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Catalina 380

Built 1996–? by Catalina Yachts

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About the Catalina 380

Researched from public sources for this model. Any individual boat may have been modified or repowered — confirm before relying on any figure.

Illustration of a Catalina 380
Illustration, not a photo of this model. AI-generated illustration of a typical large cruising sloop.
Built
1996–?
Builder
Catalina Yachts
Designer
Gerry Douglas
Length
38.42 ft
Waterline
32.42 ft
Beam
12.33 ft
Draft
7.17 ft
Displacement
19,000 lb
Ballast
6,800 lb
Hull
fiberglass
Hull / keel
fin keel
Rig
sloop
Propulsion
inboard
Fuel
34 gal
Water
varies by year
Holding
30 gal
Water heater
11 gal · AC + engine
Stern thruster
not fitted
Steering
pedestal cable · Edson
Tank capacities — where the figures come from
  • Fuel 34 gal
    “FUEL TANK CAPACITY 34 U.S. Gal.” — owner's manual (Catalina 380 manual (Yanmar 3JH3-BE era)), catalina380.org · “34 gallons of fuel” — search excerpt (2002), boattrader.com · “Fuel: 26 gal (original spec)” — search excerpt (2000), sailboatlistings.com
    The builder's owner's manual (owners' association copy) gives 34 US gal, and a 2002 listing agrees. The 26 gal we listed before (from a spec database, repeated by one listing) isn't supported by the builder.
  • Water varies by year
    “WATER TANK CAPACITY (1) Aft 30, (1) Forward 25, (1) Water Heater 11, Total U.S. Gal. 66” — owner's manual (Catalina 380 manual), catalina380.org · “Water: 102 gal” — search excerpt (2000), sailboatlistings.com · “Water Tank Capacity: 102 gal” — search excerpt (2001), shorelineyachtgroup.com · “105 gallons of water capacity” — search excerpt (2002), boattrader.com
    Owner's manual (Yanmar 3JH3-BE era): aft 30 + forward 25 = 55 gal in tanks (66 with the 11-gal water heater). Listings for 2000–2002 boats give 102–105 gal and one mentions three tanks, so later boats appear to have a third tank — check yours.
  • Holding 30 gal
    “HOLDING TANK CAPACITY (1) Midship 30 U.S. Gal” — owner's manual (Catalina 380 manual), catalina380.org
  • Water heater 11 gal · AC + engine
    “WATER TANK CAPACITY: (1) Aft 30, (1) Forward 25, (1) Water Heater 11, Total U.S. Gal 66” — owner's manual, catalina380.org · “WATER HEATER W/ HEAT EXCHANGER 11 GALLON (to engine / from engine)” — owner's manual (plumbing schematic 380-64000-2, 1996-200), catalina380.org · “C380 110 VOLT SCHEMATIC: WATER HEATER 15 [amp breaker]; 'The optional 110 volt AC system is connected to shore power'” — owner's manual (1999), catalina380.org
    The builder's owner's manual gives an 11 gal heater with engine heat exchanger and 110 V element (15 A breaker), within the 66 gal water total (30 + 25 + 11). The spec page marks a second ice box optional but not the heater, yet the manual calls the 110 V system optional, so this isn't settled. A parts supplier calls the original heater 120 V.

Tanks are often replaced or added on older boats — check the tank labels or a survey for yours.

Thrusters and steering — where this comes from
  • Bow thruster unknown
    Builder manual specifications and systems sections, and the association's equipment-manual index, show no thruster.
  • Stern thruster not fitted
    Our earlier figure of none has no source, and nothing was found either way.
  • Steering pedestal cable · Edson
    “The emergency tiller moves the whole steering assembly, including cables and quadrant.” — owner's manual (1996), catalina380.org · “Catalina 380 Emergency Tiller Assembly drawing 380-28000-0 (2-4-96): pedestal, radial drive wheel on rudder post” — owner's manual (1996), catalina380.org · “Edison Steering Manual (Edson Marine Steering Inspection, chain/cable/quadrant checklist) in the association's equipment” — owners' association, catalina380.org
    Builder manual drawing shows a pedestal driving a radial drive wheel on the rudder post by cable. The association's equipment-manual list carries Edson's steering inspection guide and Edson engine controls, naming Edson as the steering maker.

Thrusters and steering are often replaced — check the units on your boat before ordering parts.

Loosely based on the Morgan-Catalina 381. Deep fin (7.17 ft) or shoal/wing keel (5.33 ft); tall rig available. Heavy for its length (19,000 lb). Engine switched from Westerbeke 42 hp to Yanmar 3JH at about hull #225 in 2000. Owners on SailNet describe the hull as solid fiberglass.

Engines fitted

Boats of the same model can differ — check which engines yours actually has before ordering parts.

Generator

The owner's manual contents, specifications and 110 V schematic show shore power and a battery charger only; no generator.

Manuals and brochures online

Hosted by the builder or an owners' association; they own the copyright.

Known problems for this model

Steering

Edson — Pedestal chain-and-wire steering parts: good

Edson (New Bedford, MA) still sells service parts: chain-and-wire kits, sprockets, idlers, pull-pull conduit steering and internal pedestal parts, and keeps steering data sheets by boat model, many decades old.

Parts sources: Edson Marine (service parts)

Common problems (3)
  • Old or slack steering wire steering
    Edson advises replacing steering wire about every five years, checking tension with the wheel locked, and inspecting under load annually; owners often find decades-old stiff wire.
    usna.edu · youtube.com
  • Lubrication and fastener checks steering
    Chain, wire, sheaves and pedestal bearings need regular oiling or greasing, and clevis/cotter pins and bolts should be checked monthly to avoid failures.
    usna.edu
  • Replacing engine control cables in the pedestal steering
    Swapping throttle/shift cables inside an Edson pedestal is a common owner job requiring removal of the wheel shaft sprocket pin.
    forums.sailboatowners.com

Edson — Traditional geared steerers (worm / rack-and-pinion) parts: good

Edson says its traditional wheels and geared steerers are still available, now built with modern materials; rack-and-pinion steerers are offered for transom-hung and inboard rudders.

Parts sources: Edson Marine (traditional steerers)

Model sources (9)

sailboatdata.com · practical-sailor.com · facebook.com · catalinayachts.com · catalinayachts.com · sailnet.com · keelindex.com · catalina380.org · catalina380.org

Other Catalina models

Researched from public sources. Spotted an error? The sources are listed above — tell us what they got wrong.