So I have decided on a cat....Now what?

[amytom]

I second the PDQ32. It's a great boat for single handing. Plenty of space without being "too much" Check out www.pdq36.com and find listings on the bottom for charters as well as boats for sale.

[Southern Star]

Twisty, while I agree with Tao that a power cat would ideally suit your needs, you can always buy a sailing cat and power much of the time (albeit while having to wait for bridges on the ICW). The PDQ 36 and 32 are excellent suggestions, but for your purposes so are the Gemini and even the Endeavour cats. Don't let the array of lines scare you off - so long as your boat has roller furling on the jib and full battens/lazy jacks on the main, you will find the basics of sailing pretty easy.

Good luck in your quest!

Brad

[twisty]

Originally Posted by amytom

I second the PDQ32. It's a great boat for single handing. Plenty of space without being "too much" Check out www.pdq36.com and find listings on the bottom for charters as well as boats for sale.

I actually have that site bookmarked. PDQs are very close to the top of the list, along with Gemini.

Brad I am going to look into endeavors tonight, thank you for the addition.

[Captain Bill]

Twisty, If your looking for a small cat <40 feet you should look at a Gemini or an Endeavourcat 36. Both have about a 14 foot beam which makes finding a slip a lit easier and cheaper. Another possibility is a Mainecat 30. They have an 18 foot beam which makes the slip thing a bit of an issue and they use outboard motors for power. They sail quite well however. There is an outfit in the abacos that charters them, though the name has slipped my mind for the moment.

[twisty]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

Twisty, If your looking for a small cat <40 feet you should look at a Gemini or an Endeavourcat 36. Both have about a 14 foot beam which makes finding a slip a lit easier and cheaper. Another possibility is a Mainecat 30. They have an 18 foot beam which makes the slip thing a bit of an issue and they use outboard motors for power. They sail quite well however. There is an outfit in the abacos that charters them, though the name has slipped my mind for the moment.

I will add the Mainecat to the list as well.

I am trying to put together a list of my requirements now.

-Shallow Draft

-Reasonable beam, I need to find out what that thirty something across the sound has for a beam and find out what the max is the marina here can haulout, as this will be my home port.

-can be refitted for single handing rather easily, if not already

-solar & wind power can be added easily if it isn't already setup

- line of sight, I'm short, from a picture it looks like it might be a problem with a Gemini 105

-right now I am thinking outboards but need to do more research, if you have input on this I am open to it.

-Workable galley, storage and a comfy place to sleep

anyone care to add to my list?

[meyermm]

To Seaking - glad you like your Multihull and confirming what I said in another thread about multihull owners. You forgot to mention unsinkable that is another multihull sales pitch although they said that about the Titanic. "hold their value" they would want to as they cost so much more in the first place. "speed" well yes as long as you do not put much in the way of cruising gear aboard as they do not like weight. How well do they sail up wind? Two engines just what every sailor yearns for $$. Marina fees due to their width, not points mentioned very often by those pushing the multi cause. In stating all this I would be happy on a multi or monohull, not a zealot about either multi or single.

[Cheechako]

A cat might be easier for a single hander. The mainsail is big, but it is nice working from a flat platform rather than in a knockdown situation with water and lines everywhere!. A TPI built lagoon 37 might be a good choice.... not sure about your budget. IF you need to go planing fast then maybe a power cat, but if you can deal with 8 knots under power a dual engine cat makes a heck of a nice trawler... and you can sail when you want! Remember, a sailboat does not need to be complicated, Cunninghams, Boom vangs etc etc are not necessary for cruising. A jib and a reefable main are all you need.

[Surf City]

Twisty,

There is a Gemini in Topsail Beach just North of town white block house on the water on a lift. Did you go on the 41 Lagoon in Wilmington? It has a few problems with water damage inside. There is a 46 Robertson and Caine in South Port that has a nice layout. It is great to walk on just to get a feel of how other builders build their boats. Their are a few in New Bern but I have not looked at them. When we get our catamaran, we would be happy to take you out. Looking to buy but can not find the right Privilege Cat. Mono hull converts.

[Tropic Cat]

Originally Posted by twisty

I actually have that site bookmarked. PDQs are very close to the top of the list, along with Gemini.

Brad I am going to look into endeavors tonight, thank you for the addition.

PDQ's and Geminis are two completely different boats.

I opted for a Catalac because of build quality and I like the fact that she was sailed to Florida from England.

Take your time and evaluate all the boats you can. Older British Cats can be had for well under $100K (10 meter or smaller). A Brand new Gemini will run you about $150K +, and the Euro cats go for quite a bit more.

If you ever get down my way, we'll take her out and see what you think. Don't let the sheets and lines confuse you. It's actually pretty easy to sail a cat and you stay nice and level under sail.

[SeaKing]

Twisty, my boating beginnings was in power boats. I worked in the dredging industry in hydrographic surveying. I worked on everything from small runabouts, diesel crewboats and tugs to survey from. My first boat purchase was an outboard powered bow rider I used to dive off of in Grand Cayman when I worked there. Then I bought a 26' diesel Shamrock as a dive boat, we thought that was a hugh boat compared to the runabout. Then we bought our 34' original (used) PDQ with twin outboards for me to live on while I was working in the Caribbean. The job ended and we were "stuck" with the PDQ to sail on in the Chesapeake bay, but our love of the water made that pretty easy. I love to be outon the water no matter what the power is. Three years ago we made the move to our Voyage and man did that seem hugh to us and me. Now we handle the boat with ease and can't wait to get it to the "islands"

[twisty]

Originally Posted by Surf City

Twisty,

There is a Gemini in Topsail Beach just North of town white block house on the water on a lift. Did you go on the 41 Lagoon in Wilmington? It has a few problems with water damage inside. There is a 46 Robertson and Caine in South Port that has a nice layout. It is great to walk on just to get a feel of how other builders build their boats. Their are a few in New Bern but I have not looked at them. When we get our catamaran, we would be happy to take you out. Looking to buy but can not find the right Privilege Cat. Mono hull converts.

I do know about that one, it is just north of here a couple blocks, off Bridgers I think. I know a friend that is friends with the owner, the plan is to get up there an look at it as soon as I can get the little boat in the water(read as as soon as I won't freeze to death or don't have cold).

I was all over South Port the other day, where is that one there?

I agree, getting onboard one or 10 is my main priority right now, I didn't go onboard the Lagoon but I am going to next week. I am going to walk on as many as possible actually. Maybe I will take a trip to New Bern next week to. I don't think I can even begin to think much further without getting a live view, pictures can only show you so much.

[cameron forsyth]

The way I started was booking a berth on a one week course with other students with Blue water sailing school out of Ft Lauderdale that certified me on a 42 ft catamaran for bare boat charter. Following that you can charter over time different makes and models with friends sharing the bill (split usually at least between 4 to 8), learning during the process and then decide on what you want, but it is advisable to try before deciding. Some of the boats that have been recommended on the site I would not consider on my list.

[meyermm]

I agree with the above "Cameron" much of the problem is that what ever boat they have they think is the best. When was the last post saying I live on an XYZ cutter rigged sloop and it is crap. Do not buy one because------ How many bag modern "plastic boats" Beneteau, Jeanneau etc while working feverishly on there 30 year old boats. What will the cruisers of tomorrow buy when those old boats reach the end of there life and they will, patch over patch?

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

Twisty, If your looking for a small cat <40 feet you should look at a Gemini or an Endeavourcat 36. Both have about a 14 foot beam which makes finding a slip a lit easier and cheaper. Another possibility is a Mainecat 30. They have an 18 foot beam which makes the slip thing a bit of an issue and they use outboard motors for power. They sail quite well however. There is an outfit in the abacos that charters them, though the name has slipped my mind for the moment.

The MaineCat 30, I think, would be pretty Spartan for long-term living aboard. Consider:

1 - The head is in the starboard bow, with the "captain's stateroom" aft. Anyone sleeping in the port hull who needs to use the head at night will have to cross through the open saloon, descend the stair into the captain's quarters in the starboard hull (if you're the captain, they'll brush against the top of your head as they do so - the captain's berth is made private by a curtain), then walk forward into the head (which does have a door).

2 - The galley is down in the port hull, midships, with the second berth forward and the dinette aft, so if the captain wants something from the refrigerator in the middle of the night, he/she must pull him/herself out of the captain's breechloader berth, go up the stair to cross through the open saloon, down the stair into the port hull and go forward to the fridge, probably brushing against the head of the person sleeping in the port hull.

That said, I love the MaineCat 30, coming very close to buying one once - but just to keep as a toy in the Bahamas. I personally love the option of raising the two outboards to eliminate all drag when sailing (this is the case with the Seawind 1000 mentioned above, as well) and, if you have an engine that needs serious mechanical attention, it can be removed from the vessel and hauled to the mechanic for repair or replacement.

For serious living aboard, however, the MC30 just isn't a contender, IMO. The MC41, however, would be. I believe CF member TabbyCat (Susan, IIRC) has a MaineCat 41. She could tell you all the pluses and minuses of the breed, and line you up on your insurance to boot!

If you are interested in chartering a MaineCat in the Abacos, here's the link:

Maine Cat Charters - Bahamas and Maine Catamaran bareboat charter - Home

TaoJones

[twisty]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

The MaineCat 30, I think, would be pretty Spartan for long-term living aboard. Consider:

1 - The head is in the starboard bow, with the "captain's stateroom" aft. Anyone sleeping in the port hull who needs to use the head at night will have to cross through the open saloon, descend the stair into the captain's quarters in the starboard hull (if you're the captain, they'll brush against the top of your head as they do so - the captain's berth is made private by a curtain), then walk forward into the head (which does have a door).

2 - The galley is down in the port hull, midships, with the second berth forward and the dinette aft, so if the captain wants something from the refrigerator in the middle of the night, he/she must pull him/herself out of the captain's breechloader berth, go up the stair to cross through the open saloon, down the stair into the port hull and go forward to the fridge, probably brushing against the head of the person sleeping in the port hull.

That said, I love the MaineCat 30, coming very close to buying one once - but just to keep as a toy in the Bahamas. I personally love the option of raising the two outboards to eliminate all drag when sailing (this is the case with the Seawind 1000 mentioned above, as well) and, if you have an engine that needs serious mechanical attention, it can be removed from the vessel and hauled to the mechanic for repair or replacement.

For serious living aboard, however, the MC30 just isn't a contender, IMO. The MC41, however, would be. I believe CF member TabbyCat (Susan, IIRC) has a MaineCat 41. She could tell you all the pluses and minuses of the breed, and line you up on your insurance to boot!

If you are interested in chartering a MaineCat in the Abacos, here's the link:

Maine Cat Charters - Bahamas and Maine Catamaran bareboat charter - Home

TaoJones

LOL I was just looking over the MaineCat30 20 mins ago, it has been ruled out. And I THINK the 41 is going to be to much boat, not enough twisty.