Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 01-10-2006, 15:20   #31
Registered User
 
cat man do's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Brisbane Australia [until the boats launched]
Boat: 50ft powercat, light,long and low powered
Posts: 4,409
Images: 36
Are you just going to use an engine and jet in a 10 ft flattie,so you can fly through 6 inches of water and get all the crabs, or are you going to terrorize everyone at anchor????

Dave
cat man do is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2006, 15:57   #32
Kai Nui
Guest

Posts: n/a
Dave, there is actually a thread along those lines called "Boat Based Business" I started some time back. The idea of a viable means to generate income while cruising is something I have a keen interest in. Interesting enough, I would say a power boat would lend itself much more efficiently to a boat based business than a sail boat would. Arriving at scheduled destinations, regardless of wind could be a major advantage.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2006, 16:50   #33
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Tasmania
Boat: VandeStadt IOR 40' - Insatiable
Posts: 2,317
Images: 91
I have heard similar arguments before, but I have never seen anyone put together an impassionate comparison (usually, in my experience, people have a bias, and their argument relects this). I am also biased, and I am happy to admit that even if motor boat was cheaper, I wouldn't be changing over any time soon... for me there is no charm or magic unless you are under sail...
Weyalan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2006, 16:55   #34
Kai Nui
Guest

Posts: n/a
The uniqueness of this forum comes out once more. Only here could you get a truly objective comparison. I too would stay with sails even if it was less cost effective, but the information here is certainly food for thought.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2006, 17:33   #35
Registered User
 
cat man do's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Brisbane Australia [until the boats launched]
Boat: 50ft powercat, light,long and low powered
Posts: 4,409
Images: 36
Can totally understand where your comming from guys, as I've had 4 different sailing boats before,the last one in particular being a fast and high pointing vessel, I would have to say I have a bias toward a sailing cat.
My decision though has nothing to do with the charm, magic and romance of sail, but has everything to do with the cost's associated in biulding a boat that best suits our needs in the cruising grounds that we'll be using her in.
In this instance for us, it seems the boat we're building wins out. I honoustly wish it did'nt, but if having a stink boat means we get out on the water sooner with the space we want and get to carry the big dinghy and have heaps of refrigeration and most impotantly being able to do the big miles when required to the remote reefs and island in light to no air and get back in before it all gets ugly well, I suppose a stink boat it be.

Have Fun

Dave
cat man do is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2006, 21:16   #36
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: cairns australia
Boat: now floating easy37
Posts: 636
Images: 41
a bit of both possibly, you know pull into nice quiet secluded anchorage where everyone is enjoying the serenity and then roar around ;-)
sean
northerncat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2006, 03:09   #37
Registered User
 
yona's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: HK
Posts: 24
Dave,
How big is the fuel tank in the Cat you are building?
For my (unprofessional) eyes it looks like a powercat in that size can't go more than 1000 mile. Correct me if I am wrong.
yona is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2006, 05:44   #38
Registered User
 
swagman's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Winter land based UK New Forest. Summer months away. Making the transition from sail to power this year - scary stuff.
Boat: Super Van Craft 1320 Power Yacht
Posts: 2,175
Images: 10
Send a message via Skype™ to swagman
Hi,

Good thread and relative for me as we're thinking forward a few years to when maybe a sail boat is not best for us and maybe a power boat could be.

From the discussions I've already had with several long distance power skippers I'd be supporting those who say overall running costs for same length boats are about the same.

But equally capital costs still do appear to be at the two ends of the extreme, with power usually costing more up front - and possible devaluing at a faster rate..............

But then on the other hand, it is hard to compare the space / volume diffence twix the two types of craft in the same length...............

I'd persoanlly love one day to cruise all the waterways of Europe - including Russia etc - and I do know trying that with a 22 metre mast and a 2.5M depth may well be a bit tricky - hence the longer term interest in a motor boat.

Cheers
JOHN
__________________
Don't take life too seriously. No ones going to make it out alive......Go see our blog at https://www.sailblogs.com/member/yachtswagman/
swagman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2006, 13:50   #39
Registered User
 
cat man do's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Brisbane Australia [until the boats launched]
Boat: 50ft powercat, light,long and low powered
Posts: 4,409
Images: 36
Hi yona and thanks for your interest. We have built 3 separate tanks as part of the structure in each hull, totalling 6. We can then pump up to 2 alloy tanks,one for each engine daily and gravity feed back to motors . these alloy tanks hold 150 liters each and total tankage is some 2600litres. So should be good for around 2000n/m range plus at arond 10 knots. Just tentatively been offered to put her in charter with a mates 45 ft alloy cat in a low key resort and boat building facility that he's getting involved in, in Vanuatu. mmmmmm nice tax free income , rich American tourist,s.

Don' think this style of boat will help Swagman though, 24ft beam no good in canals of Europe.

Dave
cat man do is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2006, 14:35   #40
Registered User
 
cat man do's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Brisbane Australia [until the boats launched]
Boat: 50ft powercat, light,long and low powered
Posts: 4,409
Images: 36
Hey Yona , if you look at my gallery I,ve drawn in where tanks are in my boat FYI.

Dave
cat man do is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-10-2006, 23:34   #41
Registered User
 
cat man do's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Brisbane Australia [until the boats launched]
Boat: 50ft powercat, light,long and low powered
Posts: 4,409
Images: 36
Here is a website for a couple on a converted cray boat that plods along at 6knots and uses about 1 liter/nm with a much heavier hull and a bigger engine than I'll have. definetly worth a look just for the anchorage and boatyard info up in Malaysia.

Excellent costings on just about everything needed for the big trip.

How does $0.55c/litre for diesel sound???? I'm goin'

http://members.optusnet.com.au/suean...index.html.htm

Interestingly they have gone this way for the same reasons as me.

Hope you all enjoy

Dave
cat man do is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2006, 01:18   #42
Registered User
 
44'cruisingcat's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,398
Images: 69
I believe fuel is extremely cheap in Venezuela. Just take a couple of extra jerrycans along!

One downside to going the power only option: fuel prices are only going one way in the long run, and it might get to the stage where you just can't afford to go anywhere far in a motor boat - sails do give you the option of travelling without spending much on fuel at all. I know of a couple who travelled from (I think) Airlie beach to Darwin on about $40 (oz) worth of fuel.
44'cruisingcat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2006, 01:45   #43
Registered User
 
cat man do's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Brisbane Australia [until the boats launched]
Boat: 50ft powercat, light,long and low powered
Posts: 4,409
Images: 36
Gee mate if you look at my post from the start you'll get the reasons why were running this way. How much did your rig and sails cost?? If their any good I'd recon they'd pay for a bit of diesel. Venezuela's on the wrong side of the world for me, and I like eating Thai,Malaysian and espesially Vietnamese food so this appears to be the place for me.

I do understand that diesel isn't getting any cheaper but I don't think good sailcloth, riggers wages, alloy sections,spectra halyards and rigging wire let alone blown deck hardware etc etc are getting any cheaper either. I may infact have a better chance of getting my low tech Cummins repaired ,than I would have of a decent sail repair or dropped rig fixed in a remote place.

As I've said all along I would rather have a fast performance sailing cat, but in our instance I don't feel the numbers stack up.

Where not the only ones

http://members.optusnet.com.au/suean...index.html.htm
http://www.setsail.com/binn/homepage.taf

Have fun

Dave
cat man do is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2006, 04:57   #44
One of Those
 
Canibul's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Colorado
Boat: Catalac 12M (sold)
Posts: 3,218
Cat Man do;
While I got the bug real seriously for a sailing catamaran, my wife keeps putting in a word here and there to at least take a look at powered catamarans. This started when we started seeing a new 42 ft. power catamaran ( I think its 42 ft.) thats doing day charters here.

What commercially available catamaran would you recommend for someone looking at power vs. sail options?
__________________
Expat life in the Devil's Triangle:
https://2gringos.blogspot.com/
Canibul is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2006, 05:23   #45
Registered User
 
cat man do's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Brisbane Australia [until the boats launched]
Boat: 50ft powercat, light,long and low powered
Posts: 4,409
Images: 36
Hmmmm comercialy available. None that really "rocks me boat", but seeing as I feel Aus and NZ are the leaders in the field, I'd be looking at something from those waters. Unfortunately I feel anything that comes out of a mould is going to be too heavy,needing bigger motors and more fuel and less range. But try Classic yachts, Powerplay, Seawind, Scimitar, Leopard and Perry[who have gone into recievership]. nice boats though.

Schionning marine in Aus, Tennent design in NZ and Ron Given in NZ would be my choices for a boat, but you may have to find a builder and I'm sure they could put you onto one. Schionning supply a pre cut Duflex kit in epoxy for there cats, well worth looking at.

This will give you a start.

Have fun

Dave
cat man do is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Most Efficient 12vdc Refrigerator? sascec Electrical: Batteries, Generators & Solar 9 12-09-2009 04:31
Comparison of Boardings clausont Flotsam & Sailing Miscellany 3 23-06-2009 20:41
Spreadsheet for Boat-Buying Comparison? outthere09 The Sailor's Confessional 7 25-03-2009 14:03
co2 vs efficient life style sabray The Sailor's Confessional 1 04-09-2008 10:12
Electric and Diesel comparison Whimsical Multihull Sailboats 90 04-08-2008 15:38

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 09:27.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.