Howdy Jobberone.
I looked at both boats you linked. Both are nice. Big difference in cost though.
If you have the
money for the 2006 Cat (about $500K) and you want a sugar scoop or easy entry to the
water for
diving AND you want to enjoy a luxurious
retirement on the boat, I would suggest taking a look at a boat I recently learned about that looks VERY nice and would be ideal for cruising the waters of
Florida,
Bahamas, or
Caribbean.
NOTE: I have no connection to the boat or brokers or manufacturers. I am simply passing on information about a boat I found very interesting and one that appeals to me for similar purposes (retirement, live aboard, cruising shallow waters of
Florida, Keys,
Bahamas, Caribbean).
46RK | Seaward Yachts
The Hake
Seaward 46RK is a very different kind of boat that has some of the best features of a cat (low draft of only 2' 5" with
keel raised), can be beached, and can be equipped with TWIN 75 HP
diesel engines (since you have a
power boat background). The boat is made in Florida. The manufacturer has many videos that show the boat features and construction and
interior.
Price is about $400- $500K for the 2014 model that is 46 feet long. It has three double berths (with dinette becoming fourth double if you need).
The
interior is very nice, the master stateroom is large (with centerline queen) the
head has a separate
shower (and looks very nice) and the
cockpit looks very comfortable for both sailing (captains chair is raised) and for lounging.
You should see the transom (watch the videos) as it has a large platform that looks ideal for entering with
SCUBA gear. I SCUBA dive too, and this boat looks like it was made for that kind of enjoyment in lagoons or
remote places. And I like that both the
keel and the twin rudders can be raised for entering very shallow waters or beaching the boat.
I like cats. At the $400K
price point (or less), my choice would be a
Lagoon 380 for a couple who does not need to take a lot of guests. But there are many nice cats, and larger ones can be very luxurious.
There are some other things that may or may not be important to you regarding this boat compared to a cat.
1. It should be easier to find a marina berth for it (it is a mono)
2. It may be less expensive to keep in a marina (it is a mono)
3. It may sail with better pointing (going up
wind or going to windward) ability due to being a mono with a ballasted bulb keel that can be lowered