51' BRAZAPI Erik Lerouge

[boating2go]

The guy docked next to me is thinking of buying this boat:

2005 BRAZAPI Erik Lerouge Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Being a normal human being with curiosity I have been looking for reviews of the boat on line to no avail. Anyone know any thing about them?

The guy that is interested in it has high praise for them. I do not know if he is only enthusiastic about the boat or the stats he cites are true. He tends to fixate when excited about something.

[scarab]

The company Brazapi moved from Belgium to Sri Lanka in 2008.
I talked to the manager while visiting the factory in 2007 about catamarans
in general. His ambition was always building the fastest, lightest and most practical
( KISS principle ) catamarans on the market. Al the catamarans build in Gent, Belgium were very labor-intensive and since Belgian labor costs are the highest in Europe the company moved to Sri lanka.
Now the company is called Barramundi : Welcome to Barramundi | Barramundi boats

Greetz,

Koen

[FLLCatsailor]

Looks like a neat boat... He'll have a harder time selling her down the road when he is ready TI get out of her...

[Sand crab]

That's an absolutely beautiful boat, but.........
Isn't it sitting low in the aft end? Check out pic #66. Imagine this with full cruising stuff and people.
Only a 3' draft? For a 51' cat. Hmm.

[Palarran]

It'd be a bargain at half the price, maybe (IMO). For $800k you can pretty much get any, and I mean any, 50'ish cat.

[FLLCatsailor]

Originally Posted by Palarran

It'd be a bargain at half the price, maybe (IMO). For $800k you can pretty much get any, and I mean any, 50'ish cat.

That's what I was thinking as well...

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Palarran

It'd be a bargain at half the price, maybe (IMO). For $800k you can pretty much get any, and I mean any, 50'ish cat.

Lightness costs money. TO make a boat light but still strong requires more money. Custom interiors cost money. Not saying its the right price, or not, just that a 50 foot 6.5 tonne boat built with epoxy is always going to be more expensive than a polyester 50 footer that weighs 12 tonne.

[smj]

Originally Posted by Palarran

It'd be a bargain at half the price, maybe (IMO). For $800k you can pretty much get any, and I mean any, 50'ish cat.

Ouch!'your right. But this cat was designed to perform and does probably perform. Maybe worth more than the other $800k 50'ish cats?

[truckman]

Originally Posted by boating2go

The guy docked next to me is thinking of buying this boat:

2005 BRAZAPI Erik Lerouge Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Being a normal human being with curiosity I have been looking for reviews of the boat on line to no avail. Anyone know any thing about them?

The guy that is interested in it has high praise for them. I do not know if he is only enthusiastic about the boat or the stats he cites are true. He tends to fixate when excited about something.

I am looking at this boat in the morning. Would be interested in if your friend lost interest in the boat as it is now listed for $649k. Still a bit high, but more in line with what it might be listed properly for. Any other folks with some interest in chiming in I am all ears. It does seem to sit low in the aft end, but might be to the huge 75 HP engines, but it also might be a factor of the design appearing to sit back. The bridge deck clearance is very good and by all appearances at least looking from the outside looked very good.
I too have had a difficult time finding the pedigree for this yacht. Just sent out an email too Erik Lerouge asking for some insight.

Thanks in advance.

Dave

[1ercru]

I linked to this boat while I was searching Soubise 50s, when it was still listed at $800k. I considered going down to look at her (she's close), but there are too many other boats that size that seem a bit easier for me to digest.

Appears to be a nice boat, but not that nice (imho), even at it's current price.

Please post up your impressions.

[truckman]

Originally Posted by 1ercru

I linked to this boat while I was searching Soubise 50s, when it was still listed at $800k. I considered going down to look at her (she's close), but there are too many other boats that size that seem a bit easier for me to digest.

Appears to be a nice boat, but not that nice (imho), even at it's current price.

Please post up your impressions.

I will post after I get aboard. I would be interested in what other boats you are looking at and what do you feel this boats shortcomings are

[Ozbullwinkle]

Originally Posted by truckman

I will post after I get aboard. I would be interested in what other boats you are looking at and what do you feel this boats shortcomings are

Just wondering if you did inspect this boat a couple of weeks ago as you intended and what your impression was.

[boating2go]

I never did go aboard and the neighbor, with a little encouragement from the Admiral, decided to keep the boat he has. I know a lot of people like cats but I still prefer a mono hull.

[Sand crab]

Sacrilege!

[Intentional Drifter]

Sorry I'm late to the party, but I know this boat. The original owner was a very experienced sailor and builder (this was his 23rd boat) and he had it done, with Lerouge, but also with his own ideas and specifications. As I recall the story (from around 2009), this one was one of the last (if not the last) boat built in the Belgian yard, there were some serious financial complications at the yard, and the owner had a devil of a time getting the boat completed. If I recall correctly, he ended up having to finish a fair bit of it, himself.

It is a beautiful boat, with a first-class fit-out for everything. She sails marvelously for a cruiser and was rigged for easy single-handing (the owner's wife wasn't interested in the sailing, though she was a quite willing passenger). Lovely people.

I do recall that he had a diesel spill into the interior, I believe on the port side, from a bad fitting. Although it made a mess, it was contained within the boat.

I know I certainly lusted after the boat! As to pricing, who's to say? Custom boats being so difficult to value, but I'll say this: Compared to a Lagoon 500, F-P, or similar sized production boats, this one was significantly better in almost all respects, at least in 2009.

ID