2021 Fountaine Pajot Elba 45 - Walkthrough Wednesday

[@Cherronova]

Absolutely love this format for review. And this cat is absolutely amazing for its size! Talk about very little to comprise for so much space. Thanks for all the hard work you do Mr. Sharp.

[@catamarancentral]

Thanks for the kind words and taking the time to watch.

[@timmottram9307]

I watch a LOT of these videos, and this was hands down the best one, showed it all really clearly and in hardly any time, great work! I want that boat so bad!!

[@catamarancentral]

Thanks Tim for taking the time to watch

[@tallflyer]

You’ve come a LONG way from doing “a quick pano;” well done! And nice boat, too.

[@catamarancentral]

Thanks for the kind words. I can't take credit for the quality though. I brought in the big guns.

[@tryNsomethingnew]

Love this boat

[@catamarancentral]

You'd know a thing or two about that as well ;)

[@FXPL9277]

What a beuty she is! Checks all the boxes (but a self tacking jib).

[@catamarancentral]

Have to have something to do while sailing ;).

[@vokstar]

Really nice walkthough as usual, some well thought out things on this boat, the magnets on the curtains is a simple but great idea.

[@catamarancentral]

Glad you like them!

[@aether44j]

this boat is specced perfectly, where is it based in at the moment??

[@catamarancentral]

She was sold, and sailing around the Chesapeake Bay

[@HeidiandFranny]

Great review Wiley. It was nice sailing with you. For that price, I would want to see a washer/dryer. Maybe you forgot to mention. Also, knowing whether or not a bath has a wethead or not (maybe you did mention and I need to watch again). I also want to see ALL possible storage places, because I visualize myself living there. Thanks again. Heidi

[@catamarancentral]

The boat is equipped with a washer/dryer in the starboard companion way. The shower stalls are separate stalls on the boat. Great suggestion on showing more of the storage spaces onboard the boat.

[@FXPL9277]

Check 10'47''

[@robweiss748]

good review, Wiley. Does anybody other than me think putting yoyr battery bank and 110V breaker panel in the engine compartment a bad idea? You are one leaky sail drive seal, access hatch leak or hull puncture from no power and an electrical hazard. What am I missing here?

[@catamarancentral]

It wouldn’t necessarily be my first choice, but it’s the way FP’s done it for years. I haven’t seen a failure caused by it, but totally understand concern

[@robweiss748]

@@catamarancentral Thanks for the response; would like to meet you someday. I might have posted this before, but when we chartered a Lucia this past February and the Captain had to go into the port engine bay to close the salon TV breaker, I was like, what...? What if you have to reset a breaker in rough seas? I chalked that up to a French thing. Also, the backwards light switches....

[@HappysDaysailer]

Wiley could make a trash can seem inviting . Your awesome Wiley.!!!

[@catamarancentral]

Thanks Andrew.

[@mc25a]

I don't understand the pricing of catamarans. Seems much higher than new ex factory. Understanding all the options, I still don't see how it accounts for the price. Is this due to a scarcity in the market, immediate delivery, or some thing else? Thanks

[@FlesHBoX]

Catamarans gost significantly more than an equivalent length mono due not only to there simply being more material involved, but also requiring a lot of strength on the bridgedeck to accommodate some pretty significant stress loading. They also see much higher rig loading due to not dumping power to heeling over, which means that essentially everything involved is going to be 40-60% larger as compared to an equivalent length monohull. They also have two of several larger ticket components, and tend to just have more "things" in general, such as refrigerators, AC units, toilets, sinks, etc... There is also the fact that cats simply take a lot more labor to build, labor being typically 50-60% of the cost involved (Tony Grainger's site suggests 45-50% being the materials cost, based on many years of designing DIY cat kits). I don't know how many hours FPs take, but Balance has said that there are over 10,000 man hours in each boat, I suspect that was either a slight exaggeration, or a bit on the excessive side for a really high finish level and FP is probably around 8,000 hours for a 45 foot. And build times don't increase linearly with length. With FP being French built, that time is going to add up to a fairly large number due to French labor rates being pretty high. Now, whether or not the prices we see today are "fair", I can't really say, but cat prices do somewhat tend to line up with the "rule" that catamarans are "50-60% more expensive than a monohull of the same length and quality level", which makes sense since they are built with 50-60% more materials than an equivalent length monohull. As for their used prices, cats are pretty hot right now, and due to the storms destroying a huge number of them in recent years, supply is very backlogged (none of the cats I am interested in have build slots open until 2024 at the earliest). So short supply combined with high demand means the used market is a strong sellers market right now. Though you *might* be able to get a deal on a Lagoon 450 by asking about their cracked bulkhead issues...

[@mc25a]

@@FlesHBoX Thank you for the detailed answer. I get the high new prices of cats for sure. Just that this model lists new for a bit over 600k USD (base to be fair). There must be some depreciation - I would guess significant for anything used. But maybe your last paragraph is the reason for the whole thing.

[@catamarancentral]

Great question. The new cost on this boat was roughly $930,000usd. With the euro/dollar exchange rate, price increases at the factory, and a long delivery timeframe this boat would cost close to $1m usd if ordered today.

[@iCitizenTube]

@@FlesHBoX well if you look at the price of the Moody 45 DS or the Amel 50 monohulls are actually just as expensive as a FP 45 and way more expensive than a Lagoon 42. Maybe the yearly maintenance is still more costly than a monohull but i have no data to back that up.

[@chrismehling9968]

Great video review Wiley. I love this format with a variety of camera angles!

[@catamarancentral]

Thanks Chris. It was a lot of fun making this one.

[@sandrarenwick1225]

Awesome walk through and beautiful cat! I do miss the “pano” though lol. Will have to look at this Elba line a bit closer! Very well laid out boat for cruising!!

[@catamarancentral]

Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment. Are you thinking of buying a catamaran in the mid 40ft range? I'd love to help. [e-mail]

[@paulwarrington7061]

This is my perfect boat. I’ve followed your channels for a while and this review is next level

[@chad5617]

The only real complaint I have about FP is the lack of windows in the head. I don't want to feel like I'm using a porta potty. All it would take would be a nice little window for me to look out while I file paperwork on my throne.

[@catamarancentral]

Thats where I always file away my paperwork as well.

[@alarnold2307]

MR SHARP ARE YOU STILL DOING YOUR PRICE COMPARSION FFOR CATARNARAN IN ALL PRICE GROUP.?

[@catamarancentral]

Not in all price ranges, but I just did my top 3 boats for the month of January

[@glennfuller1448]

Wow…. Great Job Wiley- excellent video!

[@catamarancentral]

I can't take credit for this one. I brought in the big guns to help me out ;)

[@WillN2Go1]

Good video. Nice boat. I see an earlier on of these where I paddle. This video keeps me from being arrested for sneaking on board or peeking in the hatch windows. Instead of fitted sheets on boat beds. (For the record making my bed at home is also a pain in the butt. around and around I go.....) Why not a loop in the corner of the sheet, a hook at the far end, maybe on a bungee or on a line that can be pulled and secured from the accessible end? Seems obvious doesn't it. (For my backpacking rain fly (tent) I've gotten rid of grommets, D-rings and just sew reinforced grosgrain (ribbon) loops. If they can hold down my fly in 35mph winds they should be able to work on a bed. And with lines it would easy to have the sheet tuck under so you don't see the loops or the lines.) Open question. I've been fussing with jib furlers on rental boats. The one on a 28' Catalina just seems designed to make me miserable. On an upscale boat like this is unfurling the head sail also a two handed operation? tension on the furling line as you winch the sail out? Shouldn't someone make a tensioned anti-winch that keeps tension on the furling line as the head sail is deployed? Maybe they do. (I think of myself as a clever guy. I've come up with things no one's thought of before (see above) - but on boats? I always find my new idea is as old as Lief Ericson or it's already being done a lot better.

[@DanZucker]

my dream boat. hoping to charter the 2020 edition in greece this fall

[@catamarancentral]

Did you get sailing on one this fall?

[@hiddenvalleyentertainment]

Is there a washer dryer?

[@jerrittelliott6557]

great job Wiley... LOVE this boat...

[@catamarancentral]

She's a super nice boat, and contracted extremely fast.

[@stephenthompson612]

Great video, and not once did I hear Pano, so refreshing.

[@catamarancentral]

Glad you like it.

[@iCitizenTube]

Thank you for this excellent review. Such a shame this is not an owner version. Owner version are really the best for a couple wanting to sail around the world. and the hold more resell value in the long run. Do you think you can install a Oscar system on the top of the mast? Thank you

[@catamarancentral]

I'm sure you can. Are you looking specifically for an Elba 45 Owner's Version?

[@ventricity]

Do catamarans handle rough seas?

[@catamarancentral]

I think so

[@baddecisionsrv8506]

Wow! What a gorgeous cat. The video is on another level too! So cool to watch you progress.

[@catamarancentral]

Thanks for the kind words.

[@andrewbryant324]

Nice video! You'll be helping us buy in a the next few years. Moving to St. Croix and cruising out of there. Also, nice quality of sound in the vid.

[@catamarancentral]

I love STX. Be sure to go meet the beer drinking pigs up in the "rainforest."

[@geoffhorsley1765]

Excellent overview, thanks Wiley. Really setting the bar high

[@catamarancentral]

Thanks Geoff!

[@FlesHBoX]

Really dig this format. Though, I missed the quick pano :)

[@catamarancentral]

I'll be sure to drop in a quick pano on the next one.

[@pcrathke]

Why are grab rails an option? The absolute base version ought to be safe.

[@Maxtcee1]

İs this for sale wiley?

[@catamarancentral]

She sold, but I have another Elba coming to market. Shoot me an email for info. [e-mail]

[@SKJen13]

Nice Cat Wiley!!

[@catamarancentral]

Thanks for taking the time to watch it and comment!

[@philandlyra3365]

Keeping my dream alive, thanks Willey 🙏

[@catamarancentral]

Thanks for taking the time to watch

[@hupehdiesel]

Great Review Wiley!

[@catamarancentral]

Thanks for watching Dave.

[@carlosvallejo4926]

Happy New Year Wiley from Canary Islands!

[@catamarancentral]

Happy New Years Carlos!

[@clifbradley]

I just discovered your channel and videos. I love them. I've always wanted to learn to sail and to have a boat to go anywhere with my kids. Live that vagabond lifestyle. Maybe one day. Love your videos. They don't have that monotonous techno BS music playing in the background. You aren't trying to paint me a picture of every feature on the boat and wax poetic on each room. And you can tell that you have actual knowledge of the vessel and it's usage.

[@leecoleman822]

Okay , but what’s up with the Excess move , are still moving forward…….

[@catamarancentral]

Excess Catamarans are alive and well. I'm not longer with Denison Yachting, but can assist you with an Excess catamaran if you're interested. I am also working on a very cool product line with another European builder that is a performance cruising boat. Big announcement coming soon.

[@h.v7461]

Truly enjoy the new format and presentation. Great job! Cheers 🍻

[@catamarancentral]

Much appreciated!

[@danrawcliffe87]

Fantastic review vid! Love this. Subscribed!

[@larryboles629]

EPIC Wiley !

[@catamarancentral]

Thanks Larry!

[@carlosvallejo4926]

Hi, this was one of your best videos and I have seen all of them. Great job. Cheers from Canary Islands 👍

[@catamarancentral]

Wow, thank you!

[@kaytennant9571]

If only it was a owners version!

[@catamarancentral]

I've got you. Looking forward to meeting on Monday.

[@SVMatcha]

Appreciate the production quality. Nicely done 👍

[@catamarancentral]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jackdickerson2031]

Wiley great job on the video. That's how I would like one specked out. What is this boat listed for at this current time?

[@kiaanderson7665]

Asking price is 900k, according to the description

[@beyzano7091]

I used to scoff a little at the “true sailors” out there crapping all over the big three catamaran companies as condomarans only suitable for charter use within sight of land, but I have to admit that the lagoon 450 bulkhead fiasco has really shaken my confidence in these boats. Could you maybe comment on this issue? Is this really only a lagoon issue? Are leopards and FPs built better? Are their bulkheads composite core? Thanks in advance!

[@catamarancentral]

That particular issue is isolated to just the Lagoon 450's. That being said, I've seen build issues on everything from the cheapest of production boats to the highest end custom boats.

[@shmegg1095]

Well done, fantastic video.

[@catamarancentral]

Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@megamilyon6111]

Why does someone buy a brand new catamaran and then sell it ?

[@catamarancentral]

Life plans can change.

[@gregpamenter983]

Such a perfect Cat! And a superb job on the video Wiley!

[@catamarancentral]

Thanks Greg. We had a ton of fun making this video.

[@mariadelcmontalvo6116]

Excellent video

[@catamarancentral]

Glad you liked it

[@garyhawkesford2253]

SUPERB The boats on the market need to look at you some of the companies are shabby yet selling a boat / yacht for a million You n ur team have nailed it. Professional approach, unbiased Well done for goin alone 😁😁😁😁🙏

[@catamarancentral]

Gary, thank you so much for the kind words. We love what we do, and have a ton of fun doing it.

[@garyhawkesford2253]

@@catamarancentral Hey i have criticized before Top job Companies and private sellers need you They are selling a top quality product They need the best YOU ARE

[@RachelBlomstrom]

This is almost my perfect dream cat. I just need someone to donate to me and I promise I will work to contribute and help every community I meet.

[@catamarancentral]

If they were donating it I'd be sailing her now ;)

[@RachelBlomstrom]

@@catamarancentral well let me know if you find somebody who donates to disabled veterans

[@Sarasdad91]

I'll take it

[@normshifferd9728]

Very nice

[@marcanthony4930]

I didn't like this video. Too much a sales pitch, then a walkthrough. No pausing to open things to see how big or how it opened. I couldn't tell you what the showers or heads looked like or their size, hatches and air flow no clue, generator or watermaker, never showed it, accessible engine compartment, no clue, but he pitched the hydrrolic transum, but never showed the hydrolics. No specs or stats, no mention of comparison to other boats. In fact, there wasn't a single negative comment in the entire video. Should have KZbin regulator flag this as manufacturers Romance text and not walkthrough.

[@catamarancentral]

LOL. You could have just clicked next video. I was highlighting the boat's features...

[@finalgeneration66]

nice

[@catamarancentral]

Thanks

[@jon-ie4li]

What a bargain price.

[@catamarancentral]

I think so.

[@robwestern7702]

Send me one any day haven't won lottery yet but as and when for sure unless you want to give me one too show off around Western Australia absolutely stunning aye

[@stevenr8606]

Way to many + + + add ons

[@catamarancentral]

Its crazy how much equipment they were able to fit on a 45ft boat.

[@anjiraj2899]

everything is out of focus !