1994 Catalina 320

V-berth with insert and large pass-thru to the salon forward--note the pass thru really contributes to the open, spacious feeling of the boat. Step aft to the spacious and well laid out main salon with ceterline dinette and settees both port and starboarf with aft end of port settee doubling as the nav station seat.

Continuing aft find galley to port, centerline companionway up to spacious and comfortable cockpit, and head starboard with private master stateroom with queen size berth set athwartship far aft starboard.

Note the interior show practically as new; it's also light and airy throughout with numerous opening and fixed ports and hatches, 6'3 headroom. 

Nice galley with Corian counter tops, twin deep stainless steel sinks with hot/cold pressure water (six gallon hot water heater), big icebox with Adler-Barbour 12V cold plate refrigeration, recent Hillerange gimballed two burner propane stove with oven (that apprears never to have been used). New Jabsco manual pump head with macerator, showers in head and at transom.

110V AC / 12V DC. Thirty amp shorepower service, two 4D batteries (2019) in two banks with parallel switch, Newmar Phase Three PT40CE battery charger.

Garmin GPS 128 Navigator, Autohelm ST-4000 autopilot, Autohelm Tridata (depth/speed/log), Raymarine wind speed/direction indicator, Autohelm Navdata, West Marine Aquarius II VHF radio, Danforth Constellation binnacle mounted magnetic compass. 

Kenwood KRC-2005 AM/FM stereo.

One piece fiberglass hull with balsa cored decks, walk-thru transom to sugar scooop swim platform with stainless steel swin ladder, spade rudder and optional deep fin keel, hull color is white with Midwatch Blue boot and cove stripes, hull was just buffed and waxed and shows practically AS NEW!.

New dodger (2024) by the Sausalito Canvas Works (it's of a new design offering way better visibility than a traditional dodger) with back and side grab rails.

Stainless steel stanchions with double lifelines (2024, $1,700), stainless steel bow and stern rails with built in "catbird seats" at stern. Edson 40" stainless steel steering wheel, Edson folding table in cockpit as well as removable helm seat with back rest for longer trips, full set of cockpit cushions.

22 lb Delta plow anchor with chain/line rode, Danforth anchor as backup, Maxwell Nillson electric anchor windlass.

Double spreader deck stepped aluminum mast with compression post, split backstay and 1x19 stainless steel standing rigging, aluminum boom with Garhauer rigid boomvang and beautiful new Hood full batten mainsail with Tides Marine Strong Track system and Stackpack (all installed in late 2022, this was over $8,000), Garhauer mainsheet with traveller.

90% jib in very good condition on Schaeffer System 2100 roller furler, 125 % genoa also cut for the roller furler. Two Lewmar #44 self tailing winches, two Lewmar #30 self tailing winches, inboard and outboard Genoa tracks, all lines lead aft thru five labelled rope clutches. 

Note rigging (standing and running) was replaced in late 2021, this is a material upgrade--have you priced standing rigging recently?

Low time (675 hours) on three cylinder Perkins 34 hp fresh water cooled naturally aspirated diesel with full instrumentation, 3/4" stainless steel shaft to two-bladed bronze prop. throttle and shift cables replaced in 2021, engine last serviced in late 2022 by List Marine (who also serviced it in 2021).

The Catalina 320 was introduced in 1993 as the first in a series of designs intended to go head to head with the more contemporary, roomier, Euro-styled designs of Catalina’s competitors. It was an instant success and remains in production today with well over 1,000 built to date.

The most notable difference between the Catalina 320 and previous Catalina designs is the way in which the beam at the transom, compared to the maximum beam, is considerably increased. The beam at the transom of the Catalina 320 is 87% of the maximum beam while that of their earlier models was closer to 60%. This is an industry trend that can result in as much as 10% more interior volume for a given length and translates to added space for accommodations. In addition, cockpit space is considerably increased.

The 320 measures 32’ 6” LOA, beam is 11’ 9” and draft, with the standard wing keel, is 4’ 3”. A deep draft keel with bulb is offered as an option and draws 6' 3" feet. Displacement of the shoal draft model is 11,700 lbs and 11,300 for the deep draft version.

Construction of the hull of the 320 is basically a solid fiberglass laminate, with a spun-bound polyester fabric incorporated in some areas. This material is primarily used to build up laminate thickness and is not typically considered a “core constructed” composite. Balsa wood and plywood core materials are used in the deck and cabin structures. The interior of the 320 is made up of molded fiberglass liners which, in most cases, serve a dual role as structural reinforcement and foundations for berths, lockers and joiner work. Vinylester resins are used in the first layers of hull laminate to reduce the possibility of osmotic blistering and Catalina offers a five-year warranty against blisters. For more than 30 years, Catalina has built tens of thousands of boats following their time-tested methods with remarkable success.

On deck, the T-shaped cockpit with pedestal-mounted wheel steering offers comfortable seating for five adults. The centerline helm seat mounted just forward of the stern rail is removable, the center section of the stern rail folds aft and down making for a handy swim platform and boarding ladder. The side decks are uncluttered except for the necessary genoa track and the mast shrouds are well inboard for easy passage and improved sheeting angles. There is a storage locker on the foredeck for anchor and rode storage.

The interior of the 320 is designed with the port-to-port cruiser in mind and less thought given to sailors who make overnight or extended passages. There are comfortable in-port accommodations for two couples or a small family. The layout includes a V-berth cabin forward followed by the main saloon with a settee to port and convertible U-shaped dinette to starboard. The galley is aft to port and has a stove, oven, top loading icebox and double sink. There is a small navigation table just forward of the galley which, in a pinch, could be used as extra counter space. The head and entrance to the quarter berth cabin is opposite the galley. The head includes toilet, sink and integral shower and the quarter berth cabin has a large, athwartships double berth and hanging locker. There is adequate storage below the berths although hanging locker space is limited and there is no wet locker for wet foul weather gear, a feature which is all too often overlooked on current production boats.

Catalina has used Yanmar, Westerbeke and Perkins diesel engines of either 27 or 28 hp as standard auxiliary power at various times. All are freshwater cooled, all are dependable and all have good service support just about anywhere you sail. All provide sufficient power for this 11,000+ pound boat.

The average weekend cruiser will be well satisfied with the performance of the 320 and the weekend racer may be a bit surprised. Although the waterline length is considerably shorter and the sail area to displacement ratio is about the same as Catalina’s 34-footer, the Catalina 320 has better boat speed. With the factory supplied 150% genoa and fully battened mainsail, she will point to within 40 degrees of the apparent wind and the wide beam and the low center of gravity of the fin and bulb keel result in a stiff boat. The helm is light and well balanced, in fact, so well balanced that some complain it is difficult to feel and keep the boat in the groove.

Catalina Yachts has endured the ups and downs of the recreational boating market for more than 30 years by giving sailors what they want. And, while many of us dream of sailing off to the far corners of the earth, most do our sailing close to home and for all-too-short of periods of time. For us, the Catalina 320 is a well-designed and affordable choice that fits the bill well.

Review by Jack Hornor, N.A., for Boat US