Choosing the right performance cruising cat for Uhuru.
- Thread starter Mambo Kings
- Start date
So now that we can all admit that it’s painful, why so much hate on a thruster. When the wife and I go back out again in 10 years or so a thruster is definitely on the wish list. Our Catana didn’t have a rub rail which always made tight maneuvers in wind/current super stressful. Give me a thruster and I’d be sipping a beer. Not really, but I figure the thruster could be easily be worth the weight and added complexity to lower the anxiety. It always seemed to work out but it’s the what if oops moment that would easily pay for one, so maybe worth the expense too. Now dealing with the shame is another thing
Wess
Super Anarchist
Interesting. I am wondering if the changes are a function of boats being larger, facilities being better, or just time. The wife and I last cruised far and wide almost 30 years ago. BC. Before children LOL. Also smaller boat than the 50 and 60s you see now so less beam. But back then we for sure made effective use of the rub rail! Heck you should see the docking arrangement we have had for the past 10 or so years. Four turns, over about 200 yards, through every compass direction and between about 12 feet at most to 6 feet at least over our beam measurement. With the slip naturally situated such that prevailing winds (or storms) are a cross breeze. God I miss my rub rails!! Thought about a winter project to install same but would destroy the aesthetic (and be a point load where its not designed for same).
But yea its one of many things we like about CW designs. The dude truly gets ma and pa cruising
Thrusters are great! For performance cats it's a weight allocation issue - do you want to use X amount of your payload that way, for something you may not use too often?? For any other boat I wouldn't hesitate. Even with twins, it still helps a lot. I think the hating is mostly envy.....So now that we can all admit that it’s painful, why so much hate on a thruster. When the wife and I go back out again in 10 years or so a thruster is definitely on the wish list. Our Catana didn’t have a rub rail which always made tight maneuvers in wind/current super stressful. Give me a thruster and I’d be sipping a beer. Not really, but I figure the thruster could be easily be worth the weight and added complexity to lower the anxiety. It always seemed to work out but it’s the what if oops moment that would easily pay for one, so maybe worth the expense too. Now dealing with the shame is another thing
mpenman
Member
Nope, landing in a crosswind is easy, even up to 30 knots.
Docking you don't have the option to go around many times.
We have a thruster on our boat. When the wind is honking, it helps about almost nothing. You have to prepare for arrival and departure. If not you're landing on a dock piling or even worse against another boat.
tp#12
Anarchist
Have you seen the water jet thrusters?
Jet Thruster UK | Stern & Bow Thrusters For Yacht Handling | Ancasta
Bow and stern Jet thrusters can significantly aid boat handling. Ancasta Yacht Services is the official UK Dealer for Jet Thruster
ancasta.com
Nice idea basically a waterpump exiting the hull below the waterline. Not sure how much use it wind be when it's windy though, anybody used one ?Have you seen the water jet thrusters?
Jet Thruster UK | Stern & Bow Thrusters For Yacht Handling | Ancasta
Bow and stern Jet thrusters can significantly aid boat handling. Ancasta Yacht Services is the official UK Dealer for Jet Thruster
Chrisatlantic
On my A55
CapDave, we went into the TravelLift pit at Port Canaveral and couldn’t fit our big inflatable fenders, in fact could only get the 1’ diameter ones in on one side and the couple old-school Taylor Mades in on the other, yup, those concrete piers could be nasty. Good crew there so no dings that time.
Been really happy with the 2’ dia by 4’ tall inflatable fenders I got a year ago or so, Penman I know has similar. Realized that the 1’ fenders were woefully inadequate when we were in Charleston. One of the best buys I've made for the boat, along with the Rave inflator, maybe 30 seconds to full pressure and sucks them flat to stow just as quickly.
PS love the forward awning you have, looks like a big improvement over mine. I need to copy your design.
Been really happy with the 2’ dia by 4’ tall inflatable fenders I got a year ago or so, Penman I know has similar. Realized that the 1’ fenders were woefully inadequate when we were in Charleston. One of the best buys I've made for the boat, along with the Rave inflator, maybe 30 seconds to full pressure and sucks them flat to stow just as quickly.
PS love the forward awning you have, looks like a big improvement over mine. I need to copy your design.
A 3" diameter jet of water pushed by a pump will be nowhere near as efficient as a 10" diameter jet of water created by a bow thruster.
It would be useful where you are limited by hull shape like a shallow bow multihull. But both a thruster and a stern propulsion propeller provide a turning moment. I *think* on most boats the stern props give a much higher turning moment than a bow thruster when one is reverse and one is forward. So why have a bow thruster too?
Did find this in a Vetus bow thruster installation manual for catamarans. One of those "duuuh" moments. Makes perfect sense.
It would be useful where you are limited by hull shape like a shallow bow multihull. But both a thruster and a stern propulsion propeller provide a turning moment. I *think* on most boats the stern props give a much higher turning moment than a bow thruster when one is reverse and one is forward. So why have a bow thruster too?
Did find this in a Vetus bow thruster installation manual for catamarans. One of those "duuuh" moments. Makes perfect sense.
Mambo Kings
Super Anarchist
- Thread starter
- #653
Love this post. Post of the day.
Mambo Kings
Super Anarchist
- Thread starter
- #654
In other news.....regarding progress on the purchase of Uhuru.
I have frustrating news. I hesitated to post this because those of you who know me , know that I do not like to badmouth people behind their back, that I conduct myself in the most ethical way I can ,but expect the people I deal with to conduct themselves in the same way.
I have done a good amount of travel to look at boats and I have done a lot of research. I owe a huge thank you to everyone on this thread for pushing me up the learning curve so quickly.
I had called about an effectively new Outermer 51 which became available after doing very few miles. It would have been perfect but someone else was already well advanced with an accepted offer. I did not want to be the person in the anchorage who screwed over someone else's deal. I was available if it fell through but kept looking.
I made a fair offer on a reasonably new 2019 Outremer 51. It checked all the boxes. The offer was countered by the seller. The counter was reasonable. There was some dickering to do with tax (The boat is based in Europe with potential for the seller to get a VAT refund on a cancelled lease if it was sold EX VAT. I have a house in Spain so some relevance). The seller revised his counter to an EXVAT price. I agreed to buy it EX VAT and accepted his Ex VAT counter. I would respond the same day to any questions . The Seller would always take 3 or more days. The broker was super helpful and went out of his way to bring the deal to a conclusion.
We accepted the sellers counter.
The deal was fair. It was slightly less than the new boat had sold for. It was more than another 2019 with almost identical features that has sold 2 months earlier with more ocean miles under the hulls. One could argue it was $15k more than a hard nosed buyer would pay...but it was the boat I wanted in a location I liked and I am ready to start this chapter.
No word from the seller for 4 days ....and then yesterday he comes back and says no deal. He is back at his asking price.
It leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Perhaps the moral here is dont try and buy a boat from someone going through a divorce. But I expect people to conduct themselves with integrity
I cannot tell you how much time I spent on this and how disappointed I am.
I have frustrating news. I hesitated to post this because those of you who know me , know that I do not like to badmouth people behind their back, that I conduct myself in the most ethical way I can ,but expect the people I deal with to conduct themselves in the same way.
I have done a good amount of travel to look at boats and I have done a lot of research. I owe a huge thank you to everyone on this thread for pushing me up the learning curve so quickly.
I had called about an effectively new Outermer 51 which became available after doing very few miles. It would have been perfect but someone else was already well advanced with an accepted offer. I did not want to be the person in the anchorage who screwed over someone else's deal. I was available if it fell through but kept looking.
I made a fair offer on a reasonably new 2019 Outremer 51. It checked all the boxes. The offer was countered by the seller. The counter was reasonable. There was some dickering to do with tax (The boat is based in Europe with potential for the seller to get a VAT refund on a cancelled lease if it was sold EX VAT. I have a house in Spain so some relevance). The seller revised his counter to an EXVAT price. I agreed to buy it EX VAT and accepted his Ex VAT counter. I would respond the same day to any questions . The Seller would always take 3 or more days. The broker was super helpful and went out of his way to bring the deal to a conclusion.
We accepted the sellers counter.
The deal was fair. It was slightly less than the new boat had sold for. It was more than another 2019 with almost identical features that has sold 2 months earlier with more ocean miles under the hulls. One could argue it was $15k more than a hard nosed buyer would pay...but it was the boat I wanted in a location I liked and I am ready to start this chapter.
No word from the seller for 4 days ....and then yesterday he comes back and says no deal. He is back at his asking price.
It leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Perhaps the moral here is dont try and buy a boat from someone going through a divorce. But I expect people to conduct themselves with integrity
I cannot tell you how much time I spent on this and how disappointed I am.
steelmadesteamer
Member
Not many ways to go ...
Either continue pushing O51, or forget it and switch over to alternatives.
Why not CW55 2003 built available for sale now? Look at her hull materials more closely (and compare ...). This boat will last almost forever. Really proven boat to deliver You anywhere.
Mambo Kings
Super Anarchist
- Thread starter
- #656
This was in no way a reflection on the boat.
I have always been looking at alternatives, including a Balance 442 slot for a boat which will be completed in May (tempting but too small)
The criticism was leveled at the behaviour of the seller.
I spent time and resources on the basis that I had a good faith offer for sale which I accepted. Other people spent time on my behalf as we got ready for survey, obtained quotes for sails, a new tender etc etc. It is everyone's legal right to change their mind. I realize that divorce is a trying episode. My word is my bond but I understand it is not the same for everyone . So I move on....but you know that feeling when something didn't pass the sniff test and you want to wipe your hand after shaking someone else's?
Pass me the Baby Wipes, I need to restart the search..
Legally then you do have a valid contract. In reality it's not worth the headache and lawyer's fees to make the other party comply. Hopefully the next one you find will be better
Ravenswing
Member
- 99
- 141
I watched this happen to a friend last year on a nice 40' tri in the upper $200ks; it was claimed to be lost in translation between english and German (but they had cashed the earnest money check just fine!) Is there a cultural difference thing, i.e. it is socially acceptable in parts of Europe to back out of large asset purchase deals after committing, vs. the stigma / bad juju of doing so in a US deal? Mambo, did the broker comment at all about this? (and I can certainly f'off if that's too personal)
Condolences on the baby wipes.
steelmadesteamer
Member
I clearly understood it, MK. Can tell You that in the shipping (not yachting) industry such a back trade is almost impossible.
Just from where I am (counting years) who knows if failing this deal is not a bell to hear?
