44-45 VS 48-50

[boatingnewbie]

I've heard that the smaller cats (40 and under) are a little less stable compared to 44+. From what I've read it seems that around 45 feet and up the 'ride' is a lot more consistent and less 'rolly' feeling. Not sure if that's accurate?

For those of you that have sailed a 44 or 45 as well as a 48 or 50, do those extra 3-5ft feel like it's a much bigger boat? Does a 45 sail really stable yet still feel "manageable" as compared to cats that are larger? I know I personally need to try out multiple sizes myself before making a final decision, but just wondering the opinions of those that already have sailed both.

I 'think' I'm pretty sold on Leopards (at least right now), so it's moving towards a choice of a 44/45 or a 48/50. I would like to eventually have the option to do an ocean crossing (haven't made up my mind yet if I will) and I 'think' a 48-50 would be a better option for those longer crossings (i.e. the thought of a bigger cat being able to handle bigger swell/wind, etc.)

Any insights into how different that size jump is?

Thanks!

[scarlet]

Very interesting question... no answer for you, but I wanted to subscribe to the thread to see what others say.

[boatingnewbie]

Originally Posted by scarlet

Very interesting question... no answer for you, but I wanted to subscribe to the thread to see what others say.

I've been doing lots and lots and lots of research... reading posts, watching YouTube videos, etc.

One of my findings was a couple that bought a 40-foot cat and sailed it quite a bit but ultimately came to the conclusion that the 45ft and up cats they had chartered sailed much more stable and solid -- at least in their opinion. So they sold their 40 and bought a 48.

So I'm still looking for feedback from anyone that has sailed quite a bit with a different size-range of cats to see if they also think there's a difference in stability.

[Dave852]

Well we have owned one 42 and two 50 foot cats. The 50s ride better but what else would you expect? Lots of reasons to own a smaller boat but ride quality is not one of them.

[BigBeakie]

Also by going for more waterline length you can have much better performance hulls and still a generous cruising payload. Assuming the displacement is not too high.


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[danielamartindm]

My observation would be that the hulls of longer cats have better ability to bridge the crests between longer wave periods and are therefore less prone to hobby-horsing. The same could be said with regard to rolling from abeam waves, longer cats have more beam and their hulls therefore have a greater ability to bridge the crests of waves abeam, without rolling into the troughs between them.

[rabbi]

Length, weight, hull shape, weight distribution and even layout all affect the perceived ride. Bigger is typically better, if you can handle, clean, and afford it.

Only you can know what is required to make a ride smooth enough for you.

[Catmandu]

Get as much waterline as you can afford to buy and maintain.

Don't forget bridgedeck clearance - my rule of thumb: "Avoid any cat that you can't drive the dinghy under".

IMHO 40-41 ft is the bare minimum length for an ocean going cat ...

You will spend 95% of your time at anchor ... if you plan and sail wisely, and are not on a schedule you should be be able to get away with a smaller boat.

However if you don't plan wisely or are on a schedule or surprised at sea, I can attest, from personal experience, that there is a night and day difference in the ride between 44'-47' cats and a 55' cat in big winds and big choppy seas ... if you can afford the 55' cat you will be really glad you did ...

[rabbi]

Personally i would not want to own any cat bigger than say 45ft.
Who wants to clean and maintain such a large boat unless the space really required ?

Many cats 36ft and up have crossed oceans. In the early data much smaller than that, like the heavenly twins.
Agreed, bigger is better in many ways. But not when it comes to cleaning. Or berth cost in the med.

[Catmandu]

Well there are 45' ft boats and then there are 45' boats. Just go to a boat show and spend some time on an outremer 45 and then go to and visit a lagoon 450 and note the difference!

The OP asked about ride quality - all things being equal, get as much waterline as you can afford/maintain and yes there is a difference - longer is better.

However, as Rabbi points out the size/costs of a cat increase significantly with increasing length because costs grow "volumetrically" and not linearly - not the least of which are the pains of keeping a big boat clean.

[Jackofall]

I've seen a few cats on the market that have had the hulls extended post production. This may be an option. Other than shady craftsmanship are there any cons associated with having the hulls extended?

[2big2small]

Originally Posted by Jackofall

I've seen a few cats on the market that have had the hulls extended post production. This may be an option. Other than shady craftsmanship are there any cons associated with having the hulls extended?

Other than shady construction I can think of only one: the beam has to be wide enough to accommodate the new length. More precisely, the stern of the one hull has to remain clear of the bow wave generated by the other hull, otherwise you’ll slow down. In other words, if you increase the length you have to increase the beam accordingly unless the cat was already beamy enough to begin with. For every length there is a minimum beam.

A bow wave runs at roughly 40 degrees so it’s easy to draw it out on top of a cat’s floor plan and figure where more or less it would intersect with the opposing hull, to get an initial idea of what would be possible. Then sail the cat and measure how far astern the bow waves intersect with the longitudinal axis of the inward sides of the hulls and that would be the maximum length, pushed to its limit.

[LeeV]

I've been thinking about your original post, and my thoughts are that you need to:

1. get out on the water more and look over lots of boats (see what appeals)

2. decide what you want to do on the water. Lots of us have grandiose schemes (including me!), and have sometimes had to suffer learning a hard lesson. Do you want to sail the bay, do coastal sailing, REALLY cross oceans, raise a family, raise a family aboard, etc....

3. Then set your budget, knowing that you can't afford to drop every dollar you have into the cost of the boat. There's insurance, dockage, repairs that increase exponentially as you increase the size of the boat, etc..... Then there are the funds you need for emergencies, family, spending, etc....

4. Now go back to #2 and ask yourself what you really see yourself doing with the boat. If it's around the world, and you are prepared, go for it. If it's more like sailing along the eastern seaboard heading north for summers and south (and maybe to the islands south) for winters, that's ok; it's great sailing either way, although the former needs much more prep and has more risk. But if you're still not sure, just enjoy the journey starting with small goals and work your way up to crossing oceans if that's what you want.

5. Now look at what boat you need that will suit you. It's true that the larger the boat, the more comfy it will ride. It's also true that folks sail 40' boats cross oceans all the time. My first trimaran was a Condor 40 designed and raced in the OSTAR. I think with prudence, skill and proper planning you can sail just about any of the 38'+ boats across an ocean.

Just my $0.02 worth!

[LeeV]

I just came across this very timely post that the OP may find of interest:

https://theboatgalley.com/cruising-s...eid=ac2686e826

It's from TheBoatGalley which is an interesting newsletter for some.

Best regards,

[Catmandu]

The hardest thing about picking a boat is figuring out the true "mission statement" or "programme".

What you want, what you need and what you buy for are three different things and they seem to constantly change. ... See #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, LeeV previous post and repeat.

We purchased a boat that was big, fast and very capable and able to RTW (ultimate goal) for a family of 6-8 in relative ease and comfort. But with teenagers still at home we found ourselves more constrained than we originally thought ...

So we settled for some short trips to the Bahamas during spring break and the summer all of which could have been accomplished on a smaller easier to manage and MUCH less expensive boat boat ...

Even though a RTW cruise at this time is not feasible, we did manage to get out and had a great time and all have some very unique and precious memories gained from the experience.

All that being said. For a RTW trip, I would definitely hold out for the bigger boat.