True North Powerboats sold

Catalina Yachts in Largo, Florida has acquired the True North line of Downeast-style cruisers for an undisclosed sum. The moulds for the True North 34, True North 34 Outboard Express and True North 38 are being moved to the Catalina plant and production will begin this year.

“We have been talking with dealers and owners while strategising which configuration of boats to market first, and find the True North line is a brand that appeals to sailors, making it a good fit for Catalina Yachts,” says Sharon Day, VP of sales and marketing. “This is yet another pivotal moment in Catalina’s 50 years of boatbuilding.”

The True North 34 is a single-engine express with a skeg-protected propeller and optional bow thruster for additional manoeuvrability, while the award-winning True North 34 Outboard Express combines good looks, performance and space with twin 250hp outboard engines for efficiency, speed and a shallow draft.

The True North 38, which also offers space, speed, stability and classic good looks, has several configuration options, making it suitable for day trips or extended adventure. Catalina says it plans to introduce an outboard version of this model in the future.

Established by Frank Butler in 1970, Catalina Yachts is a leading US builder of production sailboats. Its Largo, Florida plant is one of, if not the largest sailboat production facilities in America, spanning more than 90,000sq ft.