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1989wasgood · 05-05-2019, 06:51

Hi, we are new to this forum and have joined to pick brains, to be honest!

We are looking to buy a sailing catamaran to live aboard and to travel...initially around UK waters, France then Med. We currently have a catamaran but it's just not big/modern enough for us now.

We have recently viewed an Island Spirit 400...lovely looking boat, great layout and plenty of living space. However, an initial internet search has thrown up possible problems relating to clearance and therefore slamming issues when sailing upwind etc.

Has anybody got any experience of these boats? We know a little about their history, designer/manufacturer etc but we just can't find the kind of information you can find out about say, Broadblue 385 (our other 'favourite', in the running).

We'd really appreciate any information you could give us...video/pictures/information seems so thin on the ground and we're wondering if there's a (negative) reason for this?

Should we stay clear of this boat?

Many thanks in advance if there's anyone out there!

daletournier · 05-05-2019, 13:41

I've travelled with several Island spirits, two of which have circumnavigated.

Your right the bridge deck clearance is very poor and going to windward is absolutely terrible due to the slamming.

Off the wind they go quite well and are a great liveaboard.

1989wasgood · 05-05-2019, 15:48

Thank you daletournier....much appreciated that you replied. We've been researching all day and I think we'll pass on the Island Spirit and spend more time now researching Broadblue 385s. Thanks again

daletournier · 05-05-2019, 15:59

A mate of mine has had two. He was involved in the building process with the first one and believes they're well built.

Remember they were actually a 35ft cat that they kept getting Transom add ons, 35,37 and then 40.

We sailed in company with a 37 island spirit from the Seychelles to Madagascar, it was a rough forward of the beam trip. They did it very tough, boom broke, the slamming was violent, the crew were concerned about the structure of the boat. That is a rough stretch of water, it was no picnic for us either but all up we spent two less days at sea and did it alot better than they did and this was mainly due to that low bridge deck clearance.

tp12 · 05-05-2019, 20:53

Look for recent episodes of MJ Sailing and Sailing Doodles on YouTube for them. They've both sailed new ones in Thailand

daletournier · 06-05-2019, 03:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by tp12

Look for recent episodes of MJ Sailing and Sailing Doodles on YouTube for them. They've both sailed new ones in Thailand

Hi mate, I don't think the new ones have any similarities to the originals, not that I can see anyway.

1989wasgood · 06-05-2019, 03:16

Thanks again daletournier and also tp12. With the information you provided and what little we could find online we found out the problems that the low deck clearance might cause us so we've now walked away from the deal.

daletournier..."the crew were concerned about the structure of the boat" kind of says it all!

Much appreciate your time for replying both

daletournier · 06-05-2019, 03:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1989wasgood

Thanks again daletournier and also tp12. With the information you provided and what little we could find online we found out the problems that the low deck clearance might cause us so we've now walked away from the deal.

daletournier..."the crew were concerned about the structure of the boat" kind of says it all!

Much appreciate your time for replying both

I should be clearer, they were concerned but may of not needed to be, the boat wasn't falling apart or anything, it's just the slamming was so violent for 600- 700nm they feared for the boats integrity. To it's credit, it didn't appear to receive any damage accept for snapping the boom completely in half.

Also it's worth mentioning a number of south african cats of that area had very low bridge deck clearances.

There's a guy on here Bulawayo who cruised extensively on a island spirit, he maybe worth talking to.

The other interesting thing was the 40 seemed significantly faster than the 37,but that could of been the sailor.