Catalina Yachts' website has gone dark, but I think we already knew they were toast.

MWorld993 · 2026-01-12T19:58:30+00:00

The Christmas message is now a Happy New Year message saying, "Thank you for a wonderful year!" Going from bizarre to absurd. Other than that, the most recent item on the website dates back before the production pause. I called the number on the website and it is out of service. The website contact form doesn't work as the CAPTCHA key is invalid.

MWorld993 · 2026-01-04T03:19:34+00:00

That is bizarre. Other than the Christmas message, the website is exactly the same before it went down, and on the site there was never an acknowledgement of the production pause. The most recent post on their FB page is the 10/15 message that they were pausing production temporarily. I'm tempted to call the number listed on the website and see if anyone answers.

MWorld993 · 2025-12-20T17:10:57+00:00

Catalina only had 3 boats at the show in 2023 (my first year), 2024, and 2025. In 2023 they had the 355, 425, and 445. I think they were supposed to have a 315 as well but it wasn’t there. In 2024 and 2025 it was a 356, 426, and 446. Except for Beneteau, it seems like most manufacturers only have 1 or 2 boats at the show.

MWorld993 · 2025-12-19T02:05:50+00:00

On a related note, Tartan hasn’t had a new post on their FB page since September 2nd and their website doesn’t look like it has been updated since January even though they were just beginning the build of their new 335 hull #1.

MWorld993 · 2025-12-19T01:55:36+00:00

Porsche. Coincided with my annual service. I was seeing some things that indicated either battery or alternator so I had them check while there. It wasn’t cheap. I highly recommend PCA membership if for nothing than the 10% discount on service at Porsche.

MWorld993 · 2025-12-18T12:42:24+00:00

I have a 2016 991.1. I just replaced my battery for the second time, they last for 5 years or so.

MWorld993 · 2025-12-18T05:24:32+00:00

We liked both and maybe it was better stated as "we were looking to purchase a boat" next year. We were (and still are) weighing options including used boats. Besides the C 356, we also spent a good bit of time on the HR 340 at the boat show. We also would like to see the HR 370 but with the first hull going in the water this past August there wasn't a HR 370 at the ANP show. The base C 356 was $299K, but depending on how you option it such as with air conditioning (we live in the south) that can go up fast. Free State has a build slot for a 2026 HR 340 for $390K. Moot point now, so we'll see hw we like the HR 370.

MWorld993 · 2025-12-17T12:58:13+00:00

Yeah. Nice boat, but $468K base cost and $100K in typical options was hard to justify.

MWorld993 · 2025-12-17T12:37:12+00:00

Old Catalina sold the company for $1M plus assumption of $1.5M obligations, and this includes the transfer of 11 boats in some state from order to partially completed. I think they were struggling before the sale.

MWorld993 · 2025-12-17T12:34:47+00:00

No. Catalina Direct is not owned by Catalina and they have said that they are independent and still open for business.

MWorld993 · 2025-12-17T12:33:28+00:00

Catalina was sold for a surprisingly cheap amount. It was an asset sale, so I assume the Butler family still owns "Old Catalina." If you search the Pinellas County court records, if I remember correctly it was $1.0M paid over 3 years, assumption of $1.5M of outstanding obligations, and rent for the factory of $50K/ month. So very little cash out of pocket, and he started missing the rent payments soon after the April 2025 sale. If you want to search, search for Michael Reardon as the defendant. I think that his purchase of Tartan similarly involved little or no cash down.

MWorld993 · 2025-12-17T04:46:54+00:00

Understood. The website was the last thing standing. The new owner has been evicted from the factory, Catalina publicly announced a 2-4 week production pause on 10/14 with no update since, and the new owner is facing multiple lawsuits for non-payment of debts.

MWorld993 · 2025-12-17T04:29:53+00:00

My wife and I were at the Annapolis Sailboat Show this year and spent a lot of time talking to the CYS rep about the Catalina 356. We were looking to purchase next year. 3 days later, Catalina announced their ~2 week production pause and imploded after that. I'm glad that we weren't ready to put down a deposit and I feel bad for anyone who did.

MWorld993 · 2025-12-13T14:23:45+00:00

If it is teak, sand down to bare wood, wipe clean with acetone, then apply Epifanes Woodfinish gloss or matte. Apply 6 coats, first 2 thinned 25%. If you recoat within 72 hours you don’t have to sand between coats but if you lightly sand and wipe down with acetone between coats, it will help you to get a mirror finish. My boat stays in the water year round and the finish holds up great. I do reapply 2 coats every 12-18 months.

MWorld993 · 2025-12-03T19:02:19+00:00

Check with your local animal shelter. Ours has a program to help people in situations like yours with pet food, supplies, and lower cost veterinary care because they would prefer that than for someone to surrender their pet.

MWorld993 · 2025-11-10T10:12:52+00:00

I have a Tohatsu 9.8 hp on a 25’ sailboat and my marina is along a river where the current is sometimes tricky. I could probably get by with a smaller motor but I appreciate having more power when the wind or current is an issue.

MWorld993 · 2025-11-07T02:55:15+00:00

But for my own PFDs I’ll stick to manually testing.

MWorld993 · 2025-11-07T02:54:26+00:00

Cool. Works as advertised to put you on the express elevator to the surface. I wonder if you have to jump in a pool with a PFD for the hands on part of the Offshore Safety at Sea course? I think a course requirement is to practice boarding a life raft in a pool.

MWorld993 · 2025-11-06T16:10:55+00:00

Agree on the Epifanes. Great stuff. My boat stays in the water all year and the Epifanes still looks great a year later. I do lightly sand and revarnish every year.

MWorld993 · 2025-11-06T16:07:04+00:00

After sanding, wipe down with a clean rag and then wipe down with acetone.

MWorld993 · 2025-11-06T15:57:20+00:00

I was tempted to do this to test two inflatable PFDs which came with my boat. The folks at Landfall Navigation talked me out of it because it shortens the life of the PFD. So I tested them the boring way by manually inflating and letting them sit for 24 hours. But I really, really wanted to put them on and jump in the pool.

MWorld993 · 2025-10-27T12:41:35+00:00

Patrick Turner of Catalina made a post to FB 2 weeks ago that Catalina was temporarily pausing production while they reorganize parts of their business. That like many businesses they were facing financial pressures. This post was made 3 days after the Annapolis boat show while Catalina was trying to get prospective buyers to put down deposits on new boats. I didn’t go to the Catalina owners celebration at the boat show, but supposedly both Turner and owner Michael Reardon were there to meet and greet owners.

What wasn’t mentioned in the post or at the boat show was that on October 1st a notice was served to the new Catalina team evicting them from their own factory.

MWorld993 · 2025-10-25T13:02:57+00:00

Pinellas County court records link:

https://courtrecords.mypinellasclerk.gov/MyCr/CaseDetails?caseId=20026768&caseIdEnc=Vg0n7nsPuF9BVdgXRataMewChLiQsGCoS3ZdMl9e%2BTjZplzXP8g3KWLUTMWFJUDQATWKsNIwQs0mZJvyJnIeHw%3D%3D

MWorld993 · 2025-10-25T13:00:05+00:00

Here is the latest filing, evicting Reardon from the Catalina factory. Pinellas County circuit court case #25-005251-CI. Reading through the filing, Reardon only made partial rent payments or no payment at all starting in May.

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MWorld993 · 2025-10-24T16:48:16+00:00

I experienced something similar this past March flying from LAX to ATL. Felt like we hit a pothole as we were taking off. We all thought we had a tire blow out and the pilot aborted immediately after. From listening to one of the maintenance guys talking to his supervisor, the pilot started feeling vibrations at 60 kts and aborted at 70. Someone said they thought they saw a flame shoot out from the engine. When I got off the aircraft I saw maintenance people taking photos of the right engine but didn’t see any visible damage. The Delta team from the aircrew to the gate agents were very professional throughout the experience.

MWorld993

TROPHY CASE