catamaran sans sails question

For retirement, I had hoped to join the crowd who, rather than buying an RV to see the country, chose to buy a boat and become a snowbird---traveling the ICW from New England to Florida and maybe someday the Bahamas. Since I am starting from scratch, I would need to take whatever courses are necessary and slowly build my experience. Then life got in the way of my plans. Originally, I was hoping to buy a Prout Snowgoose or maybe a Catalac. Unfortunately, due to some recent health issues, I've come down with vertigo and the prospect of managing sails and maintaining rigging is now beyond my ability.

I started looking into trawlers but from what I've read, a fair percentage of the time, sailors are under power anyway so why not get a cat and remove the sails? If the sails were left in place, I would be tempted to use them.

So---I have a couple of questions.

What are the negative implications of removing the mast and rigging?

If the mast was removed, would I need to add weight to the boat to keep the center of gravity in its designed place?

Does a cat rely on the rigging to provide the hulls with any structural integrity i.e. prevents excessive flexing?

Of the 30'-40' cats suitable for a couple to liveaboard, which are capable of reaching the highest speed under power? I read an article which stated that some of the 37' Prout cats could hit 13 knots under power. This didn't seem plausible but I haven't been able to delete it from my brain.

Initially, I had resigned myself to having to go the trawler route and immersed myself in the one engine or two, full displacement or semi---type debates. I liked the fuel efficiency and the seaworthy attributes of the single engine, full keel trawler but also liked the idea of greater speed. There was a time, not too long ago, when I was good in bad situations. Not any more. If I can get from A to B quickly and then slow down, that is probably my best approach. A cat that motors well seems like the answer?

My "early retirement" has also negatively impacted my budget as well. I am hoping to find something suitable for $50k-$75k after all is said and done (survey, improvements, taxes, etc)

Any suggestions or guidance is greatly appreciated.

 

When wanting a Power Cat, then best look for a Power Cat, I think . .

Not for build information, but just for info about the métier, here some examples....

Richard Woods ^{(forum member)} ---> Power Cats - Live aboard cruisers from 28' to 36' there.

 

Right now I have 746 matches for sailing Cats here. - (and some monohulls who mention the word "catamaran" in the text)

Just post a link of what you like, and discuss here if it's suitable for your needs.

Good luck !

 

This 34' Gemini 3400 looks OK, do the check ups, maybe buy the boat, sell the rig, do some work, and of you go...

( the stainless steel frames above the motor are the dinghy davits )​

Many Cats in this size range, power and sail, are powered by one or two outboards, this one has 50 Hp which is a lot, and more then she needs I think . .

Good luck !

 

Thanks, Angelique.

I would love to be able to just buy a sailing cat, dismast it, top off the tanks and go---gee, that sounds pretty good---but I cannot. That's not me. The "not knowing" about the impact my actions would have on the vessel as regards safety in bad weather would continually gnaw at me. I don't want to find out after the fact that I should not have done that. I am seeking education

It is out of respect for the knowledge and talent of naval architects like Richard Woods, Malcolm Tennant and so many others that I had to question the implications of dismasting one of their designs. What I don't know matters to me. I am probably making more out of this than need be---but that is just my point. I do not know. At this point in time, I will likely just go ahead with it anyhow, I'd just like to know a little more about it.

The powercats are unfortunately now out of reach for me financially. As Mr Woods utilizes a semi-displacement hull on his powercat designs to help keep it from squatting, this is the sort of info I was looking for on sailing cats--which ones have hull shapes that enables them to move better under power. Although I love the beach cottage feel of a Catalac and my wife would like the open feel (she gets claustrophobic), the hull shape probably isn't the best out there for use as a powercat/trawler.

I do like the Gemini for my intended purpose. Despite being a little tight, it is on my short list. Now, if I can rig two outboards for redundancy...

 

Hull shape for low HP powercats (i.e, non planing speeds as MR Woods design) and sailing catamarans are similar. the major difference is the center of gravity of a power cat is further aft than
a sailing cat (owing to the motor weight and no rig), so the former need a little more volume in the aft. You can see the difference on the Richard Woods Chat 18 (sailing cat) and the Skoota 18 (power cat)
wich have basically the same lines.

 

The maxim "Know Thyself" is the foundation of all wisdom as teached by Socrates and Plato.

Benjamin Franklin said in Poor Richard's Almanack "There are three Things extremely hard, Steel, a Diamond, and to know one's self."

You just tackled the toughest of those, so I'll guess some experts here will give you the input to deal with your Cat issues as well.

Kind regards,
Angélique

 

It has always to be remembered that sailing boats don't travel to windward directly, and powerboats can, sometimes directly into the wave train arising from that wind. That is the direction where pitching and slamming are most problematical, so de-sailed boats need to be able to handle that without too much adversity.

 

Umm you could learn to sail and then you wouldn't need to worry so much about the engine. Sailings fun and just shifting about looking at new locations and the likes soon becomes boring under power, add the sailing dimension and the shifting about becomes fun to.

 

Forum member Alik ---> My seminar on Power Catamaran design...

IBEX - Seminar Number: 402 - Power Cats - September 19-21, 2017 - Tampa Convention Center - Tampa, FL USA

IBEX = The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference