Converting 4-Cabin to Owners Version ?

[SVI]

Great post.
I recently chartered a FP Lipari in Owners version and found no major trouble to convert 2 cabin+shower/hear mid-ship (port hull) into 1 aft cabit + storage + large shower/head front (starboard). The only thing you do not need is the small desk down, you can put two extra lockers there!
And they do not touch the structural bulkheads - they just make an arch in them. But the aft cabine without the bulkhead and door + extra space looks great, even on 41ft.

[FLLCatsailor]

Unfortunately it is impossible to convert most production cruising charter catamarans from 3-4 cabins. There was a Leopard 40 sold in Texas earlier this year that branded itself as a 3 cabin owners version... The seller took one of the forward cabins, built some storage units, and added a washing machine... Not exactly an owners version in my opinion...

[WingingIt]

Hi all,

Fantastic info. Does anyone have Guesstimate of cost for getting an ex-charter Lagoon 440 ready for cruising? I know this completely depends upon the gear we choose and quality if the boat we purchase upon charter exit but let's say for a family of four, so with enough electrics, power, desal, converting 1 of the heads to a shower only and the other head in other hull to storage/laundry? It's a bit of an open ended one but would $50k be too much or too little?


Thanks a lot

[dirkdig]

We have a 4 cabin 440 that has never been chartered.

$50,000 would be plenty if you can do some of the work yourself.
We are getting a watermaker from cruisero which we cost all up about $6,500 installed for a 120 litre an hour unit.
Plenty of solar panels for power would be the go too.
A new mainsail from say Rolly Tasker will be $6800 approx.
Easy conversion of a head into a shower wont cost much.
The best install of a washer drier i have seen was where it went in the cabinet outside under the sink.
Might want to add freezer space too.

[Palarran]

An option may be to not convert the whole hull. You can always just convert the forward head to a shower stall only. Tear out the bed and build in some cabinets or whatever. I don't live below, we just sleep there. So for me, it wouldn't be worth the price compared to having extra bunk space. But I sure would like a dedicated shower - that's it.

[Privleoplag]

Originally Posted by FLLCatsailor

Unfortunately it is impossible to convert most production cruising charter catamarans from 3-4 cabins. There was a Leopard 40 sold in Texas earlier this year that branded itself as a 3 cabin owners version... The seller took one of the forward cabins, built some storage units, and added a washing machine... Not exactly an owners version in my opinion...

I'd never say "impossible"... too many folks like me would prove you wrong.

[FLLCatsailor]

I spoke with a guy last year who wanted to get rid of his 4 cabin leopard 40, an buy an owners version. When he saw the 3 cabin boats were selling for almost 100k more than a 4 cabin boat he contacted Gino Morelli to discuss converting the boat to 3 cabin... Gino told the guy it wasn't possible...

I obviously wasn't involved in the conversation first hand, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt...

That being said, if it was cost effective or easy to do don't you think more of the 1000's of ex charter cats would have been converted?

I think the best plan is remove one of the toilets making a large shower, and converting one of the port side heads to a laundry room/ hanging locker/storage...

[fastco]

As a licensed engineer and megayacht captain of 20 years, I will say that anything is possible. Heck, we once moved an entire bridge up a deck on a 120' motoryacht, which makes this conversion look like child's play.
I had the same notion and just went to look at a 380 with that in mind. In my opinion it looks very do-able, but I still need to work up pricing to see if it's cost effective. Some considerations are that the shower will need to be "stick built", since they install them before they assemble the interior at Lagoon, so it won't have that one-piece molded look that the factory units have. Not a huge deal, but a consideration. Also having either yacht quality carpentry skills and a full shop or a top notch yacht carpenter for a best friend is a must. In the past I've found that matching up the wood finish can be challenging, as it changes color over time. But, I think with some forethought and creativity, it could actually be better than the factory version, although I expect that it will not have the same resale value as a factory version (which is probably why more people don't do it)

[1ercru]

The owner's conversion that appears to be within the realm of inexpensive/possible is the Privilege 43 & 46. Factory owners versions those sizes have the owners cabin forward, occupying the same space as the 2 forward cabins in a 4-cabin configuration. There is a head in each forward cabin, one of which could be converted to a shower or laundry. At least that's they way it seems to me.

Anyone given this a real look? There are certainly none of them on the market so that may be an answer.

[bryguy67]

I wonder if there is an entrepreneurial opportunity here for someone. It seems that a company like "Just Catamarans" with the complete ability to re-vamp boats could carefully select and purchase ex-charter 4/4 cats, convert them to owners version layouts, then resell them. The resale value could be protected by branding the conversion (buyers would feel more comfortable knowing a trusted company did the work versus some Joe in his back yard). This could be a win-win for the customer and the company; customer gets a freshly updated owners version for less $ than typical and the company makes a profit. The popularity of this could create a waiting list of customers and eventually an assembly line of ex-charter cats going through the company (further reducing costs). Hmmm, too bad I'm semi-retiring

[Jeannius]

Originally Posted by 1ercru

The owner's conversion that appears to be within the realm of inexpensive/possible is the Privilege 43 & 46. Factory owners versions those sizes have the owners cabin forward, occupying the same space as the 2 forward cabins in a 4-cabin configuration. There is a head in each forward cabin, one of which could be converted to a shower or laundry. At least that's they way it seems to me.

Anyone given this a real look? There are certainly none of them on the market so that may be an answer.

I believe the bridgedeck mould may be different between the 3 and 4 cabin versions of the 435/445. The forecabins in the 4 cabin version are the length of the laterally mounted berth (5ft 3in). To position the bed longitudinally as in the 3 cabin version would require knocking through into the anchor locker.

Personally I'm very happy with 4 cabins... lots of room for friends and for storage.

[1ercru]

Mike,
We have spent 2 weeks on the 4-cabin Snowbird (Jeannius was not available) and did spend a bit of time up in the forward berths, with an eye to making a conversion to 3 cabin.

My thoughts were that a simple demising wall was all that was between the forward berths. The owner's version seems to capture berth length by leaving the natural forward slope of the nacelle ceiling open (where your pillows would go) instead of "squaring" up the cabins, walling off that space. Certain of the 435s (4-cabins) have one forward berth athartship and one longitudinal, which really got me to think about a possible conversion.

Without opening the walls (frowned upon by most owners) I would not want to open a can of worms, like finding structural issues from a different hull mold.

Lanny

[emcmia]

Originally Posted by 1ercru

The owner's conversion that appears to be within the realm of inexpensive/possible is the Privilege 43 & 46. Factory owners versions those sizes have the owners cabin forward, occupying the same space as the 2 forward cabins in a 4-cabin configuration. There is a head in each forward cabin, one of which could be converted to a shower or laundry. At least that's they way it seems to me.

Anyone given this a real look? There are certainly none of them on the market so that may be an answer.

I have an owners version of the P43. Very large centerline cabin (forward of mast, aft of anchor locker), accessed from either hull (or from topside) with full head/shower each side forward; third full head/shower on stbd mid side; and two full berths each side aft. The 7.5' long x 6.5' wide bed is longitudinally positioned and spans the aft half of the centerline nacelle. Engine rooms have 360 degree engine access, standup height, with access from cockpit. Most of the P43 hulls were set up for 5 cabins and 4 or 5 heads. Photos available on request.

[1ercru]

Originally Posted by emcmia

I have an owners version of the P43. Very large centerline cabin (forward of mast, aft of anchor locker), accessed from either hull (or from topside) with full head/shower each side forward; third full head/shower on stbd mid side; and two full berths each side aft. The 7.5' long x 6.5' wide bed is longitudinally positioned and spans the aft half of the centerline nacelle. Engine rooms have 360 degree engine access, standup height, with access from cockpit. Most of the P43 hulls were set up for 5 cabins and 4 or 5 heads. Photos available on request.

I have not seen a P435 factory owners version with two complete head/showers in the owner's cabin, which begs the question: was it a conversion from a 4 cabin? Seems unlikely an owner would order/want/need two ensuites in his cabin. If it was converted I would love to see pictures.

Thanks,
Lanny

[emcmia]

The P43 built by Jeantot Marine preceded the Alliaura P435. P43 models have larger engine rooms, straight drives, lower profile, more sail area.