1983 Catalina MKI

Imagine yourself behind the wheel of a spacious, well-found, easily managed sailboat, cruising quietly and smoothly through pods of dolphins or watching giant whales flip their tails and pop their heads up to see what’s around them. Here’s your chance to own a 1983 Catalina 30 in excellent condition. “Good Life” is priced right at only $17,000.

 “Good Life” has been maintained well with pride of ownership. Step aboard and you feel right at home in the  large cockpit for entertaining or sailing. Gauges and controls are positioned within easy reach of the captain’s station at the wheel, including wind and speed instruments, GPS and depth finder, engine controls and instruments (fuel gauge, voltage meter, rpm’s, engine temp and oil pressure) all within arm’s reach and field of view.

In front of the leather covered wheel is a folding wooden table. There are  “bump out” seats mounted in the custom stern rail. Imagine the thrill of sitting with the boat heeled well over and watching the waves crash into the bow. Kids love it. Adults love it more. And when not sailing they extend the seating capacity of the cockpit.

“Good Life” comes with an autopilot and a remote control for the autopilot. The remote is particularly helpful when using the electric anchor windlass to launch or retrieve the anchor or pick up a mooring pole.

There are opening portlights in the cabin bulkhead which come in handy for getting halyards and main sheet out of the cockpit but keeping them handy. And they provide great ventilation throughout the cabin, keeping it cooler and fresher smelling.

All lines are led back to the cockpit roof for ease of handling. All halyards and lines have been recently replaced. The mainsail drops conveniently into a “clam” cover that zips up. No need to have a bulky sail cover to stow and retrieve.

The original sheaves at the top of the mast have been replaced with ball-bearing halyard sheaves which makes the sail much easier to hoist and drop. And the mainsail has track batten cars that stiffen the sail and also aid in handling while raising and lowering. All stainless rigging was replaced in 2011 with upgraded fore- and back-stays and shrouds and new turnbuckles. The rigging was professionally inspected and re-tuned in 2022.

This Catalina doesn’t have the infamous “smile” where the hull and the keel join. In 2014 the owners repaired the smile at the fore and aft ends of the keel and added “sister” bolts for reinforcement. At the same time, they sanded and re-faired the bottom and repainted. It was repainted again in 2020 with UltraBlue w/ Biolux GA.  

All sacrificial zincs have been replaced regularly by the diver who maintains the bottom monthly. In 2014 the propeller shaft was replaced with a new upsized stainless steel shaft, new engine coupler, cutlass bearing and shaft log. The drive train is in great shape.

Step into the cabin and be amazed at how roomy it is for a 30-footer. With the galley on the port side and a nav station on the starboard side you’ll love the airy and light filled interior. The large dining table stows along the forward bulkhead wall opening up two long cushioned settees, great for relaxing or entertaining and long enough for a six-footer to sleep on comfortably. The standing headroom goes from the steps all the way to the forward compartment. The head, on the port side, is enclosed by a wooden door with a full hanging locker and storage drawers on the starboard side.

The head has a 15-gallon holding tank with a macerator pump to empty when offshore and a deck pump-out port for use in the marina.

The generous forward v-berth has a large overhead hatch for ventilation with a solar-powered exhaust fan to assist in keeping the cabin fresh. Lighting throughout has been upgraded to LED for efficiency and better lighting.

There are two 12-volt Marine batteries under the nav station. The interior of the breaker panel has been recently renewed with new bus bars and wiring. There is 125 VAC, 30-amp AC power, with shore power cords and nav station switches. There is a marine VHF radio with AIS registration and a handheld VHF radio for use in the cockpit or the dinghy.

The galley has fresh, pressurized water with a double sink, two water tanks (40 gallons, est.) an icebox for overnighting and space for a propane stove as well as a microwave and lots of storage.

The engine is a very reliable Atomic 4. The A4 motor is very strong and moves the boat at up to 5.5 knots, even in a strong current. It is very quiet and smooth and starts immediately. The exhaust system uses a Westerbeke mixing elbow and water lift muffler. With proper care this engine will continue to give great service for many years to come.

The Garhauer traveler and rigid boom vang were installed in 2015 and provide superior main sail shaping and handling. There are two Lewmar 40 self-tailing winches for the roller-furling genoa and a Lewmar 16ST for the halyards and main sheet.

The dinghy is a 2017 Aqua Marine inflatable with aluminum floor and seat. It has a 2015 Tohatsu 4Hp four-stroke outboard which pushes the dinghy well and is light enough to handle easily using the unique outboard lift system built in to the stern ladder.

Protection in the cockpit is provided by a bimini which can be folded to allow maximum sun or open for shading the helm station.

Competitively priced at only $17,000 and available in Long Beach,CA for viewing and sea trials. (949) 872-3979. Cash speaks wonders.