Power Cat vs Sailing Cat

[louielouie]

We"ll be sailing in a few days on a Lagoon 440 for the first time. The question I have is which boat would make more sense, financially, for the amount of time spent cruising? A Sailing Cat vs Power Cat? Plan on going South for the winter and cruising for 3 months, then bring the boat back up to Burlington VT by late Spring on Lake Champlain and return to work. We'll have a condo and won't be living on the boat. Looking to purchase in the range of 40' -44'. Is the Sailing Cat the more obvious choice considering the trip up the ICW?

[2Hulls]

Originally Posted by louielouie

Is the Sailing Cat the more obvious choice considering the trip up the ICW?

Not a Lagoon 440. Mast is too tall unless you find one with the short mast option. Not too many of those around, I bet.

ICW fixed and lift bridge heights are nominally 65 feet. In the 40-44 foot range this will be close. As for total cost considerations, what's the price of oil going to do? - and what value to your place on sailing enjoyment?

Dave

[darylat8750]

A big stick on the ditch is not very useful. Sails require maintence. If you are not going to be living full time on the boat the added time to "put the boat to bed" so you can walk away will be much greater on the sail boat. I also feel the the amount of fun I have on a sail boat (or an airplane) is inversely proportional to the gross weight. A board boat like a Laser or kite board are more fun than a 40 foot cruiser and a Cub on floats or a Pitts for acrobatics are more fun than a B747.

I would go for the power cat and add a couple of fun sail toys.

[louielouie]

Yes point well taken on Mast height navigating ICW. If I'm understanding correctly, it seems longer durations of cruising more fitting for a sailing cat. Power cat would seem to make more sense in our case but hopping over to the island cruising grounds from FLA fine on a power cat? Like having the engines as backup power source on a sailing cat or am I over reacting here?? Obviously we're new to this.

[Bruce K]

Depends weather you are a voyager or a cruiser, I have had sailboats most of my life including liveaboard cruising for 10 years, as I got older I changed from a voyager (the trip or voyage was most important) to a cruiser(the destination was most important) Progression in boats was Ocean racer: Crusing sailboat: Motorsailer: and now Power Cat. I now want to be places, not get there.

[louielouie]

Bruce K your progression seems right in line. Very good point, less time available for cruising, power would be the better choice. We were pretty set on a Sailing Cat but really need to rethink this. Next week on a sailing 440 will speak volumes as well and can pick the brain of the captain. Thanks for the info all!

[tomfl]

Have to agree with Dave. The question you should be asking is how much value do you place on sailing. I have a sailing cat because the noise and vibration from engines gives me a headache and the stench from the exhaust makes me nauseous. Not everyone is as sensitive and weak kneed as I am about these things and would be happier with a motor boat that may well be a less expensive option.

I am a sailing bigot and openly admit it.

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[scuba0_1]

We sail because we love it. If you don't it will be the longest slowest transportation mode you will ever take. There a feeling that runs thru you when you turn off the motor fill the sails and feel the power that transfers from the sails thru the boat and into the water. Imagine the pressure per square inch on that sail. A friend of mine said it beast it's the most powerful feeling while going slow. If you don't have the time you'll have the engine running anyways so you might as well buy a powerboat

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[nautical62]

It all depends on your priorities and how you would really use a sailing cat.

Personally, my preference for a next boat would be a power cat. I love sailing, but really it's about being out their cruising and spending time in the Bahamas regardless of how the boat is powered.

For me, the positives of sails no longer outweigh the negatives. For the cruising I do, the fuel savings don't justify the cost of rigging and sails. As I get older, I have less patience and ability to deal with reefing, storms, stowing sails, etc. I finding having to do circles or maneuver in current, waiting for bridges to open to be time consuming, sometime stressful and a risk I'd rather just not have to deal with.

One thing I don't like about a lot of power cats is that many don't have a steering station in the cockpit, putting the driver in an awkward, almost useless position when it comes to anchoring, picking up moorings and docking.

[duefocena]

I feel the ability to do both is important,
A motor cat allows you to do one thing... motor. While the sailing cat can motor at a respectable clip or sail. Additionally, if I want to go for a pleasure ride around for the day, sailing is a much more pleasant time. ( No smell, fueling up, rolling etc.) The ride of a cat under sail reducing the roll is easy to entertain others. Putting up a tri radial spinnaker on my cat is an easy task, ( no pole, only two lines),in ghosting wind and makes for a great time on the water. I don't have to deal with bridges much and my mast is under 65' so well under the 100' bridges in my area.

[Heath68]

Originally Posted by nautical62

For me, the positives of sails no longer outweigh the negatives. For the cruising I do, the fuel savings don't justify the cost of rigging and sails..

I have found this post very intriguing.. I had heard some scarey accounts of how much diesel costs in running a boat and so never even considered a powercat and have been looking solely at a sailing cat.. Are you able to put some meat on the bones above?

[ebs001]

Given that you plan to do the ICW twice a year for the foreseeable future and spend 3 months cruising in the south and for probably 4 months in the north in the summer the boat will sit idle at a marina, there is no doubt in my mind that some sort of power boat will be more suitable.

The trip south and north on the ICW will be under power anyway and the difference in fuel cost will be quite small if you cruise at sailboat speeds with the power cat. The distance to South Florida on the ICW is 1000 miles and Marathon is 1200 plus the trip down the Hudson from Lake Champlain to NYC adds another 225.

Many bridges along the ICW will be high enough to pass under without having to have them opened.

With the extra power making scheduled openings will be a lot easier.

The trip from NYC to Cape May, up Delaware Bay and down Chesapeake Bay if you are like most people will be done with the motor on as the wind only blows one direction, on the nose.

The reality for most cruisers in Florida is that they don't put their sails up. Few cruisers go day sailing.

At the times of year you will be making the north and south trek the inside helm station on a power cat will be very nice to say the least. The outside very ugly

The question one has to ask is in reality how much am I going to sail? The reality for most is nil or less.

[2Hulls]

Originally Posted by ebs001

The trip from NYC to Cape May, up Delaware Bay and down Chesapeake Bay if you are like most people will be done with the motor on as the wind only blows one direction, on the nose.

And it's uphill in both directions!

Dave

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Heath68

I have found this post very intriguing.. I had heard some scarey accounts of how much diesel costs in running a boat and so never even considered a powercat and have been looking solely at a sailing cat.. Are you able to put some meat on the bones above?

It will depend on a lot of things. How many miles you travel being a major factor. If you don't go far, a power boat, especially an efficient one, can be cheaper to run per mile.

Sails and rigging need maintenance, even if you don't use them. You'll also do a bit of motoring even with a sailing cat.

There's also additional up front costs of a sailboat vs a similar motor boat. The sailboat needs to be stronger structurally, needs reinforcing around chainplates, forebeam, mast beam, mainsheet track... the cost of the rig and sails... added up it can buy a fair bit of fuel.

But if you travel far enough the ability to sail will pay for itself.

For most of us it's not just about economics though. sailing is simply far more enjoyable than motoring.

[Sand crab]

Or you could just get a smaller cat like the Lagoon 380 or many others.