Site Menu — Find Your Page
Bowrider Boats Mega Website
The Chris-Craft Catalina 26 is a large bowrider built in moulded fibreglass by Chris-Craft of United States, a builder trading since 1874. On our measurements it works out at roughly 26 ft 0 in (7.92 m) of hull with a beam near 11 ft 1 in (3.37 m), which places it squarely in the trailerable family bowrider class: one vehicle, one trailer, one afternoon of prep, and the boat is in the water. Heritage American styling with teak, tumblehome and unmistakable classic lines.
Layout is classic bowrider and that is the whole point of the boat. Twin lounges run forward of the windscreen with a walk-through to the anchor well, the helm and companion seats sit amidships behind a wrap screen, and a full-width lounge spans the transom for sunbathing and socialising. Around 13 people fit aboard comfortably in sheltered water. Cushions lift out, backrests fold and filler pads convert the cockpit from a conversation pit into one long sun bed in a couple of minutes.
The ride is what most owners talk about first. Deadrise through the forward sections knocks the top off bay chop, the running surface aft keeps the boat stable at rest, and the hull sits level when six people crowd one side to watch a skier. At cruise it feels like a bigger boat than it is.
Power is a 240-360 hp four-stroke outboard package, and that suits both the hull and the way these boats are used. Keeping the machinery outside the hull frees up stern storage, simplifies servicing and removes the bellows and gimbal wear items that punish neglected stern drive boats. It also lifts the swim platform clear of the exhaust.
Watersports are well covered. A tow point is standard on almost every boat in this class, and Chris-Craft owners regularly add a pylon or a folding tower for wakeboarding. A healthy outboard package pulls a slalom skier out of the water cleanly and tows children on an inflatable biscuit all day without protest. Skis, ropes and vests live in the under-floor and under-seat lockers so nothing sits underfoot while the boat is loaded.
Fishing is the quiet strength of this hull. Pull the bow cushions and the forward lounge becomes an open casting platform with clear access all the way around the bow, and the rear lounge lifts out to open up the transom and side gunwales. Ten minutes of work turns the family boat into a genuinely capable fishing boat, and ten minutes the other way turns it back again before anyone gets home.
Build and finish sit where you would expect for a luxury boat from United States. Chris-Craft is the oldest name in American powerboating and the only major bowrider builder that leans into retro styling as its core identity. Launch and Catalina models pair modern GRP construction with tumblehome hull sides, teak decking, chrome hardware and low, elegant sheer lines that look like nothing else on the ramp. Underneath the nostalgia the boats are thoroughly current, with deep-V hulls, contemporary Mercury or Volvo Penta power and clever seating that converts from bow lounge to sunpad. Finish quality is genuinely luxury grade, particularly the joinery and the upholstery stitching, and buyers tend to keep the boats for a long time. The trade-off is practicality: teak needs maintenance, storage volume is smaller than a boxier modern bowrider of the same length, and prices are firmly premium. For owners who want a day boat that turns heads at a waterfront restaurant and still tows a skier competently, Chris-Craft occupies a niche the volume builders cannot touch.
Options worth having on the Catalina 26 are the practical ones: a bimini for shade, a decent bow and cockpit cover so the upholstery survives being stored outside, an upgraded sounder if you fish, and a stereo package that can be heard over the engine. On fibreglass, a ceramic coat or a good polish once a season keeps the gelcoat looking new and protects resale.
As a used buy, check the same things you would on any bowrider in this size band: transom firmness, stringer and floor soundness, hours and service history on the engine, steering and trim function, and the state of the upholstery seams, which are the first thing to fail on a boat that lives uncovered. Boats from this builder hold their money well, so a tidy example will not be cheap, and that is usually a sign you are buying the right one.
Our price guide for the Catalina 26 is US$126,000 - US$166,000 new, which moves with engine choice, trailer, tower and how recently the boat was refreshed. Judged as a whole, it does what people buy a bowrider for: cruise, tow, swim, fish and entertain in one boat, without asking the family to compromise on any of them. Chris-Craft has been refining that formula since 1874, and the Catalina 26 is a straightforward, well-judged expression of it.
The world's best selling bowrider size, Light, simple and easy to tow.
US$38,000 - US$52,000 new
The refined mainstream benchmark: quiet, dry, and beautifully finished for the money.
US$72,000 - US$95,000 new
A premium 25-foot bowrider renowned for its deep seating, convertible lounges, refined ride and exceptional finish.
US$155,000 - US$210,000 new
Featured Boat of the Week
This week we are putting the Bayliner Bayliner DX2000 in the spotlight, and it earns the spot. At 20 ft 2 in (6.16 m) long on a 8 ft (2.44 m) beam, this is a bowrider that reads the water well and still feels roomy enough for a full day out. A 20-foot deck-boat-width bowrider with outboard power and a huge social cockpit. Power comes from 115-150 hp mercury fourstroke outboard through a outboard package, and the fibreglass hull keeps the ride settled when the afternoon breeze puts a chop on the surface.
Seating is rated for 8 people, so there is space for family, friends, towels, eskies and the tow rope without anyone climbing over gear. Owners tend to buy it for family, water ski, leisure — which is exactly where it shines. Fuel is 30 us gal (114 l), and on the second-hand and new market you should expect to land somewhere around US$42,000 - US$58,000 new depending on hours, trailer and options.
Our full deep dive covers the layout in detail: bow lounge comfort, helm ergonomics, the rear entertaining area, storage that actually swallows a weekend, plus standard features, popular options and honest notes on where the boat compromises. If the Bayliner DX2000 is on your shortlist, start there — and check back next week, because the featured boat changes every week as we complete more full model reviews.
Featured Bowrider Article
Ownership
Maintenance is where boat ownership either stays fun or turns into a chore. Two boats of the same size can differ enormously in how many hours and dollars they demand each season, and almost all of that difference comes down to three choices: hull material, drive type and how much complexity you buy. A painted or bare aluminium hull is the low-maintenance benchmark. There is no gelcoat to oxidise, no osmosis risk, and abrasion at the ramp is cosmetic rather than structural. A hose-down after saltwater use, an anode check and an annual inspection of welds and rivets covers most of it. Fibreglass asks for more. Gelcoat needs washing, polishing and waxing to stay glossy, and neglected gelcoat chalks within a few seasons. Chips need filling before water reaches the laminate. It is not difficult work, but it is recurring work. Polyethylene and thermoplastic bowriders sit in a category of their own: essentially maintenance-free skins that shrug off knocks, at the cost of styling options and resale depth. An outboard hangs outside the boat, tilts clear of the water when parked, and needs an annual service that is broadly comparable to a car service: oil, filters, plugs, gear oil, impeller and anodes. Nothing about it…
Read the full article