Moving to a catamaran (Prout ?)

[pragmatist]

Sadly we have decided to part with our lovely Rival 41 - tempus fugit and all that. We find that the deep steep companion way, heeling and the general weight of the gear is now rather difficult. So we have decided to change to a cat - although we know the sailing will not be as much fun it is better than having no sailing at all. We like the idea of more level sailing - and also the deck saloon for the views.

The Prout Event 34 and the Elite 37 both seem to suit our needs but we would love to hear from anyone who has experience of them. Which do you prefer - and why ? Anything that one does better (or worse) than the other ? Anything to look out for when looking at either model ?

TIA
Penny

 

[capnsensible]

Have sailed them both a fair bit.

Dated designs now....no patio door! But I always found them very seaworthy despite a bit of slamming under the bridgedeck. Not being shy with the engine(s) helps when going to windward.

Prefer the ones with the saloon up top rather than the big bed.

For harbours, two engines easy berthing in most conditions. With practice the single engine and movable outdrive leg is good too.

Would go for a factory one rather than a home completed version.

Think you would enjoy the ease of sailing but of course mooring costs should be considered.

Hope it works out, either would do! :encouragement:

 

[Tomahawk]

What do you mean .. not as much fun?
I love the look of the back of your boat, then the side, then the front. Putting your wine down for a tack and it staying put has a lot to offer.

Suggest you look at more than a Prout. They were never built as sailing boats. Some French and Dutch designs are more than just a bit of fun to sail.

 

[pragmatist]

Thanks capn. BTW do you know what standing headroom is like in the saloon of the 34 ? We both had (just) standing headroom in the main seated area of the Elite. TIA Penny

 

[capnsensible]

Thanks capn. BTW do you know what standing headroom is like in the saloon of the 34 ? We both had (just) standing headroom in the main seated area of the Elite. TIA Penny

As I remember (was a while) then on the Event, by the door is ok but you need to sit at the table. as you probably know, in both hulls there is lots of height. The way the boat is set up, not a problem. Good views sat at the table.

I did deliver a 31 once from Scotland to Gib. This had a most brilliant hard sprayhood great for any weather. If you find one of the larger versions with something like that, it would be a useful plus.

 

[Praxinoscope]

I’m not an expert on ‘cats’ and they are possible smaller than what you want but one of my old moorings was surrounded by Tom Lack Catalacs, which always looked well built and finished and seemed to sail well, but as I said not an expert on cats.

 

[capnsensible]

I’m not an expert on ‘cats’ and they are possible smaller than what you want but one of my old moorings was surrounded by Tom Lack Catalacs, which always looked well built and finished and seemed to sail well, but as I said not an expert on cats.

Friend of mine lived on one for years in Ceuta having sailed it from Wales. Um, perhaps not the best of boats ever made.....

Did some teaching on one out of Haslar Marina ages ago. Nah. Not good. Prouts far better. Scilly Pete has one, mebbe worth a PM?

 

[alant]

I’m not an expert on ‘cats’ and they are possible smaller than what you want but one of my old moorings was surrounded by Tom Lack Catalacs, which always looked well built and finished and seemed to sail well, but as I said not an expert on cats.

Ugly though.

 

[Scillypete]

Standing headroom in the saloon is of little consequence really as the seating area takes up the majority of the space so you'll only be standing to pass through and I find, at 5'11" my quest 33 has adequate headroom in the saloon I would think the elite and event have slightly more.

Don't believe the myth that they won't sail to windward, they will just not as close and it is not necessary to motorsail every time you are beating, I recently clocked 8 knots while close hauled. Avoid overloading the boat and you will be rewarded with better sailing performance

 

[Praxinoscope]

Ugly though.

Unless they have 4 legs and fur most cats are.

 

[Tomahawk]

Unless they have 4 legs and fur most cats are.

Agree .. most are not pretty.. until you get over 40 feet long. then it gets expensive..

 

[RichardS]

Agree .. most are not pretty.. until you get over 40 feet long. then it gets expensive..

Even at 40 feet, some are beauties:

:encouragement:

Richard

 

[Praxinoscope]

Even at 40 feet, some are beauties:

:encouragement:

Richard

Sorry Richard but beauty is obviously in the eye of the beholder.

John

 

[Scillypete]

Prouts definitely have a sleek elegance

 

[RichardS]

Sorry Richard but beauty is obviously in the eye of the beholder.

John

What? The F1 vessel of the seas. Not a beauty?

Richard

 

[owen]

The prout family are all very similar . They are based on the 31 having canoe sterns and a central nacelle which gives added headroom in the saloon and an engine bay aft.
The 33 , 35 and 37 snowgoose all use the same layout. The elite and event addressed the need to compete with other marques namely in addressing the width of the aft cabins. This was done by adding in glassfibre "boxes " to the inside of the cabins. Also the overall width increased by 1 foot. The weight went up quite a bit and initially the rudders were too small. This was sorted by fitting bigger rudders with a small step above to disguise it.
The elite is usually more luxurious and expensive than the snowgoose 37 but is slower due to the weight and the restrictions caused by the water having to be forced between the nacelle and the aft protrusions.
The sillette sonic leg is crude but simple and when raised adds another knot to sailing speed and is much quieter... and no worries re lobster pots.
Overall the prouts are an older design but very tough. They do not have anywhere near the accommodation of say a mahe 36 or similar but then they are much less expensive.

 

[Neeves]

Broadblues would be a more modern design, we nearly bought one - they went under before we made the decision.

Sailing to windward in seas, forget it. Its OK if the water is flat. If you are in a mono you can dodge seas, impossible with 2 hulls - one will catch the breaking wave!

Off the wind stunning performance. Prouts had poor bridge deck clearance, hence the slamming, more modern designs have more clearance and are quieter. I assume costs are an issue - I'd suggest a smaller modern design rather than an older bigger design - unless your sailing is in sheltered waters - and then it does not matter, so much. From memory - Prouts had monster headsails and tiny mains - you would need a furler - it was a sail plan that did not really gain popularity

Ours is a 38' Lightwave - 2 engines - quite possible to turn through 360 degrees in its own length, if you do it slowly - infinitely manoeuvrable.


Beauty is in the eye of the holder - I find Hanse's interpretation of the Moody pretty ugly!

Jonathan

 

[sailaboutvic]

Well it seems that almost every other boat now in eastern Med is a cat , come a few more years the way it going and there be more charter cat then mono .
Friends have a prout 46 , I very much like it and if I was to buy one that's the one I go for ,
There are two part around the world now .
Another Dutch friends build their only 14 mts , now that does sail pretty well to wind , fast is an understatement, we seen it clocking on the AIS 16 kits for over an hour ,
which goes noware to what it can really do ,
both experiences sailor they Amit it can frighten the crap out of them at times .
What I seen not to understand is the statement ( some ) cat owners make , which is they don't roll at sea what ever to put down stays there , that's not what I seen with my own eyes .
Any comments cat owners

 

[Neeves]

Depend what you mean by roll.

In big swells the hulls lie (or the bridge deck lies) parallel to the sea surface and if that is one side or the other of a swell then we are not sailing flat, and roll as the swells pass beneath us. We also heal to the wind, but that's a few degrees, not 20 or 30 as with a monohull. In short seas we can bounce (modern cats tend to be light) about a bit (and it tends to be a bit unpredictable - whereas I would have said you can anticipate movement more easily with a mono) and leaving a coffee pot on the saloon table can be a mistake - a little coffee goes a long way. But we can leave the porridge in its bowl on a silicone mat. Coffee pots tend to be a bit too tall.

But big swells are not going to be a common feature for many - so much depends on where you sail. Making 10 knots (average) in short seas are not the conditions where you can sit down to bone china and lead crystal wine glasses - its bouncy and you are edgy - dinner needs to be a bit less formal

Jonathan

 

[RichardS]

What I seen not to understand is the statement ( some ) cat owners make , which is they don't roll at sea what ever to put down stays there , that's not what I seen with my own eyes .
Any comments cat owners

I think its more common to hear cat owners say that the their cat does not heel at sea so we can sail along at 10 knots with all the wine glasses etc sitting happily on the table. Obviously, this usually means that even in a roughish sea, the cat is more stable although the waves certainly do cause enough motion which means that the wine glasses have to be put away, there is still not the underlying heeling as well.

Richard