USA 39 Catamaran ( Aronow)

I'm looking at buying an Aronow 39 Cat. I've heard good and bad. Any comments or ??? would be appricated.

Thanks, Frank

 

I know this thread is extremely old, but it is a 1st page search result so I would like at add some info to it.
The Aronow catamaran (from what I’ve found in my research, not personal experience) is essentially a deep-vee hull split with a narrow tunnel. The tunnel is not effective at adding aerodynamic lift, leaving the entire weight of the boat to be carried on the narrow side hulls. Performance of planing asymmetrical catamaran hulls can be approximated by isolating each running surface and using half the weight of the vessel, minus aerodynamic lift, plus aerodynamic drag. It’s a rough estimate but close enough for most. Since the 39 cat is heavier, but with smaller running surface, it is essentially a dog. With modern high-hp engines, it can be made to work well, but not an ideal design. The deep-vee side hull may contribute to a softer ride, but I don’t think any have gone fast enough to test that out or benefit over other designs. Narrower side hull with less dead rise also give a soft ride at slower planing speeds.
With that said, they can be had for pretty cheap (one on Craigslist for $17k now) and with new power and some customization, would make an awesome deckboat, family cruiser, or offshore fishing boat, but not with the performance one expects from a catamaran. They will also be extremely inefficient.