Catalina 30 vs Catalina 30MKi

Dec 12, 2019
11
Catalina 30 Pensacola
Good morning,
I was wondering what the difference is between a Catalina 30 and a Catalina 30 MKi. Does the Catalina 30 come with wheel steering, or is that feature only on the MKi and more recent models?

Thank you
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Go to www.catalinayachts.com, scroll to the bottom and look through the archived brochures. You will have to register (for free). Somewhere during the production runs they changed to the T shape cockpit seats and made the wheel standard. You could find out, or wait for someone who knows to show up here. There is also the www.catalina30.com site and many offshoots that most likely have that information.
 
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Dec 12, 2019
11
Catalina 30 Pensacola
Thanks Stu. So it's possible, to your knowledge, that a Catalina 30 could have wheel steering - and not be an MKi?
 

dmax

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Jul 29, 2018
970
O'Day 35 Buzzards Bay
It's MK II, they started building them in 1986 (the original would be the MK I, even though it wasn't named that way). The MK II added the T shaped cockpit and made wheel steering standard. Earlier ones may have wheel steering as it was optional, many have been converted.
 
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Apr 5, 2009
2,774
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
All C30's prior to the change to Mk 2 in September of 1986 with hull 4726 are by default Mk 1's. There were a lot of significant changes with the Mk 2. T-cockpit, wheel steering, Self tailing winches, higher fit and finish throughout, etc. Here is a list of the running changes. Catalina Library
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Thanks Stu. So it's possible, to your knowledge, that a Catalina 30 could have wheel steering - and not be an MKi?
Hayden's link has it all, I knew a goodhearted C30 skipper would help, but note it's right to the link I already gave you.
"Mark 1" as noted was never in the builder's mind. It's only us organized owners who. when Mark IIs came out, decided to label the older ones Mark I. Clever, eh? We all did this with the whole original range of Catalinas: 28, 30, 34 & 36.
The major change is between the straight cockpits to the T cockpit. Evdiently, some straight cockpits came with OEM wheels, but most of the Mark I boats with wheels were conversions, which took the cockpit electrical panel off the cockpit seat sidewalls when they added the wheels.
Everything after the Mark I came with wheels - no options to go back to tillers.
 
Apr 5, 2009
2,774
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
Hayden's link has it all, I knew a goodhearted C30 skipper would help, but note it's right to the link I already gave you.
"Mark 1" as noted was never in the builder's mind. It's only us organized owners who. when Mark IIs came out, decided to label the older ones Mark I. Clever, eh? We all did this with the whole original range of Catalinas: 28, 30, 34 & 36.
The major change is between the straight cockpits to the T cockpit. Evdiently, some straight cockpits came with OEM wheels, but most of the Mark I boats with wheels were conversions, which took the cockpit electrical panel off the cockpit seat sidewalls when they added the wheels.
Everything after the Mark I came with wheels - no options to go back to tillers.
Sorry Stu but my link was to the same web site but not the same page. The C30 association web site is nowhere near as well organized as the C34 association site. every time I go there, I have to search a long time to find the info that I know it has. When you scroll down the page that I linked, you get the running changes that were made and the hull number when it happened. That web site is a great resource to anyone with an C30 or is shopping for one, but you have to look hard to find the good stuff.
Some of the other changes in the
  • Mk 2's are ST40 primary winches,
  • ST16 starboard cabintop winch.
  • inside recessed genoa track.
  • flat mid-boom traveler.
  • Aluminum spreaders
  • painted mast
  • much nicer interior finishes (even inside the lockers)
  • better running lights.
 
Jan 18, 2016
782
Catalina 387 Dana Point
And of course, C-30's are all so old there's plenty of upgrades and changes. You can't go by the "model."

My 1980 was built as tiller steered, changed somewhere along the line to wheel. I've personally added a straight traveler w/cam cleats for the lines, ridged vang, self-tailer primaries, spin rigging, etc...

They're old boats. How they came from the factory is not very important unless it's fiberglass layout (T cockpit better than straight) How a specific boat is setup is what's important - 'cause it's not likely the same as the factory made it.
 
Jan 26, 2019
68
Catalina 30, mkI 2462 Waukegan, IL
mk1 (so named later on) and mk2 are quite similar. The mk3 stern didn't taper as much--noticeably bigger cockpit more resembling the C309 cockpit if you are familiar with it. The C309 replaced the C30's after the long run. When looking at interior photos, folks will mistake the 309 for the 30. I own C30 #2462, my friend owns a C309, so I'm very familiar with both.

As far as online in for for the C30:

catalina30.com, as you've found is good but dated. The technical library is great.

That said, here is the most active and quite current location for C30 owners:

Catalina30@groups.io | Topics

Check it out--wow. There are many knowledgeable folks. I have owned my C30 for just over a year and have leaned very heavily on their wisdom.
 
Dec 12, 2019
11
Catalina 30 Pensacola
It's MK II, they started building them in 1986 (the original would be the MK I, even though it wasn't named that way). The MK II added the T shaped cockpit and made wheel steering standard. Earlier ones may have wheel steering as it was optional, many have been converted.
Thanks Alan