Kurrawong_Kid
Well-Known Member
A friend who crews our boat from time to time is thinking of buying a cruising cat. at about 26ft. He has looked at Heavenly Twins and Iroquois. Should he put any others "in the frame"? Thanks in anticipation
Cataraman about 26ft.OA.
- Thread starter Kurrawong_Kid
- Start date
snowleopard
Well-Known Member
It all depends whether he wants performance or space (you don't get both in a cat of that size).
Other designs with models in that size range include
Catalac (Heavy but v. comfortable)
Hirondelle (light, basic accom)
Prout (good finish, moderate performance)
Bill O'Brien (Bobcat, Oceanic - old-fashioned, spacious but slow)
Wharram (lots of deck space, accommodation coffin-like in sub 30 ft models)
There are also quite a few one-offs on the brokerage lists that can vary from great to horrendous. A lot of attempts to give cats standing headroom in the sub 30ft range have been startlingly ugly!
Other designs with models in that size range include
Catalac (Heavy but v. comfortable)
Hirondelle (light, basic accom)
Prout (good finish, moderate performance)
Bill O'Brien (Bobcat, Oceanic - old-fashioned, spacious but slow)
Wharram (lots of deck space, accommodation coffin-like in sub 30 ft models)
There are also quite a few one-offs on the brokerage lists that can vary from great to horrendous. A lot of attempts to give cats standing headroom in the sub 30ft range have been startlingly ugly!
Rivers & creeks
Well-Known Member
Not sure if there is anything to beat the Heavenly Twins at that length. Faster than a Catalac and slower than an Iroquois - but it doesn't need a float at the top of the mast. More spacious than a Iroquois and more cabins than a Catalac and faster and more spacious than a Sirocco. No big open plan cockpit though because of the aft cabins - the cockpit on a Catalac is awesome, big enough for ballroom dancing!
The performance of any pre 2005 cat at that length will be just a bit faster than a cruiser of the same length and era. If he's already looking at cats he knows all about the extra space and extra stability so most of the choice is going to be a trade off between space and performance. If it's his first cat then I would suggest only getting a well known make because selling a small run or one off build cat will be very difficult.
The performance of any pre 2005 cat at that length will be just a bit faster than a cruiser of the same length and era. If he's already looking at cats he knows all about the extra space and extra stability so most of the choice is going to be a trade off between space and performance. If it's his first cat then I would suggest only getting a well known make because selling a small run or one off build cat will be very difficult.
seumask
Well-Known Member
Corneel 26 on the perfomance end of the spectrum seen one in Chichester Harbour, but most I belive are in France.
snowleopard
Well-Known Member
A selection of less popular designs here
Rivers & creeks
Well-Known Member
If that Flica was well built then she's a great buy.