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Old 28-09-2015, 10:04   #1
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What size of Cat do you use for your Family?

Hi,
those of you who are cruising with your family (living aboard cruising) - What size of cat do you have?
Please tell me the brand and age and why do you like it. Negatives also.
We have 3 kids that will be in ages 6-9 when we finally sail off.
Thank you

Eva

PS: Please don't make this mono versus Cat discussion. We are talking Cats please.
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Old 28-09-2015, 10:19   #2
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re: What size of Cat do you use for your Family?

We also have 3 kids aged 5-9.

When we were looking for cats, we came to the conclusion that most of the 38+ ft cats would have worked. In the end, our boat was selected more for other reasons (price, location, ect) than because it was the "perfect" family boat.

We plan to depart in February, so we will see if we made a mistake. Our boat is a 2004 Island Spirit 40.
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Old 30-09-2015, 06:32   #3
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Re: What size of Cat do you use for your Family?

We (family of 4 ) had a lagoon 410, 4 cabin 2 head version. Perfect size for long term cruising.

We now have a Mahe 36 with 3 cabins and one head, not perfect but still OK for extended holidays since we are landlubbers again most of the time. We have been onboard for 2.5 months now and still haven't killed each other but a second head would be handy some times.
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Old 30-09-2015, 18:01   #4
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Re: What size of Cat do you use for your Family?

Hey everyone,

We are a family of four which includes our two daughter, aged 8 and 12. We will be sailing a Leopard 46. We will not be full-time until this December. I really don't have anything negative to say about the boat as we have only been on it for periods of a few weeks since we bought her. It's a big boat and even though I have sailed most of my life on all sorts of boats, sailing her with just my girls was humbling, especially after many years of racing with the same crew where hardly a word is spoken even at the most heart racing moments.

Bottom line is my wife and daughters are very happy with the room we have on Halcyon. We are asking them to live in a relatively small space for who knows how long. Everyone has room to escape and a space to call their own. And again, I repeat, my wife is happy!!

See you out there!
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Old 30-09-2015, 19:29   #5
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Re: What size of Cat do you use for your Family?

Maxim Voyage 380 - Which is a 38' Cat Owner's Ed with a large head in the port aft.

Wife and I currently live on ours (a retirement gift to ourselves) with our two girls (12 & 9) and blind, 15-yr old beagle. The girls love the forward cabin and fore-berth on the Starboard so our Starboard Aft has become a guest/computer room (computer housed in the closet with monitor mounted in-place of the closet door. Nav Station holds the second computer (all-in-one touch screen) and Xbox (computer has HDMI input) and connects to the Bluetooth stereo so life is good (or managed to enjoyable levels).

Closet space becomes the biggest factor with kids and we always are wanting for more.

Dave
Aero Ergo Sum
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Old 30-09-2015, 20:31   #6
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Re: What size of Cat do you use for your Family?

To all the families who have responded and those that will; who of you might be cruising the western Caribbean (Leeward isl. to the Bahamas) between December and May, 2016? We will be making our way NW from the Leewards before crossing to the Azores in May. Is there anyone else who might be heading to the Med next year also? We would love to start contacting other kid boats.
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Old 30-09-2015, 20:51   #7
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Re: What size of Cat do you use for your Family?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Capt. Aubrey View Post
To all the families who have responded and those that will; who of you might be cruising the western Caribbean (Leeward isl. to the Bahamas) between December and May, 2016? We will be making our way NW from the Leewards before crossing to the Azores in May. Is there anyone else who might be heading to the Med next year also? We would love to start contacting other kid boats.
We plan to leave the northern Keys (Key Largo) in February headed for the Bahamas. Our very rough plan is through the Bamahas, down to DR, then over to Cuba and south (who knows where from Cuba)

We have 3 kids on board aged 5(girl), 7(boy) and 9(boy).
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Old 01-10-2015, 10:11   #8
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Re: What size of Cat do you use for your Family?

I have to say that I like the idea of Leopard 46, but I am worried it is too much boat for us. Although I have yet to see one or step foot on 46 (I don't think they make that one anymore). We saw smaller ones. If we want to buy one, we would have to go to ex-charter Morrings and they seem to not be anywhere in US to see. Do you have a blog to follow?
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Old 01-10-2015, 12:50   #9
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Re: What size of Cat do you use for your Family?

Hello Outsideworld,

We are just starting to put together our blog. We will let you know when we make our first post.

You are correct, there are not a lot of Leopards to see outside of Fl. We needed to fly from the Pacific Northwest to FL to be able to see a range of used Leopards. Even in FL, we had cover St. Augustine to Key West to see 5 examples. A good contact at Leopard Ft. Lauderdale is Peter Wiersema.

We chartered a Moorings L40 in the Abacos a number of years ago and really liked the interior layout. Outside, we liked the aft deck that ran between the cockpit and the dinghy davits. To us it felt like a very solid boat and we gained confidence in her fairly quickly, but for our plans we felt the 40 would feel very small very quickly.

Even though I had kept up a cursory search for many years waiting for the time we would be ready, ironically it was my wife that found our 46 in Tortola and, yes, she is an ex-Moorings boat. This was the only way we could budget for a boat this size. We had her surveyed before purchase. Originally I was going to attend on my own, but then we decided that since the trip was going to be a family affair, it's not too early to start right at the beginning, so we all flew down for the survey and sea trial.

We were very pleased with the condition of the boat which had been very well maintained by Conch Charters, where she had been for a year after Moorings.

Certainly I think it is very beneficial to charter the boats on your shortlist, but that in itself can be expensive. Chartering the L40 was a good option. It allowed us to see how well a Leopard is put together and helped us narrow our focus.

Until our blog is up and running, check out S/V Maple blogspot. They are friends of ours from the Bluewater Cruising Association in Vancouver who bought a Leopard 398 in Greece in June of this year and are currently cruising the Adriatic with their two daughters.

Feel free to contact me by PM also. Enjoy the search!
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Old 06-10-2015, 04:54   #10
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Re: What size of Cat do you use for your Family?

We are on a Leopard 45. We've found it to be excellent for our family of 4. I wouldn't be concerned about handling mid-40's cats. I would carefully calculate the cost to bring a bareboat up to cruise specs (as you define them, everyone is different). It's easy to overlook/forget to include the cost certain things like liferafts, or cockpit cushions, or a good cockpit enclosure, a worthy anchor with sufficient rode or even polishing the fuel tanks.
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Old 06-10-2015, 05:17   #11
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Re: What size of Cat do you use for your Family?

We're a family of 4 on a Lagoon 450. We arrived last year in Fort Lauderdale on a mission to buy a Leopard 46, we had no doubts that it was the right boat for us but hadn't actually seen one in the flesh. After inspecting 4 of them in various condition we came to the conclusion that it wasn't the right boat for us after all. We were also convinced (prior to seeing one) that we wouldn't buy a lagoon but after seeing a 440 we found a 1 year old 450 with everything on board and couldn't be happier. The L46 are a great boat but we just couldn't go past the superior space and (for us) better layout of the L450. Compromises compromises I wouldn't worry about handling a 40-50ft cat, much easier than an a similar length mono due to twin engines and shallow draft.
We'll be in the Bahamas from late Nov and heading Southwards, probably Cuba etc. We have 7 & 10 year old girls. We didn't meet so many families last season so hopefully we'll do better this time!
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Old 06-10-2015, 05:59   #12
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Re: What size of Cat do you use for your Family?

Hi Gradient,
we are actually considering Lagoon 420. We looked at 450 but they all seem to have the fly bridge. Do you have it also? And if so how do you feel about it? I (mom talking now) feel like it is way too far for us. We have 3 kids that are all under 6 now, by the time we leave the youngest one will be almost 6 and oldest 9. Although they will be older, but I feel like that the fly bridge is not the best choice for their safety. One parent will be always up there.
Your kids are older and you have one less, so I can see it as doable probably, but tell me your opinion.

Yes on Leopards - it seems that the Leopard 46 is very comparable to the size of 420- living space.

We just trying to figure out which part we do need more, space or speed.

Thank you

Eva



Quote:
Originally Posted by Gradient View Post
We're a family of 4 on a Lagoon 450. We arrived last year in Fort Lauderdale on a mission to buy a Leopard 46, we had no doubts that it was the right boat for us but hadn't actually seen one in the flesh. After inspecting 4 of them in various condition we came to the conclusion that it wasn't the right boat for us after all. We were also convinced (prior to seeing one) that we wouldn't buy a lagoon but after seeing a 440 we found a 1 year old 450 with everything on board and couldn't be happier. The L46 are a great boat but we just couldn't go past the superior space and (for us) better layout of the L450. Compromises compromises I wouldn't worry about handling a 40-50ft cat, much easier than an a similar length mono due to twin engines and shallow draft.
We'll be in the Bahamas from late Nov and heading Southwards, probably Cuba etc. We have 7 & 10 year old girls. We didn't meet so many families last season so hopefully we'll do better this time!
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Old 06-10-2015, 06:13   #13
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Re: What size of Cat do you use for your Family?

If you need space, rent apartments and fly between locations.
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Old 06-10-2015, 06:16   #14
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Re: What size of Cat do you use for your Family?

We absolutely LOVE the flybridge and in fact spend more time there than anywhere else! The access from both sides is easy and protected and to be honest the 450 is so stable we never have to worry about the kids going over the side. Coming from mono's this was a real change of headspace for us. I think not having the flybridge would be a major loss now that we've had it, if you ask other 450 owners I think you'll get much the same feedback.
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Old 10-10-2015, 02:52   #15
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Re: What size of Cat do you use for your Family?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Capt. Aubrey View Post
To all the families who have responded and those that will; who of you might be cruising the western Caribbean (Leeward isl. to the Bahamas) between December and May, 2016? We will be making our way NW from the Leewards before crossing to the Azores in May. Is there anyone else who might be heading to the Med next year also? We would love to start contacting other kid boats.
If you are looking to get in contact with and find other kid boats, the Facebook Group kids4sail can be quite helpful.

Oh, and on your original question - 2 teenagers and 2 adults on a Catana 48.

Mark.
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