36MKII has a fairly flat sheer, low-profile cabin and short overhangs. Beam is carried well aft to accommodate the double berth in the aft cabin.

“The hull shape has remained the same, since a basic tenet was that the boat would sail in a one-design fleet,” Douglas said. As a consequence, changes to appendages have had little affect on the PHRF rating, which is 140-150, depending upon local fleet handicappers.

The standard fin keel is the same design as on hull #1, though two shoal draft keels have been offered. An optional Scheel keel, which enjoyed limited success, has been replaced by a shoal draft wing keel. On new boats the rudder has been reconfigured as a semi-elliptical blade.

Three different decks have been manufactured but, as Douglas said, “most of the changes are cosmetic or ergonomic and have gone unnoticed. Maybe a customer said that a radius needed to be softened or I noticed things on my boat that I wanted to change.”

The MKII was introduced in August 1994 with hull #1368. Hull #2038 was launched last March.

Construction
Catalinas are assembled from three principal moldings—the hull, deck and an interior liner that incorporates the cabin sole and much of the “furniture.” Butler was an early (possibly the first in the US) proponent of this time-saving method.

The hand-laid hull is solid fiberglass. Vinylester resin is used on the outer plies, underneath the gelcoat, because it better resists osmotic blistering than polyester. The balance of the laminate consists of alternating layers of 7.5-ounce cloth, 24-ounce roving and 1.5-ounce chopped strand mat (CSM).

“There’s more knitted than woven roving in current models,” Douglas said, adding that this improves structural integrity.

Hull thickness is 1" at the centerline and 5/8" on bottom panels.

The liner is bonded to the hull at all intersections using X-mat tape. Bulkheads are bedded in 3M 5200 and bolted or screwed to the liner.

The hand-laid deck is cored with Baltec AL 600 end-grain balsa; decks on earlier versions were cored with plywood.

The hull/deck joint is an overlapping flange bonded with a fiberglass-reinforced polyester mix and secured with 1/4" bolts on 6" centers.

The loads from the lower shrouds are transferred to the hull via tie rods fastened to the chainplates on top and to reinforced areas of the hull at bottom. A common complaint among owners responding to a PS survey is that chainplates leak and require annual inspection or rebedding.

Deck hardware is fastened with machine screws to drilled and tapped aluminum plates bedded in the deck laminate. This method produces a secure fit and avoids dimples on the ceiling of the interior.

The keel is lead with 2% antimony and installed with type 316 stainless steel keel bolts. The fin weighs 6,042 pounds, the wing keel 6,670 pounds.

On Deck
Because the 36MKII was designed for cruising by couples and families with children, the deck layout is organized for shorthanded sailing.

The anodized mast is manufactured by Catalina. A Schaeffer 2100 furler is standard. The solid vang and most deck hardware are made by Garhauer Marine. Lewmar winches and hatches are standard. These lower-priced products are fine for their intended use.

The wire upper shrouds and stays are 5/16"; lower shrouds are 1/4". A split backstay is equipped with adjustable turnbuckles. We would consider adding a backstay adjuster, which would have eliminated headstay sag on our test boat.

Standard running rigging on the boat is Dacron, strong enough and suitable for most owners, but we would consider switching to low-stretch rope.

Primary winches are self-tailing, chromed-bronze Lewmar 48s; halyard winches are self-tailing Lewmar 30s. Both were large enough for the heavy loads we encountered during our test sail.

The tracks for jib and genoa cars are located inboard, near the cabin sides, and outboard on the toerail. During our test sail we found the inboard track to be at least 1' too short for sailing hard on the breeze with a double reef in the main and shortened headsail.

Standing rigging is led out of the way to the base of the cabin trunk, easing maneuvering along the 17"-wide decks. Coupled with a 1-1/2" high toerail, and a stainless steel handrail running the length of the cabintop, we always found a handhold. However, stanchions are only 24" high, 5" lower than we prefer on an oceangoing yacht. Similarly, the mast pulpit is only 25" tall.

A taller rig designed to improve performance in light air adds 24" to the 44' 9" standard spar height and $860 to the purchase price, including the cost of larger sails — a deal worth grabbing, we think.

The anchor locker houses two 35-pound anchors and rode, and is designed for installation of a saltwater washdown hose. A Maxwell windlass mounted in the anchor locker is optional.

Ten-inch mooring cleats are located at the bow and stern.

We found the 8' 8" cockpit comfortable under sail and at dockside. Seats are 17" wide and have comfortable 13" backrests. Though a 42"-diameter destroyer wheel eases steering in heavy winds and seas, it impedes movement forward to the jib sheet or mainsail controls when singlehanding.

When the combination of wind and heel resulted in cushions being tossed around the cockpit, we stowed them below, only to discover that wet, slick cockpit seats make tending sail controls difficult when heeled more than 10°. A better non-skid surface would be safer.

Light and ventilation belowdecks are provided by Lewmar hatches located on the bow, amidships, and over the galley and nav station. The large hatch that vents the aft stateroom is covered by a hinged cockpit seat.

One old 36 we inspected had windows screwed to the outside of the cabin side. We prefer the current method of bedding ports in the cabin sides. However, the windows overlap the fiberglass to which they are bonded by 1-1/2 inches, and few owners reported leaks on newer boats.

A storage area spans the stern and provides access to the steering gear. A propane locker is located in the stern and vented overboard. The port lazarette has adequate space for the storage of deck gear, dock lines and, if properly stowed, an inflatable dinghy.

Belowdecks
The accommodation plan is nearly 20 years old and is essentially unchanged, except for “minor changes in storage areas, especially where batteries are located,” Douglas said.

The saloon measures 13' 4" long from the companionway to the forward stateroom, and maximum headroom is 6' 5". The combination of light- colored composite countertops and wood cabinetry, opening ports and hatches, and two portlights in the hull contribute to a sense of spaciousness.

The galley is located to port at the foot of the companionway, aft of a U-shaped dinette that seats four. (An L-shaped dinette with fold-down table also is available.) Forward to port is the head, which can be accessed from the saloon or the forward stateroom. The V-berth measures 90" wide at the head and 84" on centerline.

A second stateroom below the cockpit is accessed from a door in the port quarter. The nav station sits opposite the galley, aft of two heavily cushioned seats located to either side of a 25" x 30" game table that can double as a dining table or be converted to a 6' 2" long berth. Each chair has storage in its base.

“That table has been part of the design since hull #1, and was the first of its type in the industry,” said Douglas. “It’s still a good use of the space.”

One owner complained that the dining table mounting bracket is so far off the center of the table that a large person thrown onto the inboard edge could break the table. Another owner added a hinged second leg.

A common complaint among owners concerns interior woodwork. Said one owner, “The joinery is only average, but this isn’t a Hinckley; it’s a production boat.” Cabinet corners frequently do not fit squarely, and one owner reported having to plane drawers until they fit properly.

The galley is an L-shaped affair with a Seaward two-burner propane stove. The counter is 60" long and 18" wide when wooden panels are placed over the double sinks. A 22" deep dry locker would benefit from the addition of a shelf and storage containers.

The 22" x 26" chart table is too small for full-sized NOAA charts but suitable for folded charts or chart kits.

The owner of our test boat echoed two common complaints about the heavily upholstered nav station chair, which is mounted on a swinging stainless steel bracket.

“The lock doesn’t always hold the chair securely under the table on a starboard tack,” he said, “and the chair blocks access to the aft stateroom and also intrudes into the passageway when occupied.”

“The nav station chair has been changed as a result of complaints about the stability of early models,” Douglas said. “Current boats have a bronze bearing on the seat swivel, and a stronger spring. And the backrest can be easily removed by those who are unhappy with the space it takes amidships.”

The nav station bulkhead is large enough for mounting a VHF radio, GPS, stereo and instruments. The switch panel is hinged; wires are easily accessible and color-coded.

Newer boats have a second electrical panel located at the nav station, equipped with a Perko master switch for the engine and DC power.

Headroom at the forward end of the aft stateroom is 5' 10", and elbow room is adequate. The stern bunk is a whopping 78" wide and 80" long. However, there’s minimal clearance betweenthe bunk cushions and the bottom of the cockpit—only 16”. A hanging locker is wide enough for four sets of clothes, and storage is in four tiny drawers.

The head is essentially unchanged from early models, other than the addition of a sump in the shower. It measures 50" x 36" and is furnished with a large cabinet and mirror. A shower seat is forward of the sink.

The diesel engine is accessed by removing the companionway steps and panels in the aft stateroom. Reaching the port side of the engine is a difficult chore. The fuel tank is under the aft berth. All of the tanks have inspection ports.

Performance
We tested a three-year-old MKII with a tall rig on a blustery winter day on Puget Sound, and were impressed with its performance in winds of 15-30 knots.

The standard-issue sails showed signs of use, since this owner sails 60-70 days a year. The test boat was also loaded for cruising with two kayaks lashed atop the cabin, a towed dinghy, barbeque, propane tank, and outboard motor mounted on the stern rail.

In wind speeds of 16 knots true and a one-foot chop on the quarter, we sailed at 5.7 knots under full main alone. This was good speed, with a tacking angle of about 110°.

Then, sailing upwind with the full main and 135% genoa, boatspeed varied between 5.5 and 6 knots. When we reefed the main she flattened out to approximately 15° of heel, her best attitude, and speed increased to 6.2 knots. Our tacking angle with the genoa up was about 100° —not stellar, but not abnormal, either.

Next we tucked in a second reef in the main, shortened the jib to 105%, and with water coming over the bow we watched speed increase to 7.1 knots. At one point the speedo recorded 7.6 knots on the beat. She slowed to 6.2 knots when we pinched her closer to 40°. Footing off to a broad reach, our speed increased to 8-8.5 knots, a knot faster than theoretical hull speed.

With sails balanced, we also tested the Autohelm 4000 on a reach in 20-25 knots of wind and found that the boat tracks well.

The 36 MKII performs as well as owners say, but could be improved with better-cut standard sails and a backstay adjuster.

The standard engine is a four-cylinder Universal 35B diesel. Fuel consumption is estimated to be 0.8 gallons per hour at 2200 RPM. When we doused sails in 25-knot gusts the diesel easily held the boat into the wind. The boat responds quickly to the wheel under power, as we discovered while poking in and out of fingers docks in a marina.

Conclusions
Based on input received from more than 60 Catalina 36 owners who responded to a PS survey circulated by Phil Herring at Catalinaowners.com, we consider them a savvy bunch who understand the strengths and shortcomings of their boats.

These owners consider their boats to be structurally sound, seaworthy, and “fast enough.” They don’t suffer from expectations of Hinckley quality. We note that three 36 owners have circumnavigated the world, without incident according to the company.

“They don’t mind not having that extra layer of varnish or wood plugs in holes,” as Douglas says, “and they like to tinker on their boats. I like to think that we’ve given them a stable platform on which they can safely sail.”

Our test boat gets more-than-average use by a family that includes three teenagers, and it still looks fit. The boat also suffers some of the shortcomings of joinery assembled in a large manufacturing facility.

An excellent 78-page owner’s manual includes schematics of all of the boat’s operating systems, locations of through-hulls, a complete parts list, even a section on cleaning stains on the upholstery. From an owner’s perspective, this makes working on the boat easier. From Catalina’s perspective, it reduces the number of telephone calls to the customer service department.

The warranty is five years on the structure, and five years for blisters with a depreciating schedule that reduces to 50% in the final year.

Considering the number of 36s built during its 18-year run, and the number of repeat customers among Catalina owners, we think buyers looking for a moderately priced production boat should definitely check out this retooled version.

The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.