Looking for cat designed for 1

[Dymaxion]

Better start would be if you give a price range, but before you do I trust you've looked at every cat for sale on yachtwirld or sailboat listings etc to see what your dreams will realistically cost you? Homework time if not. Spend a few hours searching, then you can be more specific, as was already suggested. I'm new to this forum, sail a 40 year old 28' monhull, and while I'd much prefer to be bobbing around in a modern cat in the Caribbean, it ain't happening for less than say $60,000, more likely $100,000.

[lukejns13]

My budget all in is going to be about 160,000. And yeah I've looked on yachtworld for many many hours so I know what I can afford realistically. I'm mainly looking for help finding a cat with as open and large a salon/galley as possible.

[wcapital]

Take a look at MaineCat 30 - one hull is "master suite", the other galley & settee (convertible to double berth) + vberth if I recall. Large outside but fully encloseable bridgedeck is great living/lounging space....and boat sails well and is easily handled by one or two.

[VBsail]

I was going to say maincat also...

[lukejns13]

I'll definitely look more into that but we need something more enclosed since we're going to be living and working from it. I probably should have specified but this will be for a liveaboard. I could make do with anything but my girlfriend wants something as close to the interior of a helia 44 as possible. If only I had that kind of money.

[lukejns13]

I can stretch the budget to as much as 250k but then I'd need to get a loan and I have no idea how boating loans work and I'm not sure if it would even be worth it.

[thinwater]

I think you may be surprised how often a second cabin is useful, even if it is the 2 of you. I sail with just my wife much of the time.

• One of you is snoring
• One of you has a cold
• One of you is injured and need the space
• Very hot (cooler with a bed to yourself)
• Guests
• Separate lounging/reading space

I get not wanting 4 cabins and 3 heads, but one extra bunk is very handy. When it isn't a bunk, there will ALWAYS be something to store there. Too many boats are like houses with no closets; they have a few cute shallow cabinets and cubbies, but no place for fenders, sails, and 3 weeks worth of groceries.

[lukejns13]

Yeah now that I think about it you're definitely right. We'd definitely need some individual space at times.

[lukejns13]

I appreciate all the help y'all. We definitely need to do at lot more research into what we want and can afford. It seems there's a world of difference between a 150k cat and a 250k cat. Our last question would be do y'all think it's worth it to get an older boat with less of what we want for 150k and own it straight out or get a loan and go for a 200-250k boat? We both have stable jobs we do remotely so we have a steady income and we're both young.

[GordMay]

These are all small (not roomy) trailerable (folding) multi’s:
F22 ➥ Farrier Marine F-22 Factory Progress
S-22 Kit ➥ Surtees Multihull Designs - Trailerable Folding Catamarans
Dragonfly 28 (Tri) ➥ Dragonfly 28 trimaran - a fast trailerable multihull yacht with 5 berths, unsinkable folding trimaran

[captainwireman]

There are two costs involved. Purchase and upkeep. Factor both in.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by wcapital

Take a look at MaineCat 30 - one hull is "master suite", the other galley & settee (convertible to double berth) + vberth if I recall. Large outside but fully encloseable bridgedeck is great living/lounging space....and boat sails well and is easily handled by one or two.

A MaineCat is similar to the somewhat older Seawind 1000 in terms of one hull having a cabin and the other hull a galley. The Seawind also has a fold down table/nav station in the galley hull as well as a vberth. I have the hard top model and it is quite easy to drop the table in the saloon under the hard top for a huge double birth. There may be a couple of other cats with a design similar to the MaineCat/Seawind style, but I am still on my first cup of coffee. SMJ knows a lot about these designs and may chime in.

[brianlara 3]

Suggest you stay clear of the 'loan' option Like..you're already NOT hot on the idea.
But Brother, aint the knowlege startin' t' flow in?
Looking better already Lukey. FAT budget, but some might not agree with me there....that idiot Trump wouldn't. Sorry Mods.

[lukejns13]

I'm very debt averse Brian but my girlfriends logic is that everyone else has mortgages on their home so why shouldn't a boat be any different? Especially since we plan living on the cat for a long time.

[brianlara 3]

Two views, both easily understood.
But if ever the chips are down and the cash stops flowing in "no mortgage/loan" has to be good, imho.
Anyway Luke, the mob here at CF are going to help.