Catalina Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Catalina 22 by Ed Piotrowski

Year built	1985
Location of boat	Northern California
The boat is sailed on	Lakes
How the boat is used	Day sailing
Normal wind strength	less than 10 knots
Average size of crew	2-4
Liveaboard?	No
Owner bought the boat in	Sep
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	As a first boat, I think it's an excellent buy even for a novice sailor. However, had I known a bit more about the Catalina 22, I would have deferred to at least a 1986 model or newer. Most pre-1985 boats have had some major problems over their life, primarily due to lack of maintenance. If one is lucky though, it's still possible to find a good one, but have someone who knows the boat look it over for you just to be sure.
Gear that's been added	First modification was to the motor. Added an extension handle to the shift lever to allow easier access and better control. Second modification was to the motor mount. Added an additional detent in the bracket so that when I have guests on board, I can run the motor a bit higher out of the water to prevent the drag caused by the mounting board. Third modification was to the Jib/Genoa. Added a down haul line so the Jib/Genoa can be lowered from the cockpit without any hassles. Fourth modification was to the topping lift. Added a small length of 1/8
Structural or complex improvements	None yet, but planning to increase the size of the anchor rode storage hole in the bow.
The boat's best features	Good handling under sail. Very forgiving of mistakes.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	Location of the porta-potty makes it difficult for use by any average size adult. Seems to have improved somewhat in the newerMKII models. Traveler is a bit too short to allow any significant adjustments in the main sail. Jib sheet traveler tracks should have been made at least 2 feet longer to allow a greater range of adjustment. Swing keel winch handle is an ankle bruiser if one isn't careful. It also tends to wear holes in the dinette cushion. The lack of isolation of the gas tank in the lazerette bothers me as being unsafe. Fuel fumes could easily come into the cabin under certain wind conditions. Plan to modify the tank storage this winter.
Sailing characterisitcs	Boat tends to be a bit tender when single-handling in winds above 10 knots. With at least three people in the cockpit, it becomes much easier to trim and balance the boat.
Motoring characterisitcs	Using a Mariner 5 HP, the boat moves along adequately and does not have any chine walking. Not necessary to carry much over two gallons of gas even for extended motoring unless you anticipate running against a current.
Liveability	It's really cramped for an average size adult, but more than adequate for an over-nighter. Haven't spent much time in the cabin, so don't know how it would be waiting out a rain squall or tides.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any	Not Applicable
Other comments	Lots of Catalina 22's around with lots of friendly and helpful owners who are willing to share their knowledge/experiences. Highly recommend the use of an experienced user before making any adjustments to the rigging tension.

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