Catalina Yachts owner evicted from factory - End of an Era?

[OverEasy]

Hi All!

Have heard the latest about Catalina Yachts?
https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2025 ... m-factory/

Not quite sure what to make of it….
Anybody got any ideas?

Best Regards
Over Easy

[Russ]

I've always liked the Catalina brand. They made a lot of great boats.

This seems !!one a difficult industry. So many have gone away.

Roger was smart to quit while ahead.

[OverEasy]

Hi Russ

It seems that a lot of the companies providing classic ‘affordable’ boating equipment have been having difficulties in the recent months this year. In general the two local new boat distributors have remarked that sales have been lack luster to poor this year for some reason. The buyers just haven’t shown up.

Most of those few that actually buy have looked at the new boats but ended up going for good condition used boats. It’s interesting in that over the prior several years it was just the opposite with new boats leading the sales. Something in the dynamics has changed unexpectedly.

Something similar would appear to be happening with automotive car sales as well but I haven’t really looked at it close enough to know with any real certainty as yet.

It’s curious…… I can’t help but wonder if this is just a local/regional phenomenon or if this is something broader….


Best Regards,
Over Easy

[kmclemore]

I suspect most boat builders - and RV builders - are in a post-COVID slump. A great many folks bought boats and RVs when COVID hit, so they could still do outdoor fun when everything else was closed. Now those boats and RVs are hitting the used market and they're driving down new unit sales. It will probably be at least 5-7 years for this lose its impact, and in the interim you're going to see a great many firms meet their demise.

[OverEasy]

Hi Kmclemore!

I think you’re probably right with the post COVID cycle. There’s a reasonable logic to it.
Kinda sad too in that folks got something and are now letting go of them …. If they aren’t buying new I wonder what or if they are replacing them with?

Best Regards
Over Easy

[kmclemore]

... If they aren’t buying new I wonder what or if they are replacing them with?

I suspect they're replacing them with what they did before COVID... they're traveling to Disney, and other resorts and vacation spots, which they couldn't do during the shutdown.

[dlandersson]

Wherever thry are going, it likely isn't Disney

https://www.foxnews.com/travel/disney-a ... owns-parks

... If they aren’t buying new I wonder what or if they are replacing them with?

I suspect they're replacing them with what they did before COVID... they're traveling to Disney, and other resorts and vacation spots, which they couldn't do during the shutdown.

[OverEasy]

Hi All!

So folks aren’t buying new boats, there’s a lot of relatively newish boats for sale and they aren’t going to a Disney park then what are folks doing? Locally our area fairs and annual event attendances are off from last year. Now some of that might be due to issues with the local venue infrastructures… Our local Waterfront Park has been partially shutdown for structural assessment this summer as the pier supports and topping deck are needing renovation. The town is still debating the what’s /how’s /who’s/whatever’s so there is that aspect.

As an aside I’ve noticed that the annual southern ICW ‘migration’ of the bigger live aboard boats headed to warmer wintering climates is less than last year in our area. Confirmed this with our harbor manager as it’s affected his diesel fuel sales. Transient traffic makes up a good portion of the marina’s sales this time of year. It’s just odd……

I’m hoping this is just a fluke and things will sort themselves out. But things are definitely off……

Speaking of used boats coming on the market I noticed this ad on our marina bulletin board for those that might know of someone looking for a MacGregor 26X. (As it’s not mine I’m not able to put it in the forum “classified section” )



Best Regards,
Over Easy

[OverEasy]

Hi All!

Came across this item that may be of interest


Repo rates up
Auctions up
Sales down
Inventories up
Production outputs down
Discounts up

What do you think?

Best Regards
Over Easy

[kmclemore]

I think it's grossly misleading. It is true that because of the Covid 'experience', a lot of folks bought boats, RVs and vacation homes, and manufacturers ramped up to meet demand... and now folks no longer need them, so the used market is being flooded. This is simply a demonstration of a change in market conditions due to external forces. The manufacturers should have understood this happens - it certainly isn't the first time an external, short-term force influenced a market. The correct choice would have been to simply raise prices instead. Same profit would have been made, but there would have been no market flood or resulting market backwash, and after the market conditions were over they could have resumed normal pricing.

I also think this is yet another AI-generated piece of pablum designed solely to generate clicks.

[OverEasy]

Hi Kmclemore!

Yes I sorta agree with the “backwash” aspect to changing market conditions but given the variety of sources that are definitely not ‘AI’ giving similar current and projected aspects there is definitely something off more than cyclic conditions… more like a broader condition of market “pull back of consumer confidence” in the purchase of nonessential expenditures. (It’s not just boats).

Guess we’ll all have to see how things play out while hoping for the best for everyone. It’s all one can do as well as keeping an eye out on which way the winds are blowing, the shape of the clouds and the barometer… sorta like sailing

Best Regards,
Over Easy

[OverEasy]

Hi All!

Seems that the saga of Catalina Sailboats ‘temporary’ shutdown in Florida is gonna get extended most likely into 2026 from some of the recent reports read in the financial papers. (Sorry no link as yet to the paper format to post)

There is a bit of a mess with the “current” owner for non-payment of facilities as well as other financial obligations that aren’t apparently going to be resolved as quickly as initially projected. The cash flow and liquidity are problematic from appearances. Hopefully they get satisfactorily resolved before Catalina fades away….

It’s never a good thing to see the top manufacturer of sailboats get run up onto the rocks as it were. It’s taken decades to build up Catalina but it took only a couple months for an individual to bolix it up. Sad that is true for a lot of things….

Best Regards
Over Easy