Hot Tub and Spa
Brand Reviews

I am posting this for information only, largely because I could not find much information on the Catalina Quebec Spa before I purchased mine not long ago.

In CA, we are seeing more-and-more folks in dire economic circumstances selling "luxury" items on Craigslist and eBay. In November I picked-up a never installed Catalina Quebec Spa with more rotating jets than I have the patience to count, a matching gazebo (and a cool Bull BBQ island too). Catalina's warranty agent accepted the warranty card because it was never used/registered...time will tell.

What I have discerned from the web so far, Catalina Spas may not have the best warranty/reputation, but this Spa is a certain upgrade from my 21 year old CalSpa (which I kept running and now is faithfully serving the needs of a good friend and neighbor). After a few electric bills...it looks like I am averaging less than $20 per month in electricity (vs. $25-30 with the older Spa) and our chemical usage seems far less too. We also have a 2008 Hotsprings Sovereign SPA at our LV home which is very nice too...you can find all kinds of reviews and information on the web (it must be more popular).

Although too early for a review...I can say that my wife and I are absolutely very comfortable with the Catalina Spa's seating since the rotating jets are flush mounted and the foot-well massage jets are nothing less than remarkable (we both suffer from arthritis and general old-age aches and pain). This is the most comfortable Spa we have ever used (I am 6' 2" and my wife is 5' 3.5" ...she always includes the 1/2"). The lounger is somehow designed for both of us in mind as it is perfectly comfortable despite are height differences.

I live in the high desert and we get some below-freezing days but the Spa's temperature only appears to vary about 2-3 degrees F when in Economy Mode (100F 2-hrs low-cycle filtration every 12 hours); this may indicate the use of effective insulation (as installed on a concrete slab). Although it is difficult to determine...our best guess is that we are using about $20 a month in electricity and we have been using the Spa around 4-6 times a night (45-55 minutes on average).

The built-in 4x50w Kenwood Marine CD/MP3-docking stereo system sounds very good indeed (much better than I expected); we also appreciate the remote stereo control panel. This Quebec spa has a nice waterfall feature and the LED lighting options are relaxing and perfect for setting the right ambiance. The spa also seems very quiet when in use which helps us to relax better.

I am currently using a 3-step Bromine system with Spa Frog and we are able to maintain bromine reserves quite easily and seem to be experiencing far less bromine-demand. In Economy Mode, the water is crystal clear, with no apparent odor, scaling or foam. I buy my water balancing chemicals in bulk and I am having good luck keeping things in check at the moment. Also, the drain is at the dead bottom and the first drain/refill was very easy...vs. having to scoop-out a foot-well.

The spa cover lift system is easy to use and we will have to wait to see how well the thick cover stands up...it is a complete seal even though the Catalina Quebec has four lobes for the marine speakers at each corner. The shell was designed well to ensure a good seal which may be contributing to our lower energy costs.

The matching Catalina-sourced solid Mahogany "Garden House" gazebo seems well constructed and it is a step-up from our previous Redwood and lattice gazebo it replaced.

All-in-all (after a brief honeymoon period), we are greatly enjoying our Catalina Quebec Spa.

Reference photos may be located here:

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/RCA6L6GC/IMG_3699d.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/RCA6L6GC/IMG_3633d.jpg

Update (for information only):

We have not had any nights below freezing for over a month and the Spa (Catalina Quebec) temperature only varies -1 degree F. As an experiment, I am now running the filter cycle for just 1 hour every 12 hours to see how well the Bromine demand remains stable...so far all is well and the spa has not dropped below 99F with a target temp of 100F.

Note 1: The owner's manual states you cannot select a filter cycle in Economy Mode less than 2 hours...when in fact you can select from 1-12 hours in 1-hour increments running twice per day.

Note 2: The electronics are Balboa M7 Elite Series with a 3kw Titanium (Inconel is another option available) heating element servicing 400-420 gallons (1590 Litres). Today I found a USB port connected to the spa contol which allows for remote monitoring and control (for what reason I have no idea).

Note 3: The Catalina web site erroneously reported the spa as having 120 sq ft of filtration when in fact it uses two Unicel 6CH-940 filters at 45 sq ft each (90 sq ft total).

Note 4: In Europe, the Catalina Quebec is marketed as the Premium 800CD...UK vendor websites seem to offer more information than the US Catalina Spa website.