Puting the UGH in Ugly

[thinwater]

First, there was the Gemini 105MC, a reasonably attractive and capable price point cat, kept narrow enough to fit in a slip. It was reasonably weatherly and fast and packed a lot of living space into a moderate size.

Then they screwed it up with the Gemini Legacy. Low but sufficient bridge deck clearance when to practically none. They replaced winches with more jammers and seating room. It gained too much weight.


This is with no stores, no dinghy, and probably light tanks. She drags.


Sail Delmarva: It's Sweet When You Stay in Love With the Girl You Brought

Then there was the freestyle, and ugly abomination if there ever was one.

And finally, they chopped off the mast, hung two big motors (2 x 140hp) on the back, and brag it can go 15 knots. Heck, years ago my Stiletto 27 (all deck, no cabin, like this) would go 12 knots with 18 hp, and that's without chopping off the stick! Stripped, it would have done 15kt with 18 hp easy.

Why don't they just shoot the marquee in the head now and be done with it. It's clear to me that they've lost all sense of what a boat is.



Gemini Catamarans Home || www.geminicatamarans.com

[paxfish]

Life is way too short to own an ugly boat....

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by paxfish

Life is way too short to own an ugly boat....

I used to think a Catalac catamaran was one of the ugliest boats on the planet, up until I met a very nice couple living full time aboard their Catalac. The boat had taken them across the Atlantic, throught the rivers and canal system in Europe, around the Mediterranean then back across to explore the Caribbean.

Now I feel differently about the Catalac...

[Steamerlanes]

More likely a dockside condo design. Seems to be the big sellers these days.

[PHR]

Wife and I were on a Gemini cat in San Diego for a night, sleeping over, so we did not sail it. It did indeed fit in a normal slip, at just 14 feet of beam. We noticed the helm on the right side looking forward required the pilot to peer through the cabin to see anything. So not only was the catamaran dinky compared to others, but it would have been a challenge to maintain situational awareness due to lack of vision around the boat. I don't know Gemini cats at all, but this seemed to be a design problem, and I'm looking for something better.

[Valmika]

Originally Posted by PHR

Wife and I were on a Gemini cat in San Diego for a night, sleeping over, so we did not sail it. It did indeed fit in a normal slip, at just 14 feet of beam. We noticed the helm on the right side looking forward required the pilot to peer through the cabin to see anything. So not only was the catamaran dinky compared to others, but it would have been a challenge to maintain situational awareness due to lack of vision around the boat. I don't know Gemini cats at all, but this seemed to be a design problem, and I'm looking for something better.

I was hired to captain one of these to Santa Cruz island and the visibility was terrible through the cabin. In addition the steering felt like it had a steering lock on somewhere. hated this thing

[jewt]

If you don't stop half way off the dock to turn around and admire your vessel you have the wrong damn boat!

jewt
S/V Bifrost

[paxfish]

Originally Posted by jewt

If you don't stop half way off the dock to turn around and admire your vessel you have the wrong damn boat!

jewt
S/V Bifrost

You got that right, Brother!

Before the Storm Yesterday

[Grungy]

Originally Posted by paxfish

You got that right, Brother!

Before the Storm Yesterday

His and hers?

[IdoraKeeper]

Originally Posted by thinwater

First, there was the Gemini 105MC, a reasonably attractive and capable price point cat, kept narrow enough to fit in a slip. It was reasonably weatherly and fast and packed a lot of living space into a moderate size.

Then they screwed it up with the Gemini Legacy. Low but sufficient bridge deck clearance when to practically none. They replaced winches with more jammers and seating room. It gained too much weight.


This is with no stores, no dinghy, and probably light tanks. She drags.


Sail Delmarva: It's Sweet When You Stay in Love With the Girl You Brought

Then there was the freestyle, and ugly abomination if there ever was one.

And finally, they chopped off the mast, hung two big motors (2 x 140hp) on the back, and brag it can go 15 knots. Heck, years ago my Stiletto 27 (all deck, no cabin, like this) would go 12 knots with 18 hp, and that's without chopping off the stick! Stripped, it would have done 15kt with 18 hp easy.

Why don't they just shoot the marquee in the head now and be done with it. It's clear to me that they've lost all sense of what a boat is.



Gemini Catamarans Home || www.geminicatamarans.com

Thats just an expensive party barge...not a boat.

[TomLewis]

Originally Posted by Grungy

His and hers?

There is one of these for hire, skippered, evening sail, UGGGGLY. And uncomfortable.

[bmz]

Originally Posted by jewt

If you don't stop half way off the dock to turn around and admire your vessel you have the wrong damn boat!

jewt
S/V Bifrost

I still do that after 35 years.

[valhalla360]

I'll admit to being biased having owned a Gemini 3400 for 10yrs and having done the great loop on her.

Legacy: Ruined what made the boat great...18" draft and everything (rudders, boards and motor) can kick up in a grounding...to fixed everything. Twin engine simply isn't needed with the prop being steerable. Plus it puts all the heat and smell inside the cabin...and yeah do this the stern really sinks down.

Freestyle: If they could get that performance with the standard cabin arrangement, it would make a nice fast trawler. I've heard of a few older geminis that have had the masts pulled and used this way and during out great loop trip, we've done a couple thousand miles with the mast down (river system and erie canal). It makes a nice trawler platform. As-is, it's pretty silly.

Stilleto: If it had 1/10th the interior accommodation and load carrying capability, it would be a valid comparison. Totally different boats with totally different design criteria.

Stiff steering: If it took more than a light fingertip to spin the wheel, something was wrong. Most common issue is the wheel autopilot hangs up but it could be bad steering cables.

Visibility: The rear windows drop out of the way and after that it's no different than looking thru any boat with a windshield. Only time we had any issues is when we got lazy and didn't take all the window covers off (and when it was time to replace the windshield and the plastic started crazing). The headsail was more of an issue but that's common to most sailboats with big gennys.