light catermeran

[WanabeSailor]

what options for a catamaran 11,000 lb max with large windows for viewing ?
I see FP Mahe 36 (my dream boat) but are there any other options?

[Nicholson58]

I like this one. Windows? Wear swim goggles. Very fast. Definitely under 11000#

[smj]

Seawind 1000

[valhalla360]

Large windows...compared to what?

Most of the 36ft or below cruising catamarans are in the 8-11k weight range and compared to similar size monohulls, they have plentiful and massive windows.

Keep in mind, giant windows often can make the main cabin a hot house. Nice if boating in cold weather but on a hot day with little wind, it can be miserable.

[smj]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Large windows...compared to what?

Most of the 36ft or below cruising catamarans are in the 8-11k weight range and compared to similar size monohulls, they have plentiful and massive windows.

Keep in mind, giant windows often can make the main cabin a hot house. Nice if boating in cold weather but on a hot day with little wind, it can be miserable.

The beauty of the large windows in the Seawind 1000xl is that they open. That coupled with the open salon to cockpit concept gives unbelievable ventilation on even light wind days.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by smj

The beauty of the large windows in the Seawind 1000xl is that they open. That coupled with the open salon to cockpit concept gives unbelievable ventilation on even light wind days.

If there is a breeze, most cats do pretty well but if the breeze stops...opening the windows doesn't do much and those windows start focusing the light into heat.

We had a Gemini with 4 - 18" hatches up front and the rear wall had 2 roughly 24" openings plus you could open the door (30" x 72") to the cockpit. Even with a fairly light breeze, it would clear the hot air pretty quick.

But if there was no breeze but in the sun, it would be sweltering in minutes.

One of the beauties of a small cat is you can tuck up into shallow little coves deep draft boats can't get into but often the breeze is much less as you are near hills and tree lines which block the wind.

It's not the end of the world and I would take it in a heartbeat over your typical monohull but it's something to be aware of.

[smj]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

If there is a breeze, most cats do pretty well but if the breeze stops...opening the windows doesn't do much and those windows start focusing the light into heat.



We had a Gemini with 4 - 18" hatches up front and the rear wall had 2 roughly 24" openings plus you could open the door (30" x 72") to the cockpit. Even with a fairly light breeze, it would clear the hot air pretty quick.



But if there was no breeze but in the sun, it would be sweltering in minutes.



One of the beauties of a small cat is you can tuck up into shallow little coves deep draft boats can't get into but often the breeze is much less as you are near hills and tree lines which block the wind.



It's not the end of the world and I would take it in a heartbeat over your typical monohull but it's something to be aware of.

To me most of the newer production cats have poor ventilation in the salon. The Gemini and PDQ 36 that we owned had descent ventilation and the Seawind 1000 far superior to any other cat we’ve owned.
On the Seawind if there’s no breeze you simply clamp a Carframo or attach a 12v box fan in front of the window. You now have a good fresh breeze flowing over the salon and out into the cockpit.

[Rapanui]

If you like FP then consider the FP Athena which has not far off 360 vision in the saloon and weighs about 5.5 tonnes light. Other older FP models like the Maldives, Antigua, Tobago have similar visibility and within the weight limit.

[Nicholson58]

This is what I’m talking about!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGM0nSvjGhM