Most Ideal Catamaran

[RobD527]

I would like to move up to a catamaran in the next couple years and would love some input on what might be the most ideal for me in the 38-44' range
Budget up to 300k

Most to least important for me
1. Frontal View from cockpit and helm because of I'm always worried about hitting something (even offshore)
2. Draft the least the better
3. Engine maintenance accessibility and preferably not sail drives
4. Would like in mast furling if that's even an option on any cats

Anything else really doesn't matter to me

[Factor]

Originally Posted by RobD527

1. Frontal View from cockpit and helm because of I'm always worried about hitting something (even offshore)

Agree really important.

2. Draft the least the better

Look for something daggerboards

3. Engine maintenance accessibility and preferably not sail drives

Also ensure that if you have to access your engines at se they are not in a position to get swamped, like so many cats I see.

4. Would like in mast furling if that's even an option on any cats

You wont find one. Well at least not on any cat the has pretensions of sailing to windward. In mast furling is horrid on so many levels on a cat, Weight aloft, no horizontal battens, likely need a heavier cloth. Gravity works my friend, Lazy jacks and sail bag.

[jdazey]

Used Chris White Atlantic 42.


Cheers,

[scarlet]

Originally Posted by RobD527

4. Would like in mast furling if that's even an option on any cats

I don't know any cats that have this.. but if there was, I would tell you to stay away from them. I have talked with several monohull dealers/brokers/owners who have the in mast furling, and there are problems with jamming.. and if it jams, you are screwed! Can you imagine being out in 40 knt. winds.. and your mainsail jams in the mast.. and you are stuck with your full main out!! ??? and no option to drop the sail. And, you can't get it unjammed without disassembly. I don't know a single person who has that feature who doesn't hate it...

(another note... can't have battens in your sails with in mast furling)...

[jdazey]

Actually a fair number of monos have inmast furling and the owners like it. Further vertical battens are an option though few seem to go for it. But to your main point, I prefer a lazy jack system for the main and have not seen a cat with anything else. I do know of one tri with in-boom furling.


Cheers,

[GRIT]

Antares are often sold with roller furling masts.

A bit above your budget, but food for thought for those who say you can't find one with roller furling.

Cheers.
Paul.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by svquintana

Antares are often sold with roller furling masts.

A bit above your budget, but food for thought for those who say you can't find one with roller furling.

Cheers.
Paul.

Great boats, but the ones Ive know of were well above $300K.

[belizesailor]

In your budget Leapord is one of the few I can think of with no sail drives. Good engine access. OK vis from helm. In mast furling no, significant bucks to add...if you really want a furling main personally I prefer in boom, but a stack pack is way more common, radically cheaper, and works just fine.

[RobD527]

Originally Posted by scarlet

I don't know any cats that have this.. but if there was, I would tell you to stay away from them. I have talked with several monohull dealers/brokers/owners who have the in mast furling, and there are problems with jamming.. and if it jams, you are screwed! Can you imagine being out in 40 knt. winds.. and your mainsail jams in the mast.. and you are stuck with your full main out!! ??? and no option to drop the sail. And, you can't get it unjammed without disassembly. I don't know a single person who has that feature who doesn't hate it...

(another note... can't have battens in your sails with in mast furling)...

I have in mast furling in my Hunter 33 and love the ease of it. I also have to say this is my first sailboat and don't even know the difference. The in mast just seems like it would be easier for me

[travellerw]

I agree with Belizesailor. The only cat that is going to tick those boxes is an older Leopard (pre 2009). Older Privilege 39 also had the option of a shaft vs saildrive but they are harder to find and usually older.

I see lots of posts where people are making this a requirement. The fact is, its really not feasable in new design catamarans. Pretty much everyone has moved to saildrives to satisfy the other requirement (motors with easy access, not under bunks).

Personally, I think saildrives get a much worse reputation here on CF than is deserved. Hell, in the bay I'm anchored right now, over %60 of the boats have saildrives (cats and monohulls). Saildrives CAN be hell on wheels when they go bad... but they don't bad nearly as much as you think. The newer drives are better designed and don't suffer the issues of the older ones as much (like leaking shaft seals). Even the older ones have had those problems solved if you want to take the time to look for those solutions.

Anyway.. Good luck on your search. I hope you find something that ticks some of the boxes for you.

[smj]

I’m pretty sure manufacturers moved to saildrives because they are easier and less expensive to install. They also like them as they are able to be mounted much farther aft giving more usable space in the boat which also places more weight aft, not a good thing.

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by travellerw

The only cat that is going to tick those boxes is an older Leopard (pre 2009).

Bold statement.

A Lagoon 410 should tick the same boxes, if you can find one of the few that were built with shaft drive.

None of these meet the shallow draft requirement, unless one considers 1,2m shallow. Same for all other cat models with mini keels. Boards don't really help unless the rudders can be raised, too.

[RobD527]

Thank You for all the replies (I learned a few things about cats)

I will also be single handing the boat so that's probably going to be a big factor

As for saildrive and in-mast furling, not a requirement just thought these features might ease the single handing and ease of maintenance

If I stick with a monohull I would love to find a Southerly 38 priced right

My biggest priorities are being able to see whats in front of me and not stressing out about water depth everywhere I go.

[rob denney]

Originally Posted by RobD527

I would like to move up to a catamaran in the next couple years and would love some input on what might be the most ideal for me in the 38-44' range
Budget up to 300k

Most to least important for me
1. Frontal View from cockpit and helm because of I'm always worried about hitting something (even offshore)
2. Draft the least the better
3. Engine maintenance accessibility and preferably not sail drives
4. Would like in mast furling if that's even an option on any cats

Anything else really doesn't matter to me

You might want to look at a C50 CRUISER 50 – Revised – Harryproa. A bit longer (and consequently safer, faster and more comfortable) but buildable new for $US300K in Australia, probably less in the US and there is one being built in Thailand for considerably less. The low cost is due to the light weight, simple systems and the build method INTELLIGENT INFUSION – Harryproa

There is all round vision from the helm and also from the inside steering position.

Draft with rudders up is 12". The end 20" of each hull are impact absorbing foam and the rudders kick up in a collision or grounding.

The engine is a diesel outboard mounted on the tender which acts as a large floating outboard bracket/sled. Makes access and maintenance easier, the prop can be easily swapped on deck when you want to use the tender for water skiing, there are no holes, noise or fumes in the hull, the weight of the tender is central and you have a tender that is big enough to carry a decent load and go pretty much anywhere.

A better solution than in mast furling is an unstayed mast with a self vanging wishbone boom mainsail. Low sheet loads, no extras to fight, no foredeck work and in a squall you can totally depower the rig on any point of sail with no flogging sheets or sails. You can either wait out the squall, sheet on just enough to keep the boat moving or drop in a reef with the boat sitting quietly. The sails can be hoisted or lowered on any point of sail in any wind strength, there is almost nothing to maintain and no worrying every time you bounce off a wave that some small part will break and the rig come down.

Single handing is easy on most mid size cats, until something goes wrong, when it rapidly escalates. On the harry, there is far less to go wrong and far less to do to sail the boat so much less stress for the solo sailor.

There is a video of an earlier version sailing comfortably at wind speed at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8chR6DAFjGA

The newer boats have sharper bows and cleaner rudders but are other wise similar.

[SV Bacchus]

Bacchus is a 42' Leopard with shaft drives and a Schaffer Boom Furling system, darn fine system that is amazing!

So that should answer your question: Yes, they are out there. Maybe not plentiful but they exist!