Main cabin and galley area

A large and comfortable main saloon area is critical to enjoying cruising. Let's face it, alot of time is spent at anchor, and this area gets alot of use, needs to be functional, and the roomier the better. A galley up, and a nav station up as well, will take away alot of room from the main settee. We have found the galley down set-up to be very practical as long as the galley is open to the main cabin so that the cook is not isolated from the rest of the crew, but it's a matter of personal choice. As well, the nav station is a matter of personal choice. My preference is to have the nav station down in the hull. Key reason is that it frees up room in the cabin for when at anchor, and because I tend to use the main settee as the nav station when sailing, having laid out there all my charts and planning for the trip.

Sailing performance, and ease of sail handling

First, were not looking for "racing" level performance. Second, we will mostly sail with limited crew (i.e. me and my wife) until the kids are old enough to reliably take on some of the sailing responsabilities. So we are looking for a balance between a fast sailing cat (assuming we haven't completely loaded it down with "accessories"), and one that provides a simple rig, with a roller furler for the jib. I prefer the roached mainsail with battens for performance, so that a furled mainsail would'nt be my first choice. I have sailed a Lagoon37 charter cat up to 14 knots in about 20 knots of wind (cove protected from waves but not the wind) and have been satisfied with what it can do when not heavily loaded down. I wouldn't expect that type of speed if it was equipped for permanent cruising, but I hope speed would still be respectable.

Safety in the cockpit and around the boat

At anchor, and mostly while sailing, the boat needs to provide a safe environment for the crew. A well protected and deep cockpit is important for the crew as much time may be spent here, and if it "feels" safe, then will re-assure the crew when the wind and waves pick up. Another feature I find critical is a wide deck on the sides of the main cabin for making your way to the bow of the boat. On many occasions, in ligther winds, the crew has gone up to the trampoline to enjoy the sail (and sometimes the dolphins), but the process always makes me very nervous. A wide deck, good handholds and caution are a must. I can imagine what it would be like to go to the front during heavy weather to take down the main or deal with a problem jib on a boat without those features.
Even during the process of anchoring, or raising the anchor, or just checking the anchor in the middle of the night during a heavy storm, a wide side deck that facilitates moving around safely is a plus.

Watertight, separate compartments in the forward sections of the hulls

Primarly for safety and protection in case of a strong hit while sailing. Also great for storage.

Diesel power

Twin diesel engines are much preferable. I have manoeuvered a 37' cat with a single center-mounted outboard engine, and found the process "delicate", needing lots of manoeuvering room, and easy to get into trouble, when you least can afford it. Of course 2 engines means more maintenance, but I believe is well worth the price for the added convenience and safety.

CeBe WebDesign December 12, 2000