Sanya 57: Sanya 57: First-time cat purchasers need experienced cat owners advice and knowledge.

[boating2go]

Originally Posted by Amara

Hi All-

My husband and I are currently looking into purchasing the FP Sanya 57. We have taken up an obsessive love for sailing this past year. We have taken and passed all the ASA courses and are working on getting much more experience under our belts before we would ever set sail on our own. We will hire an experienced captain until we feel more confident at the helm.

Having said this, we are well aware that the Sanya 57 is a large cat and that we need more experience-so don't fault us too early when we are well aware that a crew would be most beneficial until we can handle her on our own. We are also aware of some of the minor tweaks that need to be in place before we take off on her (e.g. cleats/handles at outside of platforms to control dinghy and to include all necessary blue water add ons, etc..). Enough said.

We were originally set on purchasing a Catana 50 until we chartered one in the Caribbean a few weeks ago. Although she sailed like a dream, the living quarters (especially the berths) were quite cramped for long term living and sailing abroad. Please note that we have a three-year-old daughter who is handicapped and the Catana seemed too small for me in getting her around, up and down, etc... I realized I needed a little more floor space for her to roll around on and the salon seemed do-able but not ideal for her.

Other boats that we have considered and looked extensively at are the Lagoon 50 & 56, Leopard 46 (we know the 48 is around the corner), the Salina 48, the Voyager 48?, the Privilige 51 & 58, Yapluka 60 (only online photos), the Knysna 48 and a St. Francis 50. We have spent hours on the web researching each of their pros and cons, talking to brokers and have educated ourselves on each of them (as much as we could, considering we haven't sailed any at this point other than the Catana). In fact, I think I have read every single post/entry on the Cruisers Forum re: multi-hulls.

From what we have seen, all are great boats for their own reasons but we just keep going back to the Sanya 57. (We had the opportunity to get on board a Sanya while we were in Tortola and have a tour of her. It was the first time we were introduced to such a spacious cat... and her being a beautiful one was a huge plus for me.)

So... our plan is to hang around the Caribbean for about a year and then take off for French Polynesia. Stay out for another year and a half (or more) and then bring her back to the Caribbean for our large extended families to enjoy as well.

So, here is my concern, because the Sanya is so new, should we have reservations about purchasing such a large cat? There are hardly any reviews out there on her other than from a few magazines. Will she sail well in long passages? Should we even go so big? Will we have large mooring/docking costs because of her size? We know the upkeep is about 10% of the cost of the boat each year and we are prepared for that, but still, are we off our rockers?

Does anyone have any other suggestions or personal preferences as to what and why we should go with a smaller sized cat? Should we charter another cat just to see if we have a better experience than we did with the Catana?

All knowledge from experienced cat owners is definitely welcomed. In fact, it would be invaluable for us first-time cat owners.

Thank you in advance for any and all who respond. Please be kind as I have a thin skin and am only politely asking for any suggestions that you might have.

Best,
Kym

The first sailboat we bought was a 42 foot Jeanneau, everyone was a naysayer about buying it with no experience. We did the same thing you are planning with a captain to teach and qualifying us. I say go for it, but I am prejudice because within the next year or two we are going to buy one.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Helia 44]

Kym
Helia 44 here,

I am going to be Politically Incorrect (What Again?) and tell you something from this experience base: West Coast U.S. Cruising, Channel Islands, San Fran, Stockton Flats, Oregon Coast, Washington from Puget Sound to the Canadian Boarder.... Forty years of sailing, Florida Based, Carib, 11 major yachts... Now in Australia. While the Helia 44 is my first Cat, I am well experienced up to a Lloyds of London 51 BOC round the world Challenger "Nightwind" (now called the Whitbread)...

Now with the Helia 44, I have raced her, won and lost, cruised her, put her into Marinas (Mooloolaba Yacht Harbour, down to Morton Bay Yacht Harbour, Brisbane River, Sanctuary Cove, Gold Coast and the likes) and now have her on my own private dock on the main channel down to Lawries Marina.... OK? Medium fair experienced.. Been to Hawaii, Rarotonga, Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, OK?

IMO the Sanya is too big... I have the Helia 44. I talk about the Saba 50 all the time, the Helia on steroids, and my Wife thinks that is too big. I think the Sanya 57 is waaaay to big to cruise without help.. Docking, docking in a blow, anchoring and the size of ground tackle, picking up moorings, getting in and out of slips, getting into slips with cross tidal current and cross winds, getting tied up for fuel, reefing sails, even availability of slips and moorings, a lot of things would scare hell out of me and I am 40 years experiences OK? I mean I have three Children in their 20's, and the Helia 44 is big enough for all... The Saba 50 would give a ridiculous level of live a board comfort and three staterooms to Port for three other couples... The Sanya 57 IMO, except for a Charter Company, is tooooo big for a couple to go cruising, big enough for it to be it's own Handicap where ever you go...

Sorry, a fair experienced appraisal, and YES POLITICALLY INCORRECT I am sure for this Forum, but I thought someone should tell you the other side. It will be tough to get into ANYWHERE tight without a Crew and Professional Skipper.... Terrifying in a cross current tidal flow or wind without thrusters, it will be scary so if you are going to do it, be yea not of faint heart. My Helia 44 is a handful at times for sure... The Sanya 57 will be a quantum leap...

Now, go ahead and hate me, but I have done my duty to help.... Helia

[SVI]

Have a look at Salina - similar layout, little less space, 1/2-1/3 price. And a better sailor

[lagoon100]

Ih would have some burning questions.

We are looking at the Ipanema 58 for charter and private use, whit skipper on board.

On the Sanya the engines are also located below the stern beads is that correct?
Any problems whit smell or fumes from them coming in to the aft cabins, how is the vibration level in these rooms using the engines?

Also the bilge from the engine rooms are connected to the main bilge in the hull, any problems whit the engine fumes, smells?

No concerns about the fact that there are no watertight compartments like in lagoon?

any advice is very welcome.

best regards

[Sindbad1930]

Hello,
I am new to this forum. I know that this thread has been inactive for quite some time but I was still hoping that a Fontaine Pajot Sanya 57 owner may be able to answer my question. I am wondering what the hulls and decks are made of?
More specifically about the type of coring. Is it Balsa or foam? What type of foam? Is the whole hull cored or part of it, perhaps stopping at the waterline?

I have read in articles that “Fountaine Pajot catamarans are built from a sandwich structure with a PVC foam core laminated under vacuum.” But some brokers have assured me they are balsa…this also doesn't specify if the coring goes right to the keel?

If someone knows it would be much appreciated.

[Dod42]

Originally Posted by Sindbad1930

Hello,

I am new to this forum. I know that this thread has been inactive for quite some time but I was still hoping that a Fontaine Pajot Sanya 57 owner may be able to answer my question. I am wondering what the hulls and decks are made of?

More specifically about the type of coring. Is it Balsa or foam? What type of foam? Is the whole hull cored or part of it, perhaps stopping at the waterline?



I have read in articles that “Fountaine Pajot catamarans are built from a sandwich structure with a PVC foam core laminated under vacuum.” But some brokers have assured me they are balsa…this also doesn't specify if the coring goes right to the keel?



If someone knows it would be much appreciated.

On our Lipari similar vintage, they are solid glass below the water line. Balsa in the hulls above the water line, foam used on deck and roof

[Sindbad1930]

Hi Dod42,
Thanks for your answer. I am still not convinced it is the same.
This is a photo in the bilge, underwater light wiring visible, not far from engine.
It looks like it's cored underwater, just not sure what material. I know a lot of lagoons stop the coring just below waterline and go to solid around the keel area(Lagoon 570) also similar to your Lipari which I think sounds like a much better construction then both the mentioned cats. Keep the core away from the underwater sections...

[malbert73]

Originally Posted by Sindbad1930

Hi Dod42,

Thanks for your answer. I am still not convinced it is the same.

This is a photo in the bilge, underwater light wiring visible, not far from engine.

It looks like it's cored underwater, just not sure what material. I know a lot of lagoons stop the coring just below waterline and go to solid around the keel area(Lagoon 570) also similar to your Lipari which I think sounds like a much better construction then both the mentioned cats. Keep the core away from the underwater sections...

Yup that looks like balsa core. Done well it’s fine. If that’s a through hull at left edge of picture that’s definitely NOT done well. Got to eliminate core at each through hull otherwise water will get in eventually. My 33 year old Tartan is fully cored but with vinylester outer skin and tapered core to solid hull at each through hull and along middle of boat where keel and bilge are.

[smj]

The FP literature says PVC foam core and that picture looks like a grid scored foam to me.

[Sindbad1930]

malbert73, I agree with you no matter the core it isn't a well done through hull underwater light...

smj, I agree about the FP literature, online I have read in several published articles "The balsa-cored hulls are vacuum-bagged and resin-infused, with vinylester resin used in the exterior laminates layers to resist osmosis and blistering." Sail magazine & Cruising World

Makes you wonder if the shipyard remembers...

I was also hoping to get a hold of some info on sailing characteristics from someone who had done a sea passage on one.

[Grimgrak]

Dont think anyone has reported hull blistering over the years.