Which cat for live aboard with 120,000 US budget

[sandy daugherty]

Islander: I hope you will forgive any negative sense to my remarks about Gemini. I think they are good boats and have recommended them to friends and customers. I think the new Telstar is a major innovation, and I'm frequently begging rides because they are as much fun to sail as Farriers and drier! I have also mentioned on this site that the 3400 and the 105s both point higher than my PDQ, a seriously good thing when you go home up a river. I guess the most serious downside of owning a Gemini is having to put up with the sniffy disdain of people who paid a lot more for their Cats! They need a better reason than "ostentatious display" to justify their purchase decision, so they pick at all of Tony's economies.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Islander

In your case, that rules out the vast majority of boats - cars, planes and trains must be an issue as well . Once one is over 6'1" or so it becomes a handicap though unrecognized by those unaffected.

If you join the Yahoo group, just read the archives - starting yet another "how do you like your boat?" thread is not very productive. One day maybe.

The 105Mc is rated CE category A, (only id you pay extra for it. Regular production is not.)for what that is worth. The main issue with taking it offshore is capacity to carry supplies for extended trips. One just arrived in Fatu Hiva from the Galapagos (3000nm) with 2 crew in 21 days, not too shabby (theslapdash.com). I was waiting for their next installment. I will go there next.

As for the "all boats are compromises" comment, take a look at the
"Fast Cruisingcatamarans? How fast?" thread.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ast-17678.html

From page 5 on it seems to be all they can talk about! I have not missed much. Which "it" do you mean?

seven needed.

[Therapy]

was waiting for their next installment. I will go there next.

I did not know they had the ability to upload while in the Pacific.

All caught up!

[Therapy]

Islander,

You could use this search engine;

Cruisers & Sailing Forum

type gemini,

and have at it.

I have read all I believe.

I truly love the boat and wish it was 40ft but am determined to have one and try it out as is..........unless I win the lotto.

[Downhereinmexic]

Originally Posted by Therapy

But, Living aboard a Gemini would be very difficult in my view. I don't want to "camp" full time.

Hi Therapy,

What boat do you have/want (within your budget I mean not 'gold')? If you had to buy a boat within my budget ($120,000) what would you go for?

Thanks

[Downhereinmexic]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

Man, any fan of Futurama is a friend of mine!

"Hey bone sack! ... kill all humans!".

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Downhereinmexic

Hi Therapy,

What boat do you have/want (within your budget I mean not 'gold')? If you had to buy a boat within my budget ($120,000) what would you go for?

Thanks

I want a cat.

I have not seen (and I sit here a lot!!) any cat ready to sail for 120k except for Geminis.

They are surely a compromise.

1 FastCat
2 Manta
3 BroadBlue
4 Seawind 1160

But really, if there is enough headroom, any cat that does not need a refit would probably be just fine for my Florida-Bahamas-Caribbean beginning. There are particulars that one may notice that removes a boat from the list but I really don't think one would be able to really know the little niggling things unless a lot of time was spent on one. Few have that amount of time on various cats.

I have not found one in that price range.

[Beach Cruiser]

For those looking for a solid built 35' cat take a look at the Victory 35. I have owned one for 5 years and cruise/liveaboard full time. They are a very roomy and comfortable for a liveaboard. We have cruised ours from the Chesapeake to the Abacos. There is currently one for sale on YachtWorld.com Boats and Yachts for Sale

Barry

[Adaero]

Originally Posted by Beach Cruiser

For those looking for a solid built 35' cat take a look at the Victory 35. I have owned one for 5 years and cruise/liveaboard full time. They are a very roomy and comfortable for a liveaboard. We have cruised ours from the Chesapeake to the Abacos. There is currently one for sale on YachtWorld.com Boats and Yachts for Sale

Barry

I have never seen one of these before, it looks from the pictures like a nice boat. On the Yachtworld info it states 49" bridgedeck clearance? That seems very high to me, can you advise what it actually is?
Where were they built as I said I've never heard of them before?

[Downhereinmexic]

Ditto what Adaero said.

It does look like a good boat. Anyone got anything negative about it?

I was reading 'Sailors Multihull Guide' It says 35' bridgedeck.

I got in contact with the seller to see if it is still available. Looks good, I wonder if it is as tough as the Gemini.

[Beach Cruiser]

It is 49' for the mast to clear bridges and 35' in length (you get into the Bahamas for $150). These boats are very solid. Year 2000 and older were built in the Endeavor factory in Florida. It is probably one of the roomiest 35' boats you will ever set foot on.

Barry

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Beach Cruiser

For those looking for a solid built 35' cat take a look at the Victory 35. I have owned one for 5 years and cruise/liveaboard full time. They are a very roomy and comfortable for a liveaboard. We have cruised ours from the Chesapeake to the Abacos. There is currently one for sale on YachtWorld.com Boats and Yachts for Sale

Barry

I can't get to the builders site.
I searched and Googled and got to victorycatamarans.com which gets me nowhere.

Anybody find a link to the builder?

[Downhereinmexic]

Originally Posted by Therapy

I can't get to the builders site.
I searched and Googled and got to victorycatamarans.com which gets me nowhere.

Anybody find a link to the builder?

Looks like they sold up or ...?

Try this for an old snapshot of the website. Victory Catamarans - cached - the Boat Design and Boat Building Directory

Copy/download the image and zoom on your PC.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Downhereinmexic

Looks like they sold up or ...?

Uh huh.
Wonder why?
Wildcat comes to mind.

[sandy daugherty]

On the contrary; the Victory is very well built. I was told that production was very small, something on the order of one boat a year, due to its intended market being small. I helped a friend look at one that was for sale at Herrington Harbour (south of Annapolis) two months ago. He wanted a live-aboard cat. I was startled by the features this boat had, but a little disappointed by the relatively small sail area. It had a single diesel engine driving a steerable center mounted silette saildrive leg, commonly used by Prouts, and a quite acceptable solution; it can be raised out of the water when sailing. The asking price on the boat up here was IIRC $160,000. It may have had recent fiberglass repairs at Osprey Marine, which would be a plus in my book. There was good headroom inside too. I would definately take this boat over an Island Packet Packetcat (in a New York minute) and would not hesitate to cruise it anywhere in the eastern or western Caribbean. From what I see in the Yachtworld Ad, this one is not going to hang around.