Place for a Catamaran Refit in the Caribbean

[yacht-kauf]

Hello,

I'm thinking to buy a catamaran which need a major refit.
That includes resealing all the deck hardware, deck + cockpit painting, also some structural repair at the beam (glasfiber repair).
Mast and boom painting.
Inside woodwork and varnish. Replacing the celling in nearly all the cabins.
Testing all the ectronics and replaceing them if not working and so on.

The antifouling paint was made in beginning of this year, so most of the work could be done in the water.

Cat has a beam of about 26 feet.

I need a pleace, where the labor is cheap and the skills are good . Also getting parts and things, which are needed should be easy to get.

Which place could you suggest me.

Thank you very much.

Regards

[s/v Moondancer]

Great workers at low prices ($10/hr) in Cartagena but you need to take all the parts, materials and paints with you.

[Jon Hacking]

Kuaf, welcome to Cruiser's Forum! The classic answer to your question is Trinidad. Many boats go there for work, especially during hurricane season - but we've never been there so can't comment on quality. I believe Budget Marine is there now, so parts should be available.

Good quality workmanship & good parts availability are in St. Martin, but don't expect it to be cheap. We commissioned Ocelot there, turning her from a charter boat into a cruising boat, but spent ~$40K (& I did all the work).

Venezuela (Cumina or Puerto la Cruz) used to be good (cheap labor & parts, quality so-so) but I'm told that much of the Venezuelan coast is no longer safe.

Of course, the classic place for a major refit is Thailand (or even the Philippines). We're about to go up for a 3-month refit: new AwlGrip topsides, new gelcoat on the cabin-top & decks, re-varnish the entire interior, new teak in the cockpit, refurbish the mast, gelcoat repairs, extend the sugar-scoops, woodwork repairs, etc). Expected cost will be ~$50K. But we're a long way from the Caribbean.

[neilpride]

I have a friend just returned from Puerto la Cruz after a 55 days boatyard work in Pmo , Awlgrip topsides, cabintop, and stern , repair toe rail and primed+ awlgrip, new bimini , new dodger, drop rudder and made new bushings bearings, regalvanize 80 metres of anchor chain plus anchor,
new antifouling, 2 coats of fresh varnish interior, new prop strust bearings,
new custom made windlass platform , travelift in and out plus the lay days in the hard for the total amount of 8700 U$ , boat is a large Benetau Oceanis.
The owner is very happy with the quality of the work and the price ohh yeahh.

[yacht-kauf]

Originally Posted by neilpride

I have a friend just returned from Puerto la Cruz after a 55 days boatyard work in Pmo , Awlgrip topsides, cabintop, and stern , repair toe rail and primed+ awlgrip, new bimini , new dodger, drop rudder and made new bushings bearings, regalvanize 80 metres of anchor chain plus anchor,
new antifouling, 2 coats of fresh varnish interior, new prop strust bearings,
new custom made windlass platform , travelift in and out plus the lay days in the hard for the total amount of 8700 U$ , boat is a large Benetau Oceanis.
The owner is very happy with the quality of the work and the price ohh yeahh.

Do you mean TMO?
And the price including all labor and material?

Thanks

[Sonosailor]

If it is a French cat, you'll find many of the parts you might need and lots of the expertise in Marin, Martinique, where many of these cats are being charted. Expertise and labour are not cheap, but quality of workmanship is high. Chaguaramas Trinidad also has lots of parts and labour, but things happen slow, and I can't say anything is a real bargain. Quality of contractors varies, but kind of the same as in North America. They will frustrate you with unkept promises, however.

[jzk]

Let me guess. 1993 CPA CAT 56?

Originally Posted by yacht-kauf

Hello,

I'm thinking to buy a catamaran which need a major refit.
That includes resealing all the deck hardware, deck + cockpit painting, also some structural repair at the beam (glasfiber repair).
Mast and boom painting.
Inside woodwork and varnish. Replacing the celling in nearly all the cabins.
Testing all the ectronics and replaceing them if not working and so on.

The antifouling paint was made in beginning of this year, so most of the work could be done in the water.

Cat has a beam of about 26 feet.

I need a pleace, where the labor is cheap and the skills are good . Also getting parts and things, which are needed should be easy to get.

Which place could you suggest me.

Thank you very much.

Regards

[neilpride]

Originally Posted by yacht-kauf

Do you mean TMO?
And the price including all labor and material?

Thanks

Is the Old CMO, Centro Marino Oriente now called PMO, no, the price not include the awlgrip paint and the primer , this guy just buy the Awlgrip topcoat and the Primer at Island Waterworld In Grenada , i think another 1000 u$ .

[skipper alex]

I also looked at this cat as she was laying derelict, I also did some serious looking at that bridgedeck top and bottom.
I think you need a humidity reduced hall for a few months and a lot of work, and this project is not under $ 250,000 to do or you might end up with two monohulls.
Have you looked at a lot of 40-50 foot cats in the $ 300,000 range as you could start sailing them right away.
which ever you decide, let us all know and I wish you luck in all walks of life...

[James S]

Welcome to the forum alex