Gerry Douglas, principle designer at Catalina Yachts, has brought a classic back to life with the launch of the new Catalina 22 Sport. The original Catalina 22 helped launch Frank Butler’s fledgling boatbuilding company in 1969 and was in continuous production until a MkII version was launched in the early ’90s. The MkII’s beam was wider by 8 inches so the cockpit could be more spacious, but you had to find a used original 22 if you wanted to race in one of many Catalina 22 fleets across the country. So when the company received requests from Catalina 22 owners’ associations to return to building a 22 that accurately reflects the original dimensions and weight of this popular one-design racer, Catalina Yachts saw an opportunity. To encourage more family racing with the thousands of first-generation 22s, the company is now building the new Catalina 22 Sport. The Catalina 22 Capri and MkII versions are still available, but if you’re looking for some friendly level competition, the new Catalina 22 Sport is class-legal out of the box with all the features that made the Catalina 22 one of the seminal boats of the fiberglass era. Catalina Yachts, 818-884-7700
