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Old 06-01-2013, 14:45   #1
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FPs For Extended Cruising with Kids?

Long time reader, first time poster.

We are looking at later model FPs in the 40ish foot range (Mahe, Lavezzi, Lapari, Orana) for some extended cruising with wife and two kids (ages 8 and 10). Any families out there cruising on FPs that can comment about suitability, pros, cons, etc?

Highest level trade offs in my mind would be benefit of space (greater comfort/ more stuff) that comes with larger models vs. the reduced cost and simplicity (ease of sailing and simplicity of systems) of smaller ones. Any first hand perspectives from those who have sailed these models with kids would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
Drew
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Old 08-01-2013, 13:49   #2
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Re: FPs For Extended Cruising with Kids?

Let me re-frame the question and see if I get any bites ...

I would really like to get the Mahe 36 (3 cabin/ 1 head), but am not convinced it will be large enough for extended cruising for a family of four. Any Mahe owners with kids that can speak to the suitability? Any Lavezzi/ Lapari owners with kids who want to comment about suitability and whether they wished they went smaller/larger?

Thanks!
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Old 08-01-2013, 14:24   #3
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Re: FPs For Extended Cruising with Kids?

Drew,

I've got an older FP, 1990 Antigua 37. We are a family of 5 and mainly use the boat for day sails and weekends. Every summer we do one extended 10-14 day trip on the boat here in the Chesapeake Bay. Our boat has 4 cabins and 2 heads. I have not been on a Mahe' 36, but judging from the online photos I would say they probably have a little more interior volume than our 37. What I can tell you is that even on the extended trips, our boat has been great.

Do I still drool over all of the larger cats? Yes. However, this boat does everything we need it to do. Everybody has their own space. There is lots of storage. I can easily single hand it if necessary. The initial purchase price is cheaper than the bigger boats, it is cheaper to berth at marinas, shallower draft, lower mast height clearance for ICW bridges, etc... The down side to a smaller cat is carrying capacity. It is not a problem for the way we use our boat, but I can imagine that all the stuff you would need/want to bring along for an extended trip like a circumnavigation would result in quite a performance penalty. I'm sure you could manage it, but you would definitely need to be more sensitive to weight than you would with a larger cat.

Hopefully this post is helpful. Good luck with your decision.
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Old 09-01-2013, 11:14   #4
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Re: FPs For Extended Cruising with Kids?

Ti' Punch - Thank you very much. The post was very helpful.

Any guess as to how much cargo weight I would have to work with before performance would be meaningfully impacted? Regards, Drew
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Old 09-01-2013, 12:03   #5
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Re: FPs For Extended Cruising with Kids?

drewvta,

A Mahe 36 with 3 cabins and 1 head will work if that is the budget you have to work with. We take our two girls for weeks at a time, but not months. Over time all boats get small with lots of people on board so you may need something bigger.
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Old 09-01-2013, 18:59   #6
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Re: FPs For Extended Cruising with Kids?

Drew,

I really have no idea. Maybe Cotemar or one of the other Mahe' owners can comment on load carrying ability. I was just pointing out that one of the down sides of going smaller is having to be more careful about weight. I agree with Cotemar though that you could make it work for you. The bottom line for us was, going smaller/older allowed us to get on the water sooner. I wouldn't trade the last five years of fun for another four or five feet of boat length.

Best of luck,

Chris
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Old 11-01-2013, 13:36   #7
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Re: FPs For Extended Cruising with Kids?

Great perspective Ti' Punch. I think most boats around this range would do just fine. Agree we need to stop agonizing over the trade offs and just pick one to get out there. Now maybe if I repeat that to myself three times a day I will be able to pull the trigger sometime this year
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Old 12-01-2013, 07:16   #8
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Re: FPs For Extended Cruising with Kids?

Have you considered the FP Athena as well? OK they are an older model than the Mahe and the later Lavezzi's but they are only fractionally shorter than the Lavezzi, have a good load carrying capacity, do not have the Osmosis/layup problems of some individual vessels built using vacuum infusion, (Mahe, Lavezzi, Orana) and most importantly are cheaper to buy. They stand up well to use and you have the option of buying a cheap one and re-equipping as you want or paying a bit more for a good one pretty well ready to go. From memory, the last ones were made in 2006.
Like all the other of your candidates, there are lots doing long distance cruising with families living abord so they are clearly fully capable.
Good luck with the search
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Old 12-01-2013, 08:39   #9
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Re: FPs For Extended Cruising with Kids?

I've had my 95Athena for about six years now. I promised the wife an RV and the kid has been off to college in Europe for a few years so sadly she will be up for sale sometime soon, looking at perhaps a older classic mono in the 32' range just for me. But I've taken the Athena all over and have been fairly happy with it for what it is. A great Carib boat. I work on a lot of boats down here and plenty of them are Cats. For the cost difference in the bigger far more expensive ones I don't see a whole lot of extra benefit. I think the FPs are better set up for working on as you will do on any boat. My wife, daughter, and I were quite comfortable on the 38'. I'd sail it RTW alone with no qualms. Though if extended cruising meant RTW or months on end with a family of four a bigger Cat 42'+ would fit the bill better.
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Old 13-01-2013, 21:03   #10
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Re: FPs For Extended Cruising with Kids?

Hi Drew,
after two years of living aboard my suggestions would be to get the biggest boat you can afford NOW.
Don't wait for next year or more to get that luxurious cat everybody is talking about.

Ergonomically cats became comfortable at ~42', cabin high and width, load carrying, speed, comfort, and safety, all increase with length.

I am the first to say that speed is not that important, but it is frustrating to go slow, be overtaken and arrive after sunset .......

If you can diy, you can improve as you go along.

Concentrate on safety first, look for a boat that has already circumnavigated and hence has all the gadgets, avoid ex charter boats for the opposite reason , you will have to spend a lot of time and money to get her right.
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Old 14-01-2013, 06:49   #11
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Re: FPs For Extended Cruising with Kids?

Some of the boats you describe vary in size a lot

Mahe 34 ft approx

Lipari 39 ft approx

orana 44ft approx

Little like trying to compare 3 cars which all take 4 people

small 4 cyl VS Large 6 cyl family car VS 8cyl Limo

All of these boats sleep (in owners version) have 3 beds but as they get longer in length all get bigger in most areas Mahe 1 bath lipari 2 orana 3 etc etc so you really need to work on what you can live with in most instances, the older you go the cheaper they become ( although most mahe on the market are near what a new one costs)

Some Couples feel they can't cruise on any less than a 60 ft cat others are happy on a 25 ft Mono hull
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Old 14-01-2013, 07:42   #12
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Re: FPs For Extended Cruising with Kids?

I appreciate everyone perspectives. Very helpful.

Rapanui or Tellie - According to my notes the Athena had the engines in the living space under the aft berths. Was this true of all the Athena years?
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Old 14-01-2013, 08:09   #13
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Re: FPs For Extended Cruising with Kids?

Quote:
Originally Posted by aclmck View Post
Some of the boats you describe vary in size a lot

Mahe 34 ft approx

Lipari 39 ft approx

orana 44ft approx

Little like trying to compare 3 cars which all take 4 people

small 4 cyl VS Large 6 cyl family car VS 8cyl Limo

All of these boats sleep (in owners version) have 3 beds but as they get longer in length all get bigger in most areas Mahe 1 bath lipari 2 orana 3 etc etc so you really need to work on what you can live with in most instances, the older you go the cheaper they become ( although most mahe on the market are near what a new one costs)

Some Couples feel they can't cruise on any less than a 60 ft cat others are happy on a 25 ft Mono hull
A FP Mahe 36 is 36 feet long and 20 feet wide
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Old 14-01-2013, 09:20   #14
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Re: FPs For Extended Cruising with Kids?

Why not charter the boat or boats you have in mind and make the decision based upon first hand experience? A charter is way cheaper than discovering after the fact that it was not really the boat you wanted.

There are Mahe's, and other models of FP's, in the fleet here in Belize. See Belize Yacht Charters catamaran fleet for those with TMM. (Note: I am on sabbatical form the charter biz so I am not trying to push TMM or any other charter company...these are just the boats I know that fit your post).

In general, I think a 36' cat will suit you fine. I've not cruised with a family (SWMBO and pets though), but I have run many family charters on cats from 35' to 65'. Unless you have a lot people aboard the LOA is generally not the constraining factor. My opinion (as a charter captain and cruiser) is that what a larger LOA cat buys you is primarily two things: 1) More load carrying capacity 2) More water line length and thus more boat speed potential ("potential" being the key word here....if you take full advantage of #1 then #2 will suffer).

I think you will find that in most late model cats in the 36' to 42' range the accomodation space is not dramatically different. That starts to change once you go much larger. At 50-65' cats can be downright cavernous.

Regardless of the model of FP you are considering be sure and check out the ventilation below decks -- especially in the aft cabins -- some models have poor ventilation in the aft cabins.
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Old 14-01-2013, 09:44   #15
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Re: FPs For Extended Cruising with Kids?

Quote:
Originally Posted by drewvta View Post
I appreciate everyone perspectives. Very helpful.

Rapanui or Tellie - According to my notes the Athena had the engines in the living space under the aft berths. Was this true of all the Athena years?

My Cat has the engines below the aft bunks. Personally that's where I like them. A pain to remove the cushions at times but it's no real big deal, you should see what my wife hides under the forward bunks. I've had to work on my engines in rough seas and inside my boat is exactly where I like to be in those conditions. I delivered one of the very first Mahes with the engine access outside and had to work on one of those engines and electrical in rough seas. Also the rear access of a 44' Catana engine room I got stuck in for two days at sea was a real pain. A year ago I got stuck in the engine room of a 45' R&C when the hatch slammed shut and the interior latch jambed shut, my stupid fault but stupid things do happen. Fortunately I was at the dock and someone passing by heard me yelling.
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