Help me find the right boat - 45'ish performance cruising cat

[ausaviator]

With the speed at which the tide runs out in the north of Australia, you'd lose very little bottom paint!

[Natasha]

I suggest you look at the Spirited designed sailboats. Designed by Craig Schionning.
Manufactured by Cure Composites in Yandina, Queensland. 0410 529 331

[Nikki S]

I've started Leopard dreaming. I had been a Catana/schionning dreamer, but recently found some beaut pics of Leopards that changed my mind. never sailed one though. anyone got opinions on them?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Nikki S

I've started Leopard dreaming. I had been a Catana/schionning dreamer, but recently found some beaut pics of Leopards that changed my mind. never sailed one though. anyone got opinions on them?

Ive run lots of different leopards as a charter captain. Not a performance cat, but sails acceptably well for a cruising boat. Bridge deck clearance tapers down very low toward stern, but has enough height forward and enough reserve bouyancy that pounding is not normally an issue.

Tons of Leopards have been built for the Moorings. The upside to this is that the design and build features have been tweaked over many years/boats.

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Ive run lots of different leopards as a charter captain. Not a performance cat, but sails acceptably well for a cruising boat. Bridge deck clearance tapers down very low toward stern, but has enough height forward and enough reserve bouyancy that pounding is not normally an issue.

Tons of Leopards have been built for the Moorings. The upside to this is that the design and build features have been tweaked over many years/boats.

Do you have an opinion on Morelli and Melvin designed Leopards vs Robertson and Caine?

Thanks

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Saleen411

Do you have an opinion on Morelli and Melvin designed Leopards vs Robertson and Caine?

Thanks

No, Ive run mostly the R & C's.

[Factor]

The morelli Melvin design is the pick of that crop

[Red Herring]

Originally Posted by tp12

The only problem there, as far as I'm aware, is that Bob has retired and closed his business. You can no longer buy plans to build them.

They would have otherwise come into reckoning for me; great boat.

Exceedingly rare as a used buy

An '03 Oram 60 just popped up today on YW.

2003 Oram 60 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Bigger than the OP was thinking, but nice boat!

[Dave_S]

thanks all, that's my weekend sorted looking up all the boats you've, suggested. I like the bigger boats like the Oram 60 above but I,m worried about on going costs to moor them. Is there a work around for these costs?

[sailjumanji]

Seawind 1160 "race" version has dagger boards and outboards

[smj]

Originally Posted by Red Herring

An '03 Oram 60 just popped up today on YW.

2003 Oram 60 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Bigger than the OP was thinking, but nice boat!

Now that is one sexy catamaran.

[805gregg]

Catana or Outreamer

[barnakiel]

An Outremer.

b.

[barnakiel]

Argghhhh. False tart. You want flipping rudders. Not an Outremer then.

Sorry.

b.

[Limpet]

Originally Posted by 805gregg

Catana or Outreamer

I charted a 42' Catana in the south Pacific... I was very disappointing by the poor performance. Frankly, it was a slug.

I charted a 46' Bahia in the south pacific and it was so much faster than the Catana, and it has fixed keels whereas the Catana had dagger boards, so I was very surprised.

A Catana sales rep said that the 50' is also a slug because it is overweight for its length. They apparently replaced it with the 55' to resolve the issue. I Have always wanted to try a 47' Catana...but I don't like the helm position and I don't hold out a lot of hope that it will be a fast boat.

There was a 46' Bahia advertised some where in Latin America many, many months back. The owners had removed the sail drives, and put two fixed outboards on the back. They had sculptured the fiberglass to accommodate the outboards and it was really a first rate job.