The Catalina 400 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

Published Specification for the Catalina 400 MkII

Underwater Profile: Fin keel with spade rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fiberglass)

Length Overall: 40'6" (12.3m)

Waterline Length: 36'6" (11.1m)

Beam: 13'6" (4.1m)

Draft: 6'11" (2.1m)

Rig Type: Masthead sloop

Displacement: 31,966lb (14,500kg)

Designer: Frank Douglas & Gerry Douglas

Builder: Catalina Yachts (USA)

Year First Built: 2000

Owners Association: Catalina Owners

Published Design Ratios for the Catalina 400 MkII

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 17.8

• Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
• 16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
• Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 36.6

• Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
• Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 181

4. Comfort Ratio: 25.2

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 2.0

read more about these Key Performance Indicators...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Catalina 400 MkII

Download this eBook to make sure you buy wisely!

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 17.8 suggests that the Catalina 400 MkII will, in the right conditions, approach her maximum hull speed readily and satisfy the sailing performance expectations of most cruising sailors.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 36.6 would usually mean that the Catalina 400 MkII would have a tendency to heel excessively in a gust, and need to be reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze.

However, as she has much of her ballast concentrated in a bulb at the foot of the keel, she's likely to be considerably stiffer than her published Ballast/Displacement Ratio might suggest.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 181, tells us the Catalina 400 MkII is a light displacement sailboat. If she's loaded with too much heavy cruising gear her performance will suffer dramatically.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 25.2 suggests that crew comfort of a Catalina 400 MkII in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness. 

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 2.0 is on the cusp of suitability for an ocean passage, so venture offshore with caution.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 2.0 indicates that a Catalina 400 MkII would not be the wisest choice of sailboat for ocean passage-making owing to the lower resistance to capsize in strong winds and heavy seas that is associated with sailboats with a CSF of 2.0 and above.