[PCW] Popularity of catamarans (18' beams....& limited marina space)

[rodgibbons at mindspring.com]

DISCLAIMER:  This letter is written by a catamaran dealer


It's interesting to note that even on this site there is so much of the same concern about the greater width of a cat -- very similar to what we hear expressed at ALL boat shows at which cats are exhibited. So, too, do we hear an ongoing lament about dockage availability, or haul-out facilities. But owners soon learn that their pre-purchase concerns are almost invariably over-hyped.

For example, Lagoon has sold more than a hundred of its 38' sailing cats within the U.S., and they require haul-outs each year . . . and have a beam of 21'. Yet I've heard of NO owners along the east or west U.S. coasts that couldn't find SOME haul-out facility.

As for finding dockage for a cat -- this is just one of MANY elements of purchasing a cat that a GOOD dealer/broker should be able to assist you with . . . and at the MAJORITY of seaside locations in the continental U.S. (Better yet, that assistance rarely costs you a penny more than if you were to buy direct from a manufacturer.) For example, two of the leading marinas here in the Puget Sound area have 2 and 3 year waiting-lists, respectively, for slip space. Yet my company can GUARANTEE a slip space at those marinas within 60 to 90 days for any of my catamaran buyers. (As in so much of life, this is another instance of "it's WHO you know, not WHAT.")

I can empathize with Robert Kimsey's recent post, lamenting that power cats over 18' present an insurmountable problem in the Bellingham, WA, area. So, it should please him to learn that there are some Roger Hill cats in that area right now, which didn't have a problem obtaining dockage (for yes, they're 18' or less in beam).

In similar fashion, has he checked out the BearCat 46 & 51 power cats? They each have 18' beams. (And, as recently reported at this site, so too do the Voyager and Endeavour power cats.)

NOTE:   These are just a few of the many catamaran topics I see discussed or questioned about on this site that any good (experienced) cat dealer/broker can often provide answers to. If you wanted to know about, say, legally incorporating yourself ... or buying an automobile transmission ... you'd either contact a lawyer specializing in the former, or a mechanic specializing in the latter. Similarly, if you have specific cat needs, don't overlook that handful of catamaran dealers around the U.S. who have a proven track-record when it comes to cruising catamarans. (Admittedly, some are more knowledgeable about sailing cats than power cats.)

Some suggestions:

Northeast U.S.  
   Ian Vale in Connecticut at Sound Cats  <ian at soundcats.com>
   Gregor Tarjan at Aeroyachts in NY   <info at aeroyacht.com>
Chesapeake Bay region and Southeast U.S.
   The Catamaran Company ("CatCo"), in Annapolis, MD, and in Ft. Lauderdale. FL
Gulf Coast
   Les Thompson of Southcoast Catamarans in Kemah, TX  <southcoastcats at houston.rr.com>
San Diego, CA
   Barret Canfield -- <barrettc at southwesternyachts.com>
The western U.S.
   Rod Gibbons, Cruising Cats USA (Seattle, Portland, Oakland, HI)  <rodgibbons at mindspring.com>

Now that I've done my altruistic bit, I'll revert to an acknowledged bias. Cruising Cats USA represents the broadest range of sailing AND power cats among the above group. But all of these cat dealers have good catamaran knowledge.

Rod Gibbons
Founder:  Cruising Cats USA
Seattle - Portland - Oakland - Hawaii