[PCW] CS-42 power cat

[HClews at aol.com]

Rod,

I appreciate your comments and your thoughtful insight on the present state 
of the powercat market.

For us, the "killer app" is the powercat's ability to beat the displacement 
rap.   I know of no traditional boat that can approach the comfort, speed and 
economy of our little 34-ft PDQ.   Do you know of any monohull offering two 
queen cabins, large living spaces AND 3 miles-to-the-gallon at 15-knots?

Although we paid the price at purchase, we love the ability to cover large 
distances at good speed with low fuel consumption.   Perhaps the tipping point 
for powercats will come when fuel costs surpass the $5/gallon mark?

We've put over 6000 nautical miles under our keels; we've been up and down 
the ICW twice, and we've cruised the Baltic from Finland to the Netherlands.   
We now have nearly 700 hours on our engines and our average fuel consumption 
has been just under 4 gallons per hour.

There's no doubt that buying a powercat for its economy is a bit like paying 
$24K for a Toyota Prius - you gotta cover a lot of ground before you can claim 
a cost benefit.   However, now that we own our powercat, we feel great 
freedom in being able to travel long distances without worrying too much about the 
cost.   It also feels like a bargain when we pay only for our 34-foot LOA when 
we pull into a marina for a night or two.   With transient rates over $2/ft in 
some places, this can add up fast.   (We've had no problem at all with our 
nearly 17-ft beam - even in Europe!)

Thanks again for you post.   It will be interesting to see where we go from 
here - powercat-wise.

Henry Clews
aboard Sno' Dog   in Marsh Harbour, Abaco   BAHAMAS
www.geocities.com/snodoglog
most recent page: www.geocities.com/snodoglog/08Winter-Pg5-Bahamas.html



**************
Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living.
      
(http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/
2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)