Cheap Multis and Projects

[ausnp84]

I really like the idea of an ally cat... tough as anything, easily repairable, all the deck fittings can be welded on (or bolted to external rails / tracks) and if you don’t like the cabin, chop it off and start again. I’ve seen a few come up in Aus and the US, but nothing over here in the Med...

N

[owly]

Originally Posted by snort

....and there's one of those for sale pretty cheap!:
https://treasure.craigslist.org/boa/...418311022.html

But does it sail as well as a grand piano?

Probably....


This is a very old catamaran design, and is said by Charles Kanter to be somewhat top heavy, and have a pitching issue due to that and the canoe sterns. Apparently some have been lengthened and had transom sterns added.


How many (coastal) sailboats actually spend the majority of their time actually pure sailing as compared to motor sailing? Realistically this boat probably fits well with the style of sailing that is most prevalent. The beautiful, in my opinion from a practical standpoint pilothouse style bridge deck cabin would make it a wonderful boat for coastal cruising, or a "looper".... Imagine cruising the ICW or down the Mississippi Tombigbee, or great lakes.... with the mast up, sailing when there was a suitable breeze. You aren't going to be racing the pylons, or sailing the ARC or Puddle Jump, but it might be a very livable practical boat for a lot of people.

[mcarthur]

Originally Posted by ausnp84

I really like the idea of an ally cat... tough as anything, easily repairable, all the deck fittings can be welded on (or bolted to external rails / tracks) and if you don’t like the cabin, chop it off and start again. I’ve seen a few come up in Aus and the US, but nothing over here in the Med...

We got ours (power) in the Caribbean, but it's a French design from their Prometa shipyard. They did the Banana 43's, and others, but really not many built.

[AlfaGTV]

Originally Posted by ausnp84

I really like the idea of an ally cat... tough as anything, easily repairable, all the deck fittings can be welded on (or bolted to external rails / tracks) and if you don’t like the cabin, chop it off and start again. I’ve seen a few come up in Aus and the US, but nothing over here in the Med...

N

Though as anything? I read that the Mumby catamarans are made with 4mm alu sheets for the bottom. Strong yes, but I do not call that though as anything. On the other end of the spectrum you have a Garcia Explocat that uses 14mm.

Easily repairable? Welding aluminium is not that easy. You wont find many alu welders in remote places. Repairing fibreglass is probably easier in most cases.

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by AlfaGTV

On the other end of the spectrum you have a Garcia Explocat that uses 14mm.

Are you sure - That is about 40kg / sqm guessing the wetted surface is about 80 sqm thats 3.2 tonnes just for sheet under the water line. given the light displacement being quoted I can't believe this is the case.

[ausnp84]

Originally Posted by AlfaGTV

Though as anything? I read that the Mumby catamarans are made with 4mm alu sheets for the bottom. Strong yes, but I do not call that though as anything. On the other end of the spectrum you have a Garcia Explocat that uses 14mm.

Easily repairable? Welding aluminium is not that easy. You wont find many alu welders in remote places. Repairing fibreglass is probably easier in most cases.

Not sure I get your point. Given this is a multihull thread, and ally is just about the only metal that can be used sensibly for a multihull, then yes, I’d say an ally multihull is tough as it gets... for a multihull. Of course there are different grades of ally cat (cruising to exploration) but that’s splitting hairs eh.

Run up on a reef in the Carib / South Pacific in an ally cat and you could internally rivet / seal a panel over the crack until a welder can be found or you weld it back yourself - skills depending. Do the same thing in a FRP cat and good luck doing an “easy fix”. Soggy core, the need to haul or dry out to repair anything near / below the waterline... I know which boat I’d rather be on.

N

[AlfaGTV]

Originally Posted by Tupaia

Are you sure - That is about 40kg / sqm guessing the wetted surface is about 80 sqm thats 3.2 tonnes just for sheet under the water line. given the light displacement being quoted I can't believe this is the case.

The thinnest plating of the Explocat 52 is 5mm, which builds to 8, 10 and 12mm, reaching 14mm at the bottom of the hulls.

Found that here: https://www.katamarans.com/garcia-explocat-52/

[snort]

Can anyone guess what the real deal is on this ad for a Lagoon 400? Used, they're more than twice as expensive for the most abused:
https://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/94075

[mako]

Probably a partial share

[snort]

Originally Posted by mako

Probably a partial share

No, it's for sale. I contacted the owner, but when a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

[Sun and Moon]

1978 Prout Snowgoose 37 , in Portugal. E 47,500, VAT paid
Looks like it's in pretty good shape.

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...al-258804.html

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by snort

Can anyone guess what the real deal is on this ad for a Lagoon 400? Used, they're more than twice as expensive for the most abused:
https://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/94075

Amateur or incomplete repair of a hurricane totaled boat?

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by ausnp84

Not sure I get your point. Given this is a multihull thread, and ally is just about the only metal that can be used sensibly for a multihull, then yes, I’d say an ally multihull is tough as it gets... for a multihull. Of course there are different grades of ally cat (cruising to exploration) but that’s splitting hairs eh.

Run up on a reef in the Carib / South Pacific in an ally cat and you could internally rivet / seal a panel over the crack until a welder can be found or you weld it back yourself - skills depending. Do the same thing in a FRP cat and good luck doing an “easy fix”. Soggy core, the need to haul or dry out to repair anything near / below the waterline... I know which boat I’d rather be on.

N

Most FRP cats are solid core below the waterline these days. I'd maintain that it's easier to both keep the supplies on hand and apply a quick and dirty fiberglass patch than something to aluminum, but of course it all depends what the nature and extent of the damage is.

[snort]

Cheap Prout in TX:
https://houston.craigslist.org/boa/d...405599306.html

[mako]

Originally Posted by redneckrob

I'd maintain that it's easier to both keep the supplies on hand and apply a quick and dirty fiberglass patch than something to aluminum

I think about the various remote or third world ports where I’ve lived or travelled to: Places in India, Vietnam, Syria, Oman, Thai, Malay, etc.

Pretty much zero chance of repairing an aluminum hull in those places unless you’re filthy rich and spend thousands just transporting some specialist in with his equipment.

Fiberglass craftspeople were everywhere. Wood in most places. Steel everywhere.

So that helps me to keep focus on what hull materials are best for remote cruising.