Choosing my Catamaran

[darien]

Hi all

I was in thailand recently and i was standing on the bow of a boat drinking a coke (unintentional rhyme there) we were cruising the lovely islands around where that film was shot "the Beach".

Before i left for this holiday i was already thinking about travelling the world in a few years, but i didn't really know what type of travelling i wanted to do eg, motorhome, backpacking, motorcycle.

When i was on that boat i thought what about sailing around the world. After alot of thought it seems that this is probably the best way (imo) to see the world.

So after a bit of research on mono hulls and multi hulls i have decided on a catamaran.

So i am here now because i know next to nothing about blue water cruising and catamarans. Sailing i will learn but i started this thread to help me choose a Catamaran and learn about blue water cruising. So any advice will be much appreciated.

Although i have not been on any catamarans yet i think my size range is around 45 to 50ft. i know i will have to look at a few in person to see actually how big they are.

After a bit of looking around at different cats i really like the saba 50 setup with the sundeck and the cockpit. so i am looking for boats the have a similar setup. also looking at the new 47 with that sweet looking tender lift.

So any thoughts on the saba 50 the new 47 or any other boats you guys think i should look at.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Darien.

[Mark424]

Do some searching and reading, lots of threads on this topic with great advice.

Short answer, you know nothing about what really matters to you until you spend time actually sailing and living on these boats. Go charter - a lot - then see how big you really want, need - and what features are really important. It's always completely different than what you theorize from websites and boat shows.

[Mirage35]

Thanks Gord (always) and Mark for the polite responses; I'm subscribing to this thread just because it's so off the wall I want to see where it goes.

[John Holbrook]

Boat show then;
no like - buy farm etc
yes like - charter the boat you like for a week
no like - buy farm etc
yes like - organize some training possibly on another charter
no like - buy farm etc
yes like - read this forum, get advise from people who have bought the boat you like, buy boat.

[Nahbrown]

You can do what we did. Charter a catamaran that has an ASA Instructor for a week. My wife, son and I went on a Leopard 44 last summer. Learn to sail as you live on the boat and cruise from island to island. We used LTD SAILING out of Grenada with RJ as our instructor. Grenada for the first two days then up to Carriacou, Petite St. Vincent, and back down to Grenada. We experienced different sea states and wind conditions all while learning to sail. We could not have been happier.

[patrickvela]

Nautitech 47 has one of the most practical layouts. It's quick enough, has some good features and easy to sail. I've just done 25,000 miles in ours over the last 3 years. Nice looking boat for a Cat as well.

[darien]

Thanks everyone for the responses i really appreciate them as they will help me a lot in my future cat purchase.

Originally Posted by AnglaisInHull

Thanks Gord (always) and Mark for the polite responses; I'm subscribing to this thread just because it's so off the wall I want to see where it goes.

I dont really know why this thread is off the wall but i guess to some people it might.

Originally Posted by John Holbrook

Boat show then;
no like - buy farm etc
yes like - charter the boat you like for a week
no like - buy farm etc
yes like - organize some training possibly on another charter
no like - buy farm etc
yes like - read this forum, get advise from people who have bought the boat you like, buy boat.

I really dont want to buy a farm... so i hope i dont hate sailing, i think i will be be fine i hope :P

Originally Posted by Nahbrown

You can do what we did. Charter a catamaran that has an ASA Instructor for a week. My wife, son and I went on a Leopard 44 last summer. Learn to sail as you live on the boat and cruise from island to island. We used LTD SAILING out of Grenada with RJ as our instructor. Grenada for the first two days then up to Carriacou, Petite St. Vincent, and back down to Grenada. We experienced different sea states and wind conditions all while learning to sail. We could not have been happier.

Sounds like a brilliant idea

Originally Posted by patrickvela

Nautitech 47 has one of the most practical layouts. It's quick enough, has some good features and easy to sail. I've just done 25,000 miles in ours over the last 3 years. Nice looking boat for a Cat as well.

I shall have a look


The general consensus seems to be to just charter a cat you are interested in and see how you like it. So that is what i will do over the next year or two along with learning to sail.

Also feel free to post up any boat recommendations and i will have a look at them. I am already reading lots of forum threads and watching lots of you tube videos on cats and sailing the world. watching sv delos at the moment.

Does anyone on here own a saba 50, i am following a boat called lady roslyn on facebook which has good info.

Thanks again i hope this will be a great journey for me and everyone involved

[Cotemar]

The FP Saba 50 and the new FP 47 are new boat designs with great layouts.
They make great live-aboard boats for sure.

[barnakiel]

I would buy a Catana for quality and an Outremer for speed. I would buy an Xquisite to impress my friends and sail in ultimate comfort.

http://xquisiteyachts.com/images/pre...ar_2017_00.jpg

Saba I am not so sure. It looks like a boat designed for charter work, not for extended ocean voyaging.

Cheers,
b.

[barnakiel]

You will likely see 'much more' of the world traveling by plane and renting a van on each continent to drive around.

Unless by seeing the world you mean plenty of water and some beach, which somehow seem very much alike no matter where you are.

b.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by darien

I dont really know why this thread is off the wall but i guess to some people it might.
Probably because you're completely new to sailing. Along with the fact that you're speaking of buying a boat which, literally, is bigger than a lot of people's homes (on land). And is as complex, & expensive as a private aircraft.

The general consensus seems to be to just charter a cat you are interested in and see how you like it. So that is what i will do over the next year or two along with learning to sail.
Yep, spend some time self-schooling, both on sailing, & available boats. Along with experiental learning via instruction, charters, & crewing (including, & especially on racing boats). <-- Do a search under the phrase "gaining experience".

Thanks again i hope this will be a great journey for me and everyone involved

Good luck, & enjoy. Learning to sail's quite the journey. One that never ends.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

You will likely see 'much more' of the world traveling by plane and renting a van on each continent to drive around.

Unless by seeing the world you mean plenty of water and some beach, which somehow seem very much alike no matter where you are.

b.

The OP noted:

"Before i left for this holiday i was already thinking about travelling the world in a few years, but i didn't really know what type of travelling i wanted to do eg, motorhome, backpacking, motorcycle.

When i was on that boat i thought what about sailing around the world. After alot of thought it seems that this is probably the best way (imo) to see the world. "

What really matters is what the OP thinks about the best way to travel.

I also have to disagree with all beaches/harbors/anchorages and even marinas seeming very much alike. A place like Middle Cape in the Florida Everglades (a seven mile white sand beach that normally does not have a single footprint on it) is quite different from South Beach on Miami Beach where almost no one is looking at the foot prints, but the bikini tops and what is inside (or at least partly inside) of them. There is also a huge difference in beaches in the Bahamas compared to those a fairly short distance South, especially if you include the hills/mountains that often back up to beaches in say the Greater and Lesser Antillies. The easiest way to understand the difference in beaches is look at the recommendations for ground tackle in different beaches.

Which brings me to a suggestion for the OP. Until you get up to speed on selecting the right ground tackle for any boat you are considering you are not ready to buy any boat.

[darien]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

You will likely see 'much more' of the world traveling by plane and renting a van on each continent to drive around.

Unless by seeing the world you mean plenty of water and some beach, which somehow seem very much alike no matter where you are.

b.

I do understand what you mean that was what i was originally leaning towards but i can just rent a van when i rock up in my cat and drive around for how ever long i want to see the rest of whatever country i am in.

[darien]

Originally Posted by tomfl

The OP noted:

"Before i left for this holiday i was already thinking about travelling the world in a few years, but i didn't really know what type of travelling i wanted to do eg, motorhome, backpacking, motorcycle.

When i was on that boat i thought what about sailing around the world. After alot of thought it seems that this is probably the best way (imo) to see the world. "

What really matters is what the OP thinks about the best way to travel.

I also have to disagree with all beaches/harbors/anchorages and even marinas seeming very much alike. A place like Middle Cape in the Florida Everglades (a seven mile white sand beach that normally does not have a single footprint on it) is quite different from South Beach on Miami Beach where almost no one is looking at the foot prints, but the bikini tops and what is inside (or at least partly inside) of them. There is also a huge difference in beaches in the Bahamas compared to those a fairly short distance South, especially if you include the hills/mountains that often back up to beaches in say the Greater and Lesser Antillies. The easiest way to understand the difference in beaches is look at the recommendations for ground tackle in different beaches.

Which brings me to a suggestion for the OP. Until you get up to speed on selecting the right ground tackle for any boat you are considering you are not ready to buy any boat.

Just looked up what ground tackle meant ill add it to my list of things to research lol