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Old 08-02-2007, 13:06   #1
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Question Information on Lightwave 38

I am considering the Australian Lightwave 38 as a bluewater cruiser. I would like feed back from anyone who knows anything about this cat. It looks like a good performance cat and well built, but I am worried about its load carrying capacity.
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Old 08-02-2007, 14:27   #2
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Dont worry, The 38 can cart a lump of gear. I've sailed a 38 a few times and did a coastal delivery trip of 600 miles on a 45. They are good designs, (Grainger) and well built. They will also do a fairly cutom approach if you are buying new.

My only question is how much gear? are you thinking all sorts of extra mechanical/electrical gear, or do you just mean cruising payload?
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Old 08-02-2007, 17:06   #3
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How much is a good question.

We will be using the boat for long term cruising so I would guess that we would be carry 3000 lbs of stuff.
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Old 08-02-2007, 18:59   #4
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I would be interested as well; this is my pick for a long-term cruising cat as well. Factor, was the cat comfortable during inclement weather (assuming you had some)? Did she point well into the wind?
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Old 21-02-2007, 04:58   #5
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Hi - sorry for the delay

The 38 - havent sailed it in much inclement weather - usually light breezes. Pointed reasonably well and tacked with little hesitation, although you could feel the speed loss

The 45 - On the delivery trip got really smacked by a storm in the night and handled it with ease, Indeed the off watch crew didnt get up, just complained later that I hit all the potholes. Sailed well, pointed well and tacked well, it was fitted with some good GM sails though and I am sure having sails designed fitted and tuned by a good multihull sailor and sailmeker helps alot no matter what the boat.

Also - you may want to consider seawind 1160, I sailed it on a day trip south of sydney to botany bay in some very average weather and it pointed and tacked very well, (indeed it had a self tacking jib, we put the helm over at about 5 knots boat speed in light winds and it sailed two complete circles untouched! - this was in flat water in botany bay)certainly I found it a confidence inspiring boat.

Re load capacity - you may want to check with lightwave, but looking at the specs it indicates that 1500 kg is do-able.

Ultimately I can only say that they are three good boats, and certainly are better sailing boats than the similar length french cats I have been on. I cannot make a sailing comparison with the North American cats, and can simply observe that the South African boats have way too little bridgedeck clearance as a general rule.

You can get better sailing boats than the Lightwave and seawind, but I think they are right up there in terms of the cruising sailing compromise. .

The other thing to think about is - if you are going to buy new, it could be an option to buy in Australia and cruise it home to whereever
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Old 11-11-2007, 16:55   #6
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Have read an older thread re. lightwave cat. We own a Lightwave 38 and have just returned from 6 months cruising offshore in the South Pacific, ie. New Caledonia and Vanuatu island groups.

Although I wouldn't know the specific weight of the additional cargo carried we certainly added a significant amount of weight in terms of stockpiling food, fuel and additional safety gear.

I would say it has been the heaviest our boat has ever sailed and we didn't experience a problem with the additional weight - if anything it felt better knowing there was some weight in the boat when we came across a 40kt storm.

The boat managed all conditions superbly and it was mainly the occupants who at times stressed when we really didn't need to.

There's a great deal of storage room on board the lightwave (as with a lot of cats) which you can make use of.
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