The Catalina 22 MarkII was introduced in 1995 as a major redesign of the venerable Catalina 22 sailboat, the defacto standard of the trailerable cruiser class manufactured by Catalina Yachts since 1969. Eight inches of additional beam makes for a larger, more comfortable cockpit and cabin which features a lifting pop-top and sliding companionway hatch.

This beautiful 2007 22' Catalina was purchased Feb. 18, 2010 from the original owner who only had it in the fresh water Columbia River 3 times... so it was absolutely like new. Many options were included and many custom tweaks added. The included option list is shown below. The boat has a wing keel, making it extremely stable on the water and easy to tow on a trailer behind our Lincoln Aviator SUV. It came fitted with a Yamaha 8 HP 4-stroke outboard with electric start and power tilt. It will be berthed this summer (2010) at Tomahawk Bay Yacht Basin and Marina at Hayden Island (right) on the Columbia River in Portland, OR, just 20 minutes drive from our home in Lake Oswego, OR. We'll also keep our Reinell Ski boat in the neighboring slip for the summer.

Below is a partial list of the options that were included on this great trailerable cruiser. We priced it new from Catalina Yachts and bought it for half price. Photos at the right show some of these options our boat came equipped with, and clicking on any photo will bring up a larger image for a closer look.

• Wing Keel for sailing stability and easy trailering
• Roller Furling 150% Genoa Jib with UV Protection
• Lewmar Self Tailing Chrome Winches
• Full Stainless Steel Lifelines with Quick Release
• Mast Light Package
• Stainless Steel Stern Boarding Ladder
• One Man Mast Raising System & Quick Release Shrouds
• Full Cockpit Cushions
• Cabin Window Shades & Full Cabin Carpeting
• Sunbrella Sail and Tiller Covers
• Slide out Galley Unit with Basin and Stove
• Self-Contained Head
• Stainless Steel Outboard Bracket
• Yamaha 8 HP high thrust 4-stroke long shaft
  outboard motor with electric start and electric tilt
• RayMarine ST-60 Tridata Speed/Depth Gauge
• Poly-Planar 180W MRD60 CD/Stereo & waterproof spkrs
• Uniden UM525 VHF Ship-to-Shore Radio
• Full Boat Sunbrella Cover
• Galvanized Trail-Rite Trailer for Wing Keel Boat with
  surge brakes & extendable tongue for easy launching

The cabin of the Catalina 22 MkII is comfortable and spacious while still leaving a generous 6' 6" long cockpit area with lots of storage aft underneath the benches. With the extra wide 8' 4" beam of the Catalina 22 MkII, the area below decks is roomy enough for a full v-berth area forward as well as a central cabin area with dual facing convertible settees, small dining table and a slideout galley with cookstove and sink. Click on the photo at the right for enlarged dual photos of the cabin.

I really hated the stern mounted main sheet traveler however... Just one rigorous sailing session with that and I decided that had to go. So I relocated the traveler to just in front of the companionway entry. Another important tweak was tuning the shrouds. This is a tricky procedure, best accomplished with a Loos Gauge. I have carefully documented the process here.

Click on the image at the right to see the latest brochure from Catalina Yachts for the Catalina 22 MkII. The brochure contains multiple pages of information and background on the wildly popular Catalina 22 MkII including full specs, options list and diagrams. We also have a copy of the 61 page brochure in PDF format, the "40 Year History of the Builder, the Class and the People who Love this Boat" prepared by Rich Fox of the Catalina 22 National Sailing Association.

As a windsurfer for 25 years and a sailor for most of my life, I have long held the sentiment that the wind is the "breath of God", and for me, there is no more spiritually satisfying place to be than at one with the wind. In support of this, it is well documented that the ancient languages, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, all used the same word for wind, for breath, and for soul. My wife shares this sentiment and as we begin what is sure to be a lifelong love affair with this fine vessel, we find it an extremely fitting vessel to transport us through the golden years.

At the right is our first photo of the Anne Marie under sail... her maiden voyage on the Columbia River out of Richland, Washington on Feb 17, 2010, the day we drove up to pick up our new girl. Ain't she a purty thing! It was a gorgeous late winter day with a light breeze, perfect for testing out the new boat. It was only the second time the sails were ever hoisted on this boat! That's me at the tiller, of course, waving to the photographer on shore. Click to see an enlarged photo. For some action sailing photos of the Catalina 22, » click here « And here's a nice action video of regatta sailing in Texas. And speaking of Texas, here's a page on our Texas sailboat, an O'Day 23 which is also a gorgeous boat.