West coast 355 owners?

[Robin Cabak]

We just purchased our new C355 #187 in July from a dealer in Marina Del Rey and brought it up to Santa Cruz Harbor this fall. Enjoying a new boat smell after owning a 1985 C30 for 9 years in the harbor.  We worked with the dealer to correct some gel coat issues and cosmetic details.  We have a 1 year warranty  and now have a long list of items to get corrected with no support from Catalina.  The dealer is keeping us in the loop on the situation and hopefully we can get these issues resolved.  Mostly refrigerator being too cold or defrosting on its own. We are in the water and plugged in so we leave it on for our beverages. Some other cosmetic issues that were not resolved prior to Catalina shutting down. We have already replaced the front sail with a 110 Doyle as we have strong winds in the spring and fall on our coast and just put on a feathering prop to increase control and speed.  

Would love to meet up with any other C355 owners on the west coast, thinking of heading up to the SF Bay Area this summer for a month, sublet a slip and sail on the weekends.

Robin

Kuku Maru II

C355 #187

[ajsp...@gmail.com]

Hi Robin,

 

Welcome to the fleet!

 

I have my C355 Docked in San Diego right now … so we are on the same coast.   Are there any other C355 owners in Southern California?    have Hull number #67.  The boat has been great, as my wife and I can easily handle.   We have owned the Boat now for 3 years.

 

Allan Spousta

Vin Gade

Hull # 67

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[Andy Karlin]

Hello, Fellow C355 Owners:

I own Hull #2 (Prudence). She is docked in Marina Del Rey. I bought her in September 2024 and sail her around twice per week, mostly single-handed day sails in Santa Monica Bay, with occasional single-handed trips and trips with friends to Catalina (as my wife is a non-sailor).

Robin--If Kuku Maru II was berthed near the Trader Joe's in Marina Del Rey while being marketed for sale, then I walked by and admired her many times before you bought her, as Prudence is docked nearby.

Andy Karlin

Prudence

C355 #2

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[Walter Baransky]

Congratulations Robin. Welcome to the fleet. I purchased hull # 180 new in Florida back in March of 25. I believe yours was the final 355 before Catalina went to the 356 model....Mine was a 2024 but new. As with all new boats, many will experience break in periods that come with issues....Seems that's boating, no matter what brand and type. Don't hesitate to reach out if you experience issues with the new boat. I also had some gel coat and other issues. Minor, fortunately but with what's happened with Catalina in recent months and the limited information we are receiving from anyone, your kind of on your own. I had to take care of some things personally. No option. Glad your dealer is keeping you updated given whatever information they may have. In any event, it's a great boat. Really enjoy the time and have fun on the water. All the best and congrats again. 

Walter

Hanalei

C355- 180

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Regards,

Walter Baransky

[George Southern]

From what I have read, it does indeed look like hull number 187 was the final 355. However, I also read something that if correct is that the new 356 series continued the same numbers. They built at least one of those, which I toured at the Annapolis boat show in 2024. I’m guessing it was hull number 188.  It made sense not to start renumbering the hulls because there are so few differences between the 355 and the 356–mainly the keel. And I don’t think there is any difference in the keels if the models have fin keels. Speaking of which, I hope our California friends have the fin keels. I earlier had an Islander 28 made in California that somehow found its way to the East Coast.  It had a 5‘5“ fin keel, and it was a dream to sail and easy to back out when I ran aground.  In Florida I am grateful to have the 4‘6“ wing keel but I do notice a big difference in sailing, not to mention if I run  aground it’s usually a call to Towboat US! I can only imagine how my boat would sail with a 6’8” fin keel!  

PS I saw a picture of the Largo factory and it looked like there might be a 356 shell there. Wonder what will happen to it? Such a shame because these really are wonderful boats.

George Southern

Blessing #101

On Jan 30, 2026, at 2:54 PM, Walter Baransky <wbara...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Walter Baransky]

Think you are correct. I saw via the internet #187 when I was purchasing mine (hull # 180) and Catalina was advertising the new 356 at Annapolis Boat show. 

Cannot imagine a full keel in Florida. Unless all one does is blue water sailing, but just getting from your slip or marina can be a challenge and sailing on the inside in the Keys, you better bring your tide tables and stick to them.. You will go aground for sure with a full keel….. As for the 356 shell, I am hoping that like with other sailboat manufacturers that went under/etc, they sold their drawings and operations to another company and the builds continued. But it took time. Hoping something happens with Catalina and the brand/design continues. Meanwhile, seems if you have a new boat under warranty, or one being built under contract, there will be issues….My dealer I suspect no longer sells Catalina’s as their has been no communication from them. Certain thats a consideration for others….given current state of Catalina affairs. 

George, they are great boats for the experience and value. It is truly a shame…..but hoping for the best. 

Walter

Hanalei

C355-180

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[George Southern]

Thanks for the follow up, Walter, and yes, of course I am glad I have the wing keel in Florida!  Regarding any future for Catalina Yachts, this was touched on in another group chat, but sadly, the market for monohull yachts seems to have crashed, which might be a reason for Catalina‘s bankruptcy in the first place. In South Florida there is much more interest in motor yachts, and what interest there is in sailing seems to predominate with. Catamarans. The pandemic saved Catalina for a while, but it was temporary.  I hate to be pessimistic, but I don’t see any hope for Catalina. The new owner had pie in the sky plans for a quite different kind of sailboat in the European style, which suggests that the conventional models just weren’t selling.  But maybe just maybe the 355 will be seen as a true classic and thereby hold its value. I don’t think the European monohulls hold a candle to that classic styling, which is a big reason why I bought the Catalina.

George 

On Jan 31, 2026, at 4:36 PM, Walter Baransky <wbara...@gmail.com> wrote:

Think you are correct. I saw via the internet #187 when I was purchasing mine (hull # 180) and Catalina was advertising the new 356 at Annapolis Boat show. 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/catalina355/EF90A742-2916-477F-A01F-B9C5378DA68B%40gmail.com.

[Walter Baransky]

Totally agree George....I felt the same way, why I purchased the 355. BUT.......what thinking went on within the Catalina walls🤔, and of course the new owner and how he was vetted by the Catalina owners before selling it to him..... Unreal....

As for the monohull market crashing, maybe..... but......European monohulls are selling, as well as catamarans....Really bad situations for now. Lets hope things turn around......All the best.

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Regards,

Walter Baransky

[Robin Cabak]

Good morning,

Glad to see there are others out there!  We went camping over the weekend and I am just getting caught up.  Interesting that ours may be the last, we will definitely give her a good home and care for her. Our daughter is looking forward to getting on the water every time she comes up for a visit.  Andy, that was our boat!  We purchased her in July, but had her in Marina Del Rey until September.  Unfortunately, we both still work, but we were able to get down once to sail on her maiden voyage to Catalina for a week in early August. It was wonderful and the Kuku Maru held up great. We had 2 couples and my daughter on board.  Finally got a mooring in Avalon for one night before we sailed up to Two Harbors for a night then back to MDR. Hired a captain from SC to bring her up the coast. Glad we did, sounded like a long, hard sail.

George, we have a fin keel with a standard rig. We get some heavy winds and seas in the spring and winter, but we sail year round.  Taking her out this weekend, hoping for wind!

Walter, thanks for the info on Catalina's hull designs.  Ours is a 2024 and was at the dealership in MDR and SD for about a year before we picked her up.  

Robin

Kuku Maru II

Hull #187

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Cheers!

Robin

[K C]

Who did you hire to bring her north Robin?

Fair winds!

KC

[Robin Cabak]

We hired Mark Merritt. He is a local Santa Cruz captain that has a boat on our dock. Not sure if he does this for those he is not familiar with but I can ask him next weekend. He will probably be at the dock.

Robin

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/catalina355/05e10d33-3b96-49fa-b99e-72ff80a58d0en%40googlegroups.com.

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Cheers!

Robin