Catalina 250
The Catalina 250 is a 25-foot boat, with model years from 1996 to 2006 in the listings we track. Across 26 listings we have observed (model years 1996–2006), the median asking price is $9,000, with most boats asking $7,500 to $14,500. The engine we see most often on this model is Honda 4-stroke outboard.
BoatVerdict market snapshot
What "time listed" is and is not. We count from the day the seller posted the ad to the sweep that found it gone. An ad can end because the boat sold, because the seller gave up, or because the classifieds site expired the post on its own schedule. So read 31 days as how long a 250 sits for sale, not as a time-to-sale. Nobody in this market can give you a real one: US used-boat sales are not publicly recorded. Ads that were already gone the first time we could see a whole regional board are left out of this figure, because we know they left but not when.
These are asking prices. No free or public source publishes US used-boat transaction prices, so nobody — us included — can honestly show you what these boats sold for. What we can show you is what 26 sellers are asking, which is the number you are actually negotiating against.
26 priced listings across 8 states. Enough for a range, not enough to be precise about any single year.
Method: Asking prices from active listings, de-duplicated so a re-posted boat counts once (75 raw listings collapsed to 26 distinct boats). Quartiles, not averages, so one outlier cannot move the band. Rounded to $500.
Coverage: Model years 1996–2006, 8 states, 16 metro areas. New-boat listings excluded.
Sources: BoatVerdict market observations (craigslist) · US state vessel registries (2,475 registered Catalina hulls)
Looking at a Catalina 250 for sale?
Paste the listing and we will score that specific boat against everything on this page: asking price versus our observed range, engine and hours risk, the known issues for its model year, and a negotiation position. The verdict is free.
Get the free verdict →No account needed. The paid Deal Report is optional and comes after.
The BoatVerdict take
- BoatVerdict listing data
Supply is concentrated: our 26 listings came from only 8 states, led by CA. Expect a smaller buyer pool at resale, and budget for transport if the right boat is not local.
Each point is tagged with the evidence behind it. Nothing here is a claim we cannot trace back to a counted listing, a federal record, or a named analyst judgement.
Catalina 250 prices by model year
Show the numbers by model year
| Model year | Boats | Middle half of asks | Median ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 2 | too few to show | - |
| 2003 | 1 | too few to show | - |
| 2002 | 1 | too few to show | - |
| 1998 | 1 | too few to show | - |
| 1997 | 1 | too few to show | - |
| 1996 | 3 | $13,000 to $16,500 | $16,000 |
9 distinct boats, listed now or since taken down, re-posts counted once. Years with fewer than 3 boats show a count only. Asking prices, not sale prices.
What a used Catalina 250 is worth
We have seen 9 distinct Catalina 250 boats for sale between Jun 14, 2026 and Nov 14, 2026, model years 1996 to 2006, in 7 states. The median ask is $10,000 and half of all asks sit between $9,000 and $16,000.
What moves the price of a 250
- Horsepower. Doubling the power for the same class and length adds about 16% to the ask.
- Engine hours.Higher hours than typical for the age lower the ask.
- Region.West +12%, Midwest +5%, South +2%, Northeast -1% against the national level.
- Brand.Catalina boats in this class ask about 6% more than the class average for the same age and length.
Fitted on 1,325 distinct boats in this class (log asking price on age, length and brand; refit nightly, last on 2026-11-14). These are effects on asking prices.
Recent Catalina 250 asking prices
| Year | Model | Length | HP | Hours | State | Asking | Seen | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 250 | 25 ft | - | - | OR | $18,000 | Jul 16, 2026 to Nov 14, 2026 | listed (3 posts) Craigslist |
| 2002 | 250 | - | - | - | CA | $15,000 | Oct 16, 2026 to Oct 19, 2026 | taken down Craigslist |
| 2006 | 250 | - | - | - | MA | $9,000 | Sep 1, 2026 to Oct 16, 2026 | taken down Craigslist |
| 1997 | 250 | - | - | - | DC | $7,900 | Aug 31, 2026 to Oct 5, 2026 | taken down Craigslist |
| 2006 | 250 | - | - | - | MA | $10,000 | Jun 14, 2026 to Sep 25, 2026 | taken down (11 posts) Craigslist |
| 1996 | 250 | - | - | - | WA | $9,900 | Aug 8, 2026 to Aug 29, 2026 | taken down (11 posts) Craigslist |
| 1996 | 250 | - | - | - | WA | $16,900 | Aug 8, 2026 to Aug 13, 2026 | taken down (4 posts) Craigslist |
| 1998 | 250 | - | - | - | NC | $6,500 | Jun 19, 2026 to Aug 3, 2026 | taken down (17 posts) Craigslist |
| 1996 | 250 | - | - | - | MI | $15,800 | Jun 14, 2026 to Jul 7, 2026 | taken down (2 posts) Craigslist |
The 9 most recently seen of 9 distinct boats. These are asking prices, not sale prices: no free source publishes US used-boat sale prices. A boat re-posted several times counts once, at its latest ask. "Taken down" means the ad disappeared; that can be a sale, a seller who gave up, or an expired post.
Catalina recalls and accident record
Of 446Catalina boats in USCG accident records: fire or explosion 3%, flooding or swamping 5%, capsizing 3%, total loss 5%, at least one death 4%. Accident records reflect how and how much boats are used, not only how they are built. Only accidents above the USCG reporting threshold are recorded. Personal watercraft are left out.
These numbers are for the builder, not this model. Check the specific hull with a HIN lookup for recalls and reported accidents.
Engines we actually see on the 250
- Honda 4-stroke outboard
Among the most reliable outboards made — automotive-grade Honda 4-stroke engineering. Heavier than rivals and a smaller marine dealer network, but mechanically a top-tier, long-life choice.
Service reality: Timing-belt models: verify replacement interval was honored. 100-hour service; confirm dealer access for the buyer's region.
Method: Engine family matched from the listing's engine fields and title text against BoatVerdict's engine-family profiles. Prevalence is share of our sample, not factory fitment rates.
Sources: BoatVerdict market observations · BoatVerdict engine-family profiles
Catalina 250 specifications
| Length (median listed) | 25.0 ft | Our listing data |
|---|---|---|
| Model years traded | 1996–2006 | Our listing data |
| Catalina hulls in US registries | 2,475 | TX + NY open data |
Rows marked "our listing data" are measured from listings, not published by the builder, and will differ from a brochure. Rows without a source we can name are not shown at all.
What to inspect on a used Catalina 250
- Honda 4-stroke outboard: Timing-belt models: verify replacement interval was honored. 100-hour service; confirm dealer access for the buyer's region. Seen on 1 of the 26 250 listings we track.
- Get the hour meter reading and divide by the boat's age. Above 150 hours a year is heavy use for a Honda 4-stroke outboard. Threshold from BoatVerdict's engine-family profile for Honda 4-stroke outboard.
- Assume saltwater service unless the seller can prove otherwise: pull the engine cowling and look at the powerhead, check trim-cylinder rams for pitting, and open the battery and fuse boxes for green corrosion. 85% of the listings we observed for this model are in coastal states.
- On the older hulls, core moisture is the deal-breaker: sound the transom and the deck with a plastic mallet, and treat any soft or dull-sounding area as a survey-stopper rather than a bargaining chip. We observe listings back to 1996, so boats over 30 years old are actively traded in this model.
This list is specific to this model: analyst items for the hull, plus items driven by the engines and the regions we actually observe on 250 listings. It is not a generic pre-purchase checklist, and it does not replace a surveyor.
What a 250 costs to own
$3,750 – $10k per year
- 25 ft hull, the median observed length for this model
- Saltwater berth, based on where most listings we see are located (CA)
- Includes insurance, storage, routine service, fuel at moderate seasonal use, and a reserve for wear items
- Excludes loan payments, major engine replacement, and refit work
This is a modelled band, not observed spend. Real cost swings hard on where you keep the boat and how much you use it.
Method: The same ownership-cost model BoatVerdict's paid Deal Report uses: boat class and length set the base band, then saltwater berth and size adjust it.
Sources: BoatVerdict ownership-cost model
Where 250s are for sale
- CA 11
- WA 5
- MA 3
- MN 2
- OR 2
- MI 1
- NC 1
- DC 1
Counts of distinct boats we observed per state, from 26 listings in 16 metro areas. We publish the distribution, not the listings themselves.
What else buyers cross-shop
Chosen by measured similarity — same builder first, then comparable length — and limited to models whose own page meets our evidence bar. No paid placements, no filler links.
Catalina 250 FAQ
How much does a used Catalina 250 cost?
What engine does the Catalina 250 come with?
What does it cost to own a Catalina 250 per year?
Looking at a Catalina 250 for sale?
Paste the listing and we will score that specific boat against everything on this page: asking price versus our observed range, engine and hours risk, the known issues for its model year, and a negotiation position. The verdict is free.
Get the free verdict →No account needed. The paid Deal Report is optional and comes after.