Can You Buy A Cheap Catamaran? - Ep 218 - Lady K Sailing

Can you buy a cheap sailboat catamaran for sailing and cruising in the Caribbean? We talk about older sailing catamarans, boat life, living aboard, and family sailing purchasing a sailboat, finding a deal on a sailing catamaran, and living on a sailboat.

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[arts]

Sometimes I hate you, convinced myself never a cat. Now I see myself sitting in one having a drink and watching the sun set over the sea! Thanks and keep it up!

[sailingmymagic]

You left out the Lagoon 380 cat for consideration. All the lines and winches are in one location. Less than $200k for 4 cabins and 2 heads. Plus, it has a CE rating for every ocean in the world. I've been solo sailinga 2015 one for 2 years. I just finished a 1, 000-mile passage from Puerto Rico to Panama by myself. I wouldn't go back to a monohull. The Panama Canal is next, then French Polynesia.

[ladykay]

A galley down arrangement is really good for cabinet and storage space. True, you're not as connected, but if you need some personal space while cooking or cleaning up, having galley down can give you that space. Personally, I'm a galley up girl, but I can see the value in galley down too.

[mvdeehan]

I sailed a friend's Catamaran today for the first time (Sep 15 2024) and man was it fun in the San Francisco Bay. 7 people and plenty of room and a nicely laid out table for lunch while underway. Even with some slamming the food stayed on the table! Best of all was getting up to 14.7 knots. Quite a thrill. The owner bought it 2nd hand in 1995 ($135k) and it still looked good.

[WillNGo]

I've got some cat sailing experience. All that Tim says is true. I had a performance cat ordered and then my stocks took a dump. But in the meantime I overspent on my 'practice boat, ' a Hunter Passage 456, center cockpit it was just too good to pass up (and which I just won't shut up about). Here's something I think I've learned: A 40' Jeanneau is a great sailboat, but my 45' center cockpit is very very close to what sailing on a cat is like. (I don't know if it sails better or faster than the Jeanneau, but it maybe about as close to a cat as a non cat can get. If you have $500k definitely get the cat (but don't get a fat condo cat like a Lagoon or Bali, these are very nice hotel suites that float. They resemble sailboats.) A 45' like mine is not a cat, but it's some of the vibe. Cats I've been on: A Seawind 1600 (53' performance) nothing like it. Zoom. A Fontaine Pajot - okay. Steering didn't work. Thanks Dream Charters (never book a Dream Charter). And a St Francis 50' not a performance cat, but very close.
Galley down works just fine but it's more like a head where you cook in privacy. On the Fontaine Pajot we were all up in the galley and the table preparing dinner, mixing up the salad. Great point. I do all my own cooking; on my 45' mono I like that I can see the big screen TV (because I can't see outside). You won't have that on a galley down in a cat.
Leopard? I've researched a lot of cats. Short of getting a Performance Cat (dagger boards) I've come to think of Leopards as the gold standard. I wouldn't hesitate to pay $150k more for a Leopard over a Lagoon or Bali or Fontaine Pajot that had exactly the same specs and maybe even prettier cushions.
And until you've spent some time on a cat the owners (3) cabin versus 4 cabins seem very similar. But on a 4 cabin what you get as soon as you crawl out of the berth is a door. Not a problem, but your cabin view is a door. An owner's hull just feels open and luxurious.
And those sideways beds up high and the ones that are inline with the hulls? I've spent at least a week in both. About the same. So I wouldn't buy or not buy a boat based on these. That Leopard up berth with the steps? That'd sell me. I can enter my bed on my 45' from the side (like the Leopard, like my bed at home) - it's a plus.

[Trumpwon]

Although I would love to cruise on a cat, for me it would mean delaying cruising for too many years due to the cost.

[mruss]

I know this is something that is definitely outside of this channels wheel house, but with all the clear interest out there in cats it would be quite interesting to do a video on “hurricane damaged” or similar cats and roughly what the cost would be to get it right. There seems to be a movement in getting project cats and ppl fixing it up themselves. It would be interesting to see around what it would cost in the end as well as the time it would take just two people. I have my own thoughts on the topic but I’d really like to see yours, as I’m sure many others would as well.

[SteveA_Roamer]

I would suggest a 1990's privilege 39 is the best deal in entry cats....by far.

[sergest-pierre]

Now we are talking. This is what I`m looking for. I have chartered both Cat and large Monohull (50') and Cat are the best for warm water live aboard, by far. None of the Cat mention are fast, 10-12 max in the best condition and point of sail and they won`t point that well if you have to go upwind. The main issue with Cat is the cost, to purchase and maintain. Most of them are not that fun to sail except the performance one, which are more money. Of course, there is no free lunch here. Thanks for talking about Cat.

[config]

Prouts galley down works, its not a floating condo. Its designed for seaworthiness in heavy weather. Also look at the mast position, imediatedly in front of the helm, one step from the helmseat puts you at the mast winches. Big furling foresails and tiny mains are a feature of Prouts, makes them easy to singlehand. Speedwise they compare to a monohull of the same length, these are not the 14kt beasts you may be looking for, 8 or 9 on passage is more a prouts thing.

Leopard 42 is nice and considerably more "lively".

Something else to consider, a mono you can keep for weekending and vacation sailing. Not so practical doing that with a cat and i would argue its more suited for that big once in a lifetime sailing adventure. That retirement round the world trip where you buy your cat, refit, circumnavigate then sell ( even if it takes you 10 years ). For anything shorter, save yourself the grief and expense and hire someone else's.

[deniscloutier]

Love you work! I was really surprised that the GEMINI LEGACY was not included since it is an entry level catamaran.

[dkeaton]

I remember your through-hull issue. lmao. You and Candace performed so well during that crisis. You both stepped up, and kept her afloat. Help came along and you accepted it, but had it not you had it in hand. That was a very impressive save and I never said well done, sir. So, well done, Sir! Even better for joking about it a few years later.

[weaktom]

Hi nice cat review. I have a catalac 10m launched in 1987. I specify 😊 this because my old cat has enough headspace for my 6’4”. Not any of the cats you mention have +6’ headspace.

[marceld]

2 engines, two sets of maintenance, or is it? Most cats run on one engine at a time as the second engine usually only adds about a knot of speed but will end up using twice as much fuel.  If you stick to a maintenance schedule based on 'hours' you will find that you will be working on two engines about the same as a monohull that only has the option of ALWAYS running its ONLY engine.
I think you may have mentioned 'redundancy'? If one breaks, you have a spare (and twice as many spare parts for that one too)

[david_shih]

loving your awesome lit and pro intros...most other sailing channels totally skimp on this! keep killing it!

[hogfishmaximussailing]

I bought my Richard Woods 34' Romany catamaran for less than 75K. Sailed it for a year in the Bahamas and some on the East Coast. Great cat, nice freeboard, good speed, and sailed well. Yes you can get a good cheap cat.

[thediscodiver]

Bit disappointed with this video, no mention of the lagoon 380 which can be picked up for way below 300k or the Lagoon 39, Fountains Pajot etc. Would love another video done on cats under 300k with more variety and what would be the best cat for single handed sailing.

[Viktatoren]

Can you recommend any relatively cheap cats you can safely sail solo? Best regards from Denmark 🇩🇰

[nicholasbigney]

Here I am cruising on an IP 40, but I still like looking at your videos. We are in Georgetown presently, enjoying Regatta, and noticing that the Cats are the party boats. We can host a pretty good sundowner party, but nothing like a big Cat. I'd rather be in my IP than any boat at sea, but those darn Cats are so nice once you get there.

[julesmoto]

Good topic but I wouldn't tout extra speed as a benefit of those two catamarans over modern monohulls. In fact they will be slower in light breezes.