Catamaran liveaboard

Slow_boat

Slow_boat

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My wife and I will be joining the ranks of long term med cruisers in about 5 yrs time (when I take early retirement, Hurray!!!

Having chartered a cat in Turkey this year, SWMBO is much taken with the room and storage available, not to mention the lack of heeling when under way.

However, I'm not quite convinced yet. What are the downsides of a cat compared to a mono for med cruising? Do you pay extra to moor, for instance?

Yes, I realise that they're not pretty to look at, but when you're on board you're not looking at it, are you?

The one we're thinking of is the Gemini 33. Any comments?

Apologies if this has been dealt with on the forum, I couldn't find anything with a search of 'catamaran'

Duncan
 
Biggest problem with older cats is the lack of performance to windward. The area you have to look at is the clearance under the bridge deck. Too low and the waves will slam the underneath - this is the main reason for prout's nacelle.
Dont know the Gemini so cant comment on its suitability.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Once you have got used to the advantages, you will recognise the benefits of some of the design features. A large cockpit and a bimini will make life in the med very enjoyable. The extra ventilation you get below, and the much better visibility will make liveaboard a nicer experience.

OK so I am a cat lover - but I didnt start this way, I only bought a cat cause wife and daughter didnt like being heeled over, now I wouldnt consider anything else.
 
There is much discussion about catamarans v monohulls in the last few days on the Latitudes and Attitudes Gregs Pub forum. This is a forum similar to this one run by the American cruising magazine Latitudes and Attitudes. Google to get the web site

I like this magazine because it isn't as serious as some others
 
Hello Richard, has been a while since we have had an instalment in YM or was it PBO. Last I think was you heading to the USA I think.

How is the cruise going, has the boat been everything you hoped, anything other than ditching the bike and washing machine you wished you had from the start?

Do you have an online log where we can keep up with your travels?
 
Like Mark I am a cat lover + also med based.
As he says older to windard etc etc - but how often are you really sailing as a liveaboard?????
OK with an older cat she is narrower beam so you may only end up paying for a 12m berth with a 10m cat. Other places you end up x 1.5.
Cant comment on Gemini as mine is a one off steel cat.
Talbot can answer on Catalacs and Woofy on H/T's. There is also a Carfisher owner but cantremeber his name.
 
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Steel cat? Dont give me that, yours is a rivetted iron barge, wiv a split in the middle!

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Stop talking about Eileen that way or she will go and pour SIKKENS all over Englander!!!!!!
 
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Mike, dont you recognise envy when you see it! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

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A little bit of info on "Scotty" is that he was even talking about looking at MOBO's if he sold Englander.
Dont really think he wants to sell her. She is a bonnie boat.
 
I know what Colin was on about as it seems to be nearly a daily occurence when he is here. The sikkens bit comes from the day she mentioned using the stuff on our mahogany. He threatened to throw her over the side if she said that word again!!!
 
Duncan
I too have considered purchacing a catamaran at one time, as you say the space for a liveaboard is very good. If you want more details and specs for the Gemini 105m 33', have a gander at www.multihulls.co.uk. You can download a few articles on it one of them by PBO. The price is fairly good fully kitted out insured and moored under 120K new.
The only thing that worries me is, in a blow a monohull will let you know when you have to much rag up the stick, where as with a multihull you dont get the same sort of feed back. How do experienced cat users get by?
 
With regard to the extra cost of mooring, the cost in the UK is often plus 50% but in the Greek Ionian marinas it is plus 10%. There is a plusage for craning and dry storage in my yard too but I can't remember how much. Some French marinas take account of beam even for monos. And the French canals work out their rate on beam and length.

As a mono owner, a cat owner should be able to give you more authorative tips on the extra cost front. [Including an extra motor and fuel]
 
ships woofy rashly asked for an update on my cruising in my 32ft catamaran Eclipse. When my articles were published in PBO we were in the Rio Dulce, Guatemala, hiding from hurricanes. Last November we began cruising again and sailed south to Panama, spending time in the San Blas islands which are a fantastic cruising ground. Eclipse is still there, although we left it in March - we go back to it on Wednesday. Then we plan to go through the Panama Canal and head north to Mexico's Baja region.

In between we have been sailing monohulls!! a Panama Canal transit on a 32 ft monohull and more recently 2 months sailing a Downeast38 in the Pacific NW, Alaska and British Columbia.

This was my first long cruise on a monohull for 25 years. I'd forgotten how uncomfortable, small, uncomfortable, slow, uncomfortable, dark and gloomy below, uncomfortable, totally lacking in deck lounging areas, uncomfortable, no vision on the lee side when under sail, uncomfortable, rolling at anchor... the list goes on.

Why DO people sail monohulls??

You can see more on my web site

www.sailingcatamarans.com
 
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in a blow a monohull will let you know when you have to much rag up the stick, where as with a multihull you dont get the same sort of feed back

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Cobblers

If there is too much sail up on a cruising cat, then it is immediately apparent from the leeway.
 
Richard,

When you were last on here you talked about investigating an alternative passage to the canal. Have you made any progress with this?
 
The alternative was to go up a river in Nicaragua, through the big lake and then be taken 20 miles overland to the Pacific.

Google got some heavy use until I found a link to the Nicaraguan Rivers management site. Someone there told me there are rapids about 100 miles inland. They can be crossed in the rainy season, but the river is then running at 6 knots, so you need to change boats - We learnt there is one ferry above the rapids and another below.

So short answer, the only ways to sail between Atlantic and Pacific are Panama Canal, Cape Horn or NW passage - the latter gets more feasible every year.
Every other route means land transport at some stage.
 
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