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stappgroup · 13-08-2012, 08:16

My husband and I are looking at every catameran we can find we have been to the miami boat show 2 years in a row flown to croatia to look at the cats there. I would like the advice of the real people sailing them as far as slapping the water comfort quality and any advice anyone can give us. it will myself my husband our 8 year old daughter and 7 year old son. we plan to live on it and travel.
THANKS to anyone with an opinion!!!

**Vasco** · 13-08-2012, 08:27

All boats are a compromise to live on, there is no perfect boat. Your choice should be determined by your lifestyle. In other words it's what you and your family like and where you intend to sail that will determine your choice. When you think you've found the right boat charter one. It will not be like living on one (main difference will be all the stuff you will need when you do live on one) but it will be as close as you can get. Good luck in your search. I guess a good start would be to list what you do not want.

TexasPhil · 13-08-2012, 09:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by stappgroup

My husband and I are looking at every catameran we can find we have been to the miami boat show 2 years in a row flown to croatia to look at the cats there. I would like the advice of the real people sailing them as far as slapping the water comfort quality and any advice anyone can give us. it will myself my husband our 8 year old daughter and 7 year old son. we plan to live on it and travel.
THANKS to anyone with an opinion!!!

My family is doing exact same thing. We've been going to Annapolis boat show. We r more confused after looking!!

jmpilot · 13-08-2012, 09:44

I can tell you we changed from a mono we sailed the last 4 years to a cat last year (Lagoon440). We put 27,000nm on our Moody and now are approaching 4000 on the cat.
So much depends of course on budget. Almost any modern cat will take you where you please, their safety record is impressive and this includes production cats like Lagoon, Leopard (R&C), Catana, etc etc.
I strongly rec a cat for a family live-a board. Safer moving about the deck, so much more living space and just overall more comfortable.
Downside is motion at sea when awa is above 80 in any kind of sea. The jerking motion and banging is annoying to say the least.
If you can find the older PDQ44 is a great boat for a family. We do like our L-440 however!

**Waterway Guide** · 13-08-2012, 10:08

Welcome aboard! You're sure to get a lot of opinions here...maybe too many! Generally, the smaller the cat, the less living space and the less comfort at sea; however, also the less initial cost, the less upkeep cost, and the easier to handle at sea and at the dock. Since the layouts are reasonably similar, I'd try to first identify the minimum size your family needs for comfort, then you can drill down on layout and amenities. Hope you find the perfect boat and get sailing!

belizesailor · 13-08-2012, 10:37

"Never let the PERFECT be the enemy of the GOOD". Wise words.

I watch people put themselves through lots of anxiety, and waste lots of time, searching for the "perfect" boat. Given that there is no such thing they are ultimately going to fail at this quest anyway.

My suggestion is look for a boat that is well suited to your intended use and buy it. Realistically, almost any current production cat will likely serve your intended cruising use just fine.

**zeehag** · 13-08-2012, 10:54

you will have this list of perfection in hand as you look for boats..you will see something that grabs you and holds your attention longer than barbara anderson in a bikini--that is the boat you will buy-- probably wont even have the things you think you cannot live without--but that is always remedy-able--good luck and have fun.

webejammin · 17-08-2012, 00:08

Will you be sailing locally ( costal ) or across oceans mostly? Have you checked the marinas you want to moor your cat a $ ? Where is the nearest cat hall out facility ? Do you have bridges to go under ( height ) ? One day you will get hooked on a nice designed cat, we kept seeing Gemini's anchoring where we were and both my wife and I would perk up, that's when we knew.

**Camp Director G** · 17-08-2012, 04:34

Here's a simple answer. I like the Leopard 40, the Leopard 39, the Fountain-Pajot Mahe 36 and Orana 44. Lots of Leopards coming out of the Moorings fleets. FP's are around. The Mahe is smaller and very nicely laid out. Easy to handle. Orana is nice if you need more room. Both brands are production cats, so easier to resell and find information on.

**Blue Stocking** · 17-08-2012, 05:20

No one boat is the "right" boat, any 3 days in a row.
Its not the boat that changes, but our needs and expectations of fulfillment, no matter what the subject.
Different age groups change dramatically on a daily basis.--and over a longer period.
Start making individual lists at home. Serious ly question,"do I need this item", or can someone else choice make a compromise work.
The old saying "I'd rather be on a bad boat with a good crew, than on a good boat with a bad crew" is the extremes of success when living aboard. IMHO.

belizesailor · 17-08-2012, 07:16

The perennial quest of many for the "perfect" boat got me to thinking about the opposite -- boats that really suck. This is relevant to the quest for the "perfect" boat because those jousting with this windmill need to realize that, at least where modern production boats are concerned, you would be hard pressed to find a truly "bad" boat. "Bad' in this context meaning a truly bad design -- not just an individual boat with quality of build issues etc. One-off custom builds excluded.

Over a period of decades I have sailed every thing from dinghy's to tall ships and I have only ever sailed one boat which I truly disliked. Even it was not fundamentally a "bad" boat, the rig was good, the hull was good, the performance was good, it just had a few features which I really disliked. In all those years of sailing across hundreds of boats, I've only ever found one.

So, relax, you can't go all that wrong, but do get a professional survey of any boat you plan to buy -- just in case that individual boat has some issues.

**Eleven** · 17-08-2012, 07:47

Go to sales@multihullworld.com
Cats all over the world, and when you find one you like, talk to the agency. honest English people, making money by building a reputation.
Not all new boats are as described by the manufacturer.
They'll give as sound advice as you'll get from any sales office, totally unbiased and trimmed to match your requirements.
I have bought and sold through them, no other connection. A great place to browse.

MIRELOS · 18-08-2012, 06:24

budget, budget,budget.
get the biggest you can afford and handle.

tamicatana · 18-08-2012, 12:24

My opinion:

Instead of travelling to boat shows, go charter and see for yourself which cats you might like.

Sand crab · 19-08-2012, 09:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Over a period of decades I have sailed every thing from dinghy's to tall ships and I have only ever sailed one boat which I truly disliked. Even it was not fundamentally a "bad" boat, the rig was good, the hull was good, the performance was good, it just had a few features which I really disliked. In all those years of sailing across hundreds of boats, I've only ever found one.
.

I'll bet it was the Nautitech.