General Info: Astrea 42: Owners?

[BKC]

Originally Posted by chlemaire

Brian (BKC),

Thank you for the detailed reply to all of our questions. Much appreciated!
I will follow up via PM, unless I believe that any of my questions or comments can benefit the group.

Christophe

Hi Christophe:

You are very welcome. Look forward to connecting further.

Brian

[brownman61]

Hello Astrea Owners Group - this should be a nice resource for us all to share info on our new boats. My wife and I have Astrea hull #6 ordered, a ~Sept '18 build. She'll be named Brown Eyed Girl and in charter service in the BVI. The pics we've seen from La Grande Motte look even better than the early renderings. Exciting, but lots to do in a short period of time ...

[BKC]

You'll have seen Aft cabin pic, here is forward cabin.

Also added pic of the forward deck lounge area. Nice set up with seating well in centre which will also make access to forward stowage/tanks/anchor more civilised.

[BKC]

Another pic of that front deck from La Grande Norte courtesy of Stephen Cockcroft, Catamaran Guru. Thank you S.

[BKC]

Originally Posted by brownman61

Hello Astrea Owners Group - this should be a nice resource for us all to share info on our new boats. My wife and I have Astrea hull #6 ordered, a ~Sept '18 build. She'll be named Brown Eyed Girl and in charter service in the BVI. The pics we've seen from La Grande Motte look even better than the early renderings. Exciting, but lots to do in a short period of time ...

Welcome to the Astrea thread & congrats on your purchase of #6! I'll add you to the list.

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by BKC

Hi All:

Great to see all the interest! I'll start to compile a list of owners with names and emails if people are interested? I'll try to cover the questions/suggestions raised:

LeeV:
1) I'll post our spec later today so others can have a look. You can see the headline spec if you look at DY Abaco site, search for Astrea 42 and click on 'Boat Details' tab. (Sadly, despite being obvious, I had a hard time seeing that tab when first looking a DY charter boats).

2) Your question on FP removing the cabinet above oven. I think you'll find that Hull #1 has the Elba Convection Oven/Microwave combo (which is an option) instead of the gas oven. I'm assuming it is bigger, hence losing the cabinet. So going with standard propane oven (I'm hoping!) saves the cabinet.

Luc:
Congrats on the purchase and thanks so much for the pics from La Grande Motte.

1) Delighted you'll have time to see the boat and try her out as spec'ing from a spreadsheet and digging around options online ain't fun. We've pretty much gone for most options with the exception of the bowsprit and gennaker. We reckoned handling one headsail made more sense for charterers.

Brian,

Looked up your boat at DY and if yours is Luxe, you’re right - you did order everything! 😉. But if your boat is hull #1, isn’t that it in the photos above, which do include a bowsprit?

Thanks for the info on the Elba Convection Oven/Microwave combo; id certainly prefer keeping the cabinet....I think!

Best regards,

[BKC]

I agree. Just hope my assumption is right though. Although I can see they used that Elba appliance in hull#1, I'm only guessing (hoping) that the propane oven preserves the cabinet. Will find out!

[BKC]

Originally Posted by LeeV

Brian,

Looked up your boat at DY and if yours is Luxe, you’re right - you did order everything! 😉. But if your boat is hull #1, isn’t that it in the photos above, which do include a bowsprit?

,

Missed this - sorry. Our boat is Hull #11 so it is the 'luxe' as you say on DY Abaco site. I will post spec. No bowsprit intentionally as I mentioned. It's also 4 cabin + 1 (finished forepeak cabin) as opposed to hull#1 which is the 3 cabin Maestro. This boat's purpose (for us) is an awesome charter & vacation, not live aboard. Maybe next boat!

[BKC]

As promised, have attached our spec for the Astrea 42 hull #11. Delivery due Nov 2018. Spec sheet can be a little hard to follow as some options are already included in the Comfort version which we selected - including the main fridge in galley which was confusing as showed it as an option (refers to a 2nd fridge in galley in place of a freezer - we opted for a freezer, obviously). Also some of the 220v options are automatically replaced with their 110v equivalents as part of this e.g. inverter, shorepower, breaker/distribution panel.

This boat is essentially the Comfort version (which is highest standard spec) which we then added most options from water maker, a/c, freezer, 110v Genset, panel & shore power, cockpit fridge, cushions for forward lounge, upper deck lounge and cockpit. Sailing faster gear in folding props but intentionally no gennaker/bowsprit - two headsails add to complexity for most charterers and Atlantic winds in Abacos are big enough! Also upgraded engines.

There are items on here that won't impact charter price at all (but add lots of cost) but we wanted it spec'd right for a great charter experience and flexibility e.g. cockpit fridge for drinks, high capacity water maker (ouch!), auto hook for mainsail convenience, built in deck plancha (another ouch), finished forepeak cabin etc. Also, we are told that US charters want a/c, Europeans want water makers - we like both. Water for a family in 7 days in the Abacos can run c. $240 (a heck of a lot more than fuel), along with the added flexibility.

Skipped the transom dinghy platform in favor of davits with electric winch based on experience. The rated capacity of the hydraulic system is only 250KG/ 550lbs which sounds way too light to not cause problems. We've had problems with them in the past (not on FP) so can be a maintenance nightmare.

I'm sure there will be questions...

[One Day More]

Originally Posted by BKC

Another pic of that front deck from La Grande Norte courtesy of Stephen Cockcroft, Catamaran Guru. Thank you S.

Thanks for this Thread. We are currently owners of a 2016 Lucia 40 and have a contract to purchase Astrea # 18. The Lucia 40 is a great boat but just looking for a little more space.

[BKC]

G'day and thank you One Day More. Great to hear. My business partner is from Queensland - you living there?
Small extras on Astrea versus Lucia... like the return leg in Galley and added head space will be great I think. Also, nice job on what is already a nice foredeck I think.
Are you sailing her home?? We are having ours delivered most of the way (to USA, before I take it to Bahamas) unless we find some interested ARC explorers....this time. Who knows with next boat. I might be brave enough to do transatlantic. You guys have a slightly longer crossing.

[jefffay]

ACY is Atlantic Cruising Yachts.

We are also putting our 42 in charter. We were just in Annapolis for the spring boat show and met with the ACY commissioning manager who gave us some great suggestions for setting it up right for charter (along with the items that WE wan't onboard. We are also ditching the dingy platform in favor of davits. The 1100lb (i'm told) weight of the platform is ridiculous. We are not getting the folding props. I'm told that he Volvo props are awful and have a 100% failure rate.

We are getting a watermaker, an Aquabase 60l/hr unit that operates on 12v, ~24A. (there is another option for a Spectra Catalina 340 GPD 12v so that's not settled...) Solar will be installed in Annapolis, as many 165w panels that will fit along with a controller for each panel. The solar in Annapolis is better and cheaper than factory. We're plumbing for the washer / dryer, but it is not yet known where it will go. I expect in the same place as the Helia but we'll see. I selected Garmin for electronics, I'm hoping that there will be space for the 12" display at the helm but that's TBD.

The options that I went over with ACY are not final for two reasons; Firstly, there is at least a year to make adjustments, and secondly, it's not yet known what the final options sheet will look like. With ACY, you select factory options and dealer options separately. Right now the plan is to have the boat sent over by freight and much of the work will be done in Annapolis. The man responsible for commissioning with ACY will be heading to France to go over the boat to determine what is and what is not possible.

Some other items in no particular order:

Oceanic version (some comfort items, a-la-carte)
Electric heads
Option 3 on port and stbd bathrooms (4 dry bathrooms, 2 showers)
Fresh water flush for heads
11KW Onan genset (120v 60hz)
Radar
Garmin Panoptix (forward looking sonar)
Bose upgrade
BBQ
Cockpit fridge
AC
Upgraded fans (not factory)
Bowsprite (which we'll likely remove, I've heard that if you want it, get it factory, I'm not sure how this is going to work...)
Profurl upgrade
Upgraded anchor package Mantus 85 with 200ft 3/8" high test chain and 150ft regular rode.

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by BKC

I agree. Just hope my assumption is right though. Although I can see they used that Elba appliance in hull#1, I'm only guessing (hoping) that the propane oven preserves the cabinet. Will find out!

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by BKC

Missed this - sorry. Our boat is Hull #11 so it is the 'luxe' as you say on DY Abaco site. I will post spec. No bowsprit intentionally as I mentioned. It's also 4 cabin + 1 (finished forepeak cabin) as opposed to hull#1 which is the 3 cabin Maestro. This boat's purpose (for us) is an awesome charter & vacation, not live aboard. Maybe next boat!

Totally my fault - in your first post I saw "#1" instead of the "11" as you wrote!

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by jefffay

ACY is Atlantic Cruising Yachts.

We are also putting our 42 in charter. We were just in Annapolis for the spring boat show and met with the ACY commissioning manager who gave us some great suggestions for setting it up right for charter (along with the items that WE wan't onboard. We are also ditching the dingy platform in favor of davits. The 1100lb (i'm told) weight of the platform is ridiculous. We are not getting the folding props. I'm told that he Volvo props are awful and have a 100% failure rate.

We are getting a watermaker, an Aquabase 60l/hr unit that operates on 12v, ~24A. (there is another option for a Spectra Catalina 340 GPD 12v so that's not settled...) Solar will be installed in Annapolis, as many 165w panels that will fit along with a controller for each panel. The solar in Annapolis is better and cheaper than factory. We're plumbing for the washer / dryer, but it is not yet known where it will go. I expect in the same place as the Helia but we'll see. I selected Garmin for electronics, I'm hoping that there will be space for the 12" display at the helm but that's TBD.

The options that I went over with ACY are not final for two reasons; Firstly, there is at least a year to make adjustments, and secondly, it's not yet known what the final options sheet will look like. With ACY, you select factory options and dealer options separately. Right now the plan is to have the boat sent over by freight and much of the work will be done in Annapolis. The man responsible for commissioning with ACY will be heading to France to go over the boat to determine what is and what is not possible.

Some other items in no particular order:

Oceanic version (some comfort items, a-la-carte)
Electric heads
Option 3 on port and stbd bathrooms (4 dry bathrooms, 2 showers)
Fresh water flush for heads
11KW Onan genset (120v 60hz)
Radar
Garmin Panoptix (forward looking sonar)
Bose upgrade
BBQ
Cockpit fridge
AC
Upgraded fans (not factory)
Bowsprite (which we'll likely remove, I've heard that if you want it, get it factory, I'm not sure how this is going to work...)
Profurl upgrade
Upgraded anchor package Mantus 85 with 200ft 3/8" high test chain and 150ft regular rode.

I'd not dismiss the folding Volvo props before asking folks that actually use them a great deal vs what a salesperson says. Check with Cotemar on the FP owners list on FB - he'll give you the straight info.

Bowsprit - if you intend to fly anything (e.g., we fly our Code 0 now, and will do so when we purchase our Astrea) from a sprit, have it done at the factory. Unless they've made a massive tooling change, it's not just a simple sprit braced off the forebeam, but actually runs back under the tramp as a part of the structure.

Congrats!