Adding a Saloon or Cuddy Cabin

[snort]

I understand this is a difficult one to answer, but maybe someone can give me a ballpark figure for something to keep one out of the elements on this:
http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1995.../United-States

Thanks in advance!

[Wavewacker]

I would use an aluminum frame and sunbrella for a soft top cuddy. Depends on what you want and how big of a cabin intended. That's not a cheap cat and I wouldn't cut into it and modify it, might attach a removable shelter top and sides, but you reach a point where trying to build a limo out of a VW is not practicle, just buy the limo....it will be cheaperin the long run.

[Richard Woods]

Don't forget that ultimately you are buying a sailing boat. Not a house boat

So you must consider the gooseneck height, genoa sheet leads, winch positions and general handling of the sails. Like whether you can get a sail cover on, reef safely etc

I'd agree with Wavewacker, why buy a cheap boat that no one has heard of and then spend a lot of money on it to convert it to an expensive boat that no one has heard of?

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com

[cavalier mk2]

Check out Jim Brown's outrig.org site for the Searunner 31 videos that shoe case his soft top. For an inexpensive solution you are pretty much putting a top on the deck pod/fairing. Such a versatile soft top could actually add value without increasing the weight much or adding permanent windage.

[outside the box]

As Richard and Wavewacker said, I have been on the boat in the first 3 photo's works well but know nothing of the other but well done for at anchor...

[snort]

Thanks for all your answers! I'll hunt around the outrig site for that info you mentioned, "cavalier".
"Outside", that's a nice looking boat and probably what would be an acceptable solution to the boat I posted the link to.
"Wavewacker", you're probably right!
And Richard, I'm still looking for that elusive Eclipse or Flica to show up somewhere on the market, preferably in GRP. Either of those would be more than suitable for what I'm looking for.

[Richard Woods]

You might like to know that David Halliday of www.boatsmithfl.com is about to start building a foam sandwich Eclipse, with maybe another one on the way

The bottom photo maybe a Lars Oudrup Havcat 36. At the very least the photo shows the problems with a very angled daggerboard. imagine drying out against a quay wall with that (I wonder how they get on in Dutch locks?)

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com