Catalina Yachts 356

BoatsCatalina Yachts 356

See her sail

The Catalina Yachts 356, on the water

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

Footage from Lady K Sailing

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 30 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 30

CoastalBluewater

1.88 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.88

LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 273

EasygoingPowered-up

14.0 — modest power for her weight; easygoing rather than lively, and happier with a breeze.

Sail area / displacement 14.0

TenderStiff

31% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 31%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

Draws more than ~81% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2952 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Catalina Yachts 356, 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 356 is a 2024 fractional sloop designed by Gerry Douglas and built by Catalina Yachts, part of its 6 Series. It features an 11.1-meter LOA, a 3.7-meter beam, a 2.0-meter draft, and displaces 7620 kg.5:24 The hull design is similar to the Catalina 355 but incorporates an updated keel, laminate, and deck. Its construction uses multiaxial fiberglass, with carbon fiber in specific areas for increased stiffness. The 356 offers a shoal bulb keel option with a 4.5-foot draft and 6,200 lbs of ballast. Standard features include a 135% genoa and a mainsheet system trimmable from both port and starboard cabin top. The deck design prioritizes clear weather decks and a single shroud point for foredeck access. The Catalina 356 was displayed at the Annapolis Sailboat Show.5:21

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Catalina Yachts 356 on video

Is This the Best 35-Foot Sailboat Ever Made? Catalina 350Practical Sailor

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions

Weights

Ballast / displacement

30.9%

Rig & sail area

Rig

Fractional Sloop

Ratios

SA / displacement

14.0

Displacement / length

273.1

Comfort ratio

29.6

Capsize screening

1.88

Hull speed

7.4 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

1294

Hull

Hull type

Fin w/spade rudder

Construction

Fiberglass

Ballast type

Lead

Production

Years built

First built 2024

Designer

Gerry Douglas

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 Fantasia 3711.15 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Philippe H. Harle-designed masthead sloop with a high ballast ratio for stability and comfortable offshore cruising

The Scariest Dangers at Sea (And How to Survive Them)22:24 from The Sailing Doodles Podcast

Hunter Marine 3711.28 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA John E. Cherubini-designed cutter featuring a fin keel and spade rudder, built for stable cruising since 1978

Engine Failure - Stranded | SMLS S12E07 from Sailing Miss Lone Star

Irwin Yachts 37-111.28 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop designed by Ted Irwin as a no-compromise cruiser, featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder

Sailing in SEVENTY FOUR Knots3:48 from Be The Captain

Pearson Yachts 36-211.13 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1980s production masthead sloop with a high-aspect fin keel and spade rudder, optimized for performance cruising

Sailing to the Bahamas on a Budget - Ep 327 - Lady K Sailing6:22 from Lady K Sailing

S2 Yachts 11.0 C10.97 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA centre-cockpit cruiser by Arthur Edmunds, designed for stability and comfort with a skeg-mounted rudder

WHAT?? Our boat Sold in 2 DAYS! 😱 (Learning By Doing Ep211)8:00 from Sailing Learning By Doing

Pacific Seacraft 3711.25 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthOriginally launched as the Crealock 37, this cutter features a 38% ballast ratio and a hull speed of 7.06 knots

Sailing to Sydney Harbour + First Solo Sail on my New Boat16:05 from Garrett’s Adventure

The family

Boats like this

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

Catalina Yachts 355A 10.8-metre cruiser with a 37% ballast ratio and a 2.03-metre draft, built for stability and ease of handling Catalina Yachts 316A 2024 6 Series fractional sloop featuring a deep-draft fin keel and spade rudder for precise coastal handling Catalina Yachts 386A 2024 6 Series fractional sloop featuring an updated shoal bulb keel and structural upgrades on a 385-derived hull Catalina Yachts 350A masthead sloop with a 2.03-metre draft and a high-volume hull designed for comfortable coastal cruising Catalina Yachts 375A 2008 fractional sloop with a 2.08-metre draft and a balanced displacement-to-ballast ratio for coastal stability Catalina Yachts 426A 2024 6 Series fractional sloop featuring a 2.03-metre fin keel and updated laminate construction for modern coastal cruising

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