Catalina 320 vs. 320 MK II

May 15, 2015
131
Marlow-Hunter 31 Everett, WA
I am actively looking for our next sailboat (moving up from a hunter 280) and have been targeting Catalina 320s. The information I find online and on yachtworld.com about differences between the 320 and 320 MK II is somewhat inconsistent, and I’m wondering if someone could confirm a couple things for me:

-Sailboatdata.com has the LOA for the MK II as 32.5 feet but several of the yacht world.com ads list it as 34.25 ft. Does this simply reflect the additional length of the anchor and bow pulpit? And do the 320-1 and 320-2 differ in LOA? The slip I currently have (and would like to keep) can accommodate a boat up to 33 feet—exactly.

- do the two 320 versions differ in the number of hatches on the cabin ceiling? From images, looks to me as if version 2 has four and version 1 has only one or two?

Anything else especially important that I should be looking for/thinking about when inspecting these two models?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Matt
 
Apr 1, 2004
145
Catalina 34 Herring Bay Chesapeake, MD
While waiting for the experts on the site you may want to try the national 320 site
C320.org
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
www.catalinayachts.com has the brochures on their website. You have to register for free to look at the archived / legacy material. They might have more than one brochure if there were two different models.
 
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Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
The design changed around 1996.
edit; A quick look on Yachtworld, shows the "escape hatch" addition for the rear berth not in a 1996 and there is a 1999
 
Last edited:
Jun 8, 2004
2,841
Catalina 320 Dana Point
The "hull history" from the 320 org is helpful in explaining many of the changes. There were minor changes of ports and hatches around 1995-96, there was an area under the galley pan that didn't drain into the bilge well that was also changed. The Mark II around 2006 (when production moved to Florida also) was a major change to the deck mold. Cockpit on the MkII is wider between seats and more "rounded" on the corners. I found the seats too far apart to brace easily compared with my older boat, but I'm short.
Hull History - Catalina 320 International Association
Marinas measure the boat at 33'9", like you I had the boat in a slip restricted to 33 but it wasn't a problem, most 320's in my marina are in 30' slips. New marina management measured everyone recently and they came up with 34' for me somehow, raised my rent 5 cents a month.
 
May 15, 2015
131
Marlow-Hunter 31 Everett, WA
Thanks everyone--I was not aware of <C320.org> and all the documents there. A great resource. I still wasn't able to confirm the exact # of main cabin "ceiling" hatches in the pre vs. post-2006 models (important to my wife, who likes a well-lighted/bright cabin). But there is one of each currently for sale in the PNW (2004 and a 2008), so we'll soon see for ourselves.

Matt
 
Jan 22, 2008
18
Catalina 320 Bristol, RI
I recall that the Mk II's redesigned transom (w/two large storage bump-outs rather than a true sugar scoop) was better integrated into the hull, whereas the Mk I had a transom that was more part of the deck.
For me the main difference was in-mast furling of the main; once it was offered on the Mk II it was almost universally specified by dealers. So if you're like me and do not want in-mast furling, you're pretty much pointed toward the Mk I.