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Old 12-02-2013, 09:43   #1
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Catamaran with layout suited for a family of five

I've been reading through the forums and online extensively and am trying to figure out which of the smaller cats (34-38feet) are best suited for a family of five, with three small children.
It seems that there are either:
Charter versions - 4 cabins. Downside is that there is no 'master', so the parents' cabin is pretty small and dark, while the other cabins are big compared to what is really needed for a 3-6 year old child.
Owner's version - 3 cabins. Great master cabin, but missing an extra single bed.

I tried to look for layouts that have an Owner's version that can accommodate another single bed somewhere. Each had its own downside. For example:
- Gemini 105 - the double cabins seem too small to split them up (for two kids). There is an option to convert the settee to a double bed, but that is problematic as a long term solution.
- Seawind 1000 - An interesting layout where there are 3 cabins + a double bed. But seems that there is no privacy for the master cabin, as you need to reach the single cabin through the master cabin.

Any ideas for Owner's version solution that can accommodate a third child? The smaller the better (due to price). Any ideas for possible mods of a Gemini 105?

Thanks!
-Oren
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Old 12-02-2013, 13:12   #2
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Re: Catamaran with layout suited for a family of five

The Lagoon 380, 4 cabin layout should work just fine and, while there will be no 'owner's stateroom', I believe that you would find the two larger staterooms to be neither 'dark', nor particularly small. They have virtually a queen size berth with good headroom, decent storage and good lighting and ventilation.

Put another way, it you want 4 cabins (or at least, 4 dedicated sleeping areas) and want one of these to be what is typically called an 'owner's stateroom' with separate seating, a desk etc., you are looking for a larger boat.

Brad
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Old 12-02-2013, 20:04   #3
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Re: Catamaran with layout suited for a family of five

Or if you already have the Gemini, you can forgo the hanging locker and turn the "downstairs" starboard bow compartment of the owner's stateroom into a separate berth by building a berth in the space forward of the ladder up into the stateroom. That would work well in terms of keeping your youngest close by, and you still have privacy in your actual berth, although you might want at least a curtain if you plan on changing in the standing area forward of the galley. Most long-term oceanic cruisers don't use their hanging locker space very efficiently anyway: split anything that MUST be hung between the two aft cabin HLs along with whatever the occupant of the aft cabin must hang. You will not need it often, though. And there will be storage beneath the new berth: you can put drawers in the aft-facing surface of that berth, and put cutout doors in the berth platform to allow access to the storage forward of that, under the mattress. Use a compact fluorescent light so the little one can have light without too much heat (avoids bulb burns, too, since the light for that bunk is likely to be easy to reach).

Hope that all helps: we reconfigured a Prout Snowgoose to an owner-cabin configuration from the extended salon configuration, and cut back and raised that forward starboard berth, turning it into a large refrigerator with storage forward. We got the teak trim from Buck Woods in Marathon, FL. Very reasonable prices and the teak finished beautifully!
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Old 14-02-2013, 12:47   #4
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Re: Catamaran with layout suited for a family of five

HI There,
we modified our Chris White Atlantic 46lr so that it was suitable for a circumnavigation with our 2 children.....1.5 and 3.5 when we started. It was relatively easy and they loved the bunk beds. Now the oldest sleeps in the fore cabin leaving one bunk clear, so could easily work for 3 small children. Check out our website which has loads of pictures, you will see the bunks in the interior shots. www.sailpegasus.com
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Old 14-02-2013, 17:39   #5
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Re: Catamaran with layout suited for a family of five

Sure, lots of them, but from your post I'm inferring that cost is a constraint -- which rules out a lot of larger/newer cats. That limits your options. Why not also consider monohulls? There are some very comfortable older mono's out there too and the price point is less painful. Guflstar's for example.

I've run a lot of family charters (on cats and monos) and something I always try to make sure get's asked of families is "what are your possible sleeping arrangements"? This makes a big difference in which boats are suitable. You mention 3 children -- is it safe to assume that 2 of them can share a cabin?

Cases in point: Fully crewed charter last year for a family of 3 for which a Logoon 50 was the only boat they found acceptable (rather high-maintenance guests). In contrast, a captain-only charter for a family of 6 a few years ago, on my Wildcat 35, which worked out quite well (4 cabins, 2 heads, mom and dad in one cabin, two older girls in one, two younger girls in one, me in one...all happy and comfortable).
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