Cruising catamarans around $100K

[RandyS]

My wife and I are a couple years from trying life on the water. We are wondering if a catamaran that is capable of making the trip to and around the Bahamas and Caribbean is obtainable in the $100k range? Any information on what we should look / look out for would be appreciated.

[Tin Tin]

A search of yachtworld for 80-120k cats in Florida reveals quite a few boats, Prouts, Geminis and a couple of others. Any of these is capable of the crossing and cruising the Bahamas. Every season there would be a few of these types of vessels in the Exumas having sailed down through the island chain. All it really needs are sound hulls and either new or refurbished motor(s) other than that it will come down to personal preferences on accommodation, performance, etc etc. and how far your budget might stretch to tidy things up. To go further past the Bahamas the shorter Geminis would be capable but not what I would choose to get from Bahamas to Caribbean (say BVI) as the seas seas can be quite rough on that journey and requires night sailing, I would pick something around the 37 - 38ft mark and spend a bit more on checking the rig, sails, drives safety equipment, electronics etc.. The Bahamas can be done in day hops in mostly protected waters.


Example https://au.yachtworld.com/boats/2011...105mc-2704166/


https://au.yachtworld.com/boats/1986...goose-3651466/

[RandyS]

Originally Posted by Tin Tin

A search of yachtworld for 80-120k cats in Florida reveals quite a few boats, Prouts, Geminis and a couple of others. Any of these is capable of the crossing and cruising the Bahamas. Every season there would be a few of these types of vessels in the Exumas having sailed down through the island chain. All it really needs are sound hulls and either new or refurbished motor(s) other than that it will come down to personal preferences on accommodation, performance, etc etc. and how far your budget might stretch to tidy things up. To go further past the Bahamas the shorter Geminis would be capable but not what I would choose to get from Bahamas to Caribbean (say BVI) as the seas seas can be quite rough on that journey and requires night sailing, I would pick something around the 37 - 38ft mark and spend a bit more on checking the rig, sails, drives safety equipment, electronics etc.. The Bahamas can be done in day hops in mostly protected waters.


Example https://au.yachtworld.com/boats/2011...105mc-2704166/


https://au.yachtworld.com/boats/1986...goose-3651466/

I have looked at Geminis online. I actual spoke on the phone with a rep regarding that exact boat. He didn’t recommend the Gemini for any kind of crossings or passages to the Bahamas etc. He stated that they were good for coastal water, lakes etc. Was he wrong in that respect? I was thinking I would need something of a sturdier or larger build.

[chrisr]

you don't say what part of the world you are in or which currency you are talking. big diff between hk$100k and nz$100k

this is an international forum so you need to give us a bit of help here !

cheers,

[RandyS]

Originally Posted by chrisr

you don't say what part of the world you are in or which currency you are talking. big diff between hk$100k and nz$100k

this is an international forum so you need to give us a bit of help here !

cheers,

I am in the US and plan to cruise the east coast, Bahamas and Caribbean. No plans at this time for longer crossing such as transAtlantic or Pacific Ocean.

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by RandyS

I have looked at Geminis online. I actual spoke on the phone with a rep regarding that exact boat. He didn’t recommend the Gemini for any kind of crossings or passages to the Bahamas etc. He stated that they were good for coastal water, lakes etc. Was he wrong in that respect? I was thinking I would need something of a sturdier or larger build.

What kind of a "rep" and who were they representing? There a Geminis all over the Bahamas, heck one has even made it down to Australia on its own hulls. We're talking the Bahamas for Peet's sake, not the North Sea in winter. A Gemini can absolutely do that crossing without any issues. I own a Mahe which I love, but wouldn't be at all unhappy on a Gemini either and certainly wouldn't hesitate to sail if from FL to the Bahamas.

[Davy J]

What kind of a "rep" and who were they representing?

Most likely, a "rep" that has a few $300,000 catamarans that he'd like to sell as opposed to, you know, a lowly $100,000 cat...........

Web Chiles sailed around the world in a 24' boat. But, please don't try that in a 34' catamaran....... Too dangerous.....

https://www.yachtingworld.com/voyage...-gannet-126337

[Tin Tin]

Originally Posted by RandyS

I have looked at Geminis online. I actual spoke on the phone with a rep regarding that exact boat. He didn’t recommend the Gemini for any kind of crossings or passages to the Bahamas etc. He stated that they were good for coastal water, lakes etc. Was he wrong in that respect? I was thinking I would need something of a sturdier or larger build.

The "crossing" from FL to Bahamas in the right weather window can be done in daylight hours - around 50 miles. Some people have done it in a Hobie 16. A Gemini is more than capable. It is only if you want to spend several days at sea with an expired weather window that things might get a little daunting to a newbie sailing to say 400 miles from Turks and Caicos to the Virgin islands especially if the wind turns to the SE. If you want to plot rough distances go to google earth and use the Ruler function to see relevant distances, use 6 knots as your average speed.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by RandyS

I have looked at Geminis online. I actual spoke on the phone with a rep regarding that exact boat. He didn’t recommend the Gemini for any kind of crossings or passages to the Bahamas etc. He stated that they were good for coastal water, lakes etc. Was he wrong in that respect? I was thinking I would need something of a sturdier or larger build.

There have been many that have done ocean crossings.

They are a near ideal boat for Bahamas and the Caribbean.

[LingeringFox]

I crossed the Atlantic with a FP Antigua 37 and sailing 4 years single handed in the Caribbean since. They are about 30 years old so you get what you pay for. There are some for sale, going from 70k to 130k depending upon age (built between 1990 and 1994), versions (base or maestro) and how well they have been maintained and updated. I would think you could find one within your budget out there.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by RandyS

I have looked at Geminis online. I actual spoke on the phone with a rep regarding that exact boat. He didn’t recommend the Gemini for any kind of crossings or passages to the Bahamas etc. He stated that they were good for coastal water, lakes etc. Was he wrong in that respect? I was thinking I would need something of a sturdier or larger build.

I would say he's "right and wrong". Not a cat I would want for long distance cruising, BUT Bahamas? Sure. I saw a few in the Caribe. Albeit mostly the Bahamas. They have very low bridgedeck clearance.

The TPI built Lagoon 37 Cat may be a good choice for your budget, albeit getting long in the tooth and not a ton of them around. They were nicely built by TPI vacuum molded when it wasn't a thing, with a lot of bridgedeck clearance. Maybe an older Manta? The old FP's had a reputation for delaminating hulls, but they still got around.

http://catamaransite.com/Lagoon-37TP...or-sale-3.html

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by RandyS

I have looked at Geminis online. I actual spoke on the phone with a rep regarding that exact boat. He didn’t recommend the Gemini for any kind of crossings or passages to the Bahamas etc. He stated that they were good for coastal water, lakes etc. Was he wrong in that respect? I was thinking I would need something of a sturdier or larger build.

Wrong? Completely full of pasture pastry I'd say. Geminis aren't considered to be ideal trans ocean boats, but for what you're describing they'd do just fine. If you decide to circumnavigate you'll want to trade up quite a bit. The old TPI Lagoons are well regarded (if you can find one) I'd pass on most of the later Lagoons or FP's for that matter. Maybe a Leopard if you can find one in your budget (though these are also mass production boats made for the charter market.) Boats built for the charter market tend to have too many bean counters roaming their yards cutting a lot of corners the better boats won't cut. Things like reducing the amount of epoxy in the hull lay up to save money really tend to raise their ugly heads later in the boat's life. Nick O'kelly bought an excharter Leopard 46 and ended up sinking another $100,000 into it just to get it up to snuff. And Leopards are probably the best built of the big three charter cats (Lagoon, FP and Leopard).

[Lazerbrains]

I agree with the others - certainly fine for Carribean cruising, but if you worry about it, why not look at something like this Catalac 10m located in Florida, and well under your budget. It can go anywhere you dream of: https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/198...c-10m-3680871/

[RandyS]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

[Cpt Mark]

I looked at Geminis and excluded them for design reasons. Go on board one. See where they stuff the batteries. You need agm's as servicing them is ridiculous. Walk from the cockpit up to the bow. Notice how tight the walkway area is. Fine in a slip but in rough seas in the middle of the night? No thanks. Look at the Island Packet Cat 35 by Island Packet Yachts. Look at the engine rooms, how much space you get overall in the same size boat and a much higher quality build. Prout's are very good too as well as the older FP's etc.