Catamarans on a Budget ... Can It Be Done ?

[Dulcesuenos]

Originally Posted by dallsbeep

True Belize, I just feel more comfortable on them because i have worked on them for such a long time. Plus I really like how much room they have. I will be joining a sailing club once i get back up to Juneau and will try out some mono hulls to see if i like them as well.

Another plus to having catamarans is that my girlfriend wouldnt get seasick. which she tends to do on skiffs and such but not on my work boats.

A 30 ish ft cat will have entirely diff motion than a larger boat or even a same sized mono Before dropping 50k into anything you should find someone or charter say even a gemini. And see if it is ok with. My wife could deal with ANY seaway on our 31 mono. But hates even a remotely choppy confused sea on our cat the short hurkyjerky motion just kills her but I don't even notice it. If. U r serious there is a decent gemini in fl for 40K and a nice 90'S proud event in fl for 60k. Still what would u do if u got it and she just couldn't stand the motion?

[David_Old_Jersey]

Remember to factor in where you are buying (cost and aggro of both buying and relocating) - am guessing that the choice in your locale is rather restricted. Given that your region can have some serious weather might be worth sticking with the sort of boats that are common - no matter the number of hulls.

At your price point I would be looking at Mono's, or a self build (a s/h plywood DIY boat would be outside my comfort zone) or maybe a Tri, but that mainly because I love the idea! (never owned one though!). Downside to a Tri will probably be budget meaning small accomadation and / or old (and plywood?)....but not so much heel as a Mono, albeit more than a Cat.

Welcome to the world of choices!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, dallsbeep.

[Tropic Cat]

Originally Posted by dallsbeep

I am a young pup, 25 years old if you are wondering. I have been working in Alaska 4 years seasonally on a 78 foot whale watching catamaran and am looking into buying a smaller catamaran within the next few years. I of course am looking now trying to read up on what i like and dont like about certain models.

There is one thing that ive been seeing thats killing me. The pricepoint!....

So much advice in less than 24 hours. Isn't the internet great?

Guys, before you recommend boats, someone should figure out what and where the boat is going to be used.

First question is what are you planning on doing with the boat? Live aboard? Cruise? Or weekend sailor?

What's the cruising ground? Alaska?

How many people aboard?

[smj]

Originally Posted by Tropic Cat

So much advice in less than 24 hours. Isn't the internet great?

Guys, before you recommend boats, someone should figure out what and where the boat is going to be used.

First question is what are you planning on doing with the boat? Live aboard? Cruise? Or weekend sailor?

What's the cruising ground? Alaska?

How many people aboard?

He went through that on his first post. A bluewater cat that could sail between Alaska and Hawaii for himself and his wife.

[Eleven]

I had a 31ft Prout for a couple of years. I was a complete newbie, but I'd read a lot, listened alot, and wanted to learn on something that would do a lot.
It took care of me. I never felt at risk thanks to the high sided cockpit that seemed so safe on normal waters. We did get hit side on a by a big breaker once that knocked us off out feet, but we stayed in the cockpit!!!
Generally sailed at 5 to 7kts, usually at about a third of the wind speed, so not fast but it will always get you there. Never played with the spinnaker though, it would have helped.
Accommodation: For a sheltered night. Sleeps 5 in three cabins, a couple more (or a bunch of kids) in the saloon. Cockpit is a bit crowded for busy tacking with four in it, and being in the saloon does lead to sea sickness in choppy waters.
For cruising it will take two to four, two on overlapping watches at a time.
Poor Weather ability. It will sail off a lee shore in F7 on a sliver of genoa and stay sail, making two or three knots for stearage way while you wait it out. It did start to get wet over the top, just spray, in F6 but making 50deg off the wind into a choppy sea. Never got it into deeper waters, my basic nav was off charts, and no Chart Plotter then, but I think it would have been OK in longer swells, and up to f9 running downwind. 30 degrees either side of true down wind she was very stable, and no tendancy to broach at all. Saw 14.7kts briefly surfing past the Needles.
For a live aboard it really is superb, all on one level, comfy seating, warm (for the UK) enough for me to have a suntan all winter. Frost on the decks after a clear night, kettle on and the boats warmed up. By the times breakfast is cooked it's door open and let in the sunshine.
Prouts don't sell very often, most owners keep them for a several years.
The 34ft is similar, the 37ft SnowGoose is a serious world cruiser, ocean capable.
They've been around a long time, very safe.
Have a look at MultihullWorld wide range of what's available and you can search your price range there too.
My wife had a cancers scare (now fully clear) that put an end to our Med Cruise plans. I've got a weekend mono now, 21ft Jaguar. Gets me out on the water.
Good Luck.

[belizesailor]

The subject "Cat on a budget..." reminded me of the most budget efficient cat I have ever seen. Pic attached.

Like many small Cuban vessels it was quite ingenious: two truck inner tubes cut and re-sealed into a hot-dog-like shape. There really should be a museum for these Cuban vessels.

"Cat on a $20 budget"....no problema!

[Sand crab]

Check out my old thread.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...lls-71781.html
Asking price is just that. Money talks.

[salticrak]

Yes of course it can be done,with your down time you could build a wharram tiki 30 and have some change over from that 50k.I am building the tiki 26 which will probably cost me 26K when all is done.
whatever you do,good luck.
cheers paul.

[wasafari]

Production cats is never chip even its 10 year old. So think about building - not buying. I have decided to build Waller 1160, its a Mike Waller design, you can see it on his website.
My material approximate schedule is: 25000 EUR - complete finished hulls , decks and superstructure including furniture. 30000 EUR for propulsion - 2 Nanny 21 HP, Sail Drives, Folding props, fuel tanks etc.
15000 EUR for top grade complete electronics, navigation and electrics for Ocean cruising.
10000 EUR for deck equipment.
40000 EUR for mast boom and sails
15000 EUR for water maker, solar panels, gas, head, frig etc.
Its about 135000 EUR . You have to add your labor and some additional stuff you have. According to me its a good number for 38 ft (cat 1160x680 cm).
So under this numbers you have absolutely perfect cat - going anywhere - with huge space for living aboard.

[SearenitySail]

1972 Iroquois 30 $21,500

1972 Sailcraft Iroquois Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

If the link above is deleted or edited and you don't get to the site:

yachtworld dot com/boats/1972/Sailcraft-Iroquois-2277071/

IMHO, the best 30' catamaran on the market under $30k US (and even better than some more expensive cats)!

Good luck!

Marshall

[Tropic Cat]

Originally Posted by wasafari

Production cats is never chip even its 10 year old. So think about building - not buying. I have decided to build Waller 1160, its a Mike Waller design, you can see it on his website.
My material approximate schedule is: 25000 EUR - complete finished hulls , decks and superstructure including furniture. 30000 EUR for propulsion - 2 Nanny 21 HP, Sail Drives, Folding props, fuel tanks etc.
15000 EUR for top grade complete electronics, navigation and electrics for Ocean cruising.
10000 EUR for deck equipment.
40000 EUR for mast boom and sails
15000 EUR for water maker, solar panels, gas, head, frig etc.
Its about 135000 EUR . You have to add your labor and some additional stuff you have. According to me its a good number for 38 ft (cat 1160x680 cm).
So under this numbers you have absolutely perfect cat - going anywhere - with huge space for living aboard.

Why don't you just buy a new Gemini 105MC ... a bit smaller yet it's the same price.. and you will be sailing instead of building for the next 3 years??? Not only that, when it comes time to sell, a production boat will...SELL.

A custom designer boat will never command the attention of the buying public that a production boat will.

[Boatguy30]

A Gemini is like a Buick. Lots of old retired people like them. They are not good driving cars geminis are not good sailing boats. That said, the Waller and easy cats look a lot like the Gemini as Gemini copied the aussie design ideas for there remodel several years back. I am building a woods vardo cat because it will sail well and be distinctive.

Also, there are tons of geminis for sale at the moment. These boats are going to go down in value a ton in the next several years due to over supply on the second hand market.

I believe this guy originally wanted. Blue water boat and something like an Iroquois is not suitable for that. They are very narrow beam and do not have the correct hull buoyancy/ beam combo to be safe offshore. the
Proust, ect have fat enough hulls to be somewhat safe on there narrow beam.

[Thumbs Up]

We bought our Hitchhiker 40 plywood cat, built in '97 for well under $100,000 a little over a year ago. Still working on it everyday. Having to glass the entire cabintop, deck, and cockpit area but we have cruised from Florida to Guatemala to Bay Islands. Now in Mexico and will be returning to Guatemala soon. I am a carpenter and experienced with wooden boat repair and epoxy. We have a lot of the features of a big cat: galley up, two heads, two double cabins, two single cabins, sliding doors, and twin diesel engines with saildrives. It is hard to know what you are getting into with a plywood boat and some of the repairs can be extensive but now that the major repair work is done she is a pretty good boat. Plywood is given a bad rap because there are many bad examples but it is light and performs well you just have to make sure that no water gets in. I eventually hope to sell this boat for well over $100,000 but that is way less than you could get a similarly equipped production cat of the same size for. I am open to inquiries, we are planning on Panama, and the San Blas Islands next year but would sell any time for the right offer.

[Tropic Cat]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

I believe this guy originally wanted. Blue water boat and something like an Iroquois is not suitable for that. They are very narrow beam and do not have the correct hull buoyancy/ beam combo to be safe offshore. the
Proust, ect have fat enough hulls to be somewhat safe on there narrow beam.

I would say that Prout boats can sail Blue water OK, as enough of them have circumnavigated successfully. As can any British built cruising catamaran. I don't know why you mentioned an Iroquois as these were racers, not cruisers.

I would never compare a Gemini to a "Buick", it's more of a Ford or Fiat and I don't know one even one retired person who owns one. We have many here in Florida. Most retired people tend to shy away from dagger board catamarans, preferring the simple is better philosophy.

Here in the States, I've never heard of a Waller . However, I can agree with one point you made. You'd do very well with a Richard Woods designed boat, although build quality is your responsibility.

I've sailed on several Richard Woods designs and like them very much, although his boats do perform better when I'm at the helm and Richard is trimming sails.

yeah, he's a friend of mine.