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Old 31-10-2009, 13:51   #76
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Originally Posted by Tropic Cat View Post
No there aren't any.

My point is that you'd be doing yourself a favor by finding one (if you can) and having a look. They've been compared to Hinckley build quality which is the reason they age gracefully. However, Catalacs aren't the only older Cat that age gracefully. Check out any of the earlier solid glass boats. This is where you'll discover the 'bang for the buck" in buying your first cat.

Of course, the $100000 question is if they've been maintained, yet this is common to all boats.

Just curious, but I have a question. In looking at scads of photos online of various Catalacs over the years, I noticed they all have the UK style ac outlets. Did you change yours to the US style?
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Old 31-10-2009, 13:53   #77
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Just curious, but I have a question. In looking at scads of photos online of various Catalacs over the years, I noticed they all have the UK style ac outlets. Did you change yours to the US style?
These boats have been around a while. Long enough that I believe previous owners corrected the little things like AC outlets.

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Originally Posted by ColdFusion View Post
I hear things like this alot but I can't recall ever hearing about a Gemini turning turtle.
Last year in in Florida we lost two Geminis that I'm aware of. One was a charter out of Ft. Lauderdale and one was owner operated out of Jacksonville. The one in Jacksonville was caught in a squall line close to shore. he had hs boards down and could not get them up in time. He went turtle and it made the papers as well as the evening TV news as The Captain was rescued the same afternoon and the boat washed up on shore upside down sans rig a day later.

I don't recall the specific reason the Lauderdale boat went down.
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Old 01-11-2009, 17:14   #78
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We owned a Gemini 3200 for about a year. There are a lot of positive aspects about the Gemini, shallow draft, good sailing qualities if kept light, easily handled under sail and a great liveaboard layout. The con's are they pound terribly even at anchor in a light chop and they are the most tender of the cat's that we have sailed. I believe a few have flipped, just have to be careful.
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Old 02-11-2009, 05:28   #79
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Hey Mark, good to hear from you. I'll send you a PM.

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Old 27-02-2010, 12:58   #80
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You might be right. There just are not enough late model Catalacs around on the used market to really factor in, though, are there.

Humvee? Are the Chinese building Catalacs??
A Catalac 8M was put on the market here in Florida this month and lasted about 2 weeks on the market. It needed some TLC and the new owners are thrilled with the deal they just got.

They do appear on the market from time to time, you just have to move fast when they do.
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Old 27-02-2010, 14:36   #81
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A Catalac 8M was put on the market here in Florida this month and lasted about 2 weeks on the market. It needed some TLC and the new owners are thrilled with the deal they just got.

They do appear on the market from time to time, you just have to move fast when they do.
And move fast they did. Saw the boat on Yachtworld about 20 minutes after it was first posted and made an offer the next morning at 9:00am.
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Old 27-02-2010, 15:10   #82
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yeah, I have been keeping my eyes peeled but our situation is that we really can't move very fast. We would have to schedule a flight to Miami, for starters. That gets kinda expensive if we don't do it a few weeks in advance, stay over a Saturday, etc. So we would never be able to move very fast for something as rare as a Catalac. I have a bit of a problem with buying boat sight unseen, so We have a much better chance at a Gemini, since there are more of them being traded and usually they are advertised for a few weeks, at least.

We think we would be happy with either boat.
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Old 10-02-2011, 01:53   #83
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Gemini 105 Mc

Hi All,

I've noticed passing references to "pounding problems" with the Gemini due to low bridgedeck clearance. I also saw the video his son shot on their transatlantic journey and it seemed to me that father and son felt at ease in their craft - I understand the film was edited - but is pounding a real isue on this boat?

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks!
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Old 10-02-2011, 06:17   #84
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Gemini Pounding

All catamarans pound under some sea conditions due to their bridge deck design. As an owner of a Gemini for several years, I hear the pounding sometimes but don't usually find it annoying except under some anchoring conditions. When I'm annoyed, I shorten one or the other leg of the anchor bridle and the pounding diminishes. Kind of like halyard slapping - it is there, but you can reduce it.

Why not try one before you buy. I long-term charter (a month or more) my Gemini to potential cat sailors as a way to introduce the boat to people who sail only mono-hulls. Not a lot of money for a clean, but old, boat.

She is out off Miami now on such a charter.

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Old 11-02-2011, 13:51   #85
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Try it before you buy it!

The Gemini was very similar to the Prout Snowgoose when first marketed - the designer, Tony Smith, is British. Having sailed a Snowgoose for a while and a present owner of a Gemini, I recommend you avoid the Snowgoose!!! She sails poorly and is uncomfortable in anything but a trailer.

The Gemini is a good boat for the money, old, basic design in the process of being updates as manufacturing has moved from Annapolis to Florida and is contracted to Hunter: New interior and likely a reduction in the amount of structural wood. At $200k, the new Gemini might be priced out of its market compared to the TomCat - a boat you should look at carefully if you are interested in a Gem.

I tried to purchase a PDQ in about 1989 - but they returned my $10k deposit and sold it to someone else. If you have the $$$ and don't mind an orphaned boat, the PDQ is comfortable, faster, and better built than the Gem. It also has a choice of inboard or outboard engines - think carefully, the outboards are much lighter and much, much less expensive.

If you want to try one before you buy, I offer my Gem out on longer term charters (a month or longer) for reasonable rates that include sailing instruction and systems skills if needed.

Take a look at the gem at shearwater-sailing.com/gemini

Happy sailing. stu@shearwater-sailing.com
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Old 11-02-2011, 14:39   #86
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There are different reasons that people own a boat. Some are daysailors, some are weekenders, and others are long range cruisers.

The category that I would put the Gemini is: a daysailor/weekender, that can "if lightly loaded" be occasionally used for a serious cruise. It is neither ideally suited to it nor designed for it. It was designed to be a pretty good boat selling at the lowest possible price, (for a catamaran).

In general, regarding multihulls... The old designs with neither keels nor centerboards, sideslip to an unacceptable degree. (The Wharram is perhaps the best of this group).

For windward ability, the keel versions are better than the above, and better still are dagger or centerboards. (Dagger boards being just a bit more efficient, and centerboards making a better "cruiser", due to more forgiveness in a grounding).

In smaller boats, like < 38', A tri has several advantages over a cat. All multihulls should have enough wing clearance to drive your inflatable right through the wing tunnel, just by ducking your head a bit! They should also have a relatively low cabin structure / center of gravity, AND full visibility forward when sailing.

In this size, (low 30s), this would mean a cat with a small, high clew jib, and sitting headroom only. They don't sell well, so some designers draw boats that pound, have tall cabins, and you can't see 40% of what is in front of you.

Our 34' tri has good wing clearance, full visibility forward, a low superstructure, AND standing headroom. I'm just pointing out theTrimaran advantage in this size range.

SOME smaller cats with really low wing clearance, not only pound, but if heavily loaded and driven to windward, can incur structural damage. The Gemini has low wing clearance and really poor visibility forward! They are a great deal money wise! The layout is nice, and they make good liveaboards. They also fit in a largish standard slip, as well as smaller travel lift. THIS IS A BIG ADVANTAGE. I'm not badmouthing the type across the board, just pointing out their pros and cons.

If you want a cat of around 34 or so feet as a cruiser, there ARE a few nice designs out there, with both wing clearance and visibility forward. I have friends who went around the world in a 32'er that they extensively modified. It only had 4' 6" headroom! The best cruising cats, in this size, tend to be custom "one offs".

Of the smaller production boats, intended for cruising, You MUST have good wing clearance, and visibility forward... If the cabin is actually taller than it should be, that is better than the lack of the other two. Some of the "custom builts" are both designed right, AND really good deals. You just have to do your homework first, and look over a lot of bad apples to find a good one.

Hope this helps, Mark

Attached, is a round the world 32' custom cat, with sitting head room only...
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Old 11-02-2011, 19:04   #87
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I don't think the Gemini was designed by Tony Smith. The original Gemini came from the Aristicat molds, an early British cat. As time went on Tony made a lot of changes to the design, strangely it seemed every new model had a lower bridgedeck clearance than the previous. Though the Geminis pound badly they are a very livable boat that sails well if kept light. I don't think it's right to call them weekenders as there are a large number of people that live aboard full time and actually sail them, that's right sail and not motorsail! The shallow draft can't be beat and the ease of handling is exceptional. I wouldn't consider them to be Water boats">blue water boats but there are quite a few that have done ocean passages.
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Old 11-02-2011, 19:31   #88
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Does anyone have one? Would love to know the true opinions of owners or previous owners please. I am most interested in this cat...it looks good and is more affordable than most.
Go to slapdash.com. They are making a circumnavigation in your boat and have an extensive journal that details their sometimes hilarious adventures.

Don't be put off by the naysayers ... it is an ocean-going vessel, even though I have (and love) my monohull.
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Old 11-02-2011, 19:44   #89
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Any vessel is ocean going if the weather is right, doesn't mean it was designed to sail across oceans. Even Tony Smith at one time stated that they weren't designed to cross oceans. A verbal disclaimer. We have owned a Gemini and enjoyed her but also realized her limitations.
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Old 16-02-2011, 09:02   #90
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I think smj has it right. The Gemini is a great boat for the size and price but it really wasn't designed or built for offshore cruising. In the correct conditions, of course it can be done (on the other hand, I can recall someone who did a North Atlantic crossing in a Tanzer 26)!

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