Liveaboard / Catamaran?

[tamicatana]

Originally Posted by ArtM

For liveaboard cats "30-something" starts at 39.

Gemini cats, Endeavourcats, Maine Cat 30, smaller Prouts, PDQs... why, even Edel and Shuttleworth, would beg to differ...

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by tamicatana

Gemini cats, Endeavourcats, Maine Cat 30, smaller Prouts, PDQs... why, even Edel and Shuttleworth, would beg to differ...

Yes, you're right. I was thinking Gemini's were larger than that. A Gemini is around 34', and it is definitely suitable as a small-ish liveaboard.

I have not seen the other models you mentioned - still trying though!

[multihuler]

You are kidding yourself, the advantage of living on a boat is that you can pick up and travel whenever you want. It is very difficult to live on a boat compared to a house, it is worth the price if you have stunning views and quality of life (no debt). If you are going to keep the condo/home there are may fun cats for a little over $150k, a lagoon 38 you can have the best of both worlds

[nwhites]

Let me clarify, and say thanks for the feedback. This plan is about 5-7 years out for me and I and the child will be learning to sail in that time. I certainly know that I must be solely responsible for the boat and be able to single-hand.

Why such a wait? I must pay off the house first. I keep the house as I work from home, with employees, and I also want a safe haven in case of Hurricanes. This house is cheaper than renting commercial space and it has my garden

Katrina left scars and I will never be homeless again - marinas were destroyed here so even if my last boat had survived there would have been no place to dock for years. I'm not living on the hook indefinitely.

I have Gemini and the PDQ 32 on my radar, and, knowing me, I'll research to death before buying. I had a powerboat already, a 48' houseboat, and i want sail this time. The marina situation is the bigger issue. I guess I will fight that battle when the time comes.

Thanks for the responses.
Neely

[ArtM]

Being in NO you were kind of "boxed in" - there would have been nowhere to sail, except to try to get into an up-river channel, and that would have been so dangerous to consider that you would not have done it anyway.

My boat was on the north side of Lake Ponchartrain, safe and sound in a Mandeville river mooring. Although I sustained NO damages to the vessel, I still (1) never saw that boat again, and (2) had extreme difficult in selling it, merely because it was "in the area" of Katrina. Even a co-worker, who knew I was selling the boat, bought an identical boat from 300 miles away out of fear of damages.

There would have been no escaping Katrina with a boat. I left NO that morning on a plane hearing about a "small tropical storm in the south end of the gulf" that nobody was concerned about. If I had not been on a plane, I would have been evacuating by car along with everyone else. I definitely would NOT have stayed on that boat, and there is no place I could have escaped to on that boat.

When I landed in Chicago, there was a crowd of people at the gate waiting to hear about the "big hurricane". Those of us on the plane were nonplussed. Were like "What? You mean Katrina? That's no big deal".

When I arrived in Omaha 3 hours later, it covered the entire Gulf of Mexico.

A sailboat moves at about 5-7 knots in ideal conditions. Everyone who lived there was left homeless. (for me, it was only a temporary lodging I used for work - if it had been my primary home, I would have been homeless as well)

[nwhites]

Right there with you! I evacuated to North MS from NO and never moved back, choosing to relocate to Gulfport. So far it's been a great decision

[SeaKing]

Originally Posted by nwhites

.

I have Gemini and the PDQ 32 on my radar, and, knowing me, I'll research to death before buying. .

Thanks for the responses.
Neely

Hey , just throwing in my two cents. We use to own a PDQ 34(original 36) with twin outboards. A great boat, I would look for one of those as they are a little cheaper that the 36 or try to find a 36. The 36 sail better than the 32. Don't even think about the Gemini's, I have seen many and they just don't look like they hold up very well. PDQ 36 or old 34 would be a great boat for you and yours!

I am originally from the New Orleans and South Mississippi area, I lived in NO thru the 10th grade and my final two years of High School near Hattiesburg in the early 70's. I have been sailing cats now since 1998.


Good Luck

[Dulcesuenos]

Originally Posted by ArtM

Yes, you're right. I was thinking Gemini's were larger than that. A Gemini is around 34', and it is definitely suitable as a small-ish liveaboard.

I have not seen the other models you mentioned - still trying though!

A 30 ft cat is equal in living space to a 37+ mono our 32' cat has two separate private spacious queen berths and a private double birth aft. Plus we can accommodate 10-12 in our cockpit and have room to dance. How many sub 40 monos come even close???

[ArtM]

I'm not sure I agree about the living space in a 30' cat. I don't think they really have the headroom that a 37' mono will have, nor the openness in the main salon.

But to be honest I have not gotten a "good look" at any cats under 34 ft, except some Wharrams

What I have seen are 34' Gemini's and some PDQ's, and while they are marginally liveable, I feel like an equivalent monohull (discounting the draft issue) is more liveable.

Human beings are not fluid, so we can't flow to fill a space. In general, a single wide open space is more enjoyable than multiple narrow cramped spaces. I think that's a general design principle, not merely personal opinion.

I think a cat at 30' must be compromising on tunnel height to accomplish that - but I would love to be proven wrong. I'll be on the lookout for an AMI Rennaisance cat. I have never seen nor heard of one.

Which brings up the point of availability. While it may be theortically possible than any given poster would be ideally suited to any given boat, it is not always practically possible if that "perfect" boat cannot be obtained.

[Dulcesuenos]

Being in our 32' mono 4 of us sitting at the salon/ galley table we blocked the entire walkway and felt cramped. Our 30 endeavourcat we could fit 6 at the same table and still see beyond our shoulders and guests could still access the head and galley. Plus where do most cruisers spend their time? Inside the boat ir in the cockpit. We could disagree all day but space is space as. Having a bigger volume of headroom doesnt always constitute. living room. We looked at a 38 island packet the salon table was nice but again blocked half the boat when it was out. It had a tiny cramped aft quarter berth. And a side double forward . Not to mention a cramped as heck cockpit. To compare monos to multis of the same size im sorry you are wrong in terms of space.

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by Dulcesuenos

Being in our 32' mono 4 of us sitting at the salon/ galley table we blocked the entire walkway and felt cramped. Our 30 endeavourcat we could fit 6 at the same table and still see beyond our shoulders and guests could still access the head and galley..

Monos start getting "big" upwards of 32 feet. The last mono I was on was 42' and had a cavernous main salon with very luxurious lounging space for 4 people, and easily would have been comfortable with 6 - though 6 would not leave much walking around space unless everyone else was sitting.

Even a 34' hunter has a bit of walking around room where, on the 32', there is a table blocking the aisle

A Gemini 105 I was just on the other day had head room only in the narrow hulls, and in a small part of the main salon (right in front of the door). The only "open" space was in the cockpit (which did come with full enclosure). So that is "liveable" IMO, but "smallish". Given the option to live on that boat, or an equivalent age-and-price mono, I think the mono is more comfortable except for that damned coffin/cave feeling.

Endeavorcat is another name I see from time to time - probably from this forum - but have yet to see for sale at a dock... either that, or if I did see them listed they may have been priced in a range that wasn't interesting.