BoatsCatalina Yachts 34

Catalina Yachts 34

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · First built 1985

A high-volume production cruiser with 1,438 hulls built, featuring a fin keel and spade rudder for coastal performance

Designed by Frank W. Butler.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

See her sail

The Catalina Yachts 34, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Practical Sailor

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 22 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 22
CoastalBluewater

2.06 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.06
LightHeavy

201 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 201
EasygoingPowered-up

16.1 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 16.1
TenderStiff

42% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 42%

A balanced, easily-driven cruiser — comfortable and forgiving for coastal work.

What the fleet has seen

The Catalina Yachts 34, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Catalina Yachts 34 is a masthead sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, designed by Frank W. Butler and built by Catalina Yachts from 1985 to the present. It has an overall length of 10.5 meters, a beam of 3.6 meters, and a displacement of 5420 kg. The model saw a total production of 1,438 boats, evolving through Mark I, Mark 1.5, and Mark II iterations, with changes including mast stepping, engine upgrades, and transom design. Originally offered with standard and shoal keels, a wing keel replaced the shoal keel by 1990.0:47 The Catalina 34 is a popular choice on the used market due to its interior volume, sailing performance, and owner support network. Practical Sailor notes its PHRF rating of 144, but also its tendency for strong weather helm in heavy air, which owners often address with a flatter mainsail or an upgraded elliptical rudder.3:23 Early models may require alternator mount upgrades and pre-1988 ports are prone to leaks. Lady K Sailing identifies the Catalina 34 as a good option in the $50,000 price range, balancing comfort and support for coastal cruising or liveaboard use.0:44

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 2 times across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Catalina Yachts 34 on video

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
41.8%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.1
Displacement / length
201.0
Comfort ratio
22.2
Capsize screening
2.06
Hull speed
7.3 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1252
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
First built 1985
Units built
1438
Designer
Frank W. Butler
Builder
Catalina Yachts

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 35010.40 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA modern Marc Lombard-designed cruiser featuring dual rudders and flexible keel options to succeed the Sun Odyssey 349
Jeanneau's New Rule Breaking Sailboat - Sun Odyssey 350 Boat Review2:25from Practical Sailor
Tartan Marine 34-210.49 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Sparkman & Stephens masthead sloop featuring an extended stern and refined interior based on the Tartan 33R
Why You Need to Come to Annapolis This Year5:30from Lady K Sailing
Beneteau Oceanis 35110.62 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA shallow-draft masthead sloop with a 1.22-metre keel, designed for accessible cruising and coastal exploration
REVIEWING SAILBOATS TO LIVE ON3:47from Wicked Salty
Hunter Marine 3410.49 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 10.49-metre cruiser offering a shoal-draft option of 1.30 metres for versatile coastal access
Ep #26 Interview With Cari1:11from Sailing Into Oblivion
Com-Pac Yachts 3310.59 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA shoal-draft masthead sloop designed by Charles Morgan Jr., featuring a stiff hull and a high ballast ratio for stable cruising
EP#323 @Sailing_With_Phoenix Going After Adventure1:40from Sailing Into Oblivion
Moody 34610.52 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 10.5-metre masthead sloop with a 40% ballast ratio, offering a stable and comfortable platform for coastal cruising
Moody 346 - A Yacht Delivery from Sardinia to Greece (Via Albania).0:50from Halcyon Yachts - International Yacht Delivery

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Catalina Yachts 34 MKIIA redesigned hull with a widened aft deck that maintains the original waterline to ensure one-design racing compatibilityCatalina Yachts 36A versatile coastal cruiser offering optional tall rig and wing keel configurations to suit varying water depthsCatalina Yachts 30One of the most successful production yachts in history, with over 6,000 hulls built during a 32-year runCatalina Yachts 25A 7.6-metre fin-keel sloop produced for fifteen years, offering a stable, high-volume platform for coastal cruisingCatalina Yachts 36 MK IIA refined 1994 update to the classic 36-foot platform, featuring an enlarged cockpit and modernized interior layoutCatalina Yachts 350A masthead sloop with a 2.03-metre draft and a high-volume hull designed for comfortable coastal cruising

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