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

[Robert Kimsey]

I'll contact you on a side channel.  I have always been convinced it is who
you know at the marina.  Unfortunately I don't seem to know the right
people. I have seen big new boats miraculously wind up with a side tie when
I have been on the waiting list for years and they haven't.

-----Original Message-----
From: power-catamaran-bounces at lists.samurai.com
[mailto:power-catamaran-bounces at lists.samurai.com] On Behalf Of
rodgibbons at mindspring.com
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 10:45 PM
To: power-catamaran at lists.samurai.com
Subject: [PCW] Popularity of catamarans (18' beams....& limited marina
space)

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
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