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. The model has a length overall of 10.5 meters, a beam of 3.6 meters, and a displacement of 5420 kg.2:11 It was produced with a total of 1,438 boats, undergoing changes to its mast stepping, engines, and transom design over its production run. Initially offered with standard and shoal keels, a wing keel replaced the shoal keel by 1990.2:32 Early models (1985-1986) featured a deck-stepped mast and a Universal 25 (21HP) diesel engine, while later versions (1987-1990) had a keel-stepped mast and a Universal 25XP (23HP) engine. A walk-through transom and a Universal M35 (30HP) engine were introduced between 1990 and 1991. Lady K Sailing notes that the Catalina 34, along with the Catalina 36, offers a balance of comfort and support, making it suitable for coastal cruising or liveaboard use in the $50,000 price range for used boats.4:03

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once 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.

X-Yachts X-3410.36 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Niels Jeppesen-designed fractional sloop balancing performance and comfort with a stiff, bulb-keeled hull
Sailing Insights: Sigmund Hertzberg on the Massive Success of Race to the Arctic3:10from SEILmagasinet
Beneteau 3410.34 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA 2008 production cruiser featuring a modern fin-and-bulb hull and a 7.42-knot hull speed for efficient coastal sailing
Stefano Gigli’s sailing adventure11:47from Podcast Maré Sonora ®
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
Teak and Holly Sole Repair The RIGHT Way! Sailboat DIY Projects0:45from Practical Sailor
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 34910.34 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Marc Lombard-designed fractional sloop featuring a modern hull with dual rudders for responsive, stable cruising
$80,000 - Do You Need An Aft Cabin Sugar Scoop Sailboat? Ep 223 - Lady K Sailing10:28from Lady K Sailing
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
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

Boats like this

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

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 30With over 6,000 hulls produced, this versatile masthead sloop remains one of the most successful production yachts ever builtCatalina 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 modernised interior layoutCatalina Yachts 350A masthead sloop with a 2.03-metre draft and a high-volume hull designed for comfortable coastal cruising

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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