Frustrated Shopper

[drcat]

Consider a Privilege 39. Has 4 cabins all with reasonable size beds, good bridgedeck clearance, 2 or more heads depending on model, OK tankage for fuel and water, what you might call squared off salon seating, engines in their own compartments not under aft bunks, reasonable headroom thruout, usually a fridge and a freezer, large cockpit. What it does not have is U shaped galley but one in mid hull. The helm is also aft not on salon bulkhead.
Their prices are reasonable with a few Yachtworld listings in low $100K. In other places ,a 1993 model sold for $59K on craiglist in S FL 2 yrs ago, another on ebay for $85K 2 months ago.
Many have circumnavigated. See youtube "taking the chance" sailing in Caribbean, guy is 6'4" and he and girlfriend fit in beds. Cat originally had 4 heads but 2 converted into storage.

[Happ]

If you have been looking for 2 years and have this very detailed demands and have a limited budget. You’ve never said what that budget is. Maybe you don’t have the budget to buy the boat you really want. Cats are significantly more expensive than a monohull. There is a 2007 Mahe 36 for sale by owner for $210k. It has 2 cabins with Queen size berths. Each has a head with separate showers. Yes it is under 40 ft but what realistically is your budget. Are you looking for the impossible? I would love a Leopard 39 that’s never been chartered. But $300 to $250k is not in my budget. You need to be flexible. Make a list of the things in order of the most important. Then look for boats that check the first 3 or 4. Then choose what comes closet after that. I doubt you will find an older boat with a squared Settee in a 20 year old boat. It wasn’t fashionable then so factories didn’t build them like that. Good luck.

[surf_km55]

I'm perplexed at the difficulty some folks have shopping for boats. A 2 year odyssey sounds unconscionable, regardless of any requisites list. And 2 have made it to survey, then went bust? Ouch.

I began looking at boats just for kicks on a random 5th of June and the 3rd boat I looked at was delivered to me the following 11th of July. I surveyed the 1st 2 myself and found overwhelming evidence for huge price reductions before a pro surveyor needed to be enlisted; and those owners rebuffed my lowball offers, which were, ironically, more inline with their true value. Those owners were both in fantasy-land regarding their boats values. The 3rd vessel was nearly perfect and the pro surveyor found minimal issues. Casual shopping to sailing in 36 days.

I bought the boat a year earlier than planned, but it spoke to me when I saw it. You know what I mean...it kept saying, "I'm the one, yes, I'm the one you want!" The vessel was so well-laid out, so well-equipped, so well-cared for, and so pretty, that I couldn't pass it up. Just like my Mrs!!!



At any rate, I wish the OP best of luck. After 2 years, he needs all the luck he can muster.

[sail4evr]

[QUOTE=zboss;2939867]
The reality is that the Voyage 440 is perhaps the closest design to what we want and we are willing to sacrifice some bridge deck clearance BUT the voyages are just way too low. If you happen to know of a Voyage 440 style boat that has 12 more inches of clearance.

Have you looked at a Lagoon 440. It's a Voyage 440 with 12 more inches of clearance and queen size births

Joe
Sea Of Love
L440 BVI

[Gin-N-Sonic]

Happ is indeed correct. Many, many times I've played with the idea of zeroing in on a catamaran brand that would fit the needs of my family and myself, but such a catamaran does not readily exist.

This is also true with manufacturer direct and buying new, the actual given options are quite limited.

I'm pretty sure that if I buy used, I'm running an 80% chance of tearing out interior crap and rebuilding (not interested in reselling unless someone makes an offer I cannot refuse). Most of the ways some of the furniture is laid out ticks me off anyway, I really don't need a bar, I need a hold for the booze, more practicality than bling.

Mind you, it is nice to have a boat configured to just your needs, it's very personal.

[Foxglove2]

Try looking in Australia or New Zealand, then you can cruise the South Pacific, the exchange rate is good for you northern hem sailers! I just happen to have this for sale “foxglove 2 “ https://openoceanmarine.co.nz/boat/n...nce-catamaran/

[Icarus]

Originally Posted by zboss

I'm incredibly frustrated. My wife and I have been shopping for a used catamaran for over 2 years now. We have made offers on 4 boats that have been accepted and made it to survey on two. We are finding that sellers are either demanding a super premium on their boats, even if they have a well used and stripped base model. Even for boats that are 20 years old. We find sellers that have badly damaged boats - cracked bulkheads with hasty repairs or no repairs at all, hull to deck joint cracks fixed with masking tape, then they pretend like they didn't know it was there.

Then we are frustrated with all the listings that say "Queen sized berths" only to drive 5 hours down to view the boats and find out they have full size berths. (I know, but it's one of our requirements...)

I admit, our pockets are not deep when it comes to a catamaran but we aren't bargain bin buyers either - we have a modest amount we want to spend so a 400K boat really isn't reality if we want to go sailing on it sometime soon.

The other contributor to our frustrations are driven by ourselves... we have a handful of requirements that I think just don't exist in a moderately priced vessel:

1) Decent bridge deck clearance
2) At least one queen sized berth
3) A squared off interior seating area
4) A U-shaped galley
5) Decent but not obscene tankage
6) Two heads (ideally with separate showers but not required)
7) A good sized freezer and fridge
8) 40'+ LWL
9) A decent performer but it doesn't need to be a rocketship.
10) Insurable - so many boats that may work are one-offs or cold molded.
11) Ideally, it would be ICW mast friendly and be florida keys draft friendly (4 feet).

I just don't think such a beast exists. BLAH! I'm just venting...

Whats wrong with one offs and cold moulded?

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by surf_km55

I'm perplexed at the difficulty some folks have shopping for boats. A 2 year odyssey sounds unconscionable, regardless of any requisites list. And 2 have made it to survey, then went bust? Ouch.

I began looking at boats just for kicks on a random 5th of June and the 3rd boat I looked at was delivered to me the following 11th of July. I surveyed the 1st 2 myself and found overwhelming evidence for huge price reductions before a pro surveyor needed to be enlisted; and those owners rebuffed my lowball offers, which were, ironically, more inline with their true value. Those owners were both in fantasy-land regarding their boats values. The 3rd vessel was nearly perfect and the pro surveyor found minimal issues. Casual shopping to sailing in 36 days.

I bought the boat a year earlier than planned, but it spoke to me when I saw it. You know what I mean...it kept saying, "I'm the one, yes, I'm the one you want!" The vessel was so well-laid out, so well-equipped, so well-cared for, and so pretty, that I couldn't pass it up. Just like my Mrs!!!



At any rate, I wish the OP best of luck. After 2 years, he needs all the luck he can muster.

Some people are just looking for excuses not to buy. Most often the lack of finances forces them to say that after X years of diligent searches they have not found their perfect boat. No - they just don't have the budget for their perfect boat. It's that simple.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by Icarus

Whats wrong with one offs and cold moulded?

If done right - nothing. But they often lack the market attractiveness that a well known brand has. Same with cognacs. A well advertised swill will sell for X2 more than it's unexposed but better quality neighbor on the shelf.

[Gerrit Coetzee]

Not so clued up with available boats and with when is a c shape to much c and when is u shape galley not enough u-shape. Nor when is a queen cabin a queen cabin...forget my ignorance.

Don't even know much about Lagoons referred too. Did you consider a Fountaine Pajot or Leopard?

Myself having 2 yachts for sale, but if aqcuiring another is such a huge search, I should consider pulling them from the market.

Have a 2012 FP Orana 44 for $385k or maybe better for the budget a 450 Express Bridge Sea Ray 1999 motor yacht with many new refits for $185k (no U shape galley and c-shape saloon seating - sorry!)

[kristjan]

If I were buying a catamaran for family cruising, this would be it. https://www.raiatea-yacht.com/index....harram&lang=en

But something in your process does not sound realistic.

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by ptours

I have sailed on her in 10-15' seas in the Gulfstream with Jamie- she's a beauty. Hi Jamie. Steve

What 42’ would that be?

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

If you boat shop for 2 years and can't find a boat, it's you.

Absolutely true. We’ve been shopping over two years. We lack time and money and have excessive expectations.

[theDangerz]

Originally Posted by zboss

I'm incredibly frustrated. My wife and I have been shopping for a used catamaran for over 2 years now.
I just don't think such a beast exists. BLAH! I'm just venting...

No, you're not just venting. It doesn't exist (at least with the rules you've put in place).

Sorry to sound harsh, but as an outsider looking in... it sounds like you're just not ready to go.

If you were buying a house your realtor would have fired you the first day out looking... If you cant afford a house in the neighborhood you want to buy... you either renovate your current home or look in a different neighborhood (or just stop looking).

IF you are in fact ready, the options are easy:
- raise your price
- reduce your needs list
- a little bit of both

If you absolutely can't reduce your list, then stick around for a few more years and make more money, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that!

But...if you're actually ready go , then buy the closest thing that fits your budget and take off. Once you're gone you'll realize none of the items on your list were needs anyway... they are wants.

There is no such thing as a perfect boat in anyones budget, we all want more than we can afford.

You can either stay at home wishing and hoping that there is/was a perfect boat (and saving more money while you wait so you can afford it when you find it) or you can sail away and realize that the boat was never the most important part of the equation.

The problem with time is we think we have more of it.

I would suggest before you go look at another boat, pour a glass and sit down together to ask yourselves whether:
- you'd rather be sailing on a slightly less than perfect boat that still gives you access to the life you want
- whether you'd rather stay where you are and not have a boat

For the last 2 years you've made that choice time and time again without actually deciding to... might as well make it upfront.

[Scatterling]

Originally Posted by surf_km55

The vessel was so well-laid out, so well-equipped, so well-cared for, and so pretty, that I couldn't pass it up. Just like my Mrs!

Sounds like someone destined for a long and happy marriage!