how big of a catamaran do we need?

[Jay Clifton]

We are in the market for a catamaran at the moment and have just started actively looking. Onboard will be my husband and I most of the time and we are looking at 40 to 45ft as we have found that we like the 3 cabin layouts, with the larger master cabin, heads and more storage. I have not found any smaller catamarans on the market that have this layout. Please correct me if I am wrong.
JCx

[Tropic Cat]

Originally Posted by Jay Clifton

We are in the market for a catamaran at the moment and have just started actively looking. Onboard will be my husband and I most of the time and we are looking at 40 to 45ft as we have found that we like the 3 cabin layouts, with the larger master cabin, heads and more storage. I have not found any smaller catamarans on the market that have this layout. Please correct me if I am wrong.
JCx

You mean you're searching for an Owner's version?

Try here

Catamarans for sale by owner

[bevcory]

The Maxim 380 has a 3 cabin layout. One hull is master queen stateroom and large head. Other hull is a queen, mid head and an aft double. There are also 2 coffine berths up forward. I know of 2 Maxims on the market at the moment. I find mine very roomy with galley up. Many have commented on how much space for a 'small' cat.

[jostalli]

Originally Posted by Jay Clifton

We are in the market for a catamaran at the moment and have just started actively looking. Onboard will be my husband and I most of the time and we are looking at 40 to 45ft as we have found that we like the 3 cabin layouts, with the larger master cabin, heads and more storage. I have not found any smaller catamarans on the market that have this layout. Please correct me if I am wrong.
JCx

There are plenty of catamarans <40' that have 3 or even two cabin layouts. You should find many of the following currently for sale: Lagoon 380, Lavezzi 40, Mahe 36, Leopard 39/38, Lagoon 39. I believe you are mistaken about the "larger master cabin" as most of the owner versions don't have a larger master cabin. Most just dedicate one hull to the owner with one cabin and one head (although the Mahe 36 and the new Lagoon 39 have two equal "owner" hulls). I believe the only catamaran in the 40-45ft range that has a larger master cabin is the Orana 44.

[Factor]

Seawind 1160&1250

[weavis]

Yo
Im currently looking for a catamaran for myself for next year. Ive sailed on quite a few, but never owned one. (owned under 25 ft yacht monohulls and 40 ft power cruisers) I have also owned several R.Vs and lived in small (25-40ft RVs) spaces on and off for a lot of years.

there is only me, so my needs/desires are met in a modest setting. I have narrowed down my choices to 33 to 36 feet in total.

Why?

Purchase cost, repair cost, mooring cost, and most of all, the ability to single handedly sail competently, safely and efficiently.

I have to agree that the BEST of all comfort and duo handling is a catamaran of 38-46 foot. I also have to state, and this is for me and me only, I would not feel happy sailing one single handedly.

That is not to say that I could'nt, it is more that I would not feel comfortable. Now, even if I had a partner, I would have to be honest and evaluate her abilities to single handedly sail a larger Cat in the event of a mishap and she had to sail on her own.

For those that own Cats in this larger range, and who have terrific and competent or even BETTER seamanship help from the significant other, it is not a slur or derogation on their personas or abilities. Each couple make their own choices and that is how it should be. For me, for my abilities, for my pocket, smaller equates to 2/3rd less running costs in the under 36ft range than larger.

When I quit doing what I do and take the plunge, It will be a measured journey of expenditure and value.

I hope to be based in the Med, and have the costs in front of me daily. Even done cheaply, its still 2.5 times more expensive than the property I use landbased over there. A Marina cost in Mallorca is beyond belief. I think I would have to be based on the vessel on the mainland to justify the cost.

Then realistically, I dont think I would be using the vessel to go out or cruise every week. Perhaps once every two or three or four weeks, trip 127 miles to Mallorca and stay a few days and then sail back. Perhaps sail to France or Italy now and then.. and then to Portugal. Mainly it will be friends and family trips along the coast for a day out. All this is weather dependent and boat readiness/cost dependent.

I have looked hard at several vessels. Catalac, Gemini 105 and Seawind. Of the three I love the Seawind but can afford the Catalac. I like the Catalac. Its big enough for me, big enough for two and is in my price range. It might not suit others, I have no issues with the design quirks or layout, I even quite like its looks. Its tender in a hard blow (force 8) when its surfing, but so was the 50 footer I was out on last year. For a single or duo it has loads of room. (But then I travel light). A good Catalac can be bought VAT paid for under $100K .. (this will not affect you as non EU residents). If I had more to purchase with, then my options widen, but not my requirements. Set them first and look hard at what is available for your personal choices.

When you are sat at the table ready to write the cheque (check), I hope all your desires wants have been tempered by long sea trials and clear observation of the realities. The choice HAS to be yours and yours alone. If its a wrong choice then sell and start again. You will not have made a mistake, its a learning experience.We all do that.

I have read these forums for a long time. After a while, you begin to see the solid advice from experienced people. The nameless ones have helped me more than they know. I appreciate it. If Im going to be in a certain area I look from people who are there, if Im going to buy or have bought a vessel, I look at people who own them and listen to their experience, good and bad.

Good luck with everything.

[reefhunter]

Originally Posted by weavis

Yo
Im currently looking for a catamaran for myself for next year. Ive sailed on quite a few, but never owned one. (owned under 25 ft yacht monohulls and 40 ft power cruisers) I have also owned several R.Vs and lived in small (25-40ft RVs) spaces on and off for a lot of years.

Major repairs on RV's can be accomplished in days or a weeks rather than months for a boat. Costing $30-50/nt for RV space vs $10ft for a 36ft boat + elect + water + cable. We anchor out and run the genset.

I hope to be based in the Med, and have the costs in front of me daily. Even done cheaply, its still 2.5 times more expensive than the property I use landbased over there. A Marina cost in Mallorca is beyond belief. I think I would have to be based on the vessel on the mainland to justify the cost.

If you don't like your neighbors on land you can't exactly pick it up and move like you can on a boat.

[Boatguy30]

It's also still possible in the US to anchor many places free while it is often difficult to safely and legally park and RV overnight free. I has seen some suggest boats "should be treated like RVs" while cruising. I assume this means a paid mooring field or paid special anchorage are every night. Maybe with street lights and a grid and number system on the bottom to show where to anchor?
I really hope this never happens, but the encroachment of mooring fields and the RVer mentality on display by many "cruisers" in some areas is concerning as a general trend.

[weavis]

Um.. my reference to R.Vs was simply about living in small spaces, and defining that in terms of liveable space on a Cat. Lots more space on a Catamaran.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

It's also still possible in the US to anchor many places free while it is often difficult to safely and legally park and RV overnight free. I has seen some suggest boats "should be treated like RVs" while cruising. I assume this means a paid mooring field or paid special anchorage are every night. Maybe with street lights and a grid and number system on the bottom to show where to anchor?
I really hope this never happens, but the encroachment of mooring fields and the RVer mentality on display by many "cruisers" in some areas is concerning as a general trend.

Plenty of places to stop for the night free in an RV. Especially out west on govt land but even in the east it can easily be done.

I'm not sure if it should be treated the same but we split time between the two options and it really is pretty similar. There are people who never pay to stay almost anywhere and those who almost always pay. The more popular the location, the harder it is to stay for free.

As far as the other post suggesting $10/ft/night for a slip in a marina, that's crazy expense. Are we talking monaco during a festival? For a 35' boat that would be $350/night. We've stayed at nice marinas for a month at that rate. We figure around $600/month staying in marinas probably 80-90% of the time for a 34'er.

[weavis]

Umm.... Europe is different

Palma de Mallorca
Arrival date: 01 april 2014
Departure date: 28 april 2014
Yacht type: Catamaran
Length: 10.00 meters
Beam: 6.00 meters
Draught: 1.00 meters



Mooring Rentals

Price (27 days) = 2997.09€

(Taxes incl.)


Or

4134.06 US Dollars

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by weavis

Umm.... Europe is different

Palma de Mallorca
Arrival date: 01 april 2014
Departure date: 28 april 2014
Yacht type: Catamaran
Length: 10.00 meters
Beam: 6.00 meters
Draught: 1.00 meters



Mooring Rentals

Price (27 days) = 2997.09€

(Taxes incl.)


Or

4134.06 US Dollars

That translates to around $4.6/ft/night. Expensive in a prime location but still less than half the suggested $10/ft/night.

[weavis]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

That translates to around $4.6/ft/night. Expensive in a prime location but still less than half the suggested $10/ft/night.

I consider the price high. It can be a lot cheaper around the other side of the Island but....Marinas are not your friends in sought after locations.

I think perhaps the other poster perhaps mis stated the price. An 80 foot power yacht in Mallorca (Palma) is from $1000 a night.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by weavis

I consider the price high. It can be a lot cheaper around the other side of the Island but....Marinas are not your friends in sought after locations.

I think perhaps the other poster perhaps mis stated the price. An 80 foot power yacht in Mallorca (Palma) is from $1000 a night.

I think it's high also but the point is the originally quoted number was off by an order of magnitude.

Being expensive doen't intrinsically mean that they aren't your friend. We spend 3 wks in NY at $3.5/ft/night which is expensive by our standards but it was a great location and made for a really nice visit. Not something we could afford on a regular basis but beat the heck out of the alternatives.

[smj]

Could be the over $4,000 was priced at a monthly rate. Usually a weeks worth of daily rates will equal a monthly rate.


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