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

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:00:03 +0000

Is the Catalina 350 one of the best 35-foot cruising sailboats ever built? In this Practical Sailor boat tour, we take a close look at the Catalina 350, a beamy, comfortable, shoal-draft cruiser designed by Gerry Douglas for Catalina Yachts. With a nearly 13-foot beam, 4-foot-6-inch wing keel, masthead sloop rig, in-mast furling main, furling headsail, Universal M-35B diesel, large cockpit, walk-through transom, stern rail seats, proper galley, separate shower, and two-cabin layout, the Catalina 350 has become one of the most compelling used cruising sailboats in the 32-to-38-foot market.

We’ll look at how the Catalina 350 sails, why the wing keel matters, what Bob Perry said about the design, how the cockpit and deck layout work for short-handed cruising, and why this boat feels much larger than 35 feet below. If you’re shopping for a used sailboat, coastal cruiser, liveaboard-capable sailboat, family cruiser, Great Lakes sailboat, Chesapeake Bay cruiser, Bahamas cruiser, or affordable cruising sailboat, the Catalina 350 deserves a serious look. Is it the fastest 35-footer? No. The toughest offshore cruiser? No. But for the way most sailors actually cruise, maintain, afford, and enjoy a boat, the Catalina 350 may be one of the smartest 35-foot sailboats ever made.

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