Pros and Cons Between a New and Old Catamaran

[smj]

To me today is a perfect example of a performance cat. We are broad reaching down Biscayne Bay in probably 8kts true 6-7 kts apparent making 6.5-7 kts. Thus is with our square top main and screecher. It doesn't get any better.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by smj

To me today is a perfect example of a performance cat. We are broad reaching down Biscayne Bay in probably 8kts true 6-7 kts apparent making 6.5-7 kts. Thus is with our square top main and screecher. It doesn't get any better.

Main and jib:

IMGP0099.AVI - YouTube

We don't have a screecher....

Oh yeah, towing a couple of Rapala deep divers - about as much drag as towing a dinghy!

[smj]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Main and jib:

We don't have a screecher....

Oh yeah, towing a couple of Rapala deep divers - about as much drag as towing a dinghy!

Im jealous but very happy with what we have as that's what we can afford. We could own a larger boat but that would mean going back to work full time and then we wouldn't be able to enjoy our bigger boat.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Oh yeah, towing a couple of Rapala deep divers - about as much drag as towing a dinghy!

No kidding! Those things are like dragging a bucket. You can save a lot of money on a series drogue by just throwing 4 or 5 of those overboard!

Mark

[44'cruisingcat]

LOL! New storm tactic - go fishing!

[deckofficer]

The cat you were closing on one point to starboard, did you overtake?

[44'cruisingcat]

No. It's another Oram 44C, but they have a spinnaker! Actually they had passed us about an hour earlier in lighter winds. But once the wind started to get around 8-10 knots we were pretty much matching their pace. That was about as far ahead as they got.

[Eleven]

44'cruisingcat - Great stuff, and what a cruiser wants. A little miss representation though, minor, not serious. Waterline limits speed unless the hulls have a fineness better than 1:10 as I remember. Certainly my shorter (30ft) Prout was a little too fat and heavy to exceed her hull speed of 7.5kts. Generally over a broad range she'd do a third of wind speed but that was with an idiot in charge and very old sails.
The Snow Goose at 37ft and the equivalent larger Catana's would still be left behind without deploying Spinakers etc and keeping light. The OP was 'looking for guidance/starting a debate on' old v new. Your's is good value, no argument, but also a dream for many. A pm to the OP on what the extra cost was to get her right would be helpful. Certainly the small FP's are better than my old prout, but I had little to do to my boat while FP buyers have a had issues with build, squeeks, underpowered, and all the other little issues that come with an economic build. Cruising anchors and ropes, uprating items for sustained ocean sailing all add to that purchase price. MOST of the old boats are solidly built for what was a luxury market in their day. The lack of stuctural issues (there are a few well known ones) and conservative sail plan make for relaxed cruising. Most will be briefly jealous as you waft ahead of them with such ease, but know they couldn't afford it and go cruising. Count your blessings and enjoy them, and go with our blessings too. She's a Ferrari, cool, fast and beautiful.

[44'cruisingcat]

Thanks for the nice words. All I was really doing was agreeing with and illustrating SMJ's post, about how good it is to be able to sail at useful speeds in fairly light breezes.

But yeah, we love our boat.