What is the most affordable new cruising cat??

[Sailing4Jesus]

I suppose that Going To Sea with a CAT, the only negative is all that CAT LITTER you will need.

Senior Chief

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by wants_a_cat

Day dreaming land animal in late 20s with little money and big dreams.


I would like to give up the rat race one day and sail with my wife, but I am not a high earner. I also don't want a monohull/



I am wondering what the cheapest ocean-going NEW cat one can buy/have built and kitted out for sailing around the world. I am looking for the bare bones needed to make, for instance, a transatlantic passage from Portugal to the Caribbean, and to live on board for some time without dying. It has to have a head with shower, a galley, a fridge for food, and berths suitable for at least 4 tall people, and headroom of at least 1.90 meters or thereabouts.



From the production cats, from what I can see, the Seawind 1160 Lite has a base price of $310000 USD, which is the cheapest from the production cats for which I can find the price.


I would be willing to consider having a boat made from a kit, like a Schionning Arrow 1200 for instance, but I don't have space or time to build one myself, so this would need an estimate of labour costs as well.


As for performance: it has to sail, preferably fast (speed is safety). Engines: I don't care, has to be cheap. Could be outboards, as long as it cuts down on the costs.


Do any of you have any ideas? Thanks in advance.

If your budget is that limited, you should forget about new cats. You can find some well regarded used cats in the $250 to $300 thousand range that are already fitted out for the most part. Beware the kit boats as it's always a crap shoot regarding the build quality. Also realize that to fit out a new bare bones model could easily cost another $150,000 just to get sailing. Look for something in good shape that will suit your needs - hopefully one that's well equipped.

[Ifitsworthdoing]

The lack of trampolines (i.e. solid foredeck) has long been a design feature of the Prout boats from which the BB346 ultimately derives. I(t has more recently been adopted by one or two of the larger producers, too as it provides additional stiffness to the boat frame as well as additional storeroom/living space (trampolines on the other hand allow for a less heavy boat - especially up front - and hence better top speed). For cruising rather than racing sailors trampolines are not necessarily a bonus.

[deminimis]

You mentioned kits, so I'll chime in. F boats, although not a cat, might be a reasonable interim option for you. However, to get one in the size you require, it's gonna cost (potentially as much as a decent older cat or potentially more). Sort of a sports cat (convertible with no top regardless of weather) vs RV comparison. Even their biggest (39' range) would require an adjustment in cruising goals (and deep pockets). 31' are aplenty, but really too small for what you want to do. There was a 32' on your side of the pond (Netherlands perhaps). If you can find a Farrier built by a reputable yacht builder, it might be something to consider for now. I'm going to grab a Corsair (or Farrier) over Winter as I'm still several years out from Cat ownership. There's a beautiful F-33x relatively close, but the wife said no way I can drop that kind of $ on a tri. Anyway, something you might consider. Would be fun to build one, but I certainly don't have the time and it sounds like you're not interested in doing that either (dude up in the Netherlands built a gorgeous 39', and built it right, but it took 14 years from start to splash.) Good luck with your search.


Edit: Sweden - https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/201...32-sr-3683251/

[Simon.Sails]

I’ve been looking at the Aventura 34 and 37 for quite a while. They would have been featured in the Cannes Yacht Show which is cancelled. But you could charter one in Croatia, Mallorca or France and report back?

[Davo666]

We chartered an older (AUS built) Seawind 1160 in the Whitsundays a few years ago. It sailed well, for a cat. The guys there showed us over a new one, just added to their fleet. They said they had replaced a lot of substandard gear and that the quality of the Vietnamese built boats was not close to the older ones. They didn't have much regard for replacing diesels with outboards either.
This may have been fixed by now.

[mako]

Originally Posted by Ifitsworthdoing

Check out the Broadblue 346... Barebones price from UK is around £155k (excl. of engines, navtech and VAT). It is very nicely built and kitted out for 4-6 tall adults, and has a CE class A (Ocean) rating.

Realistically, for this boat used for cruising, not weekending from a local marina constantly, how would it handle with just one engine installed? Occasional trips to a fuel dock or slip, would that be a dumb idea?

[Piscis]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

There are those Open smthng cats built by Bavaria. They look cheap built. Have you seen?


https://www.nautitechcatamarans.com/en



barnakiel

The Nautitech Open cats are not cheap. They do not look cheap and quality is in the same league like the Lagoons, Leopards and FP. Prices are comparable to the mentioned competition or even above those.

Between the BB and the "big 5", i would think that the new XCS cats will finds its place. The XCS 11 has a base list price of around 235k€. Negotiating a very low optioned but ready to sail cat is possible for around 250k€, excl. VAT.

However, getting such a low optioned cat blue water ready should add a high 5 diggid nummer...

John

[Factor]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyOne

Crazy that they keep pushing through 2-5% annual increases when inflation is basically 0, just pure greed.

The Seawind 1160 has been 310K USD for at least three years

like the seawind story where they moved build to Vietnam to lower production costs to boost margins

Yeah - nah, moved to vietnam as they owned Corsair and made no sense to have two factories, and the viet factory was more technically advanced, and the viet government does business way better than Australian Govts.

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Davo666

We chartered an older (AUS built) Seawind 1160 in the Whitsundays a few years ago. It sailed well, for a cat. The guys there showed us over a new one, just added to their fleet. They said they had replaced a lot of substandard gear and that the quality of the Vietnamese built boats was not close to the older ones. They didn't have much regard for replacing diesels with outboards either.
This may have been fixed by now.

The diesels were NEVER replaced by outboards, the outboard install was an additional model. And they would be the only charter operators in the Whitsundays who prefer diesels over outboards. At least of all the ones I have spoken to, and I have sold boats into most of them. And what substandard gear? The masts still come from Australia, the sails from DOYLE the deck gear from Lewmar, the Resin Glass and foam from High modulus, the engines from Yamaha or Yanmar. The batteries and other electrics from Mastervolt? So which particular bits were substandard?

[Steamer]

Originally Posted by wants_a_cat

I am wondering what the cheapest ocean-going NEW cat

From the production cats, from what I can see, the Seawind 1160 Lite has a base price of $310000 USD, which is the cheapest from the production cats for which I can find the price.

If You are close to the south coast of France, Toulon area, You can charter there European built 11-meters CE-A rated cat to check if she suits.

When started building in 2015 they asked Eur 225k. Recent asking is close to Eur 250k for the basic boat approaching Eur 300+k for the "packed" boat.

[Steamer]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyOne

Hi, in a similar situation albeit a bit older, trying to save but manufacturers put prices up quicker than you can save.

There is a certain opportunity to save buying modern+fast 40-ft cat from
reputable EU yard with further fit up on Your own (or with Yard assistance).

Bare hull (faired & painted) asking price is about Eur 200k ... .

[Dirk01]

Look at the Lagoon 42 as a used one in owners version. That's my fav and I'm gonna buy one in 4 years and mok it up for cruising.
Cheers
Dirk

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyOne

>>>>>>>>>>

Used makes little sense when the discount to new is so small in my opinion.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>

My experience was just the opposite. When we bought our boat in 1998, a new one, same model/builder, was twice the price.


There are other advantages, too, like kitting out. A new boat forces the owner to purchase all that "stuff" himself. Of course, everybody's interpretation of the value of that "stuff" varies, but unless the PO was a total dork, an anchor is an anchor (NO, no anchor wars, please). And any good owner will have purchased a suitable anchor for that boat if it was truly oceangoing. Unless it was old enough for a CQR!

[BlueSkyOne]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

My experience was just the opposite. When we bought our boat in 1998, a new one, same model/builder, was twice the price.

I think it made sense to buy used up until around 2010 ish, I think post credit crisis something shifted and the depreciation curve on boats and specifically cats shifted. If you look a list prices of the lagoon 400 from 2010-2015 period where you would perhaps get to 300k or less kitted out and probably typical price with discount around 250k and that is not too far above where they sell today. I know its smaller but for 300 - 350 you can get new L40 or FP40 so I don't think such a shallow depreciation makes sense. My gut says a lot people will be stung with cost of replacing standing rigging, engine overhaul etc have failed to depreciate versus new.

You are hard pressed to find a a good FP mahe evo half the price of a new Lucia so it does not add up to me, sure used will be cheaper outright dollar amount but value wise seems much worse in my my very humble opinion.