Catalina Swim Spas · Pool 800 Series

Catalina Swim Spas Pool 16' 3-Pump (C-831)

15′ 11″ long
Jet current
One temperature

Catalina Swim Spas Pool 16' 3-Pump (C-831) swim spa from above, showing the lane and seats

Photography © Catalina Swim Spas, shown for identification

$35,599Maker's list price (MSRP)Checked Oct 2026 · catalinaswimspas.com

No manufacturer pays us. How we make money

Updated September 2026By the HotTubFinder research desk

Room to swim. The lane, and the current you swim against.

How tall are you?

Outside of the cabinet: 15′ 11″
Open water to swim in: Not published
You, arms overhead: 7′

The maker doesn't publish the open water on the Pool 16' 3-Pump (C-831). Seats, steps and the current housing take their share of the 15′ 11″, so ask the dealer for it.

2 swim jets on 3 pumps
The same pumps also feed the seats, so current and massage share the power.
How currents compare →
One zone, one temperature
Lap swimmers like 78 to 82°F and a hot tub runs 100 to 104, so you pick a compromise or change the setting and wait.
Is dual temperature worth it →

How much room a swimmer needs

What it costs. To buy, and to keep warm.

The swim spa: $35,599Maker's list price (MSRP)Get the price range →
Keeping it warm: No measured figure for the Pool 16' 3-Pump (C-831). A typical swim spa costs about $57 a month to keep warm.
On top: A concrete pad, a dedicated circuit, delivery and sometimes a crane. What those cost

Energy detail

No California listing we could match

California lists what a spa draws on standby, with the cover on. We found no listing that matches this model. No Catalina Swim Spas swim spa has one.

What decides running cost →

What owners say. About Catalina Swim Spas swim spas.

What they like

A defective unit was replaced and service was responsive
The owner of a 21-ft Catalina dual-temp swim spa wrote in 2026 (a BBB review shown on Birdeye) that the first spa was defective and was replaced, and praised the service technicians, a responsive sales team and customer service that answered calls. One owner's account; LPI replied publicly.

What they complain about

A first unit that had to be replaced
The same 2026 review says the owner's first 21-ft dual-temp unit was defective before the replacement arrived. The review gives no detail on the fault.
Trade talk of dealers dropping Catalina swim spas over leaks
In a December 2018 forum thread, two long-time regulars said dealers they knew had stopped selling Catalina swim spas after LPI bought the brand, one citing leaks and frequent quality-control problems. Secondhand, from forum regulars rather than owners (one describes seeing LPI's wholesale prices at a trade show), and years before the current spec sheets.

Everything owners report about Catalina Swim Spas

How it’s built. In plain words.

Warranty: 10-year structure warranty. That's the median across the 161 swim spas that publish one.
Frame and shellPartly: Fiberglass-backed acrylic over an ABS base on the dual-temp models; frame material isn't published except treated wood under inground models. Why it matters
Getting at the equipmentYes: Ordinary jet pumps and Balboa controls behind a marked equipment end; LPI asks for 24 in of clearance there but won't pay to open up decking. Why it matters
Cover and lifterPartly: An insulated locking cover is standard on Catalina models, but LPI gives no thickness, taper or section count and lists no lifter. Why it matters

These findings cover the Catalina Swim Spas swim spa line; each names the models it applies to.

The details

Every specification42 figures, each linked to where we read it

Outside size: 15′ 11″ × 7′ 6″; 66.5" tall
Open swim length: Not published; Ask the dealer
Current: Jets; River Jets · 2 jets
Swim pumps: 3; 13 HP · Shared with the seats
Water: 2,000 gal
Weight: 19,575 lb; Full
Electrical: 220V / 60A; One circuit
Seats: Not published

Size

Length: 190.5" (15′ 10.5″)
Width: 90" (7′ 6″)
Height: 66.5"
Open swim length: Not published
Water depth: Not published

Swim current

Current type: Jets
Current system: River Jets
Driven by: Pump
Swim jets: 2
Swim pumps: 3
Swim pumps only run the current: No
Swim pump power: 13 HP

Zones and seating

Dual zone: No
Dual temperature: No
Seats: Not published

Water and weight

Water capacity: 2,000 gal
Dry weight: 2,900 lb
Filled weight: 19,575 lb

Therapy jets

Jets: 20

Heat and water care

Heater: 4 kW
Can cool the water: Yes
Filter area: 100 sq ft
Sanitation: Ozone, UV
Controls: Balboa LPIBP20 pack with Spa Touch 3 panel
App or Wi-Fi: Standard

Electrical

Voltage: 220 V
Minimum breaker: 60 A
Circuits needed: 1
Total amperage: 60 A

Construction

Shell: Acrylic
Built in: Tennessee, USAdealer

Cover and extras

Cover included: Yes
Fitness gear included: 2 stainless exercise rails

Doesn’t have: circulation pump.

Electrical notes · Hardwired 240 V on a GFCI (LPI prints 220V).

Hardwired 240 V on a GFCI (LPI prints 220V). LPI's manual calls for a 4-wire 40, 50 or 60 A service depending on model, with #6/3 wire with ground (6 gauge, 4 conductor) when the panel is within 40 ft. The maker's 2023 model-options table listed 50 A for this configuration; the 2025-26 sheet says 60 A.

Cover · Pro-Fit cover: marine-grade vinyl fitted around a 20-gauge steel frame and a 1.25 lb foam…

Pro-Fit cover: marine-grade vinyl fitted around a 20-gauge steel frame and a 1.25 lb foam insert, with locks on the skirt; grey or mocha.

Where Catalina Swim Spas’s own figures disagree (4) · length, height, water capacity…

Catalina Swim Spas’s own documents give two answers. Check yours against the quote before you sign.

Length

190.5" (15′ 10.5″)

whisperoutdoor.com ↗

191" (15′ 11″)

hottub.com ↗

Height

66.5"

whisperoutdoor.com ↗

62"

catalinaswimspas.com ↗

Water capacity

2,000 gal

whisperoutdoor.com ↗

1,850 gal

hottub.com ↗

Minimum breaker

60 A

whisperoutdoor.com ↗

50 A

catalinaswimspas.com ↗

Where these figures come from (3 Catalina Swim Spas documents)

Catalina Swim Spas on the ten things we checkCurrent, room, frame, site, running cost, service, warranty and more

Ten things that decide whether a swim spa works for you and lasts, answered for Catalina Swim Spas’s swim spas. Tap any for the detail.

Swim currentTwo or three 'river jets' (four on the Tri-Therapy), on most models fed by the seat…Partly

Catalina makes its current with 'river jets': two on 2- and 3-pump single-zone models and three on 4-pump models and every dual-temp, fed through diverters by the same jet pumps that serve the seats. The C-620 and C-621 dual-temps are the exception, with swim pumps shown feeding only the river jets. The Newporter, Malibu, Monterey and Marathon 18' and 20' sheets call the jets 8-inch and the C-630's lists the same part; the other sheets don't name the fitting. LPI publishes no flow, current width, top speed or air figures. Speed control is one two-speed pump plus single-speed ones, and Balboa's SmartSwim upgrade isn't offered on 4-pump models. Ask to see one run at full speed.

Applies to: All 41 Catalina codes, the Tri-Therapy (4 river jets, no layout published) and the Dr. Wellness S-12 and S-16; the Dr. Wellness E-8 has no swim current.

What this means, and how to check it →catalinaswimspas.com ↗whisperoutdoor.com ↗

Room to swimLPI doesn't publish this. Ask the dealerNot published

LPI gives outside sizes only: from 150 in (S-12) to 250 in (Tri-Therapy) long, 87 to 92 1/2 in wide and 45 to 66 1/2 in tall (the E-8 is a 92 1/2 in square). Seats take one end of every single-zone model and a spa section takes the far end of the dual-temps, and no model has a published open swim length or water depth. The Pool 800 Series is sold as '62″ High', but that's the cabinet, not the water.

Applies to: All 45 models.

What this means, and how to check it →whisperoutdoor.com ↗catalinaswimspas.com ↗

Frame and shellFiberglass-backed acrylic over an ABS base on the dual-temp models; frame material…Partly

LPI's dual-temp and Tri-Therapy sheets list 'Multi-Layered Fiberglass Reinforcement' and 'ABS Bottom Protection', and the Dr. Wellness sheets list multi-layer glass reinforcement, but the single-zone Catalina sheets say nothing about shell backing, frame or base. The only frame detail LPI gives is that the lower half of an inground model's frame is pressure-treated wood wrapped in polyethylene. Structure is warranted 10 years, but no warranty document says what that covers.

Applies to: All Catalina models (detail varies by sheet); Dr. Wellness S-12, S-16, E-8.

What this means, and how to check it →whisperoutdoor.com ↗catalinaswimspas.com ↗

Site prepLPI asks for a 6-8 in steel-reinforced concrete pad and a 60 A, 240 V circuit (two…Partly

LPI's manual calls for a level concrete pad 6 to 8 in thick, reinforced with steel and 8 in larger than the spa, footings below the frost line where ground shifts, no shims, and spreader bars whenever a swim spa is craned. The 2025-26 sheets call for 60 A on every single-zone model code and two circuits on the dual-temps, while LPI's 2023 website lists 50 A for many of the same codes, so have your electrician work from the sheet for your exact model code. Swim spa filled weights run from 13,575 lb (12.6-ft Newporter and Malibu) to 32,750 lb (21' Pool); the E-8 is 9,723 lb.

Applies to: All models; figures per code are in the model files.

What this means, and how to check it →catalinaswimspas.com ↗whisperoutdoor.com ↗

Running costLPI doesn't publish this. Ask the dealerNot published

LPI gives no standby-energy figures, and we found no LPI listing in California's efficiency database. In 2020 LPI settled with California for $77,000 over spas sold there from 2016 to 2019 that didn't meet the efficiency standard or weren't certified, without naming models. Catalina sheets don't say what insulation is standard ('Extreme Foam Insulation' is an upgrade), while Dr. Wellness lists full foam. The patented Heat Flow Manifold and the AnyTemp heat-and-chill upgrade come with no energy data.

Applies to: All models.

What this means, and how to check it →energy.ca.gov ↗cacertappliances.energy.ca.gov ↗

Dual zoneSix dual-temp models, each side with its own pack and 4 kW heater; the Tri-Therapy…Yes

The 16' C-630, 18' and 20' Marathon (C-410, C-411), 21' Marathon (C-420) and 18' and 20' Catalina Dual Temp (C-620, C-621) each run the swim side and a 4- or 6-seat spa side on separate Balboa packs with their own 4 kW heater, touch panel and 100 sq ft of filtration. That doubles the equipment and the circuits: two 240 V supplies, 60 A plus 50 or 60 A depending on which LPI document you read. The Tri-Therapy adds a 90-gallon, one-seat cold tub with a 120 V 1 HP chiller on a third supply.

Applies to: C-410, C-411, C-420, C-620, C-621, C-630 and the Tri-Therapy (C-430).

What this means, and how to check it →whisperoutdoor.com ↗whisperoutdoor.com ↗

Service accessOrdinary jet pumps and Balboa controls behind a marked equipment end; LPI asks for…Yes

LPI's layout sheets mark the equipment access area: the seat end on most models, both ends on the 21' Pool and several inground model codes, and the long side plus the spa end on dual-temps. Its manual asks for 24 in of clearance on that side, 18 in elsewhere and removable deck panels on all four sides. The current runs on standard jet pumps rather than a hydraulic drive, and slice valves let a technician isolate equipment without draining. The manual also says making the spa accessible for service isn't covered by the warranty, and the pack is an LPI-coded Balboa unit ('LPIBP20').

Applies to: All Catalina models; Dr. Wellness layouts mark the equipment side too.

What this means, and how to check it →whisperoutdoor.com ↗catalinaswimspas.com ↗

Warranty terms10 years on structure and 5 on shell, parts and plumbing, but labor stops at 18…Partly

The only warranty LPI publishes for its swim spas is a one-line summary on each spec sheet; nothing says what 'structure' covers, who pays travel or removal, or whether coverage transfers, and the 21' Pool and Tri-Therapy sheets carry no terms at all. LPI's own pages disagree on Dr. Wellness: the S-12 and S-16 sheets say 10 years on structure, while LPI's store blog and comparison page say 5. The manual excludes damage from installation, electrical work, cranes and site preparation, and access costs.

Applies to: All models (Dr. Wellness terms differ; 21' Pool and Tri-Therapy unpublished).

What this means, and how to check it →whisperoutdoor.com ↗whisperoutdoor.com ↗

Cover and lifterAn insulated locking cover is standard on Catalina models, but LPI gives no…Partly

Catalina's Pro-Fit cover is marine-grade vinyl over a 1.25 lb foam insert with a 20-gauge steel frame and locks on the skirt; LPI doesn't say how thick it is, how many sections it has, or which cover any energy test used. No cover lifter is listed as standard or optional for the swim spas. The Dr. Wellness S-12 and S-16 sheets list no cover, and the E-8 comes with a locking hard cover.

Applies to: Catalina models (all list an insulated cover); Dr. Wellness varies.

What this means, and how to check it →catalinaswimspas.com ↗whisperoutdoor.com ↗

Service and originBuilt in Tennessee and sold mainly through LPI's own stores (about 100); its…Partly

LPI builds its spas in two Johnson City, Tennessee plants and sells Catalina swim spas factory-direct through its Whisper Outdoor stores (formerly Aqua Living), which handle warranty claims in-house. Its own July 2026 article counts 20 in-house technicians, up from 8, now covering hot tubs, swim spas, golf carts, UTVs and boats nationwide, so ask who would come to you and from how far. The BBB profile for LPI's parent company logged 101 complaints in three years across all its brands (as of September 2026).

Applies to: All models.

What this means, and how to check it →lpiinc.com ↗whisperoutdoor.com ↗

What Catalina Swim Spas says about itEach claim, what the documents show, and any catch

What Catalina Swim Spas leads with, where it covers the Pool 16' 3-Pump (C-831), and what the documents show.

Only Catalina Swim Spas'The Original Swim Spa', since 1980Catalina calls itself 'The Original Swim Spa' and says it introduced the first swim spa in 1980; the mark is printed on its current…The first swim spa was Curtis's, and today's Catalina is built by LPI

What they sayCatalina calls itself 'The Original Swim Spa' and says it introduced the first swim spa in 1980; the mark is printed on its current spec sheets.

What the documents showCatalina has a long swim spa history, but its own About page says the first swim spa was built by Curtis Swim Spas, which Catalina bought in 1985. The Catalina sold today is an LPI brand built in Tennessee since LPI bought it in 2016.

Who else does itNo other brand we researched claims to have invented the swim spa.

The catch

The first swim spa was Curtis's, and today's Catalina is built by LPI. Catalina's own About page credits the first swim spa to Curtis Swim Spas, bought by Catalina in 1985, and dates Catalina to 1977. LPI bought Catalina in November 2016 and moved production from Perris, California to Tennessee; its CEO said in 2017 it kept Catalina's designs but would trim the range.

Few othersFactory-direct prices, thousands off MSRPLPI sells Catalina and Dr. Wellness swim spas in its own Whisper Outdoor stores and says selling factory-direct removes dealer…Every model was a third off MSRP on LPI's own store pages

What they sayLPI sells Catalina and Dr. Wellness swim spas in its own Whisper Outdoor stores and says selling factory-direct removes dealer markups of 30 to 50 percent; every store page shows a big saving against MSRP.

What the documents showSkipping a dealer can lower the price, but the saving is measured against an MSRP LPI sets itself. On September 27, 2026 every one of the 45 swim spas in LPI's store was priced 33.3 to 36.8 percent under that MSRP for cash (26.3 to 30.0 percent financed). Compare real prices across brands, not the 'savings'.

Who else does itFew swim spa makers own a national store chain; most sell through independent dealers.

Partly a catch

Every model was a third off MSRP on LPI's own store pages. The store was running a 'Red Tag Clearance Sale' ending October 5, so prices move, but the uniform 33-37 percent gap suggests the MSRP isn't a useful benchmark. LPI's sister brand Pinnacle lists the 21' Marathon Dual Temp at $30,999 against Catalina's $52,499 MSRP.

Few othersAnyTemp: heat or chill the waterLPI's AnyTemp Hot and Cold Spa System combines a heater and a water chiller so the spa can be cooled as well as heated, which LPI…

What they sayLPI's AnyTemp Hot and Cold Spa System combines a heater and a water chiller so the spa can be cooled as well as heated, which LPI pitches for hot climates.

What the documents showIt's an extra-cost upgrade on every Catalina model, not standard, and LPI publishes no cooling capacity, energy use or price for it. LPI owns a 2010 patent for a spa with a water-chilling assembly (US 7,712,161, assigned to LPI in 2019).

Who else does itCooling is uncommon on swim spas; the other brands we researched that offer it do so with optional or add-on heat pumps (Master Spas' Temp+Control and PDC's TempLock, for example) rather than a heater-plus-chiller package.

Few othersInground-ready versions of seven familiesSeven of the 13 Catalina families come in 'inground' versions built to sit 24 in below grade, with the lower half of the frame in…

What they saySeven of the 13 Catalina families come in 'inground' versions built to sit 24 in below grade, with the lower half of the frame in pressure-treated wood wrapped in polyethylene.

What the documents showA purpose-built inground model is a real option for a flush install, but its cabinet is 13 to 26 in longer than the portable version (except on the 21' Pool), the lower frame is wood below grade, and LPI's manual says making the spa accessible for service isn't covered by the warranty.

Who else does itMost makers only allow recessed installs; Catalina sells dedicated inground models.

Applies to: Freestyle, Monterey, 16'-18' Catalina, 18'-20' dual-temps, 16'-18' Pool and 21' Pool families

1 more Catalina Swim Spas selling point

Few othersBuilt in Tennessee, serviced by the factoryLPI builds its swim spas in Johnson City, Tennessee and supports them through its own stores and in-house, factory-trained…20 technicians for five product lines across the country

What they sayLPI builds its swim spas in Johnson City, Tennessee and supports them through its own stores and in-house, factory-trained technicians rather than independent dealers.

What the documents showThe plants and store chain are real (two Johnson City plants over 444,000 sq ft; 90 to 100+ stores), but LPI's July 2026 article counts 20 in-house technicians for hot tubs, swim spas, golf carts, UTVs and boats nationwide.

Who else does itA maker-owned store and service network is unusual; most brands rely on independent dealers.

The catch

20 technicians for five product lines across the country. LPI says its technician team grew from 8 to 20; ask where the nearest technician is based and who else services the brand locally. The BBB profile for LPI's parent company logged 101 complaints in three years across all its brands (as of September 23, 2026), and a 2026 owner review describes a 21-ft dual-temp swim spa that had to be replaced.

Warranty10 yr structure · 5 yr equipment · 1.5 yr labor

Years of cover as Catalina Swim Spas publishes them. Who pays labor, travel and removal matters as much as the years, so read the card before you sign.

Structure: 10 years
Shell surface: 5 years
Equipment: 5 years
Plumbing: 5 years
Labor: 1.5 years

What the card saysOnly a one-line summary is published (structure 10, shell 5, components 5, plumbing 5, labor 18 months); no warranty document.

Only a one-line summary is published (structure 10, shell 5, components 5, plumbing 5, labor 18 months); no warranty document. LPI's manual excludes damage from improper installation, electrical work, site preparation and crane handling, and says making the spa accessible for service (for example through decking) is not covered.