BoatsCatalina Yachts 22

Catalina Yachts 22

Masthead Sloop · Swing Keel · First built 1969

A prolific masthead sloop with 15,000 built, offering a versatile swing-keel design for trailerable coastal cruising

Designed by Frank V. Butler.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Swing Keel

See her sail

The Catalina Yachts 22, 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.

TrailerableBeam 2.34 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 1,021 kg of hull, so roughly 1,600 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 1,021 kg of hull, with a keel that raises or a draught shallow enough to float off a trailer — she can go back on the trailer at the ramp, not only into the water.Shoal draughtDraws 0.61 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a moderate beam gives 11 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 11
CoastalBluewater

At 2.34 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.34
LightHeavy

139 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 139
EasygoingPowered-up

19.1 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 19.1
TenderStiff

24% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 24%

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

What the fleet has seen

The Catalina Yachts 22, 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 22 is a masthead sloop with a swing keel, designed by Frank V. Butler and Frank W. Butler, and built by Catalina Yachts since 1969. It is one of the most popular sailboats in its size range, with 15,000 units sold by 2009. The 7.3-meter (24-foot) boat has a beam of 2.3 meters (7.7 feet) and a displacement of 1020 kg (2,249 pounds). The Catalina 22 is considered a manageable entry point for new sailors, offering overnight capability and lower maintenance costs than larger vessels.8:14 Aboard *keeldragger*, a Catalina 22 sailed from Los Angeles Harbor to Dana Point, encountering winds between 10 and 21 knots.0:59 New owners should be aware of recurring costs like slip fees, insurance, and maintenance, which can exceed the initial purchase price. The model is trailerable, allowing owners to avoid marina fees, but requires careful consideration of towing vehicle capacity and trailer maintenance.10:06

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 5 times across 3 channels of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Catalina Yachts 22 on video

New Sailor CRASHES and Needs Advice!A new owner of a Catalina 22 faced high maintenance costs and a seawall collision while learning.Practical SailorWhat's the Best Sailboats for Beginners?The Catalina 22 provides a simple, trailerable entry point for sailors seeking overnight capability and larger-boat systems.Practical SailorSailing and Anchoring at Dana Point (September 2021)Mark navigates the Los Angeles Harbor and Dana Point while monitoring Coast Guard distress radio traffic.keeldraggerHow To Buy A Sailboat Super Cheap On Facebook! Ep 268 - Lady K SailingNegotiate lower prices on Facebook Marketplace by offering quick, cash-in-hand pickups for well-maintained, trailerable starter sailboats.Lady K SailingFirst Boat? Should You Buy A Trailer Sailer? - Ep 241 - Lady K SailingThe Catalina 22 and Hobie 16 represent popular, well-supported options for sailors seeking affordable, trailerable boat designs.Lady K Sailing

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model for sale, and the asking prices that came with it.

2seen for sale
1seen sold
2channels weighed buying one
US$3,000Median asking
US$1,500–US$4,000Asking range

For sale

Sold

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
24.4%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
19.1
Displacement / length
139.1
Comfort ratio
11.1
Capsize screening
2.34
Hull speed
5.9 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
530
Hull
Hull type
Swing Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1969
Units built
15000
Designer
Frank V. 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.

O'day 226.61 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterA prolific production success with over 3,000 hulls built, offering a nimble fractional rig for coastal daysailing
Why TODAY Is the Best Time to Buy a 22-Foot Sailboat2:24from Lady K Sailing
Spirit 21 (6.5)6.48 mSame hull family0.8 m shorterA Henry Hinckley-designed masthead sloop featuring a pop-top cabin for versatile headroom in a compact, trailerable hull
A Berthon Facilities Tour, with Alan McIlroy | ARC Bluewater Cockpit Conversations '22from Berthon International
Phobos 196.30 mSame hull family1.0 m shorterA lightweight, high-performance fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited daysailing
Until What Age Can You Live on a Sailboat? | #SAL #33123:54from Hashtag Sal
Merit 226.71 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterA Paul Yates-designed masthead sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio built for spirited club racing
How To Buy A Sailboat Super Cheap On Facebook! Ep 268 - Lady K Sailing8:36from Lady K Sailing
Farr 75007.57 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA 1979 trailerable fractional sloop with a 1.8-metre draft, designed for agile handling in a light 1,150kg package
Siggi Mansaker1:30from SEILmagasinet
RS 216.40 mSame hull family0.9 m shorter
Training Sea Cadet Instructors | RS21 Keelboat Sailing – Welsh Harp1:37from City Sailing

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Catalina Yachts 22 MKIIAn upgraded 1995 iteration of the classic trailerable cruiser, featuring a fin keel and transom-hung rudderCatalina Yachts 25A 7.6-metre fin-keel sloop produced for fifteen years, offering a stable, high-volume platform for coastal cruisingCatalina Yachts Capri 22A Gary Mull-designed fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited club racingCatalina Yachts 30With over 6,000 hulls produced, this versatile masthead sloop remains one of the most successful production yachts ever builtCatalina Yachts 27A masthead sloop with 6,662 hulls produced over two decades, serving as a staple of coastal cruising since 1971

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Catalina Yachts 22, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

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