Catalina Yachts Abound in San Diego

Frank Butler founded Catalina Yachts in 1970 with the goal of building brilliant boats at a great price. With the initial goal of making 100 sailboats, Frank succeeded beyond all expectations, completing hull number 5,000 within five years. By 1980, Catalina sailboats were winning awards, winning races, and winning the eternal loyalty of customers.

The list of endeavors undertaken by Catalina sailors is long and prestigious. In 1982, Patrick Childress singlehandedly circumnavigated the globe in a Catalina 27. In 1987, singlehanded sailor Shane St. Clair sailed his Capri 18 from Oxnard, California to Hawaii in 28 days. In 1988 Alison Jolly becomes the first woman to skipper in the Olympics; she won a gold medal with her Coronado 15.

Catalina sailboats have also won numerous awards. In 1996, the Catalina 28 Mark II was named Cruising World’s “Boat of the Year.” In 1997 the Catalina 380 won Cruising World’s Mid-Size Cruising “Boat of the Year” award. In 2009, the Catalina 375 was awarded “Best All Purpose Cruiser 30-40 ft.” And the same year, the Catalina 445 won Cruising World’s “Boat of the Year Award” and Sail Magazine’s “Best Cruising Monohull Under 50 ft.”

In 2013, forty-three years after he founded Catalina, the 80-year-old Frank Butler continues to work 50 hours a week overseeing construction of his legendary sailboats, which now number somewhere around 75,000. Catalina remains one of the major builders of production sailboats and is as well known for its line of full-size, go-anywhere, systems-rich cruising yachts as it is for the entry-level boats that launched the brand.

If you want a chance to own an affordable piece of Catalina history, California Yacht Sales in San Diego has several classic vessels. The 2000 Catalina 42 MKII is a 42-footer with numerous amenities. It’s available for $134,900.

The Catalina 36 is also one of the most popular sailboats in the world. If you’re in San Diego be sure to visit California Yacht Sales on Harbor Island where we currently have a Catalina 34 available for viewing. We always have a Catalina in our inventory. So, contact us today!