How easy to outfit a small cat for living onboard?

[valhalla360]

If you are dead set on pounding to windward in a short steep chop, the Gemini is not the boat for you. While the boat can take it, it does get annoying.

For the pre-legacy Geminis at least (no experience with the legacy model), it's really only in a short steep chop going straight into the waves where you get pounding. Generally on other courses or with larger waves, pounding isn't a big issue.For typical cruisers it's only an occasional issue and bear off 20-30degrees and the issue largely goes away.

Only time we've had an issue is when crossing a bay or otherwise restricted in our ability to pick a course with 3-5' short steep waves. You can't bear off because of the channel. Much larger and the boat tends to ride up and over the waves. Much smaller and it's not really an issue.

Bridge clearance is a complex issue and using rules of thumb from large cats doesn't always work. With a narrower bridge deck, you generally need less clearance. Also, it's clearance in the front third of the boat that is most critical. By the time the waves reach the middle of the boat, the hulls are lifting on the wave.

So to reiterate, if your goal is to regularly pound straight into short steep waves, the pounding will make the boat a poor choice. For typical cruisers who avoid sailing to windward as much as possible, it's a minor nuisance on rare days.

[onavegador]

I do not know the Geminis very well, but in my opinion they are nice little cats and only for live aboard when they are equipped with OB or single Diesel. After that said forget climatisation, washer, Generator and take two shorts, bathings pants and an e-reader aboard end enjoy sailing and gunk holing.
Forget all the comfort from home and be lucky to anchor under a palm tree. The lighter they are the better they sail.

For a little bit more equipment and comfort you should think about 40 ft but still do not take a lot of equipment with you. Equipping my cat I had scale to know how much I took aboard and was impressed how fast I reachead 1000 kgs= 2208 lbs.

May be with your budget you are better in the caribbean or in europe as in the US and specially Florida the asking prices for a used catamaran are very high.

Once I fitted out my catamaran in La Rochelle/France there many boat chandlers are located and sent lists to them to shop for prices. It was possible to buy ex VAT as my cat was foreign (not EU) registered. You can do the necessary paperwork your self as french customs will help you with the forms (when you ask and refuse to use an agent).

Good Luck and smooth Sailing

[Cheechako]

My 42 ft cat had room for a gen, watermaker and a workshop with two counters and 16 drawers/cabinets. Having said that, I sold the generator to get weight and complication out. For washing we either used a bucket or took a load into town when convenient and had some one do it for us cheap. Remember, in hot climates you don't wear a lot of clothes to get dirty.

[KJThomas]

That is not a catamaran. It is a raft. Over load it. It will still be a raft!

Originally Posted by thinwater

This is the Legacy on demo. No dinghy, MT tanks, no "stuff." I wouldn't add much. With a washer, she won't just hit waves, she'll drag.

[rabbi]

one more aspect about our FP Mahe & the Lagoon 410.

With the FP Mahe we made the change from big & genset powered to smaller and solar powered to save weight, cost and complexity.

As a result the 36ft Mahe could not only sail circles around the 41ft Lagoon but was also self sufficient for weeks or months if we wanted to, even with plenty of overcast days.

[hamburking]

Back on topic...see photo attached.

Not that difficult.

[Sea Dreaming]

Originally Posted by hamburking

Back on topic...see photo attached.

Not that difficult.

Made my day!

[knockabout]

with a cat pfd/cat food/water

[belizesailor]

Yeah, put a PDF on a cat sometime...its quite amusing.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Yeah, put a PDF on a cat sometime...its quite amusing.

I had one for my cat. He couldn't stand up! It was weird... fell right over.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Yeah, put a PDF on a cat sometime...its quite amusing.

I hope you mean PFD ?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by hamburking

I hope you mean PFD ?

Yes.

My cat froze and fell over too...I assume the makers of these have never actually tested one.

We decided that was more hazardous than not having a PFD.