[ndutton]

A vintage Catalina 30 in tip top shape is worth somewhere in the mid-to-high teens, maybe low twenties on its best day if the sun is shining. An Atomic 4 affects the value negatively and no engine makes it a project boat regardless of its condition. Certain widely known boats with a pedigree can command higher prices. Sojourn out of the Silver Gate Yacht Club in San Diego comes to mind (legendary Ensenada Race winner in 2009). Catalina 30 #1 would command a higher price too.

Since you admit to mechanical limitations and apparently there isn't mechanical help available, you're left with selling the boat as-is (ouch). To this end I suggest a strategy that the broker who sold my boat to me used. After chatting about my boating history and experience - and knowing that the boat was pretty tired (a real project), he kept repeating that this boat and I were a perfect match. After saying it more times than I could count it became obnoxious, clearly a ploy of a pushy salesman. I didn't consider and would not accept at the time that he was absolutely right.

So the question is, where can you find your boat's perfect match?

Oops, I left out the most important part. The boat I bought was a complete boat with a working engine. Listed price was $15K. With a single one time offer (no back and forth haggling), I bought it for $5K. Total elapsed time between offer and acceptance was about 60 seconds.