The 12m Catalac is without doubt the best of the models.
Windward performance can be OK but you need to understand the quirks of these boats and how they are set up to achieve results. A lot are
liveaboard by priority and thus the owners have added what they consider is the more important items. Off the
wind, they can be very impressive performers. In my 9m I expected to sail faster on a beam reach or downhill than a 37ft Prout Snowgoose.
The first year a 10m Catalac entered the
ARC, it won its class.
A 1980 or later boat is actualy one of the newer ones. They are built very robustly and unless there is something specifically broken on the boat you are looking at, should give you decades of great sailing. A number of UK owners of the smaller catalacs would undoubtedly have upgraded to a 12m if any had been left in UK! I know of 2, one of which has a couple
liveaboard. I would be certain that the Catalac will be in better condition in 20 years, than a brand new FP purchased now.
The width of the 12m is much narrower than the average of the newer catamarans. Most large
monohull lifts can cope up to 20ft.
Cant comment on
shipping by road in the States, but this would be very expensive in UK due to the need for police escort because of the width. But your roads are wider
Personally I reckon you would be better off
shipping her on one of these purpose designed ships. They like Cats because they sit much better on their
deck.
Undoubtedly, a newer cat will sail better to windward and have better accomodation. If you look at the
price of the 12m and see how well this has held up by comparison to other brands, you know that there has to be a reason, and that is the confidence these boats inspire in bad
weather. This also means that their resale value is good.