Why Catamaran Lengths Can Be Deceiving (Catamaran Sizes Part 2)

[@BigBensBoatBrokerage]

Catamarans come in all shapes and sizes, but setting an arbitrary length requirement for purchasing a cat is probably counterproductive. Why do I say this? If you are seeking representation for the purchase for any large catamaran listed on Yachtworld or elsewhere please email me [e-mail] to receive our free buyers guide. Our services are at no cost to buyers, seller pays our commission. Don't go it alone on your next yacht purchase!

[@mandmmilling3716]

I am not sure if i agree with you with regards to you statements about just longer sugar scoops. While you might not see the value of this, there is a definite one. First, stretching the cat out even a foot will change the balance of the boat. It changes the break over angles and weight distribution. Second, it changes the whetted surface of the cat which will definitely affect speed. So, while i will concede just lengthening the sugar scoops adds very little interior living benefit, cats are more than just sitting at anchor boats, and changing the overall length of a boat can effect the rides between anchors significantly. A perfect example of this is removing the outboard from a transom and installing an outboard mounting bracket. The boat will handle substantially different with just a couple feet added between the transom and the outboard.

[@kasperkorea]

Is an outboard the stairs that accesses the catamaran?

[@mikemendes7598]

Ben - thanks for the plug, and my 15 minutes (OK, 5 seconds) of fame. Here are two ideas for future videos. Not sure you'll sell many boats, but might bring new viewers to the channel. 1) Survey people as to what their key criteria are in purchasing a cruising cat. Sailing Yacht Ruby Rose just finished an amazing series of reviews on 19 different cats and let their viewers also rank them. But it would be interesting to find out what people think is MOST important, what's 2nd, etc. I don't know if you can do that on YT. 2) Do a video similar to this one on dimensions of berth sizes. There's a lot of talk about "walk around queen size berths". A queen is 60" wide, not 54" or 55". (or less) Some of these builders take real liberty with their descriptions of berths. To me, anything under about 55" is not a double unless you are kids. (Or young and in love - LOL.) Referencing #1 above, a REAL queen sized berth would be probably my #1 requirement in a cruising cat. Neither me or my girlfriend are large people, but we can't share anything less than a queen any more. Also, we'd never buy a boat with a berth you'd have to enter from one side. So either a foot entry, or walk around. These "luxury cats" with all side entry berths are crazy! Keep up the good work!

[@MrCaplon]

Very well done. I have had a wharram and a Telstar and a couple of lead swingers. Ran a 60 foot head boat cat in Biscayne bay and now looking at f37 to Semi truck from FLA to Banderas bay Mexico. I am a multihull nerd so really appreciate your observations.

[@carlosvallejo4926]

Hi Ben, This was an incredible video. Thank you . Cheers from NYC

[@JohnSmith-zo6ir]

Superyachts are measured on volume, because you can have a tri-level superyacht of 100ft that has more volume than a double level 200ft yacht. It's the volume that counts, not the length. Cats should be measured the same way. Specifications should show width, length and volume.

[@Chogogo717]

Maybe they were measuring from bow to the aft end of the dinghy. 😆

[@kasperkorea]

I do not understand why anybody would want an unnecessary long boat. Maybe there are some technical advantages to this, like safety / boat manoeuvring? But to my extremely limited understanding, does a longer and wider boat not mean 2x marina fees? Ideally, I would prefer a catamaran design narrow and short enough to be charged standard marina fees. . Pretty much every Cat. out there has a silly layout, in my opinion. Why would anybody want 4-6 cabins (particularly those uncomfortable narrow singles at the bow section) + 4-5 tiny bathrooms and lots of aisle space. Beds are very heavy which is a minus for cats. Also, how often do you need to accommodate 12 people sleeping on board? I am thinking of the 80/20 rule here. Small bathrooms are uncomfortable and having to maintain the plumbing for 4-5 showers, sinks and toilets sounds expensive, prone to fault and very unattractive to me. Obviously, if you plan to live onboard with +3 teenage kids I can see the value of such a layout. . An optimal layout, in my opinion, would be something like this: 2x double beds, one at the transom end of both hulls. (1 which can separate into 2x single) 2x spacious and shared bathrooms at the bow section. Aft. hull space could be utilized for a galley kitchen in one hull and a storage / office space in the other hull. The seating area in the lounge could be designed so that it could easily be converted into providing two extra sleeping spaces. . Such a layout should be achievable in a small form factor. Am I the only one who would find such a layout more attractive?

[@RogerWilco1]

A longer boat is faster, assuming weight and sails are proportional. A longer boat also tends to be wider so there is more space inside, often dramaticly.

[@tonyfromaus7855]

I’d never considered it until your video, but maybe instead of looking at length we all ought to focus more on beam. Apart from any idiosyncratic builds, the beam tells the most story about room on the boat. Something I will look at more closely in future.

[@andreachinaglia5804]

for catamarans what matters, space wise, is how the hulls are fat, not the beam. the beam must be proportioned to the length to make it sea worthy, a too narrow catamaran can capsize, so almost every modern catamaran has very similar length/beam ratio, but a charter oriented one has a lot more internal space then a performance oriented one, even if the beam is the same, as the hulls are fatter. as had been already told in the comments by others space is not everything, a longer boat is also a faster boat, so if it is wrong to assume that more length = more inernal space to know the length of the boat is still relevant.

[@justfly2525]

I've been saying that length isn't as important as girth for a long time. 🤪

[@grancito2]

Hahaha

[@spacegreycoralred]

Ben as far as small cats, what are your thoughts of the Gemini Legacy 35?

[@BigBensBoatBrokerage]

Name kinda says it all...it's a really old design. It's space efficient for a 35 ft vessel but fundamentally a catamaran built like a monohull.

[@sergest-pierre6160]

I'm looking to buy a Cat in 2021-22 for live a board at retirement and I have a small budget. Since you mention it, I really would like to have your opinion on that smaller newer VS older bigger. I understand exponential maintenance cost of bigger boat but would like to ear the other points.

[@BigBensBoatBrokerage]

Well maintenance is a big part of it but some quick points regarding a hypothetical "Leopard 39 vs 47 Showdown" Forward Ventilation: Newer Leopards have the door/forward cockpit and 38/39 have two big hatches with vertical windows. Old Leopard have the sloped windows shutter shades/steps. Bridgedeck Clearance: Slightly better on newer Leopards, older Leopards never as bad as some other SA boats but it's a tad low. Construction: Older Leopard were slightly overbuilt, so they are heavier, but that means can ding em against the dock with less worry. Bunks: Older Leopards have athwartships berths, not my favorite. Cockpit: Not all lines were led back on older Leopards, the 47 line arrangement is a bit confusing, though you can mod the deck hardware to run almost all lines back. Interiors: YMMV, some people hate the new Leopard interiors ("Milk"/"Ash") others don't mind at all. Engines: I prefer separated engine compartments with saildrives. Older Leopards have interior engines with shaft drives. This is a worth a video in and of itself. email me [e-mail] so I don't lose track of you. Hope to hear from you soon.

[@andreachinaglia5804]

small: everything is smaller and less heavy ( sails and so on ) so easier to handle short handed, lower maintenance cost, warranty if you buy new. some boats need upgrades (can lack of generator, water maker, navigation electronics and so on), you have to count those upgrades in the final price you pay. big: more displacement and length make it more fast and comfortable on passages, you need a very good survey, a professional one, to be sure to buy a boat that can actually cruise or at least to know what you have to fix/replace to make it sea and cruise worthy , but potentially can come with all is needed to cruise or live aboard, or the opposite can be the case... big and used, if you buy a good boat at the right price, can also maintain the value better, a new boat loose a lot of value in the first 3 years, after looses less value. small and used and spending the rest of the money for upgrading it is also a possible alternative, a boat of few years ago can have a little less optimized use of the space, can look lees cool, but is very similar to a modern one if we are talking of cruising catamarans. few years, if we talk of boats of 15 or 20 years ago it is different... a boat 3-5 years old in good conditions and the rest of the money for upgrades possibly can give you a full optional boat at the same price if not less you pay a bare new boat of the same length that can not be ready to real live a board. i hope it helps you in your choice.

[@RogerWilco1]

Great Video. Best color rendition. The leopard in background adds a lit of production value but even without it, thats a great location. What camera are you using? Your face is slightly out of focus most of the time. You might be too close. Yet at the sake time you’re not close enough (you’re a a bit small on the screen.). This makes me think you’re using an ultrawide phone camera or gopro. If you can get an alternative lens thats closer to a 50mm equivalent, that might help both problems.

[@BigBensBoatBrokerage]

Panasonic G85 w/kit. Shot around at 22mms. I have 7.5mm prime for walkthroughts but it makes your face look funny if you are a human :D. I used autofocus but it centered on the high contrast white boat in the background. Yeah I realized this several hours after the fact but could not summon the will for reshoots due to several factors. I'm just gonna use manual focus from now because I either need total depth of field for walkthroughs or I'm just doing static shots like this. You'll notice I'm not the only catamaran broker who had autofocus problems in a recent video.

[@RogerWilco1]

Ben Kaminsky Catamaran Review Ah, no face focus mode there. On a bright day shoot you can also crank closed the iris/aperture. Something like f22 would make a much larger area in front if the camera in focus.