[PCW] State of the market: power catamarans

[Mark]

I'll echo Gary's comment below. I'd be very curious for more info as well.  I was pleasantly surprised by some features the Lagoon 420/440 sailboats - although still concerned about the quality.  Is this the Schionning design he was talking about (PCM-330) 
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/member.php?u=4839

Let me also add one attribute that I haven't seen mentioned yet.  That's the "feel" of the boat as it moves through the wind, waves, and water.  In a sailboat I feel like I'm working "with" the elements, in a monohull powerboat I feel like I'm working "against" the elements.  Some slender hull cats feel a bit more like a sailboat in that way, others not so much.  In a power mono I feel like I'm driving a big truck, getting jostled around, hull vibrating, while pushing against the water.  The videos and photos of the NAR in heavier seas really give you the sense of something that you need to just survive. 

The big counterbalancing factor to all of that is that even long distance cruisers spend a small fraction of the their time underway and we all know that even sailboats spend a good chunk of their time under power.  And there is the motorsailor - best of both, or worst of both - a discussion for another day.

The BearCat is very interesting, for long term livability the master stateroom and enclosed flybridge with internal stair is very nice.  As a life long sailor I would have never thought I'd be attracted to the enclosed fly bridge, but at a boat show last year the admiral fell in love with the Maritomo 48 sportfisher, the internal stair and enclosed flybridge added an extra "room" with a balcony off the back. You can sit above the dock, anchorage, etc and watch the goings on.  The "upper balcony" is one of those things that the owners of the Nordhavn 62 like about that boat.

Mark
Marina del Rey, CA

--- On Sun, 2/24/08, Candy Chapman and Gary Bell <tulgey at earthlink.net> wrote:
> Finally, the real reason I'm posting this is in hopes
> of finding images 
> and information about two of the new designs you mentioned:
> 
> ...Lagoon dealers' meeting fully 3 or 4 years ago for a
> 38' (or was it 39') power cat...
> 
> ...Schionning-designed Coastal Cat 34 ...
> 
> I did get Google results on:
> 
> ...Roger Hill's BearCat 46...
> 
> ...The Destiny 42 (from Jennings Yachts...
> 



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