Catalina 26
The Chris-Craft Corsair 36 is a 38-foot cabin cruiser that was produced by the legendary Michigan-based yacht firm Chris-Craft Boats between 2012 and 2017. Retro styling recalls some of the finest vintage models in Chris-Craft’s storied 150-year history, with a deluxe traditional finish, a demure profile, a tumblehome feel to transom and a plumb bow entry. Lavish detailing, teak brightwork, steel fixtures, high-class materials throughout and elegant surrounds make this the ideal watercraft for sophisticated weekend exploration, while a Michael Peters-designed hull and powerful engines offer unsurpassable seakeeping.
A teak-lined cockpit with a demure appeal features two L-shaped sofas in plush leather to aft that can both be used as full-length chaise-longues due to their sloping backrests. The backrests both recline onto wet-bar stations with facilities like chilled storage, an ice-chipper, a sink and an outdoor grill, perfect for keeping guests fed on burgers and hydrated with ice-cold refreshments. Need somewhere to place your food? There’s also an extending steel and timber table back here for lengthy lunches and evening aperitifs. A central walk-way leads back to a full-beam bathing platform to stern with a swim ladder and a sports locker, and will be enjoyed by kids of all ages looking for salt-water adventures.
Further forward there are two leather-backed helm seats facing a starboard helm station hidden behind a tall, curving and tempered glass windscreen. The helm features a classically-themed dashboard with sinuous lines, metal-lined gauges and a mahogany steering wheel for a traditional vibe, though there’s plenty of high-tech gadgetry up here as well. Use an optional Penta joystick for docking, bow thrusters for agility, an Ultraflex throttle for acceleration and power-assist to grapple with the waves, while a multi-function display screen, trim-tab switches and a stereo system will also be found up here.
A companionway door leads down to a surprisingly vast lower-deck salon with a V-shaped seating area, a dining table and an open galley with solid countertops, a sink, chilled storage and a microwave oven. Expect to encounter a maple and cherry sole, veneered cherrywood cabinets, cedar-lined closets, modern mood lighting, a trio of skylights and plenty of plush leather down here. There is a double bed hidden behind the steps back up to deck, while the dining table can be lowered between the V-shaped sofa and covered with fold-out cushions to turn this space into another double bed. A single main-head on this level includes a porthole window, glass countertops, a sink, a flush toilet and an open shower fixture.
Choose between a pair of 430HP Mercruiser 8.2L gasoline engines or twin 430HP Volvo Penta diesel sterndrives to rocket this sublime vessel to top speeds of up to 44 knots in favorable conditions. Settle in at a 26-knot cruising speed to enjoy a range of up to 186 nautical miles, achieved thanks to an efficient hull and a 120-gallon fuel tank.
