Liveaboard -sail vs power

[RichardS]

Hello,it's me again.. So after lots and lots of thinking and browsing we started to look for catamaran. So now here is the question. Which one? I do like Lagoon 380, a lot, and there are some nice boats in the region of 100K. As well we were looking at Prout Snowgoose 37. The main target is Med, but the more we are looking the more we are thinking why not Caribbean and beyond Though of course its just dreams so far, but...So tell me pretty please about pros and cons, especially cons P.S. I am not writing a book

I guess that you're asking for pros and cons of different cats?

We chartered many monohulls over the years but only once chartered a cat so I don't have much personal experience. When we decided to buy, we went for a cat.

Most of the differences are down to personal preference I guess. I prefer Yanmar rather than Volvo Penta and, if possible, the YM30 rather than the GM30 so that narrowed down our choice.

We also liked a trampoline rather than a GRP foredeck and a bridge-deck galley but most modern design 38 - 40 ft cats are pretty much the same layout.

Performance was not really an issue as we are not rushing anywhere so large water and fuel tanks, separate heads and showers and a large fridge and freezer were more important than light weight.

We would have liked a power winch for the mainsail as it's a big sail and a long upwards haul but I might fit one anyway.

Perhaps worth saying that although the cat is at least 50% more expensive in most Med marinas, the choices made above do mean that we can spend more of the time not in marinas.

Richard

 

[seastar777]

thank you for reply Richard, it is exactly what I am looking for, we are not in a hurry, rather quite opposite. Why trampoline, is there any specific reason? Why Yanmar? I figured out that marinas will be no problem as we will be on anchor hopefully most of the time. As well we would like to be as selfsufficiant as possible so the solar and wind generators are the must have.
Tania

 

[RichardS]

thank you for reply Richard, it is exactly what I am looking for, we are not in a hurry, rather quite opposite. Why trampoline, is there any specific reason? Why Yanmar? I figured out that marinas will be no problem as we will be on anchor hopefully most of the time. As well we would like to be as selfsufficiant as possible so the solar and wind generators are the must have.
Tania

Not sure whether a trampoline would be much use in the UK (!) but in the Med and Caribbean it is the most comfortable place to spend time. Any breeze cools you from all sides and, even under gentle sail, the genoa is so high that the family can stretch out and relax. When at anchor we often sit out on the tramp with a beer and a sandwich and watch the world go by!

I also believe that GRP foredecks are more prone to slamming in heavy seas and it is true that in heavy seas seawater does come surging up through the netting which would otherwise hit the GRP but it's pretty noisy anyway.

My Yanmar preference comes from reading online (YBW included) about reliability and spare parts prices. The Leopard 40 cat we chartered in St Lucia had Volvo engines but by the time we came to buy one Robertson & Caine had switched to Yanmar and I was told that this was aimed at increasing reliability. The newer Yanmar YM engines have better access than the GM range although access to all sides of the engine is not usually a problem in cats.

Having said that, I assume that Volvo Penta also have their champions?

There is obviously plenty of space for solar panels etc.

Hope this helps!

Richard

 

[RupertW]

I'm a fan of catamarans but we decided 2 years ago to buy a monhull in Croatia and equip it from there via Easyjet and local chandlers. That's worked very well so far although we will leave a few things like new floorboards and cushions until back in the UK. Our choice was based on Marina costs as we only get to the boat a few times a year so it's mostly in our base Marina.

However I've sailed and chartered a few catamarans including one across the Atlantic. I wouldn't choose an other kind of boat for downwind ocean sailing or rough weather unless I really had to. A boat that really looks after it's crew allows for much better decision making during longs spells of horrible weather.

Most comfortable cabins were in a Leopard 4200 circa 2003, but that had moderate
performance and couldn't get over 10 knots even in perfect broad reaching conditions and could barely sustain 5.5 knots beating into a choppy sea.

Worst boat by far was a Leopard 40 circa 2006 whose handling was dangerously poor, fittings over heavy and coming apart and just an all round dog. Motoring in calmish conditions was it's role in life I think.

Lagoon 410 circa 2002 was the one I crossed the Atlantic in and had spacious but conventional accommodation - owners version best by far due the great bathroom and
shower. It handled well in our roughish crossing in April/May (we had 50knot winds off Finisterre for 24 hours and 30 of our 37 nights at sea had thunderstorms from France via Madiera and St Marten to Florida).

Performance was lovely even with 4 people with gear, many extra fuel cans, full tanks, food and hundreds of big bottles of mineral water. Didn't get past 15 knots but much of the sailing above 10 and tacked at a decent angle at 6-8 knots into choppy seas with no heeling and comfortable cooking nice meals with an all round view. Beating doesnt seem so bad if you can leave a glass on a cockpit table and expect it to still be there.

The 380 of the time was even faster and the same crew had got 18 knots out of one of
those in perfect conditions a few months before. All of the above with normal battened main and rolling genoa.

At anchor in the Caribbean I think a cat is infinitely better as it doesn't roll. In the Med so far I've rarely had anchorages which are rolly so our current mono hasn't been a big disadvantage.

 

[RichardS]

Worst boat by far was a Leopard 40 circa 2006 ........ fittings coming apart

I can relate to that part. The cat we chartered was in St Lucia was the 2005/06 model and the fittings were falling apart and the shore power circuitry was deceased. Although Caribbean charter boats do get very hard all-year abuse from charterers, it was not up to standard.

I think that 2005 was the first year of that model and so many improvements based on customer feedback had been made by 2009, including the engines, that our owner experience has been fine.

Richard

 

[seastar777]

Thank you very much for such precious information. There is nothing better then advice from people who knows. Just as Richard and his family we are not looking for speedy boat, our main aim is safety and comfort but not in a chair in front of a telly.