New to the world of sailing. Questions

[Caribbeanlife]

Hey Everyone.
We are new to this so please be patient. Thanks in advance for taking the time and answering our questions.
We currently reside in the Midwest USA and are looking for a used catamaran to start our journey to sail the world. After test sailing a few different boats, we decided that a catamaran would be better for us vs a monohull.
We have been unable to test sail all the different sizes of catamarans that are available. Possibly the biggest question that we have is in regards to the size of boat we should get. We have been looking at cats in the 36-48 foot range but have not been able to test all the different sizes.
First question, other than the obvious size difference, what is the major difference(s) between the sizes? Since there is a big difference in price between the sizes, we would like to get the most for our budget. Seems like we can get a nicer/newer smaller boat vs getting a larger vessel. Will the 36 or 38 be just as nice to sail vs a 44 or 46?
Also, it seems like cats are very much cheaper if purchased outside of the US...if you buy outside of the US can you still get a survey done there?
It is just gonna be the 2 of us but plan on having friends and family come to visit us as well. We also have a midsize dog that we consider part of our family.
When traveling abroad, whats it like with a dog? Can the dog come with us when we get off the boat in different countries? Also, we love to exercise our dog so what is the best way to accomplish that living on a boat? Swimming seems our best option but are aggressive fish an issue?
Seems there are plenty of boats in our $150k-$170k budget but there are so many variables when shopping. Any advice from experienced sailers could save us a lot of troubles and money later. All advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance and look forward to your responses.

Dave & Kathy

[Pete7]

Welcome to CF.

You asked about the best bang for buck but haven't said what your budget is. However, no matter because first I think you need to do some sail training and then charter some yachts around the world. this will enable you to decide if sailing is for you and if a catamaran is also a suitable boat you want to go sailing in.

The other bit of good news is there are qualified surveyors beyond the US borders should you need one. Actually the chances are your future catamaran will have been made not in the US, but Europe or even Africa.

Travelling with a dog will be difficult. Turn up in England with a dog and the dog goes to quarantine for 6 months. Get caught trying to smuggle the dog in and you go to quarantine for some months. The rules are stiff and you would have to research each country before you set off, but this is a long way off, you need to do the training and sail some yachts first before buying. Don't over look the opportunity to charter abroad either, Europe is nice and the people civilised.

Pete

[CatNewBee]

Well, size matters, the bigger the better in rough conditions, but also the harder to manage without a crew. for 2 people i guess the best size for living and handling for large passages is between 40ft and 45ft. also the costs for mooring, docking in the harbors or for getting the boat out of the water are dependent on square ft, loa, beam, weight... the bigger the boat, the bigger the trouble.

older boats often need more love and a refit before taking off, so tco has to be considered...

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Dave & Kathy.

[danielamartindm]

Good morning, and welcome to the forum. Your budget will decide what age and brand of used vessels are possible, and remember that any used vessel will likely need a re-fit before blue water cruising. With electric winches and experience, two people can handle larger cats, which are more sea kindly, and hobby horse less in larger seas; but just as a few added feet of waterline increase interior space geometrically, so do they increase initial cost, dockage, and maintenance afterward. With your stated plans and needs, a cat is a great choice. Boat shows afford the ability to board a large number of cats and even arrange test sails on them. If within your means, a few charter vacations in different parts of the world would also be well worth it- to see if actually living on a boat is for the two of you, and to perhaps draw you toward wanting to buy a specific vessel. Best of luck, and stay in touch as your adventure unfolds.

[belizesailor]

Re size. The primary differences catamaran length makes are in load carrying capacity and boat speed potential. As posted, a longer boat may also hobby horse less depending on design.

For a couple with occassional guests even a smaller cat will have plenty of room, but it will have less load carrying capacity and less boat speed potential.

I can comfortably accomodate 6 guests (3 couples in 3 cabins) on my 35' cat, but I notice the affect of that much added weight (guests + gear).

[belizesailor]

Also, its a great time to be shopping for a used cat. With their explosion in popularity over the last decade, there are now a lot of good boats in the price range you posted.

Example: last year a friend of mine picked up a Lagoon 38 in very good condition for $160K. A great buy I think, and a good boat for you to consider.

[Tingum]

Ah we're going around the world! Heard that a lot. I don't want to sound nasty but; can you sail, can you maintain a boat?, if not better have deep pockets. Boat maintenance is very dependent on size. Try and find dockage for a large cat that is afordable. Just the two of you, why would you need a 40'+ cat. They are huge! Do you want to cruise or be a slave to the boat? I suggest you charter several size cats, then do the same with mono hulls. The money you spend chartering you will save by not buying the wrong boat!

[ArmyDaveNY]

In addition to the good advice above, I highly recommend that you look carefully and use the boats you are interested in. Go to boat shows and look at all of the details on the boats you think you are interested in. Talk to people who own and use the boats you are interested in. If you can, go sailing with them or charter one for a few days or a week or two.

Looking at a boat and using it are related but often two different experiences. As you actually use a boat, you will discover things you like or don't like. The galley layout in particular often requires use before you know if you really like it. Another area is the boat handling. Do the way the lines are run make sense for you? Do you like sitting at a particular helm for a while? Does the location of the wheel work for you? Are you too removed from what is going? Do you have a good field of view?

How is it to service your boat? This can be very important when you are hundreds or thousands of miles from a mechanic.

Start by reading about the boats you like and then go to a boat show. Narrow your field some more then try to actually use one.

Finally, if you are able to do work on a boat yourself, perhaps you can get more boat for less money by buying an older boat and renewing or replacing worn items.

Good luck with your hunt.

[ZULU40]

screw the far out objectives
just get some skills up and sail locally

then at least you will know the gravity of the questions you ask, and why a lot of things just dont matter

[taxwizz]

"Go when ya can....
Ya never know when ya can't".
(Taxwizz)

[MartinF]

Sometimes people dream of sailing the world and then after their first gale they never want to step on a boat again.
Sail the gale before you sell the house and contents!
Good Luck,
M

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by MartinF

Sometimes people dream of sailing the world and then after their first gale they never want to step on a boat again.
Sail the gale before you sell the house and contents!
Good Luck,
M

Martin, that sentence rang a memory bell for me. Jim had the thoroughness and good sense to suggest we go out in our 36 ft. mono when a winter storm was coming through SF Bay, where we used to sail, before we started out cruising. And it was a really good thing we did.

He wanted to try heaving to with the storm jib, and when we did it, the boat just went off on the other tack at about 6 kn.! Clearly this was not the desired efffect. What we had to do, was put a snatch block way forward, to that we could back the sail better. However, it took a few trials and effort, in the wind and pouring rain to do it and get the boat to stop. All this took place in protected waters, way easier to cope with than the mature seas of a gale.

So I say the sentence above in bold is right. Even with a cat, whatever one's strategy for that gale force wind, it is best to practice first, and make sure everything works as planned.

Ann

ON edit, I'd like to add that the side effect of this day's practice meant that I was not frightened at sea in big winds and contrary seas, for years, till after our knockdown--and that's another story.

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by MartinF

Sometimes people dream of sailing the world and then after their first gale they never want to step on a boat again.
Sail the gale before you sell the house and contents!
Good Luck,
M

Good advise!
Check out the sailing, in ALL of its conditions first, the first 5 years of sailing and boat ownership should be sufficient.
Then plan your offshore voyages.
SV Cloud Duster

[Bulawayo]

Hmmmm....... some sage advice? My first experience was to cross the S.Atlantic with zero experience. It wasnt the best move but it taught me the value of understanding having knowledge and experience from those higher up the chain. I took instruction and gained qualifications that stood me in good stead from a small off shore sailing school. Frankly, I am aware of a lot of cruisers that started out with zero experience - some gave up very quickly and sold their boats whilst for others it turned into a way of life (me included). All the advice to start by chartering or by buying small and working upwards over several centuries - utter baloney. You will end up spending your life and money getting ready. If you buy sensibly and things dont work out then you have the chance of recovering money. Yes, the weather can be scary but with modern forecasts and radar (esp. for squall spotting) much can be avoided. To my mind a 40-44ft cat is an ideal size for a couple and able to accomodate more without issues (such as paying crew) as well as having load capacity. Several others on this forum are aware we left for full time cruising on a 35ft cat back in '95 and graduated up to a 45ft cat with four children making their appearances along the way. The plan is do-able.