Please help! Buying advice for small cat

[Sojourner]

Not to start a flame war, but why the determination for a cat? If you're a complete novice, then maybe there are factors you think you want but maybe don't know about, if that makes any sense? Just some thoughts, but usually mono vs cat, you can get more boat for less money, costing less to dock, with a mono. If you are single handing, I'd think a mono would be quite a bit easier to handle at a dock than a cat. Also, if you don't want the 4-6 person setup, it seems to me that most cats have identical hulls or owners cabin + guest hull, meaning if you have more than you want in your original post. For your budget you can get a pretty sweet mono set up for single handing without extra space you don't need. And yes, I'm thinking Amels

So, why in terms of features do you think you want a cat?

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by PermTraveler

Thanks for all the advice so far! Great community here!

I just found out yesterday that the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is on this week, apparently the largest in the world. Booked my flight and two day ticket to get some first hand impressions.

We've attended all the Florida and Annapolis shows for years (luckily we have family in Ft. Lauderdale). We are still going, although we're looking for a used cat for our final boat. My recommendation is this: attend the Miami show in Feb and the Annapolis show in October; they are the best on the eastern coast.



IF you find something that interests you in Ft. Lauderdale, ask here in the forum for recommendations of a reliable, not pushy, broker for the make/model you like and have them give you a personal tour of one. OR, get a recommendation for a good buyer's broker to set up a personal showing of a used model of what you like. (I like the latter approach as we can't afford a new one, and I like having the luxury of time and no other buyers walking around as I inspect a boat.) NOTE: we've now looked at 5 boats and surveyed one, and are still without a boat.


Best of luck,

[Sand crab]

Originally Posted by PermTraveler

Surprised I haven't come across any small Chinese designed & manufactured cats. Some of the big companies seem to manufacture in China, like Leopard 38. But the Chinese haven't come up with their own model(s) yet? I only found the HH Catamarans but they are 50-88 foot and cost over $1.6 m! No small cats?

Actually only the tooling for the Leopard 38 was built in China. This was shipped the South Africa and the boats are built there like all Leopards I believe. The Balance 451 is also made in China.

Building sailboats in China is problematic because so many of the parts are made elsewhere. One has the navigate the considerable bureaucracy and fees just to get the hardware in. Sailing isn't really popular outside of Hong Kong and there are almost no suppliers for goods at all. I also heard that there isn't a rigger in the entire country. They bring in people from OZ or SA to do that task. Then there is the major problem of getting the boat out of China. Cruising China is not practical and very expensive. Most ports are major shipping centers and they require you to have a pilot and anchor out and then pay $100s for a water taxi when they decide to let you come ashore. Most cats are just shipped out.

[CaptainRivet]

Originally Posted by PermTraveler

If you want to know more about me, check out my website, which I created after my 5 Year Travel Anniversary. Now it's the 11th year but with all the travelling I didn't have time to update. Lol
Robert Janke | Globetrotter, Real Estate Professional, Earthling

I don't go on organised tours. Whenever possible I rent a nice car, preferably convertible or SUV, depending where in the world I am and then explore myself.

Currently I'm on a two months road-trip in a Mustang Convertible from Florida to California (East Coast to West Coast) and back. Before that 3 weeks road-trip through Turkey etc. I usually stay in hotels or B&Bs and don't cook. If I make the transition from road to sea, I probably have to start cooking though. Lol

Well then I suggest to ditch your convertibles and rent an RV for the next few month till you get a cat and start training. First month go on camping sites and from 2nd one on purpose off grid camping with no power plugs.... From cooking, over provisioning, washing, calculating your resources like gas and power and get familiar with tighter living spaces. Good training so you experience what you face but without everything is moving.
2nd go on websites like crewseeker and hire as crew on a cat the size 36-38ft and do a long passage min 3 weeks, preferably ocean crossing so you know how the feeling is being long time on one with everything moving.
When you are in fort Lauderdale I highly recommend you fix upfront some viewing of used roughly 10year old cats from your list. doesn't matter if they fit in your price range or the inside wood colours to just get a real feeling of the boats you are looking for. Dedicate 50% of the time to that or more and forget the shinny new ones which are above 300k with the gear you need.
A boat is always a compromise, forget your dark wood issue as you will have it in nearly every cat in the time period and age you are looking at. Try to get used to it and big surfaces can always be painted white or covered in artifical leather.

Regarding aventura 34, it only has a CE rating B and you need A=unlimited offshore. All cats I mentioned and fro. Your list are A.
You have quite a good boat list, reliable and proven circumnavigation cat where a lot others and much more experienced salt necks then we both made good experiences with. Stick to that.
As I said check them out in person and see if you could get used to that what they offer.

I know what you are going through, I am looking actively since 3 month at a small cat in 35ft-40ft range for 100k+30k refit for a world circumnavigation too. But I done approx 10000nm on different boats and types (most crewed via crewseeker or chartered with friends) over the last 3,5years to figure out what is a must have, where I can compromize and what is an absolute noGo for me (!). My perspective changed very significantly what I thought I need and what is essentially really needed. And still learning every day a lot. That forum I great too and give you a lot advice. Also go on YouTube and hp of "gone the Wynns", a lot of good information and knowledge available... They went from noobie to now circumnavigation for 4 years now. https://www.gonewiththewynns.com/

[Piscis]

I would prefer the Mahe 36 over the Lagoon 380.

The Mahe has a very nice great shower area, which you seem to prefer. There is even a 2 cabin/2 shower version from the Mahe available (hard to finde, but a few months ago there was one on Yachtworld).

And it will not be easy to find a boat in the age without this wooden style interiour. You can live with it or you can try to change the surface by using furniture foil. Google it, you can find many companies and products to lighten up the surface of your interiour...

John

[PermTraveler]

Originally Posted by Sojourner

Not to start a flame war, but why the determination for a cat? If you're a complete novice, then maybe there are factors you think you want but maybe don't know about, if that makes any sense? Just some thoughts, but usually mono vs cat, you can get more boat for less money, costing less to dock, with a mono. If you are single handing, I'd think a mono would be quite a bit easier to handle at a dock than a cat. Also, if you don't want the 4-6 person setup, it seems to me that most cats have identical hulls or owners cabin + guest hull, meaning if you have more than you want in your original post. For your budget you can get a pretty sweet mono set up for single handing without extra space you don't need. And yes, I'm thinking Amels

So, why in terms of features do you think you want a cat?

As I'm considering to make this my home on the water, comfort is of much importance to me. I prefer large and bright salon areas and extensive sunbathing/ chill areas outside as well as the nicer sized suites in the owner's version. I also love the large net areas on the bow of most cats. Further I understand they are more stable and in most sailing conditions even faster (although speed is not my main priority at this stage). Overall I believe they are a better fit. Although I must agree that the skipper cabins will not be used (much). But maybe they can be converted into something else.

[CatNewBee]

And they are way more comfy and stable in anchorages...

[PermTraveler]

Originally Posted by CaptainRivet

Well then I suggest to ditch your convertibles and rent an RV for the next few month till you get a cat and start training. First month go on camping sites and from 2nd one on purpose off grid camping with no power plugs.... From cooking, over provisioning, washing, calculating your resources like gas and power and get familiar with tighter living spaces. Good training so you experience what you face but without everything is moving.
2nd go on websites like crewseeker and hire as crew on a cat the size 36-38ft and do a long passage min 3 weeks, preferably ocean crossing so you know how the feeling is being long time on one with everything moving.
When you are in fort Lauderdale I highly recommend you fix upfront some viewing of used roughly 10year old cats from your list. doesn't matter if they fit in your price range or the inside wood colours to just get a real feeling of the boats you are looking for. Dedicate 50% of the time to that or more and forget the shinny new ones which are above 300k with the gear you need.
A boat is always a compromise, forget your dark wood issue as you will have it in nearly every cat in the time period and age you are looking at. Try to get used to it and big surfaces can always be painted white or covered in artifical leather.

Regarding aventura 34, it only has a CE rating B and you need A=unlimited offshore. All cats I mentioned and fro. Your list are A.
You have quite a good boat list, reliable and proven circumnavigation cat where a lot others and much more experienced salt necks then we both made good experiences with. Stick to that.
As I said check them out in person and see if you could get used to that what they offer.

I know what you are going through, I am looking actively since 3 month at a small cat in 35ft-40ft range for 100k+30k refit for a world circumnavigation too. But I done approx 10000nm on different boats and types (most crewed via crewseeker or chartered with friends) over the last 3,5years to figure out what is a must have, where I can compromize and what is an absolute noGo for me (!). My perspective changed very significantly what I thought I need and what is essentially really needed. And still learning every day a lot. That forum I great too and give you a lot advice. Also go on YouTube and hp of "gone the Wynns", a lot of good information and knowledge available... They went from noobie to now circumnavigation for 4 years now. https://www.gonewiththewynns.com/

Thanks, very useful advice! I will skip the first part though of renting an RV for a few months. I went camping when I was younger and rented an RV in Scandinavia once but when I have the option of driving a nice convertible and staying in hotels or B&Bs, I always would opt for that. Price wise not much difference, RVs are more expensive to rent than convertibles or SUVs and you also have to pay for RV sites. A small sports car is also much more fun to drive and you can get to much more places. Now at 40 and also with more money available, I prefer having some comfort. That's why I prefer cats over mono-hulls because cats are more comfortable.

I have done a 10 day cat trip in the Galapagos Islands. Loved it! Not that I expect the same experience from every day living on a cat with days of unpleasant weather and rough seas but never try, never know.

Aventura comments noted. Maybe better to just watch them for now and see what they come up with in the future.

Thanks for the website / YouTube / boat show and broker advice. Will definitely do that!

[jmh2002]

Originally Posted by PermTraveler

Thanks, very useful advice! I will skip the first part though of renting an RV for a few months.

I think you misunderstood the point of why this was suggested to you, relative to live aboard life.

Especially since your reply included that you prefer to stay in a hotel and rent a convertible instead...

[PermTraveler]

Thanks, it was good advice and I got the point. That's why I was trying to explain why I'm not a fan of road-tripping in a RV. I prefer convertible and hotels / B&Bs if I have the choice between the two.

If I now want to discover the world by sea there are not too many options. I'm not a fan of organised cruise ship tours at this stage of my life. Motor yachts would be too expensive to run. Monohull doesn't have the comfort factor. That's why I think a cat would be a good fit. I like my independence. It's a big investment but in order to find out if I like it or not long-term, I will have to try. YOLO.

[pathlesschosen]

May I suggest a Seawind 1000. Cheers.

[katamarans]

Have you had a look at the C-Cat 37? It's a Marc Lombard design, I'll just throw that in there. For my money, the Athena 38 or Broadblue 385 would seem to fit the bill.

[katamarans]

I would also keep an eye out for a late Prout Snowgoose 37 that has had money lavished on her. I know you don't want a dooer upper, but every now and then you get some fully loaded examples come onto the market that put newer boats to shame

[chubby]

i wouldnt over think it..
just search a well equiped lagoon 380 in best possible condition...has everything you want and will be well within your budget.



i dont see his website as active anymore...but google "thenomadtrip"...
and try contacting via twitter or instagram(or facebook).




..i believe he has his boat on the market.. and it was clean, well maintained and is already equiped up for transpacific travel.

[PermTraveler]

Originally Posted by katamarans

Have you had a look at the C-Cat 37? It's a Marc Lombard design, I'll just throw that in there. For my money, the Athena 38 or Broadblue 385 would seem to fit the bill.

Thanks, the C-Cat 37 looks interesting. But seems there are not many for sale. Is this a new company?