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Intentional Drifter · 01-09-2009, 13:32

And very pretty she is, i2f!

Just like I never tire of looking at my own (photo courtesy of Sunspot Baby):

ID

imagine2frolic · 01-09-2009, 15:13

I.D.,

I can see why....great shot........i2f

weedeater64 · 05-10-2009, 23:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octopus

I've been reared on classic yachts, such as those designed by Alfred Mylne, and every time someone decribes a catamaran as a 'beautiful cat' I stop in my tracks. Are they serious? I can think of many positive adjectives to describe catamarans, but beautiful, graceful and elegant are three that I would never use. Is it just me, or do others have this problem too?

Don't get me wrong, I think catamaran's in general are wonderful and some over 50ft look almost elegant, occasionally verging on the graceful and once in a while bordering on the beautiful, but for me they never quite make the grade. Which is a shame, because many people have said of my boat, "what a beautiful boat" and I've just thought "yeah, yeah, stop patronising me". This attitude detracts from my enjoyment.

Please convince me that 'beautiful catamaran' is not an oxymoron.

Chris

There is nothing uglier than a huge hunk of lead attached to a boat.

Talbot · 06-10-2009, 01:40

Whenever the conversation on cats shifts to comparison of elegance, the Lagoon gets a bad press (deservedly so). This is a design that puts practicallity way above looks. Those (horrible) vertical windows maximise space and provide a great view from inside the saloon. Thus as a charter cat where the experience for the charterer is the major requirement, the lagoon design ethos does make sense.

But it is still plug ugly!

**sneuman** · 06-10-2009, 04:21

I have seen one or two catamarans that were not unattractive.

There, I said it.

44'cruisingcat · 09-12-2009, 12:18

I like it.

**David M** · 09-12-2009, 12:46

There is often beauty in things that function well.

A few things some to mind...
The Space Shuttle
A Formula One race car
The Hubble Space Telescope.
A blown up view of a CPU chip.
A racing bicycle
The Blue Angels

From an artists perspective, sure, many catamarans can be beautiful.

zydecotoad · 10-12-2009, 05:15

The Wharram designed catamarans are the one that look most beautiful to me.

James Wharram Designs -Home of the self-build Catamaran.

clockwork orange · 10-12-2009, 06:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laidback

Every time I see these of Lagoon windows it puts me off cats ---

Until I see one of Schionning's designs

Laidback,while to have to agree that the Lagoon is definatly a 3 bagger i was sailing on a Catana back in 99 which was a pretty decent looking cat but pretty much every aspect that made it so was totally impractical in the florida/bahama climate,it needed permenant shade cloth covers over the windows to keep from cooking the interior for gods sake,We visited a new Lagoon and from the inside those windows sure look beutiful and it was much cooler,there is no way i would put looks ahead practicality.
Steve.

**David M** · 10-12-2009, 07:11

Perhaps if Lagoon canted them forward slightly, made them slightly smaller and had less of them? They resemble an aquarium tank. Not that that's good or bad. I'm sure many like the look.

creakyboy · 10-12-2009, 14:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by zydecotoad

The Wharram designed catamarans are the one that look most beautiful to me.

James Wharram Designs -Home of the self-build Catamaran.

cept now i'm glued to the comp dreaming for a few hours yet again

creakyboy · 10-12-2009, 14:26

course there is that 14m schioning anchored just over there that has "bad creaky" thinking pirate thoughts

clockwork orange · 11-12-2009, 19:07

David M,im not sure that anyone could actually like the look of the Lagoon but they seem to sell plenty so there must be a lot of folks willing to put function first which is a good thing.On the other hand many people seem to find the shionnings attractive,i dont,i find the styling way over the top with the giant radiuses everywhere and too much slope on everything they look like a cartoon especially in the smaller sizes.The styling i like most is the Gunboat 48,very clean lines,no lumps and bumps,smaller radiuses more upright cabinsides and windows an actual sheerline etc.just my opinion.
Steve.

scook1 · 11-12-2009, 19:32

I find that typically cats are less aesthetically pleasing to me than a classic mono hull. Especially one that has sails full and is heeling over healthily. Take a tour inside and then the cats make me blush. Although marketing pictures make them look sterile and not "homey" so do the pictures for any production boat. It is the sailors job to make the boat homey regardless of how many hulls it has. Just some thoughts,
Spencer