Opinions on Catamaran configurations

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Goosebumps

I am happy with peoples choices when they are. I however own a Catalac 10 and liveaboard it since 2007. My experience, never diesel smell, my inboards are easily accessable even 3 adults fit right around the engines down there, lots of space. Great advantage is that engine compartments are outside of living area on Catalac 10m. For me simply not possible to have cat with outboards, when you cruise in areas without fuel access, little support, the diesel motors simply use less fuel and charge better the batteries. I know we can put solar panels, I have 3, but recharging with high rate alternators is basic necessity.

Any chance you added a ladder to get to the engines? Yeah once you get to the bottom of the engine compartment, there is room for 2-3 people but getting there is the problem.

We've only spent a week on our Catalac so far but just checking the oil seems to be a major task.

I would recommend anyone starting to cruise plan on solar as thier primary battery charging method. Running the engine makes little sense with modern solar technology. And lots of folks cruising with outboards. In fact in an out of the way place, you are more likely to find an outboard mechanic than a diesel mechanic.

[44'cruisingcat]

Yes, if you plan to cruise out of the way places, using renewables for battery charging makes far more sense.


Even using a small portable genset makes more sense than using your propulsion engines for battery charging.

[44'cruisingcat]

Getting back to the OP, IMO twin engines are preferable, especially if you plan to visit marinas often. Outboard or diesel is your own choice, both have advantages and disadvantages.


Certainly diesel is less flammable, but properly done, outboard engine installations can be safe. There are tens of thousands of outboard powered boats out there, fires are rare.


In general terms, all else being equal, the outboard powered cat will sail better, the diesel one will motor better.

[smj]

In my opinion with the price of solar and the space available on a catamaran to mount it, ones engine should be the last resort for charging your batteries.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[bix85]

Originally Posted by alansmith

If you can, there are many boats down island throughout the Caribbean for really good prices compared to Europe or USA. Not knocking the American based boats. There is a reason they are cheaper. Many skippers simply didn't want to make the slog back to Europe or East coast...or divorce or illness or.....take your time and spread sheet the different boats and winnow it down to a handful and weigh the pros and cons...

Alansmith, can you recommend a way to locate these cheaper boats? Can I identify some on yachtworld, then travel to the Caribbean? Or must I go there just to identify likely boats?

Sent from my HTCONE using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Kinta Ray]

Hi Saleen 411, If you have done much in the way of research you will
find that there have been more than a few problems with the Lagoons over
the years, mainly by them trying to reduce costs from what I can see. I
am talking about their skin fittings and also the building techniques
that they use. The Muhtihull following has been very big here in
Australia since the early 60's so there is a lot of information shared
amongst the supporters by Owners, Builders and Sailors and Lagoon has
never had a good name here although now the new breed of owner does not
interact with the traditional sailors as much so a number of Lagoons are
sold here ( Vicsail a monohull brokage started importing them in 1998)
but the Big Multihull brokages still only sell second hand boats and I
don't think you would find any of them would recommend one. I personally
know of 2 Lagoons that literally came apart sailing from New Zealand to
Australia, one sank off Mooloolaba in Queensland and the other was lucky
to make it back to New Zealand when the deck began to part from the
hulls, while I have been told of a number of others taking on water when
their skin fittings corroded , broke or failed in other ways. The web is always a good provider of extra information on problems even though some of it can be hard to find. To be fair we are talking about the older boats here so I cannot honestly comment on the latest boats and it does appear that the latest models are at least capable of sailing in less than 30knots of wind so they have certainly improved them, after all even the early Seawinds weren't fast but at least they were safe. I see from your profile that you are
"Researching Cats" so I assume that you intend to one day purchase a
boat. Please be aware that in my last post I stated that it depended on
what a person intended to use their vessel for as to what they should
look for, I have been on a Lagoon and had a lovely day _motor sailing _
in over 20 knots( we were trying to get to a windward anchorage) and the
trip was more comfortable than it would have been on my boat but I would
have been there in half the time. I like boats that sail well and fast
and not only when it is blowing its tits off (My boat easily does in
excess of 9 knots in 15k true on all points of sail up to just under
35deg) even though my boat is overloaded with liveaboard gear, a friend
with the same boat as mine (but stripped out) does half my boat speed
again so when I'm doing 10k he will be doing 15k or more. If you have
been looking at Lagoons please do not let me put you off, go for a couple
of sails in all types of weather as all boats handle different conditions differently and it is not pleasant to get caught out in a boat that you suddenly find does not behave in 30k+ at all like it does in 15k, trust me it can be scarey. Anyway I've probably bored you enough
so I'll close. Enjoy the journey.

[Kinta Ray]

Hi again Saleen , sorry for the layout of my last post but I originally tried to reply to your E-mail which I found does not work.
Regards Ray

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by Kinta Ray

Hi Saleen 411, If you have done much in the way of research you will
find that there have been more than a few problems with the Lagoons over
the years, mainly by them trying to reduce costs from what I can see. I
am talking about their skin fittings and also the building techniques
that they use. The Muhtihull following has been very big here in
Australia since the early 60's so there is a lot of information shared
amongst the supporters by Owners, Builders and Sailors and Lagoon has
never had a good name here although now the new breed of owner does not
interact with the traditional sailors as much so a number of Lagoons are
sold here ( Vicsail a monohull brokage started importing them in 1998)
but the Big Multihull brokages still only sell second hand boats and I
don't think you would find any of them would recommend one. I personally
know of 2 Lagoons that literally came apart sailing from New Zealand to
Australia, one sank off Mooloolaba in Queensland and the other was lucky
to make it back to New Zealand when the deck began to part from the
hulls, while I have been told of a number of others taking on water when
their skin fittings corroded , broke or failed in other ways. The web is always a good provider of extra information on problems even though some of it can be hard to find. To be fair we are talking about the older boats here so I cannot honestly comment on the latest boats and it does appear that the latest models are at least capable of sailing in less than 30knots of wind so they have certainly improved them, after all even the early Seawinds weren't fast but at least they were safe. I see from your profile that you are
"Researching Cats" so I assume that you intend to one day purchase a
boat. Please be aware that in my last post I stated that it depended on
what a person intended to use their vessel for as to what they should
look for, I have been on a Lagoon and had a lovely day _motor sailing _
in over 20 knots( we were trying to get to a windward anchorage) and the
trip was more comfortable than it would have been on my boat but I would
have been there in half the time. I like boats that sail well and fast
and not only when it is blowing its tits off (My boat easily does in
excess of 9 knots in 15k true on all points of sail up to just under
35deg) even though my boat is overloaded with liveaboard gear, a friend
with the same boat as mine (but stripped out) does half my boat speed
again so when I'm doing 10k he will be doing 15k or more. If you have
been looking at Lagoons please do not let me put you off, go for a couple
of sails in all types of weather as all boats handle different conditions differently and it is not pleasant to get caught out in a boat that you suddenly find does not behave in 30k+ at all like it does in 15k, trust me it can be scarey. Anyway I've probably bored you enough
so I'll close. Enjoy the journey.

Thank you Ray for taking the time to share.

[Goosebumps]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Any chance you added a ladder to get to the engines? Yeah once you get to the bottom of the engine compartment, there is room for 2-3 people but getting there is the problem.

We've only spent a week on our Catalac so far but just checking the oil seems to be a major task.

I would recommend anyone starting to cruise plan on solar as thier primary battery charging method. Running the engine makes little sense with modern solar technology. And lots of folks cruising with outboards. In fact in an out of the way place, you are more likely to find an outboard mechanic than a diesel mechanic.

So you got a Catalac now is it a 10m?


A ladder, just open the hatch with opening of 40 by 80 cm lower yourself on the saildrive and you are in, front hatch is 60 by 40 cm amd there you can engine as step. Look I am 195cm and weigh 110 kg big boy, ok not much stomach and i have no difficulty getting in or out. I cant imagine any fit sailor not managing this. I have had to install electric rawwater pump on yanmar engine when yanmar belt driven pump failed again and in serious heavy weather, i managed
without hassle!

I agree run as much on solar as you can but still maintain that engine charging is basic with my high rated alternators regulated to float charge very easy, the same batteries 7 years now, i got three battery isolation switch isolated battery banks 600 Ah capacity and lots of space for them in those same engine compartments!


Please tell us more about what you think of the Catalac! You think it could be easily modified to outboard powered cat? You like the chines? Did you sail? Did you notice that tacking is no hassle.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Goosebumps

So you got a Catalac now is it a 10m?


A ladder, just open the hatch with opening of 40 by 80 cm lower yourself on the saildrive and you are in, front hatch is 60 by 40 cm amd there you can engine as step. Look I am 195cm and weigh 110 kg big boy, ok not much stomach and i have no difficulty getting in or out. I cant imagine any fit sailor not managing this. I have had to install electric rawwater pump on yanmar engine when yanmar belt driven pump failed again and in serious heavy weather, i managed
without hassle!

I agree run as much on solar as you can but still maintain that engine charging is basic with my high rated alternators regulated to float charge very easy, the same batteries 7 years now, i got three battery isolation switch isolated battery banks 600 Ah capacity and lots of space for them in those same engine compartments!


Please tell us more about what you think of the Catalac! You think it could be easily modified to outboard powered cat? You like the chines? Did you sail? Did you notice that tacking is no hassle.

Yes, it's a 10m. I'll probably pick up a short ladder as I don't care for the idea of stepping on the engine.

No, it probably couldn't be easily converted, so we will live with the inboards. Not prefered but not a deal breaker. Only got to spend a week on her so far and the winds (or lack of) weren't worth getting the sails out other than to check thier condition. There is some things I like more and some things I like yes. I was already thinking of doing a comparison to our Gemini but wanted to give the Catalac enough time get her set up the way we want and really see how she works out.

[rthompsona]

I want to thank everyone for the ideas and responses.
You have opened my eyes to some possibilities that I might not have considered otherwise.

I know that there are a lot of tradeoffs in deciding on the right boat. Having the forum makes it easier to understand how to separate the "nice to have" from the "need to have".

Robert and Patty Thompson