Cruising cat comparison

jlucia · #1 (**permalink**) 05-14-2004

I am going to buy a catamaran in the next month or so and am having trouble getting reliable comparison information. I’ve sailed an Edel 35, Gemini 3400, Moorings 3800, Lagoon 38, Venezia 42, and Nautitech 395. I’ve extensively checked out the cats at the boats shows. Where would I get information about the relative performance of the various cats vs. comments that I’ve heard (i.e. Catana point better, Venezia is slow, Norseman get pounded with bridge deck slap, etc...). The books give basic information, but not what I need to make a decision. Does anyone have any experience on Catana vs. Norseman vs. Lagoon vs. whatever?

henryvand · #2 (**permalink**) 05-14-2004

I recommend you get a copy of Charles Kantor''s book - Cruising in Catamarans - see www.sailcopress.com - He includes performance ratings on a good variety of boats and gives ratings to pointing ability, hull slap, etc. I just went thru the buying process and I found his book to contain the best reference materials. I bought a PDQ

SailVicEC · #3 (**permalink**) 05-14-2004

Hi:
I am in the same boat as you so to speak. It looks like I will be reloating to N Carolina and will also be buying a Cruisng Cat in which I can sail the waters inside the Outebanks and then take off shore and down south and up north in a few years. I have the Kanter book and it is very good but leaves you with lots of questions and some boats don''t get much of a write up as others. He seems to favour PDQ''s and Prouts and he has a good way of categorizing various cats (can really help if you know what your priorities are cruising comfort vs. performance)

Have you looked at the Maine cats or the Island Spirits?

Let us know what you decided on. Good luck.

jlucia · #4 (**permalink**) 05-17-2004

I''ve only looked at the Maine cat 30 at the Miami boat show and it is too small for my needs (family of 5). I''ve been looking at cats in the 37'' to 45'' range. I just walked through a Voyage 430 that was well equipped for coastal cruising. Kanter doesn''t review this boat, but he doesn''t like an early 400. I suspect the 430 suffers from similar bridge deck pounding. He doesn’t give many specifics on the Venezia 42 except some of the older ones can be in bad shape. This was one of the boats that I was considering. He gives Lagoon 41 & 42 mixed reviews. I’m a little at a loss at this point. The cats that I was considering are not high on his list. I may just go with a Moorings 3800 or 4500 that has come out of charter.

SailVicEC · #5 (**permalink**) 05-18-2004

Check out the maine Cat website www.mecat.com and scroll down to the botton onf the home page, they have a new 41 ft cruising cat featured that looks great and should be in the size range that you require.

saltydawg · #6 (**permalink**) 05-20-2004

PDQ36 is a great boat... we''ve been cruising ours for several years and have no complaints. Check her out... it''s a great value and ready to cruise.

http://www.authenticyachts.com/core/listing/pl_boat_detail.jsp?&units=Feet&checked_boats=12070 82&slim=broker&&hosturl=authenticyachtbrokerage&&y wo=authenticyachtbrokerage&

SailVicEC · #7 (**permalink**) 05-20-2004

Hello Salty:

What does she draw? Also would you feel comfortable taking her off shore for a run up and down the East Coast?

saltydawg · #8 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004

She draws 2feet 10 inches officially, but fully loaded I would call it 3 feet. It''s great for tucking into safe little anchoring spots away from the crowds.

As for off shore -- we took her outside from Ft. Lauderdale to Charleston and then Cape Fear River to Norfolk in stiff November weather when we first got her. NO problems. We often made off shore hops when cruising the east coast, we took her all through the Bahamas in ALL kinds of weather, and around Cuba. Previous owner took her all throughout the Caribbean. Simon Slater - the president of PDQ - often says the PDQ36 "has alot more guts than her owners do". She is a VERY strongly built boat and although it''s a cliche used too much when buying/selling boats, our is TRULY ready to cruise.

The only reason we are selling her now after outfitting her to the hilt... if because we are expecting our first baby in 4 weeks and we''re moving aboard a bigger boat.
Feel free to drop me a line if you have more questions. Best of luck and I hope to see you out there!
Cindy

jlucia · #9 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004

I checked out the Maine cat 41 (on the web), but since I want to be on a boat in a month or so, it won''t work for me. We are also leaning towards 4 stateroom models. We are cruising with 3 kids...

The PDQ also doesn''t appear to be sized right for my family.

What is the larger boat that you are moving up to?

saltydawg · #10 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004

We are moving on to St. Francis 44. We have a beautiful 1999 model that we just took delivery of. She sails like a dream and is very roomy and bright. Four cabin, Four head, galley down. Might be right up your alley.
We surveyed and sea trialed a DIFFERENT 1999 St. Francis than the one we ended up buying that I would suggest you have a look at. It''s called Mustard Seed and she is in GREAT condition, sitting with her lovely owners in Tortola.
We paid for a survey just a couple of months ago and flew out to see her and she checked out great. The ONLY reason we didn''t buy her was because the timing and logistics were not good for us with the baby on the way and we found her sistership Stateside and ready to go. Southern Trades is the brokerage and Bob Carson is the broker - great guy. Tell him Cindy sent ya. You can work your way down some from the list price.
Best of luck!!! Hope to see ya out there.

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/pl_boat_detail.jsp?currency=USD&units=Feet&checked _boats=1100923&slim=quick&