Probably a Dumb Question: Why Are Edel Cats So Inexpensive ?

[charliemagee]

My guess as to why an Edel is inexpensive, when compared to boats of similar age and quality, is because cats with full bridgedecks are in more demand. I personally don't have a problem with going outside to get to the other hull.

I've sailed on a Lagoon 410 and Cat2Fold--, a 36 foot open bridgedeck cat with canvas cuddy cabin--and spent time at anchor on over a dozen other cats.


I personally much preferred the open bridgedeck type of boat. I like to see where I'm going when I'm sailing and be part of the crew in conversation as we travel. Sitting up on the helm seat, head 4 feet higher than everyone else, makes for awkward conversations. Sitting behind a sliding patio door, looking through the saloon, through some skinny windows to see what's coming is annoying at the best.


I'm a few years out from making the break to long-term cruising, that Edel in Croatia seems like a great deal. But if it was time I'd already have left for Finland to buy the Tek-35 that's recently been listed on Yachtworld.


2001 Tek 35 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Charlie

[deckofficer]

Charlie,

I like the Tek 35 you shared, here is another open design.
2007 'A' Scape Catamaran *Sport Cruiser / Racer / Passenger* - Boats.com

[hydelotter]

Hi This an old thread but I have an Edel 35 and wanted to offer some info.
The construction is not cored with foam or balsa. The construction is monolithic like the Outremer Cat.
The boats hulls do not flex due to the beams, that would be disastrous.
The great seakindly motion is a direct result of the narrow hulls which offer a softer ride much like a deep narrow keeled monohull does compared to a flat bottom mono. She has a short rig for her size, because she is easily driven.
I fitted a reaching strut on the bow to increase sail options and fly a decent Asym spinnaker from there.
They are very similar to a Wharram in that you have to go outside between the hulls and centre pod and are minimalist. Which suits me.
They are like having a porsche convertible compared to a volvo sedan.
They are fast. I have had mine up to over 15 knots and an Italian guy I know had his at 22knots on a surf.
Its a pity that they arent still making these boats. I love mine. It weighs just 2.5 tons so feels like a small boat when you are docking. You can push it around like a dinghy. Mine has a retractable outboard which, when it stopped working last season, I simply took off, had it repaired in a shop( coil was faulty) and put it back on. It cost a lot less than having a diesel mechanic come down to the boat. Also I can raise the motor right out of the water so my boat speed isnt affected by the drag.
These boats sail well and the engine really is an auxiliary the way its supposed to be. I sail mine single handed. I did fit two extra winches on the cabin top ,and have all the lines coming back to the steering station. On my previous cat, I had to run 15 feet from one side of the cockpit to the other to get to the sheets when tacking. Not so on the EDEL. I have a tillerpilot so I go into the pod when its raining and I have reduced sail enough to make it safe to steer herself. At the moment I am sailing in Greece, fantastic cruising grounds.
The reason EDEL 35 are cheap is because boats are unfortunately sold at the dock. Entry level sailors are more impressed with the condo on the water than sailing ability and motion of the boat. It takes a while to appreciate the simple joy of a well designed/made hull slicing through the water.
They are great boats. If you find one...snap it up!

[happyendings]

Great post hydelotter. In addition to the hull shape and solid fiberglass hull lay-up, part of the seakindly-ness/ride quality is possibly attributable to the crossbeam style of construction. Forum member smj and I both owned the same Edel 43 and he has gone on to own two Seawind 1000's. It might well be that metal crossbeams represent a better material for the kinds of cyclic loads that are experienced by catamarans. I would buy another Edel in a minute if I were in the market, especially and open bridgedeck (Helios?) model.

-Mark Z

[hydelotter]

Hi Mark Z
Yes you could be right. I dont know ??..... I just feel the finer hulls dont bounce over every little bump in the ocean. Also being easily driven means I am sailing when other boats are turning on the motor. Glad to hear the Edel has another fan!

[zwergje]

Hi folks, I am new her and new to sailing and cats. Nevertheless enthusiastically dreaming of living, loving and traveling on a cat, especially since I met an 80 year old (!) Australian doing just that in his own-build 15 meter cat. Fasten your seatbelts for some blond questions!

Starter: what are the constructural differences between the Edel 35 and 43, and why is a 35 about 3 times cheaper as a 43?

[hydelotter]

Hi
I have owned both the 35 and the 43.
Like all boats the difference in volume, size, seaworthiness, strength is exponential. So a 43 foot boat is not just 8 feet longer. The 43 is 22 feet wide and has exponentially more volume. The mast stands an impressive 64 feet from the waterline. The 43 has two 30hp diesel inboard motors with saildrives. The 35 has a single 15hp outboard on a retractable sled.. So from a liveaboard perspective the 43 is much bigger and more liveable. Thats why its more expensive.
Having said that the 35 sails rings around the 43. The 35 is most fun boat I have ever owned. I have had 5 catamarans and 7 monohulls. The 35 is a porsche while the 43 isnt quite an RV its like a 7 seater minivan. For coastal cruising , with good weather forecasting the 35 is very doable. I lived on my 35 for 3 summers in Greece, loved every moment of it. Regret selling it! Because it weighed just over 2 tons it could use the apparent wind and I would be sailing while everyone around me was motoring. It was such fun kicking big monohulls and big liveaboard catamarans asses. I went through Mathew and Irma with the 43 and survived both with just light scratches. But it slammed badly and best speed was like 11 Knots. 35 I had up to 17 knots sustained. Loved that boat!

[zwergje]

Thank you kindly for your useful information. Yes, I realized weight increase should be compared to the cubic exponent, but even then you would expect a 43 to weight not even twice a 35. So I wonder, is the construction basically different? Probably I have to limit myself to look for a 35 anyway (more affordable), but from what I hear that is not a punishment, although living space and especially headroom is an issue (I am 1.87m). I understand that the ceiling is just that at the best point, but until about 10 cm lower at the lowest point, while the specs for a 43 give 1.90 (does that also only apply for the highest part(s)?). Another point is the amount of space and carrying capacity to bring my tools. I am a carpenter and it is nice to have at least the basic tools that allow me to jump in when I come across interesting jobs. And then of course there is the bridgedeck issue: early 35's are said to be rather noisy when the waves slam it. Is that really better on later 35's, and how about the 43?

[hydelotter]

Hi Ok so the weight of the 43 is around 7.5 tons. And that is what i mean by exponential. I carried so many tools on the 43 as I was cruising down to Cuba, Mexico Bahamas and had a drill press, sanding machines, routers, etc etc
For sure that would have made the 35 unseaworthy as it is a good boat precisely because it was light and to load it would reduce its speed and make it unsafe.
The 43 slams! worse than the 35. If the 35 is not loaded. The later 35s have more bridgedeck clearance, but if you look at the construction of the boat, the beams are what hold the boat together. The underside of the bridgedeck could me changed quite easily without affecting the integrity of the boat at all. The guy who bought my 43 has actually done that.
You may want to consider a monohull as you get way more boat for your buck. Dockage is half price, and you can load a cruising mono more than a cat without much consequence. Load a cat and you are really changing the dynamics of the boat.

[zwergje]

Thanx for the additional info. Could you give an estimate of the loading capacity of the 35 on top of the ready-for-cruising weight? An estimate considering to keep the seaworthiness untouched.

Thanx in advance

[owly]

Originally Posted by zwergje

Thanx for the additional info. Could you give an estimate of the loading capacity of the 35 on top of the ready-for-cruising weight? An estimate considering to keep the seaworthiness untouched.

Thanx in advance

The 35 lists a displacement of 7000 lbs.......... That is EVERYTHING.... including your body weight, clothing and shoes, bedding, galley stuff, entertainment systems, radios & electronics, sails, mast, and rigging, ground tackle, engine(s) and fuel, drinking water and the contents of holding tanks, food liquor, tools and spares, even the weight of the paint on the boat.........That's the figure you need to work from.


That's not very much weight, and I would expect the "empty" boat in most cases to be closer to 6k than 5K considering all the "improvements" people tend to lavish in their boats. But that's just a WAG.


When looking at a boat like this, I would insist on a survey that included a weight, but that weight is not much of a baseline if things are being packed off and on the boat afterward without being checked.



H.W.

[zwergje]

Thank you for your answer. So I am focussing on the 35. Does anyone know from what building year on Edel increased the bridgedeck clearance of it's 35's?

[multihuler]

I just picked up a 2006 48ft Cross trimaran , it is so cheap I dont have to insure her, she is somewhat sexy, and sailing through challenging water i wont stick out as a rich American. I can carry almost anything I want and with 5 berths there is room for my family and friends.
The edel cat is a great Bahama boat, not that I would sail it around the world, but most condo cats are more motor sailors, nothing wrong with that if it isn't a sail drive.
Funny, no one asked what the core is on the edel 35.

[smj]

Originally Posted by zwergje

Thank you for your answer. So I am focussing on the 35. Does anyone know from what building year on Edel increased the bridgedeck clearance of it's 35's?

I don’t recall ever seeing an Edel 35 with a greater bridgedeck clearance and the central cabin. They made the Cabrio model which is basically the same but with no central cabin. The cabrio had much more bridgedeck clearance.

[smj]

Originally Posted by multihuler

I just picked up a 2006 48ft Cross trimaran , it is so cheap I dont have to insure her, she is somewhat sexy, and sailing through challenging water i wont stick out as a rich American. I can carry almost anything I want and with 5 berths there is room for my family and friends.
The edel cat is a great Bahama boat, not that I would sail it around the world, but most condo cats are more motor sailors, nothing wrong with that if it isn't a sail drive.
Funny, no one asked what the core is on the edel 35.

Was the 35 cored?