Australian cats... help please

[kutoroka]

Hi, I have been lurking and reading on this forum for almost 3 years, saving up and getting ready to make the big change.

I am looking for a smallish but very seaworthy cat that I can initially cruise on the east coast of Oz to get accustomed to the cruising lifestyle then head off into SE Asia and perhaps beyond.

I expect to be single handed most of the time with my young adult kids joining me from time to time.

I have been much enamoured with the Wharram cats because of their noted seaworthiness, but also would like slightly more home comforts than they seem to offer.

My budget stretches to max $70k at present, and I see the following cats are in the range. Could anyone who knows these boats please inform me about their seaworthiness, speed, comfort or other notable problems/advantages. There seems to be very little info on any of them available by googling

1992 Parallax 9

1991 Seawind 31

1982 Hitchiker Catamaran

1999 Pacific Seacraft Cleveland Bay

I also wonder why the Pacific Seacraft is so much cheaper even though it is younger and is not a simple open deck design?

Thanks in advance for any advice/info.

[snort]

I think the Australian designers are about the best there is, and these boats seem priced reasonably for that market.
Love Seawinds, but I'd opt out on the open bridgedeck for long distance cruising.

[Factor]

The Sewawind 31 or the Parralax 9 are both good boats. 31s have done lots of South Pacific miles, and the Parralax is equally well travelled. either will be a good boat, I would go for which ever represents the best value in the market, and if all else was totally equal, I would go the Parralax. But there isnt much in it.

[kutoroka]

Thanks for the good info... I had guessed as much from my reading over the years. The bridgedeck Pacific Seacraft looks more like a coastal cruiser type craft to my inexperienced eyes.

I am a bit sad I missed a Parallax 9 a while ago that was a daggerboard model rather than the mini keels version now available. Would that make much difference to draft and windward ability?

[Teleman]

I saw one of the first Cleveland Bay cats on the water, very little bridgedeck clearance.
The rest are all good boats, in different ways. The open deck would keep the Seawind off my list.
Personally I would go for the Hitchhiker. Wharram-ish but with much better accom and windward performance. They do hobbyhorse a bit.

[Redreuben]

Not the Seacraft.
Tough call between the Parallax and the Seawind for mine.
Hitchhiker, well, if you like that sort of thing, overpriced compared to the other two.

[kutoroka]

Thanks again everyone for the good feedback... I must admit I am leaning toward the Seawind at present... unfortunately I'm in NZ on business at present so can't go and look till mid December. Hope it's still there. The Parallax has been on the market for a long time so it will probably wait for me. If the Parallax was the daggerboard model I would definitely lean that way.