PDQ 32 vs Gemini 105MC

[Tropic Cat]

I wish you good luck with S/V Tere Hau Nui

[thinwater]

Mr. B:

Now there's a response and a rant I can respect. You said what you meant and bought the boat you wanted.

I hope it didn't come off that I don't think the Gemini 105s are good boats. I think they did some amazing things with the design. I would never advise someone against them. I can list things that I liked or didn't like--every boat is a compromise--but my personal decision came down to whether I could see myself being happy with the boat. So I think we both made the right call.

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Mr. B:

Now there's a response and a rant I can respect. You said what you meant and bought the boat you wanted.

I hope it didn't come off that I don't think the Gemini 105s are good boats. I think they did some amazing things with the design. I would never advise someone against them. I can list things that I liked or didn't like--every boat is a compromise--but my personal decision came down to whether I could see myself being happy with the boat. So I think we both made the right call.

Basically its just personal Preference, as with any thing, you either like it or you dont,
There where two other boats that I was considering as well as the 3 in question,
But you have to narrow it down, otherwise you will still be deciding when you are too old to do anything, then its too late,

Your PDQ is a good boat, no doubt about it.
My Gemini is a good boat as well,

We are very lucky that we have so many different boats to choose from,

My first mate and I were discussing it tonight, I had no intention of retiring for the next few years, The house sale unexpectedly, gave me enough money to both retire and to buy the boat,

Other wise, and we both agreed, that we would both be still sitting here doing nothing with our lives, in five or ten years time,
Her health is crap and getting worse, I could get hit by a bus, or Fall off my bike and be mangled,

So I bought the Gemini, At our age, we have a use by date, And we are going to make the best of what we have left. even if it aint that long,

The written word, loses a lot of the emotion and humour intended, I am a very positive bloke, and I dont believe in putting people down, Its just not me,
My Bluntness and honesty does get up peoples noses, Its just one of those things, Hahahahahahaha Most people have a hard time coping with it,

If we ever meet, we will have a few beers and laugh about it,

Grab the moment and live now, You might not be able to in a few years,

Cheers,
Brian,

[Jerry Woodward]

Thanks for all the great insight, everyone. I learned a few new things that I didn't realize. I didn't realize that when the slider is closed on the PDQ32, you can't stand up in the salon. I agree in the tropics, it will be open most of the time, but you probably need to close it when it rains, right?

Visibility is important to me. The last two big cats I was on had terrible visibility forward. You had to stand on something in the cockpit just to see over the coachroof. I'd like to hear more from Gemini owners about this issue.

I'm not too familiar with the CE certification issue. I know both boats are blue water capable, assuming a later model 105MC, so a certification doesn't seem that important, unless it makes a big difference on insurability.

Power management has been the biggest issue for me when chartering. Both boats had inadequate house batteries. We didn't even use the frige, just kept it stocked with ice. Didn't use the anchor light at night, although I wanted to. So whatever boat I get will have plenty of house batteries, and solar panels, and possibly a small Honda generator to power hungry applications, like running our washer/dryer (just kidding).

We're chartering a Lagoon 380 with aother couple in November, so I will have a better perspective for some of these issues after that.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Jerry Woodward

Thanks for all the great insight, everyone. I learned a few new things that I didn't realize. I didn't realize that when the slider is closed on the PDQ32, you can't stand up in the salon. I agree in the tropics, it will be open most of the time, but you probably need to close it when it rains, right?

Visibility is important to me. The last two big cats I was on had terrible visibility forward. You had to stand on something in the cockpit just to see over the coachroof. I'd like to hear more from Gemini owners about this issue.

I'm not too familiar with the CE certification issue. I know both boats are blue water capable, assuming a later model 105MC, so a certification doesn't seem that important, unless it makes a big difference on insurability.

Power management has been the biggest issue for me when chartering. Both boats had inadequate house batteries. We didn't even use the frige, just kept it stocked with ice. Didn't use the anchor light at night, although I wanted to. So whatever boat I get will have plenty of house batteries, and solar panels, and possibly a small Honda generator to power hungry applications, like running our washer/dryer (just kidding).

We're chartering a Lagoon 380 with another couple in November, so I will have a better perspective for some of these issues after that.

Regarding rain, if you are anchored, the slider can stay open. The hard top is huge and will keep out every drop if pointed into the wind.
Sail Delmarva: Banning Bugs - Slider Screen for a PDQ 32. If at the dock, it depends on the wind direction and strength.

I did once explore insurance for a Bemuda trip. They seemed comfortable with the reputation of the PDQ. On the other hand, some insurance companies either don't do bluewater or like big boats and big crews. Try Jackline Insurance.

Regarding power, saving power is generally cheaper than making it. Consider LEDs and florescent lights. Look for low-power fan vs AC.

[welshdiver]

What an interesting "forum" discussion. We are heading to the USA looking for a Catamaran & will be looking at as many as poss. but the main 3 are Prout PDQ 7 Geminin then decide what one is best for us. but there are to web pages I read-www.ZeroToCruising.com & they own a PDQ & have only been sailing just over 1 year & are in the island of Grenada waiting for the Hurricane season to end . The other is slapdash & they have a Gemini & sailed it from Florida & they are now in Greece. with their boat & have sailed for about 5 years in open blue water. They are both open to questions & have gr8t info on there web pages.

[deckofficer]

I am also interested in the PDQ 36. To the best of my knowledge, only the 32 has the limited saloon headroom and a slider? Anyone know the headroom for the 36?

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Tropic Cat

Cruising boats and live aboards don't depend on refrigerators. they have freezer/refrigerators. When can anyone run a freezer and fridge off a solar panel on a 32 foot boat? There just isn't enough square footage available to mount panels as the BTU requirement is monstrous. Even if it were physically possible, the additional windage would make the boat unmanageable in a squall or storm.

On my boat the fridge/freezer is 8 cubic feet, holds 30 days of food and is cooled by a cold plate coupled to an engine drive compressor (Rich Beers system). When cruising it runs twice a day for 30 minutes in the tropics. This 'cost' me 1/8 of a gallon of diesel fuel per day and the diesels are built to handle it. How else do you cross an ocean? All those fish you're going to catch have to go somewhere.

.

QUOTE by SMJ "The Seawind 1000 has a fridge and freezer. This and everything else on the boat runs on two 120 watt solar panels. I would never consider engine driven refrigeration. Talk about being married to your boat. What happens if you want to leave the boat for a few days to a week on the hook to do some land traveling? Can't be done unless you want to lose your 30 days worth of food. Never had that problem on our Seawind. "

+ 2 The modern 12 volt compressers combined with a box of good thermal rating is definitely the way to go with refrig in 2011.

Cheers

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Jerry Woodward

Visibility is important to me. The last two big cats I was on had terrible visibility forward. You had to stand on something in the cockpit just to see over the coachroof. I'd like to hear more from Gemini owners about this issue.


.

I don't think it is all that bad but I don't have a lot of time on others except for a couple large ones and of course boat shows. (no PDQs or Cadillacs at boat shows)

Every sailboat I have been on that has had a jib unfurled makes it sort of hard to see.

I really like seeing through the windows when spray is coming aboard or it is raining, while I stay dry. Rain in Florida in the summer is still COLD. When I was younger I didn't care. Now I do.

[Mr B]

I had a fly across the top of the salon to keep the heat out, Took all the heat out of the sun,
When I was travelling, I looked out between the fly and the roof. excellent vision looking through the salon and over the roof.

Same with parking in a Marina, Looking out through the salon, very easy,

The fly was about 18 inches above the roof of the salon. It also collected rain water, which I caught in a bucket and put in my tanks,

I had 3 small bottles of gas, The ones smaller than the 9 KG ones, 21 days it took from Fiji to Australia, And I ran out of gas 4 days from Bundaberg,

So the fridge ran for 17 days, Before it cut out, On about 2.5 bottles of gas,

I think the Fiji bottles dont have the same amount of gas in them as an Aussie 9 kg bottle, As the Aussie ones run for a lot longer when you compare the gas amount and time they are running,

The Aussie 9 KG ones run for over a full 2 weeks, This also includes running the gas stove as well.
I cant give any more details, as I wrecked my boat on the way home,

Worse, Was running out of ciggys, four days out from Bundaberg and in the middle of a very bad storm and monster waves.

[welshdiver]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

I am also interested in the PDQ 36. To the best of my knowledge, only the 32 has the limited saloon headroom and a slider? Anyone know the headroom for the 36?

Head room is close to 6;6. but depends on year/modles as there are 2 models LRC & Classic, so quit good, main diff is one has inboard diesel other out board petrol . But you neeed to take both out as sil size is also diff.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Mr B

Worse, Was running out of ciggys, four days out from Bundaberg and in the middle of a very bad storm and monster waves.

I WOULD SACK THE PROVISIONER in that case.

[smj]

I think the PDQ has good headroom in the hulls but maybe stooping headroom in the salon. Really nice boats.

[Dulcesuenos]

I have not seen a PDQ's interior but it sounds like it must be similar to our Endeavour 30 cat. Our slider is awesome in that it opens up the already large cockpit and flows very nicely into the salon. The salon has just over 5' headroom in half and the other half is over 7' with the slider open. Geminis have lower headroom the further down the salon uo go so not sure the huge gain here, have Eisin Glass (sp?) enclosing the front half of ours and an enclosure for just before the companion way to the Salon. So we can AC the whole boat sans the back half of the cockpit. We love our boat but having owned her for 6 months would have paid much more for one with more head room and a 3rd bed room (ours has 2 queens, bigger beds then the aft berths of the Gemini )The trade off on ours is great 360 degree visibility. and you can see all 4 corners from the helm and the outboard is awesome, we charge 30 amps at just above idle burning just tiny bits of fuel. The 200 watts of solar keep our 3 AGM's going strong and the Freezer and fridge run great ( especialy with the new fan) I wish I had spent the time and some money spending more time on other cats. We bought ours because the timing was right and we knew we wernt ready to move aboard for at least 2 years. Other cats that have sparked my interest since are Victory 35's (tons of room), Solaris, Packet Cat 35's (two cabins again) and if we could ever come across an affordable Lagoon or Leopard 39 in the 120's we might jump on it lol. Also some of the FP models look nice and are close to our range ( and Yours) if they are close to the same age range. Definitly worth looking at. I like the Gemini but to be hones tour boat being 4' shorter feels bigger and more open, even when in the galley or the salon, I also disliked the restricted vision of the Gem, we did almost buy one though it was tough...

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Jerry Woodward

Thanks for all the great insight, everyone. I learned a few new things that I didn't realize. I didn't realize that when the slider is closed on the PDQ32, you can't stand up in the salon. I agree in the tropics, it will be open most of the time, but you probably need to close it when it rains, right?

Visibility is important to me. The last two big cats I was on had terrible visibility forward. You had to stand on something in the cockpit just to see over the coachroof. I'd like to hear more from Gemini owners about this issue.

I'm not too familiar with the CE certification issue. I know both boats are blue water capable, assuming a later model 105MC, so a certification doesn't seem that important, unless it makes a big difference on insurability.

Power management has been the biggest issue for me when chartering. Both boats had inadequate house batteries. We didn't even use the frige, just kept it stocked with ice. Didn't use the anchor light at night, although I wanted to. So whatever boat I get will have plenty of house batteries, and solar panels, and possibly a small Honda generator to power hungry applications, like running our washer/dryer (just kidding).

We're chartering a Lagoon 380 with aother couple in November, so I will have a better perspective for some of these issues after that.

The only time I shut my cockpit door was when waves were coming over the transom and filling the cockpit, Which didnt happen all that often, Running in front of severe weather,

I have a full cock pit cover, so the rain didnt bother me, as the rain cant get in,

I had four house batterys and a motor battery, 4 solar panels and a wind generator, I never ran out of power,

If the power in the batterys got low, I ran the diesel for 20 minutes, It also heated up the water for the shower at the same time,
Heater is run off the diesel, and the tank stays hot for a day and a half.
My Diesel runs a gallon an hour at 7 knots with the wind on the nose,

So it was a win win situation, Hot water and full battery bank, for what, $1-80 all up.

But I only got low power when I was parked in a marina, Using everything,
When Travelling, It stayed on four bars, Even with out sun, The wind generator did its job, and thats with all the electronics going for navigation, Etc, Etc,

I dont have a generator at all. Only the motor,

I also lived on my boat, full time for 3 months, Including the 3 weeks crossing from Fiji to Aussie,

The Gemini 105MC is Blue water certified from 2003,

Not once did I feel unsafe in my Gemini crossing the ocean, Even in the crap weather that I copped,

My biggest problem was running out of fresh water, I had the dunny connected to fresh water flush at first, Once I changed that to salt water flush, I had no problems,
Plus the water maker made a lot of difference, A couple of hours and my tanks were full again, That was off the battery bank, Which didnt drain the batterys either,