Catamarans - Current Market Situation

[tuskie]

Originally Posted by Kiwi.

Here's a link from a Yachting test that includes a Lagoon and FP: Cruising Catamarans On Test – with surprising results! | Multihull Solutions

No real surprises there. The British have been a bit "one eyed" with respect to catamarans since the French started to specialise in them. (with a few exceptions who are regular contributors to this forum)

Flick through a pile of past copies at the local library to get an idea that according to "Yachting World": yacht = monohull. YW's main objection to catamarans is that they didn't like their aesthetics. IMHO that's probabably due to a lack of familiarity and certainly a subjective criticism. Terms such "bulky" and "slab sided lumps" indicate a lack of objectivity.
I blame the French.

How about getting back to the thread topic; what are Cats selling for?

I can't help. Went to an auction of Lagoon 470 in Brisbane last month and there were no real bidders. Just a few yachtie observers hoping for a good price to encourage themselves to buy overseas, import and sell for a profit. Everyone was disappointed.

[webejammin]

I liked the artical especially at the end where they mentioned the Gemini 105Mc like ours. I would like to read an artical about catamarans that have dagger boards and center boards both carbon and fiberglass, I think that you would see more performance boats in that test.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by webejammin

I liked the artical especially at the end where they mentioned the Gemini 105Mc like ours. I would like to read an artical about catamarans that have dagger boards and center boards both carbon and fiberglass, I think that you would see more performance boats in that test.

Dazcat british built are definitily performance orientated and certainly not condo's.

Dazcat custom performance cruising catamarans and trimarans home page

[Dragon Lady]

Back to the original topic, it seems the market in Australia has been very quiet for the last year and it will be sometime before things pick up.
I'm hearing of a lot of people trying sell but getting no offers despite modest price reductions.
Looking on yachtworld today the FP Lavezzi prices are the same at the bottom but the top end appears to have eased a bit.
I guess everyone has dug in for the long haul waiting for the market to recover.

[muskoka]

Originally Posted by webejammin

I liked the artical especially at the end where they mentioned the Gemini 105Mc like ours. I would like to read an artical about catamarans that have dagger boards and center boards both carbon and fiberglass, I think that you would see more performance boats in that test.

What I like about the Gemini is that there are literally hundreds of Owners giving them feedback and the good ideas end up in the boats. They seem to have focused on incremental improvements rather than chasing the latest stylistic trend. We saw one at the Southampton Boat Show a few years ago and both of us loved it.

Personally, I'd agree that daggerboards are essential performance enhancers. Mini keels just don't provide equivalent lift, and I'd prefer the 'hassle' of daggerboards to the convenience of the keels. Well, I guess I'll add that to the list of criteria for selecting our next boat.....

[Jimbo485]

How about a Kelsall 40 with dagger boards and rotating mast? The clearance is a little low but is a decent performer.

Don't hold your breath but you can buy ours in Australia in a couple of years.

[Wavewacker]

Originally Posted by shadow

I feel your pain Dragon Lady. I know of this broker that has a very small marina with about 8 or so yachts and refuses to sell any of them until the market pics up?!?! (he owns the yachts himself) Yeah, that makes a lot of business sense, instead of selling the yachts and get something, that isn't that far off the asking price, he'll wait until, possibly, the market will pick up and he can sell it at a huge profit?!?! All the while, his dead assets are eating up his capital and lord knows what else...

I guess all you can do is just negotiate when you do find the one that really meets your every wants and needs.. good luck, regardless!!!

I know a dealer who bought a new MacGreggor 26X when they came out and I would drive by his lot, it sat there for years and he wouldn't come down on it, the place is now closed and he retired. While it's not a cat, I don't understand having a floor plan (financing) going for 5,6,7 years and not dumping inventory or having your own funds sit idle and depreciating.

[ausaviator]

If you purchased a new boat for the yard and prices drop, it's better to pay the monthly finance figure and claim the depreciation on it if you can. That will cost you for example $500 per month. That is better than having to find $5k + straight off to pay back to the finance company to cover the loss straight up.... Why not keep paying he monthly costs rather than sell at a loss. Makes sense to me. By the time the market picks up if it does you will also owe less on it in theory.

At least of you are pay out monthly costs you know what you can afford versus once off loss payments when you offload your stock.

[Dragon Lady]

When I started this thread I was a buyer,now I'm an owner so the shoe is on the other foot.
I'm just hoping I can get a lot of use out of our boat and not have to sell for quite a while if ever because the euro has just hit a new low against the AUD today so prices are going to be even lower now.

[ausaviator]

Dragonlady, can you refresh my memory please, did you ever tell us about the "different kind of arrangement" you had when you bought your Lavazzi? Something about the arrangements being arse-about with the offer process?

[timbenner]

Dragon Lady,
I haven't been following this thread in it's entirety, so I didn't know you bought a FP, Lavezzi 40. Congratulations, nice boat.

I've got a Lagoon 380 Owner's version, which is roughly the same weight as yours and have been very puzzled about the new Lagoons. The Lagoon 40 shows displacement of 22,535 lbs, the 380 and Lavezzi 40 roughly 16,000 lbs. What's happened to the new Lagoons?? Are they building them with LEAD? That's a 37+% increase in weight for roughly the same length.

[Dragon Lady]

Originally Posted by ausaviator

Dragonlady, can you refresh my memory please, did you ever tell us about the "different kind of arrangement" you had when you bought your Lavazzi? Something about the arrangements being arse-about with the offer process?

There was no offer process, the price was fixed so it was a take it or leave it situation.
The vendor did however fix all the defects found on the survey except the loose rudder bearing which I am about to get fixed.

[Dragon Lady]

Originally Posted by timbenner

Dragon Lady,
I haven't been following this thread in it's entirety, so I didn't know you bought a FP, Lavezzi 40. Congratulations, nice boat.

I've got a Lagoon 380 Owner's version, which is roughly the same weight as yours and have been very puzzled about the new Lagoons. The Lagoon 40 shows displacement of 22,535 lbs, the 380 and Lavezzi 40 roughly 16,000 lbs. What's happened to the new Lagoons?? Are they building them with LEAD? That's a 37+% increase in weight for roughly the same length.

Sorry no idea, I guess they are building to the demands of the charter market which accounts for most of their sales.

[Barra]

Originally Posted by Dragon Lady

When I started this thread I was a buyer,now I'm an owner so the shoe is on the other foot.
I'm just hoping I can get a lot of use out of our boat and not have to sell for quite a while if ever because the euro has just hit a new low against the AUD today so prices are going to be even lower now.

Had a chuckle at this Dragonlady. AUD/EUR touched 81.7 today and the hunt is on for a french cat in earnest now! Been wading through this thread and the importing a boat one so hopefully im pretty well armed!

thanks

[Barra]

timbenner

Dont quote me but apparently alot of the weight in the lagoons comes from how they drop whole prefabricated compartments into the hulls ie the saloon is a module, so is a cabin etc. Means they can churn em out but effectively not too weight efficient obviously.

At least thats what i was told by an FP distributor so take it with a grain!