RECENT UPGRADES & MAINTENANCE
DRAGONFLY's maintenance history is one of her strongest selling points.
2026
- Four Duracell 6V house batteries installed
- Engine raw-water pump impeller replaced
2025
- Bottom painted September 2025
- Hull cleaned and waxed
- New LP Bottle
- Maintenance notes indicate additional paint work in late 2025
2024
- Fuel tank cleaned and rebuilt as required
- Inspection/access plates added to fuel tank
- Dodger clear-vinyl windows replaced
2021
- Dedicated starting battery installed
- Fire extinguishers updated
2020
- Electric bilge pump replaced
2018
- Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 74-series chartplotter
- Standard Horizon Matrix AIS/GPS GX2200-series VHF
- RAM remote-station microphone
- Raymarine i50 depth instrument
2015
- Full-batten mainsail replaced
- Forward V-berth mattress replaced with memory-foam-topped mattress
- Captain's cockpit cushion replaced
Earlier documented maintenance
- Fuel pump replaced — 2011
- Lifelines replaced — 2009
- Major canvas package replaced — 2009
The cumulative picture is more important than any individual upgrade: this boat has received steady care across mechanical, electrical, sail, canvas and cosmetic systems.
DESIGN & SPECIFICATIONS
Builder: Catalina Yachts
Model: Catalina 36 MkII
Year: 1996
Hull: Fiberglass
Rig: Tall Rig masthead sloop
Keel: Shoal-draft wing keel
LOA: 36'4"
Approx. overall length: 37'9"
LWL: 30'3"
Beam: 11'11"
Draft: approximately 4'5"
Displacement: approximately 14,100 lb
Ballast: approximately 6,600 lb
Bridge Clearance: approximately 53'
Fuel: approximately 25 gallons
Fresh Water: approximately 83 gallons per owner information
Holding: approximately 17 gallons
Catalina's original MkII documentation lists the wing-keel version at 14,100 lb displacement, 6,600 lb ballast and 4'5" draft.
ENGINE & PROPULSION
DRAGONFLY is powered by the proven Universal M35 four-cylinder freshwater-cooled diesel, a very common and well-supported installation in Catalina cruising boats of this era.
- Universal M35 diesel
- Approximately 30 hp
- Approximately 2,000 engine hours
- Freshwater cooling with heat exchanger
- Direct-drive transmission
- PYI Max-Prop auto-feathering 3-blade propeller
- Balmar high-output alternator and regulator
- Dripless stuffing box
- Cockpit engine controls
- Engine/electric hot-water heating
- Spare original alternator
- Manual and electric bilge pumps
- Bilge exhaust blower
The Max-Prop is a meaningful cruising upgrade, reducing drag under sail while retaining excellent maneuvering characteristics under power.
SAILS & RIGGING
DRAGONFLY is equipped with the desirable Tall Rig, offering more sail area than the standard rig and particularly useful performance in the lighter-air conditions frequently encountered on the Chesapeake and sounds of North Carolina.
- Aluminum keel-stepped mast
- Tall Rig
- 2015 full-batten mainsail
- Multiple reef points
- Schaefer 2000 headsail furling system
- Genoa
- Inboard and outboard genoa tracks
- Halyards led aft
- Rope clutches
- Garhauer solid boom vang
- Adjustable spring-line/genoa-track hardware
- Single-line mainsail reefing led aft
- Lewmar 30ST halyard/sheet winches
- Lewmar 48ST primary genoa winches
The Catalina factory tall-rig specification increased rated sail area from approximately 555 sq. ft. to 601 sq. ft.
ELECTRONICS & NAVIGATION
DRAGONFLY carries a practical navigation package suitable for coastal and ICW cruising.
- Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 74-series chartplotter
- Standard Horizon Matrix GX2200-series VHF
- Integrated AIS/GPS capability
- RAM remote microphone
- Autopilot with corded remote control
- Raymarine/Raytheon wind instrumentation
- Raymarine/Raytheon speed/log instrumentation
- Raymarine i50 depth gauge
- Pedestal-mounted Ritchie compass
- Sony stereo
- Four speakers
- Atomic clock
Some legacy instruments remain aboard in addition to the newer electronics.
ELECTRICAL
A substantial house battery bank and high-output charging system make DRAGONFLY well suited to cruising.
- 12V DC / 115V AC electrical system
- 30-amp shore-power service
- Four 6V Duracell house batteries — 2026
- Series/parallel house-bank configuration
- Dedicated starting battery
- Balmar 90-amp alternator
- Balmar voltage regulator
- Heart Freedom inverter/charger
- Two shore-power cords
- Cabin lighting
- Reading lights
- Cabin fans
AIR CONDITIONING & COMFORT
A particularly valuable feature for a North Carolina boat is DRAGONFLY's Dometic EnviroComfort reverse-cycle heat pump, installed in 2013.
- 16,000 BTU air conditioning
- Reverse-cycle heat
- Shore-powered climate control
- Cabin fans
- Hot-and-cold pressure water
- Engine/electric hot-water system
This makes her equally comfortable for summer weekends aboard, shoulder-season cruising or use as a marina-based getaway.
ACCOMMODATIONS
One of the reasons the Catalina 36 remains popular is its unusually useful interior.
DRAGONFLY features a two-stateroom layout with a large salon, allowing a couple to cruise very comfortably while retaining excellent accommodations for guests.
Forward Cabin
The spacious V-berth includes:
- Large double berth
- Memory-foam-topped mattress replaced in 2015
- Hanging locker
- Storage
- Private access to the head
Salon
The salon provides excellent gathering and dining space.
- Large U-shaped convertible dinette to port
- Extensive storage beneath
- Starboard settee
- Convertible game/coffee table
- Abundant cabinetry
- Navigation station
- Swivel nav seat
- Excellent natural light and ventilation
Aft Cabin
Aft of the navigation area is a private stateroom featuring:
- Large double berth
- Privacy door
- Standing headroom near the entry
- Hanging locker
- Storage
HEAD
The head compartment is located forward and provides convenient access from both the main cabin and forward stateroom.
- Manual marine toilet
- Holding tank
- Deck pump-out
- Vanity
- Corian sink and countertops
- Hot-and-cold pressure water
- Shower wand on sink faucet
- Storage cabinetry
GALLEY
The large L-shaped galley is positioned conveniently at the foot of the companionway—a particularly good arrangement underway because the cook remains connected to both cockpit and salon.
Equipment includes:
- Adler Barbour 12V refrigerator/freezer
- Two-burner propane stove with oven
- Corian-style molded countertop
- Double stainless-steel sinks
- Hot-and-cold pressure water
- Foot pump for icebox discharge
- Large dry-storage locker
- Microwave oven
- Extensive cabinetry and storage
- Good task lighting
COCKPIT & CANVAS
The MkII cockpit is one of the design's most useful improvements, with good seating, a walk-through transom and excellent access to the water.
DRAGONFLY's Persian Green canvas package includes:
- Bimini
- Dodger
- Connector
- Mainsail cover
- Headsail UV cover
- Wheel/pedestal cover
- Custom cockpit sunshade
- White side curtains
- Cockpit cushions
- Two reclining cockpit cushions
- Dodger side rails and aft grabrail
- Clear-vinyl dodger windows replaced in 2024
The cockpit also includes:
- Folding leather-wrapped wheel
- Teak cockpit table
- Magma stainless-steel propane grill
- Stern rail seating
- Walk-through transom
- Swim platform
- Transom hot/cold shower
- Outboard motor bracket
DECK & GROUND TACKLE
- White fiberglass hull
- White fiberglass deck with molded nonskid
- Bow pulpit
- Stern rails with catbird seats
- Walk-through transom
- Swim platform
- Electric anchor windlass
- Bruce anchor with chain and rode
- Danforth secondary anchor with chain and rode
- Dock lines
- Fenders
- Adjustable boat hooks
Owner intake notes indicate approximately 90 feet of chain plus 100 feet of rode associated with the primary ground tackle; prospective buyers should verify exact inventory during inspection.
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT
- Magma stainless-steel gas grill
- Teak cockpit table
- Cabin window shades
- Cabin fans
- Reading lights
- Folding helm wheel
- Stove cover/counter board
- Fire extinguishers
- Flares
- Dock lines
- Fenders
- Boat hooks
OWNERSHIP & CONDITION
The current owner has reportedly cared for DRAGONFLY since approximately 2012.
Most importantly, the boat's condition supports the maintenance records. She has the appearance of a vessel that has been routinely cleaned, serviced and attended to rather than allowed to decline between major refits.
Owner intake information reports:
- No collision history
- No fire history
- No flooding/sinking history
- No lightning strike
- No lien/mortgage reported
- State titled
The boat has primarily cruised North Carolina waters.
A CLEAN CATALINA THAT DESERVES A LOOK
There are plenty of Catalina 36s on the brokerage market, but condition varies enormously after thirty years.
DRAGONFLY's advantage is straightforward: she has been cared for.
The combination of her clean interior, maintained systems, Tall Rig, shoal-draft wing keel, Max-Prop, reverse-cycle air conditioning, upgraded electronics, newer house batteries, recent bottom service and extensive maintenance history creates a particularly attractive package for a sailor looking for a capable cruising boat without immediately facing a long refit list.
For cruising North Carolina, the Chesapeake, ICW, Florida or Bahamas, the Catalina 36 MkII remains a very difficult combination of comfort, sailing ability, shallow draft, parts support and value to beat.
DRAGONFLY is clean, well equipped, thoughtfully maintained and ready for her next owner.
