In today’s sailing and boatbuilding environment, it may be hard to believe that at one point Catalina Yachts was the world’s leading builder of sail boats in sizes from 12 to 47 feet. Founder Frank Butler launched his company on the crest of the cruising wave and rode it for two generations.
Today, Catalina is one of a only a few companies building production sailboats in North America, if not the only one. Following the Big Recesion of 2008 and 2009, French and German builders, backed by their governments, we able to basically buy the US market and put dozens of US builder out of business.
So, it is good news that Catalina is still building boats and continues to refresh their designs. They have created the “6 Series” for their cruising boats that have been thoroughly updated and the 4526 is a perfect example of this process.
The original Catalina 42 was not only a great family cruising boat and capable offshore, it also was the most popular 42-foot sloop every designed with literally a thousand hulls out there still sailing.
The new 42 that has filled this size slot was a thoroughly modern rethink of what a 42-foot cruising boat could be and it, too, has been incredibly successful. It may have been the boat that saved the company during the recession.
Now, reinvented yet again, the 426 has a lot to offer a cruising couple or family. The hulls still have the fairly plumb bow, straight sheer and squared off transom, and the cabin is still low slung and fits the lines of the hull nicely. The short bow sprit houses the anchor and keeps it away from the bow when retrieving it. Plus, this is where you tack down a reacher or asymmetrical sail.
But there is much that’s new, too. Catalina is using a modern Selden rig that is lighter than earlier sections and improves stability. The spreaders are swept back to improve jib sheeting angles and make the side decks less cluttered. In-mast furling, makes handling the big sail child’s play.
The rig now has what is commonly called a German mainsheet system that allows the sail to be trimmed from both sides of the cockpit and eliminates the need for a traveler. This is a good system and, with the adjustable boom vang, offers infinite sail-trim adjustments.
Working with keel manufacturer Mars, Catalina has developed new shoal-draft bulb keels that are more efficient through the water, increase stability and are simply faster.
In the build of the hull and deck, they are now using more bi-axial glass and have added carbon for structural support strategically. This is important now that there in only one chainplate for the side stays.
Down below, the 426 has the same American-classic yacht style with teak and holly soles, teak veneer cabinetry and while hull linings and over heads. The forward cabin has a proper center-line double berth and the quarter cabins are relatively spacious for a boat of this size.
For years, Catalina has lived under the tag line, “The closer you look, the better we get.” As they continue to refresh and upgrade their designs from 31 to 44 feet, that has never been more accurate.
Read more here. https://www.catalinayachts.com/ocean-series/catalina-426/
