Prout Snowgoose 37 comments

[Warren Drifter]

p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }a:link { } Hello all,


I am new to this forum and have been looking around, particularity at comment about Prout catamarans that were without a doubt the first true pioneers of sailing catamarans. So because I just happen to own a Snowgoose 37 Elite, I decided to toss in a few remarks.


This boat is not a speed demon but she sails quite well for her length and does well in light air. She handles rough weather extremely well with her canoe sterns giving me much confidence in heavy following seas. Prouts were built in England for the North Sea and she lives up to her name quite well.


The 'mast-aft' rig with the small main, large head sail with all lines & sheets dropping down into or led back to the cockpit makes her very easy to handle alone. About the only time I must leave the cockpit is when I put up a spinnaker.


These cats were designed with mini-keels to enable to dry out so I can easily set down somewhere between tides for hull cleaning. Occasionally I do haul out and can be lifted out by almost any travel hoist anywhere due to her narrow beam.


As I don't do charters and am not obliged to enter & exit marinas frequently, I really like the single engine concept. The ability to lift the outboard drive up when sailing eliminates drag, corrosion and allows me to use a normal three bladed propeller. That drive can be also swiveled 30 degrees via a small tiller which does help to get around tight corners.


This catamaran has a low bridge deck with a center “nacelle” and there is some truth about the vicious reports concerning the “slamming” that these boats supposedly do. Yes, they will hobby-horse and slam if not loaded properly. It took me nearly three years to learn how to overcome that problem. I won't go into the fine details now but I do not have any complaints anymore since I learned how to lighten, eliminate weight on her extreme ends and distribute properly the necessary items that are needed to be kept on-board.


These cats were not built to be spacious condo-style catamarans nor were they built for racing or chartering but I do think they fit the description very well of being “well-built, strong, sea kindly, good live-a-board cruising catamarans”.


I have had my Prout for almost 11 years and have traveled close to 42,000 nm which includes one westward solo circumnavigation. But even today, I still discover things about her features that someone along the way during the long Prout history of building catamarans had thought of.


Prouts are really classic and classy catamarans.


Below are some old articles about Prouts that I've collected that still can be accessed:


Sail To Anywhere ...: Potted History of Prout Catamarans


Which Cruising Cats Hold Their Value? | Cruising World


Prout Snowgoose 37


Warren Drifter

[danielamartindm]

Thank you, I enjoyed your post, and the Prout Snowgoose 37 link. With so shallow a draft, this would be a great vessel for Florida waters. I would imagine the sail plan is very versatile, and it's certainly salty looking too. I see some on the market with twin diesels and shaft drives. Bridge deck clearance is limited, but I imagine the other side of that coin is less windage from freeboard; and btw, congratulations on the solo circumnavigation.

[Warren Drifter]

I wrote that post as I see so many posts on various sites mentioning bad features that Prouts possess and the various concerns as to the abilities and so forth of these catamarans. One distinct thing that probably gives Prout a bad reputation was the fact that in earlier days, they marketed their boats in various stages of completion allowing fit-outs to be done by the purchasers. This marketing scheme resulted in not all but many of their catamarans to be fitted out by amateurs using inferior methods like perhaps nice but heavy wood inside, badly tabbed bulkheads, household quality wiring & bad plumbing to name a few. My boat was fortunate to be have been fitted out entirely in Prout's yard using the furniture division of their company to do the interior using mostly lightweight marine grade plywood from Israel that was certified by Lloyds of London. So far, I have only experienced normal deterioration and nothing major.

[44'cruisingcat]

Welcome to the forum Warren! You might enjoy this thread: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ft-103739.html

[Warren Drifter]

Prout 37 Snowgoose mast, center of gravity & cabin head height

The mast on a Prout 37 needs to be tensioned so that it is perpendicular to the waterline with zero rake. I use measurements from the bootstrap to obtain that 90 degree angle. The center of gravity on these boats are just in front of the mast and aft bulkhead. If the mast was to be stepped more forward, then it would probably have to be raked accordingly back to compensate. Perhaps this is the reason for the raked back masts on other cats, e.g. some Dean catamarans.

As for cabin top height, upon entering through the companionway door, the 3ft x 3ft floor area just inside has approximately 65.5 inches head height. Stepping directly to port brings one down into the port hull and going to starboard brings you to the saloon table area which has approximately 71 inches head height. I am 6ft tall and still have never had a problem.

[Red Herring]

Awesome post! Thanks for sharing, and welcome!! One of the boats we are mulling over for a pending family of 4 voyage is a mid 90's Prout 45. I just like 'em, and can't wait to get on one! Seem like good boats for the $.

[Warren Drifter]

p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; } There are many reasonably priced Prouts around still in good shape and as they were built mainly just for cruising, most would have been well looked after by their caring owners and would have aged graciously.


In addition to my earlier mast spiel, I may add that Prouts do look a bit different from the rest with their “mast aft” rigs. But it is good rig and very nice for shorthanded crews. I can raise the main by hand up to within the last 6' to 10” before I must use the winch. As the wind pipes up, I start furling the head sail first and then later the main. And all from inside the cockpit as all halyards and reefing lines drop down right next to the companionway.

BTW, there's a neat site called Prout Owner Association that has a forum and various items including repairs and some information on the various Prout models with their original brocures. Prout Original Catalogues

[crocks]

Hi Warren, good to hear some hands on info about the Snowgoose. I have the older pre Elite, a 1978, the boat is on the hard at the moment receiving treatment. Tell me more of weight distribution... Steve.

[Warren Drifter]

Hello Steve. When I first purchased mine, it was loaded. It had an aft gantry with a heavy RIB with an 8hp outboard hanging on it. A large heavy liferaft sat on the back deck. Under the bunk in the aft port cabin was a heavy diesel genset. Under the saloon sofa was a heavy twin cruise airconditioner. The chain locker had 50 meters of 9mm chain and a 45 lb CQR. I got rid of all that stuff. I bought a light weight roll-up dinghy and a 2 hp outboard and now only use an aluminum Fortress FX-37, 5m of chain and the rest is 5/8" NER nylon rode. I keep 10m of chain stored aft to add whenever I am around coral. I kept the windlass but hardly ever use it. I installed a watermaker and put sounding tubes in the water tanks and refrain from filling each more than 60 liters unless I am in rough sea conditions or on a rough anchorage and then I fill more for ballast. If I buy extra diesel in jerry cans for a long passage, I clean and store them in the aft cabins just inside the entrance. I sealed the lids of those aft storage hatches in each aft cabin, installed small inspection caps and they are only extra empty bouyancy chambers now. I keep all my heavy spares under the saloon sofa as far back towards the mast as possible. I also keep a lot in that electrical compartment plus those compartments next to the entry of both port and stbd cabins. This arrangement and trim shows me sitting perhaps 2" plus higher in the bow. But keeping her light as possible with the 'cargo' stored near or just behind the mast and being a bit high in front works well and makes for a much better & smoother ride.

[Smirkn]

Excellent post...I like the Prouts.

[FSmith]

Is there a way to identify an owner finished vs factory finished prouts?

[Taichungman]

Thank you again Warren for the informative post, and welcome to the forum.
I'm always excited to read first hand information from sailor who are actually sailing.
My sweet wife ( just in case she's lurking) won't let me have a boat anymore but I still crew every couple of years. Hope I get the chance to crew on a Prout one day.

Keep up the Post

[ricosail]

I have a proutsnowgoose elite and was just dismasted in belize had to cut rig away looking for info on mast length rigging plan havng to buy usedmast inrip dulce to make it back home thanks s/vToucan

[drukenyogi]

great post. thank you
im looking at buying a 1993 Prout Snowgoose Elite right now.

[mikedefieslife]

Originally Posted by Warren Drifter

This catamaran has a low bridge deck with a center “nacelle” and there is some truth about the vicious reports concerning the “slamming” that these boats supposedly do. Yes, they will hobby-horse and slam if not loaded properly.

In my experience in short choppy seas they will slam no matter how they are loaded. Even 50cm waves are enough.