Most Ideal Catamaran

[smj]

Originally Posted by RobD527

300,000 USD

A lagoon 440 would check all my boxes but I'm not sure I want something that big being an inexperienced solo sailor



The Hunter 33 I have right now is my first sailboat and is very easy for me to solo sail if that tells you anything. I'm looking mainly at the production boats, Lagoon, Fountaine Pajot, and Leopard. (I am in no hurry whatsoever so speed doesn't matter). And if I found a too good to be true deal I would buy any of the 3 mentioned in the 38-44' range



I plan to sail the Keys and Bahamas from SW Florida, probably not during hurricane season

You mention just 3 brands of many production built catamarans. Maybe expand your horizons?


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[WantTo]

Here is something I posted earlier for a related topic:
When my wife and I got married 10 years ago, it was with the understanding that we would go cruising when I retired in another 4 years. I had always sailed monohulls (44 to 80-foot boats) but my wife had a 30-foot trimaran. We did a Moorings charter in a cat and decided that is what we wanted. We started looking at all the cats out there but had some requirements. Due to my issues with skin cancer, we wanted a protected helm. That immediately eliminated Catana and some others. Even Lagoon only had a small bimini without much protection from either sun or wind/rain. When we saw a Manta, we knew that was the boat. It was the best cruising catamaran at that time as far as we were concerned. We spent two and a half years cruising Bahamas, Virgin Islands, back to U.S., up the east coast to Chesapeake Bay, Salty Dawg Rally back to BVI, hopped the islands to Trinidad for hurricane season, then back up the islands and returned to west Florida. We have been aboard many other catamarans and some of the things we liked best about the Manta other than great weather protection at the helm were spacious owner's cabin, large refrigerator and freezer, quite a bit of storage space, easy engine access, and it is the only boat we saw where passengers in the cockpit had a place to sit (the famous sling seat) where they could see out the front of the boat. Mantas are not produced anymore, but 120+ were made and several may be available that are a good buy.

[Adornan]

The most important thing is getting out there and doing it. Every boat is a compromise even if you have a huge budget.

We sailed half way round the world in a production 43ft cat. A Fountaine Pajot Belize. We had very very few problems with the boat at all. It had saildrives - Yanmar sd20 which we’re fine. Some of the bigger Yanmar saildrive models had clutch problems which have been widely reported, maybe they have fixed them by now. We also had lazyjacks, worked fine but would spec an electric winch next time. Was very heavy to raise Sail which made me less inclined to use the main or reef/unreef too often. Draft at 1.3m, was plenty shallow and you could beach it to change the oil in your SD20s, as we did.


I was put off in-mast furling by the naysayers but accepted in on my last boat a Jeanneau 39DS because the boat was otherwise “perfect”. Funny thing is that once I got using the in-mast, I loved it. With in-mast I think it’s probably important to control the angle of the boom to the mast at 90 degrees with a solid boom bang. That’s maybe why I see more cats down here with in-boom furling, often the leisurefurl type.


Buying today, I have been looking at a lot of daggerboard cats but they are too expensive for anything of recent vintage. Seawind make a nice solid package if you are looking for something manageable that’s a bit different from Lagoon/Fountaine/leopard.

[upstateny]

The ideal cat has a single hull, single rudder, and at least a 6 foot draft.

[smj]

Originally Posted by upstateny

The ideal cat has a single hull, single rudder, and at least a 6 foot draft.

I’m sorry but you just described a half boat[emoji13]

[Kurlie1]

14 months ago I moved to "the dark side". ie sold my mono and bought a cat. I have sailed monos all my life and found the transition a huge re-learning curve. Most of my sailing is single handed and the cat (2007 F.P. Salina 48) is incredibly easy to single hand sail. Two motors makes maneuvering a dream and sail handling is made easy by the well placed winches and stack-pac stowage. The cat has a raised helm station with 360° views and is fully protected by removable clears. Next May I am taking my daughter and her family off shore for an unspecified number of years touring the world. We chose this cat for its room (large family) and safety. Good luck with your search .. May see you out there

[200MPH]

We've got a 1160 Seawind. Like it, not much I'd change on it to be honest. Not too big for single handed sailing. Visibility is good, but you don't sit above the cabin line. They do have twin helms however, so that helps.
Given your requirements, how about the 1160 lite, which has twin outboards? Easy to fix, tuck up out of the water, cheap, reliable, faster sailing etc.
1160 draws about 1.1 m of water, so shallow enough, and they sit happily on their mini keels if you decide to careen it, not that I have done that as tides where we live are very minimal.


But in short, go look at a few. You'll never know what is good asking on a forum. Only way to know is to step onto a few different cats and see what feels right to you.

[Lance]

OMG , Thankyou Rob Denny for the reference regards the Proa , how brilliant , I was about to suggest a Bi Plane Cat which gives excellant forward vision and low bulk head loads via free standing through hull mounted masts , my current retired budget only allows me to consider a conversion project to this end on a smaller old Cat.
This Proa ticks so many boxes and beyond in respect to cruising our oceans .
Honestly "Rob" who started this Ideal Cat question has an opportunity here to take the same old advice about the usual dated Charter rubbish of Lagoons and Leopards c'mon ? Or really step into this centuries version of a sailing vessel type that has been sailed and proven for over a thousand years .
Having been through a 40 ft Cat build of 4 years with all its particulars, the well thought out construction system of this vessel makes me excited , but still cautious of the reality.
We need people to invest in these leap forward types of projects the same way people did with the above mentioned now 40 year old outdated designs of bridge deck central masted Cats.
This designer with his Super Tender has touched on an issue I have always considered important that is having a solid powerful multi purpose auxilary to the mothership.
I have always had poly plastic tenders capable of planing with two people . I detest inevitable deflatable crocodile teething rings .
Made my day the mind boggles , thanks again .

[kkostenko]

Thank you for throwing some boat builders names...
Enjoyed browsing some of the builder's websites....
Liked Antares quite a bit.
Price tag is quite high of course, but I guess you get what you paid for...

o/

[OOTB2]

Have a look at the Australian built Lightwave catamarans designed by Tony Grainger. www.lightwaveyachts.com. I have a 2006 LW38 and has suited me for 12 years cruising Queensland and NT coasts and the last 5 years in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
Excellent weather protected helm station and all round views which together with twin saildrives makes docking, picking up moorings a breeze even single handed.
As others have commented saildrives can have issues but I have been able to sort them when arising. Convenience and lack of intrusion of engines into living spaces good.
Slab or jiffy reefing main and self tacking headsail basic sail plan with options of overlapping genoa, screecher and Spinnaker.
There are used LW38s out there within your budget. Possibly even an older LW45 which are very comfortable but everything more expensive as all larger vessels.
My well proven and made LW38 available for sale within your budget if interested.
Get out and try different designs, there will be a catamaran that suits you.

[Lance]

I understand your caution in getting into the multi hull Cat market and many people choose the recycled Bulky Charter fleet to pick from , there is definate resale benefit in that but why make a decision on your purchase based on the maybe when I sell criteria.
However some people enjoy the actual challenge of sailing by wind alone ( with engine back up) and there are several designers who have Cats to their credit that are not only excellant providers of living comforts but also very good sea worthy fast passage makers .
Dont think your compromise on speed or as another poster mentioned inability to point is of little consequence .
Well sailed speedy Catamarans produce a whole new dimension into the cruising experience with perhaps the most important factor being safety , dropping anchor well before dark makes each day that much more enjoyable .
Being able to properly point with dagger board assistance can mean clearing that headland 20 miles away before a wind shift puts you on a lee shore etc etc .
Search "Grainger"( Light Wave ,Chincogan,already mentioned).
"Schionning" (Wilderness, Cosmos etc). My first multi project a Wilderness was a great sailing experience
"Simpson " (older but good purpose boats ).
"Pescott" (very good performance affordable cruisers) Just parted with an 11.8m Whitehaven absolute Joy .
"Lidgard"( includes Fusion 40 ) I built a Fusion at the wrong time of the GFC but she handled the most serious of conditions that I threw at her , 48 hours of a typhoon in the South China Sea the circular wind patterns amongst the consistent squalls on the Radar made the experience very real to the extent the storm seamed committed to beating the crap out of us .
Next serious experience that the Fusion basically laughed at was 25 to 35 knot side offshore winds down the West Coast of Australia into an Indian Ocean swell of 3 to 4 mtres no reefs and we burst through the tops at a comfortable 10 knots .
There are times when mother nature throws stuff at you and if you have a hampered performance heavy fat hulled boat your ride and that of your crew can become disconcerting or where as in my Fusion I was always confident that she was capable of getting me home .
What I am saying is your boats sailing ability is very important and needs to be one of your top considerations .

[OOTB2]

Well stated Lance, I agree.

[sailhand]

Hi chris ootb2, craig here, we are in thailand at the moment where are you. We have been talking to some factories in thailand about producing the magic carpet 3.5 dinghys. I think you will need one for ootb2.

[sailhand]

Hi lance i see you sold paws, congratulations. I am not impressed with your list mate where are the orams, one of the fastest aussie boats. Ok maybe im more than a tad bias.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Kurlie1

14 months ago I moved to "the dark side". ie sold my mono and bought a cat. I have sailed monos all my life and found the transition a huge re-learning curve. Most of my sailing is single handed and the cat (2007 F.P. Salina 48) is incredibly easy to single hand sail. Two motors makes maneuvering a dream and sail handling is made easy by the well placed winches and stack-pac stowage. The cat has a raised helm station with 360° views and is fully protected by removable clears. Next May I am taking my daughter and her family off shore for an unspecified number of years touring the world. We chose this cat for its room (large family) and safety. Good luck with your search .. May see you out there

Sorry but I must correct you on this post..
The Dark side is Power boats..
You moved to the Bright side...