Looking for used cat any suggestions?

[GordMay]

A listing broker works for the seller. A purchasing agent/advisor works for the buyer. Your advisor should be independent, and serve only your interests.

Prior to engaging a purchasing agent (buyer’s broker), ask to see all his suitable “listings”. He will represent the seller in those cases, and you would need other independent counsel. Having excluded boats he represents, a good broker can now represent your interests, for suitable remuneration.

BTW: Surveyors must also remain independent. This means that they cannot perform nor contract recommended repairs. Neither should an independent surveyor supervise refits, nor recommend specific repairers.

[cferger]

Good Info in this thread.


Gord you, in part, wrote that a surveyor should also not supervise refits. I would have thought that having an outside expert ensuring that the yard is doing a refit would be a good idea. Can you elaborate on that point?

[GordMay]

It’s a matter of ethics and trust.
A surveyor must remain (and be seen to remain) independent & objective, and avoid prejudice and conflict of interest.
You might question my motives, were I to recommend a repair, then offer to perform (or supervise) it. Did I exaggerate the boat’s deficiencies, in order to increment my repair supervision fees?
There is nothing preventing a surveyor from supervising repairs recommend by another (independent) surveyor.
This outside (& independant) supervision and/or inspection is an excellent way to provide oversight and verification on repairs performed by yards & contractors.

[JPKelly]

Fellow cat owners and those looking to own one:
Being very new to this forum, a yacht surveyor and a catamaran owner myself - I'll add my 'for what it's worth' opinion.
All boats are compromises. Throw enough money at them and you can have a floating palace with all the bells and whistles. Throw in some more money and you can hire folks to clean, paint, fix and operate your boat for you.
But for the rest of us, cruising is a life style full of compromises --- In my 30+years of cruising and 15+ years as a surveyor, I have found that there is no perfect boat.
Hence I take exception to those who criticize South African cats; (I happen to own one.)
The boat you chose should be based on your ability to operate it, maintain it, enjoy it AND pay for it and its upkeep.

Before you buy, realistically assess what you are going to do with that boat. What can you afford (good rule of thumb is that you will spend between 5-10% of the purchase price each year on insurance, maintenance, docking, fuel, depreciation ---yada yada yada.
Look beyond the glitz - icemakers, stereo, plasma tv, exotic electronics. Concern yourself with structure, how well she (and you) can handle it, and how well you can maintain her. Hire a Surveyor - it will save you thousands if your 'dream' has "issues'
Whether the cat has a galley up or down is quite subjective.
After owning a Prout 33 Quest that had circumnavigated previously, we upgraded her cosmetics and took her all through the Bahamas, To Bermuda and up to Nova Scotia. She was fantastic!
4 yrs ago, we ordered a semi-complete and un rigged Meercat 34 (basically a Prout 34 built in South Africa) after delivery we outfitted her and did the Great Circle Loop of America.
She has twin engines (volvo saildrives) gets 0.5gal/hr/eng at 7knts, turns on a dime, is only 16 ft wide and is simple to maintain. Oh yes she has a stereo and an LCD tv!
We are now rigging her for sailing and will be off this winter to the Bahamas and possibly Belize.
Is she the 'perfect boat' for us??
Damn close!
Check her out. John Kelly Marine Surveyor
Fair winds -

JP Kelly