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Old 19-02-2018, 10:55   #1
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Catamaran Living

Hello all!

I have a couple questions to anyone that has spent time sailing the Caribbean and then circumnavigated or is thinking about it.

I have 3 years until I retire at 57. I'm sailing every chance I get and reading everything I can get my hands on. I have only sailed on a cat. My question is

1) What is the best size cat to live and sail on? I have been looking at 38 to 45 but I know most sailing will be done by myself as my wife will be reading or relaxing HA HA HA. I want it big enough to cross the ocean after a year or 2 mastering my sailing in the Caribbean but not to big where the cost of the maintenance will suck my savings until my pension and social security kick in. I'm leaning to the 38 to 40 and maybe 2010 or newer

2) what is your favorite cat? I have been looking at the Lagoon, Leopard, Fountain Pajot.

Thank you for your input as my journey begins.
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Old 19-02-2018, 10:59   #2
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pirate Re: Catamaran Living

My favourite is the Tiki 38..
But for you I suggest a Lagoon 380.. anything with a flybridge would be folly.
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Old 21-02-2018, 06:22   #3
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Re: Catamaran Living

Ok, I will bite: My favorite cruising cats are the Leopard, then FP. If I had more $ then it would Outremer for their sailing performance.

But your raise some important concerns in question #1. There is no right answer to what size is best. Small cats vs big cats have their pros and cons. Everything has a trade-off and a consequence.

For example, when the seas are rough - a big cat will be much more comfortable, safe, and fast. However, a small cat is easier to sail, dock, maintain, and haulout.

You can't escape spending serious $$ into the maintenance and repair of your vessel. So if your savings are the limiting factor, then go smaller and start sooner.
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Old 21-02-2018, 07:05   #4
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Re: Catamaran Living

We live on a Leopard 42, 2004 vintage. We were newbies when we bought it but lucky for us this boat came with new electronics and every winch is power. Having the power winches makes for easier handling for 2 noobs.

The 42' is a perfect blend of size and ease of handling for us. We've been quite happy with the Leopard.

My caveat is complexity, the more things on the boat to break means the more time you will spend fixing and more money you will spend. Once you decide on a make then start considering size and components while thinking about breaking, fixing, $$$, breaking fixing, $$$, breaking, fixing, $$$.
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Old 21-02-2018, 07:13   #5
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Re: Catamaran Living

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Originally Posted by MNLandLoc View Post
Everything has a trade-off and a consequence.
I will agree to that!

When we took possession of our Leopard 42 we had a captain on board for a couple of days to explain/demo systems and performance.

We went into the Gulf Stream from Ft. Lauderdale on a day when most wouldn't go. The bridge deck slam was alarming at first but the captain explained it thoroughly and showed us how to lessen it somewhat. It was a good experience for us and now I have convinced myself it is just background music. But it is there and can be loud..
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Old 21-02-2018, 14:46   #6
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Re: Catamaran Living

I live on an Atlantic 42 (chris white) very comfortable, great sailing/cruising characteristics and well suited for a family. (one small daughter, one small GF).
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Old 21-02-2018, 20:03   #7
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Re: Catamaran Living

Check out a Manta. Great boats seriously thought through for a couple to cruise around the world. Great owners group.
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Old 21-02-2018, 20:09   #8
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Re: Catamaran Living

I think the Bahia 46 from Fountaine Pajot is a good choice. You can get them relatively cheaply and then do a major refit. They sail very nicely and IMO look very sexy. Maybe you will have $300k into the boat in the end and it will look great and be mechanically sound.

FWIW, I think it's worth buying a used boat and then working on it as you go for the first two years. You will learn every nook and cranny of the boat.
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Old 22-02-2018, 11:40   #9
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Re: Catamaran Living

Having already sailed a Manta 40 in the Caribbean, then crossed the Pacific. It's a great price point, solidly built, handled easily by one. And... As previously mentioned, has probably one of the most articulate and knowledgeable owners groups out there. That by itself is priceless.
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Old 22-02-2018, 15:50   #10
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Re: Catamaran Living

Check out this great page on catamarans:
Sailing Latest - Cruising Catamarans
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Old 23-02-2018, 01:30   #11
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Re: Catamaran Living

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Originally Posted by freddie1234 View Post
Check out this great page on catamarans:
Sailing Latest - Cruising Catamarans
Someone sure has put in a lot of time over the last month populating an advertising link farm

Hey Freddie, is your real name Andrew by any chance?
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Old 23-02-2018, 04:10   #12
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pirate Re: Catamaran Living

Considering the fact you say most of your sailing may be solo.. avoid flybridge cats like the plague.
Any work done up there is largely unprotected and climbing up and down in a seaway is a hazard in itself.. booms to high, sail difficult to work on.. no way to fix the boom securely to stop the whipping.
They're fantastic for posing along the coast but for serious shorthanded long distance sailing I would not recommend them to anyone.. they are more for the ego than seaman like common sense.
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Old 25-02-2018, 12:21   #13
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Re: Catamaran Living

Quote:
Originally Posted by SV Bacchus View Post
We live on a Leopard 42, 2004 vintage. We were newbies when we bought it but lucky for us this boat came with new electronics and every winch is power. Having the power winches makes for easier handling to break things for 2 noobs.
Fixed it for you!

I don't see the point of going electric on a 42ft cat. Its a cost factor even used, its heavy, especially for newbies its easier to overload and break something, and really most of us are in bad need of the excercise!

Comfort (Lazyness) doesn't count!


Unless of course someone has special conditions, like shoulder surgery or skinny tiny wife not capable of raising the main.



@OP:
Size matters.
For payload reasons I consider the Lagoon 380 minimum size for ocean crossings. Bigger is better, but anythig above 44ft would be obscene for our needs. For some a 40ft cat is an unaffordable luxury yacht while others need the accomodation of 55ft just to accomodate two people.

And age of the design matters - at least as much.
Newer designs have much wider hulls, higher freeboard and tons of accomodation for a given length. That comes at the cost of sailing potential and price.

Designs that were introduced up to mid 2010s are mostly slimmer, lighter, quicker but have less accomodation for the length.
Older designs are often more geared towards sailing and functionality, where newer designs are more intended to please the eye of the landlubber woman.
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Old 25-02-2018, 13:15   #14
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Re: Catamaran Living

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Originally Posted by JKDB702 View Post
1) What is the best size cat to live and sail on?
Go down to your library and read Sensible Cruising and Get Real Get Gone. You can live on anything. It's all about your budget and your minimum criteria, family needs, etc. In my chartering days, I used to always try a different and bigger cat each trip. I finally got to the point where I said, this thing is just too big. Could I learn to handle it, sure. But in a blow or when something breaks, it would be no fun. For me it was a Catana 50, big screecher, wind came up fast. We didn't get in trouble, but some crazy big loads on that rig.

Then go charter or hitch a ride on a variety of cats to find your likes and dislikes. Everyone has pet peeves. I hate not having a comfy seat facing forward with good vis while on passage so I can keep watch, stay warm, and read a book. Few charter cats have that as they are designed for life at anchor.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JKDB702 View Post
2) what is your favorite cat? I have been looking at the Lagoon, Leopard, Fountain Pajot.
Many people love those boats. Would not be my choice as they are optimized for lots of people, short trips, and life at anchor. There are other choices, Seawind, Chris White/Atlantic, Maine Cat, Outremer, Antares, etc that chose different sorts of tradeoffs. No right or wrong answer, just what makes you happy.
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Old 05-03-2018, 02:15   #15
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Re: Catamaran Living

Hi.

I'd suggest any modern cat above 40ft should be fine.

Most high volume production boats from Lagoon or FP are fairly seaworthy (some will argue that!) and have, as a fleet, tons of nautical miles reved up.

I own a plywood 36ft cat myself and we sometimes feel the storage load carrying ability is at a limit (to overloading) when in cruising mode.
Partially this is due to the wish to be self sufficient, which means lots of tools and spares....

All boats can be overloaded and multis lend themselves particularly to this.

Good luck!
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