Catamaran Boat Shows October 2009

When shopping for a catamaran, a picture may be worth a 1000 words, but actually stepping aboard can provide you with priceless, first-hand experience. From October 8th to 13th, 2009 there will be three major multihull events taking place in Annapolis, Maryland. If you are in the market for a multihull sailboat, these are the "can't miss events" of the year. You can attend the annual United States Sailboat Show to see the latest in new designs from the major catamaran manufacturers, you can visit the all new exclusive Pre-owned Catamaran Brokerage Show running simultaneously, and you can participate in “Multihull Demo Days” which follows on the day immediately after these shows.

The United States Sailboat Show is the country’s largest in-water sailboat show. It takes place between October 8^th, 2009 and October 12^th, 2009 on the downtown waterfront of historic Annapolis. This year the show celebrates its 40th anniversary. The show includes a huge display of catamarans and sailing monohulls from both domestic and international builders. Landside you will find vendors for nearly every possible boating product imaginable. You can see the latest electronics and hardware up close with numerous demonstrations. There are plenty of gadgets and marine clothing for both the serious sailor and casual cruiser to check out. This is a great place to shop for the equipment you will likely want for your new or used boat.

The first ever Pre-owned Catamaran Show runs the same dates as the new boat show. This show offers free admittance to see many clean, late-model used catamarans. Pre-owned catamarans offer a great value and make getting on the water more affordable for many buyers. A well-maintained, used catamaran may offer you the opportunity to get away sooner as well. Many boats are already well equipped with the all that is necessary to get you underway on your journey. The show is located just outside downtown Annapolis on the docks of Performance Cruising Inc., the builder of the Gemini 105Mc catamaran, on beautiful “Back Creek”. It is just 10 minutes outside of downtown by car or you can take the Annapolis Water Taxi directly from downtown and enjoy the sight of thousands of boats moored in the scenic waterways of Annapolis.

The final multihull event in Annapolis is on Tuesday October 13th when Performance Cruising Inc. hosts their 12th annual “Multihull Demo Days”. The day features the opportunity to see and actually sea-trial many of the latest catamaran models, the same boats that were just on display at the sailboat show. Every hour a select number of new boats will take out seriously interested catamaran buyers. Participants must confirm space availability and times with the manufacturers during the actual boat show. The hosts, Performance Cruising Inc., will operate two of their Gemini 34 footers in an effort to get even the beginners exposed to sailing on an even keel. It is one thing to see a prospective boat tied up at the boat show - it's quite another to gain the full experience of how the boat handles under power, sail, and whilst docking. If you are looking to purchase a new catamaran or trimaran within the next year, you won’t want to miss these opportunities to see and test out each of your prospective boats in one day, under similar conditions, and all at no cost to you!

Don’t miss out on the fun!!! Annapolis rolls out its red carpet of picturesque brick streets inviting sailors of all type to take advantage of the beautiful Fall weather, local entertainment, and a multitude of fine food and drinking establishments. Enjoy the company of fellow boaters and share in the excitement of yacht ownership.

George K. Coggeshall

The Catamaran Company

4005 N. Federal Highway

Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33308

305 613-2262

george.coggeshall@catamarans.com

www.catamaraninformation.blogspot.com

Lagoon 440 For Sale

Pure Pleasure or Money Machine???

Lagoon 440 four stateroom with crew / guest quarters…….. !!!

“Sundance” and “Deborah Lee” have just listed with The Catamaran Company. These boats are well priced below replacement cost and very negotiable.

If you are looking at buying a private boat with great living space to cruise with family and friends it is hard to beat a Lagoon 440. Cockpits fore and aft, a fly bridge helm station with seating for a party, staterooms with private in suit baths, and a salon with a huge pass-through galley make this the perfect boat for pure pleasure. “Bluewater Cruising” magazine called it “one of the best cruising boats available”.

The Lagoon 440 can also be a money machine when placed in charter management. This layout has been the mainstay of The Catamaran Company’s successful charter program since the design was introduced in 2004. Ask about charter management programs available for this boat where you can have income when you are not out enjoying cruising the boat yourself. There are charter locations in Florida, the Bahamas, and through-out the Caribbean.

CATAMARAN INSURANCE

Be Safe……… Have the Proper Protection

What Does Cruising Insurance Cost?

You found the right catamaran and you are ready to buy that perfect boat. You have budgeted to invest a great deal of your hard earned money and you are ready to sail your local waters, oceans, or possibly the “Seven Seas”. Have you planned for the proper protection? Be sure to check the following with a qualified insurance agent.

The most common vessel coverage loss concerns are:

Fire, Theft, Property and Personal Injury Liability
Operator damage to the vessel and third party property
Third party damage to your vessel
HURRICANE (named storm) DAMAGE!!!

The first three groups of issues are similar to your home or car. You will likely want coverage up to the vessels current value and what ever liability coverage you feel is appropriate for your given personal situation. This typical coverage for a cruising catamaran will usually run between 1.5 to 3% of the vessels value in most cases. If you want replacement cost coverage rather than current value coverage of a vessel be prepared to pay a premium that is if you can even get the coverage (usually only available on a new boat).

Factors that affect coverage cost include:

The value, size, age, and condition of the boat.
Bigger and more expensive boats are sometimes less expensive to insure as a percentage of the boats value, but more expensive in actual dollars paid. Older boats’ coverage is often a greater percentage although the coverage cost is lower because the vessel is less expensive.
Your boating experience
Experience is sometimes an issue if the catamaran you are buying is significantly larger than your other vessel experience you already have. It is, however, simple to take a brief sailing school or have a licensed captain sail with you for a short period to observe and attest to your abilities in writing to an insurance company.
Chartering / business operation
If the boat is operated as part of a business or in charter it will certainly be at the higher end of the range of cost.
The dinghy
In some cases the insurance companies charge a premium for a nice dinghy. A separate policy may even be needed if the dinghy is very big or valuable on a large catamaran.



Area of coverage
If you plan on crossing oceans it is best to have the basic coverage until you need the ocean coverage. There is no sense in paying for an ocean coverage that many be months or years away when you are only coastal sailing or in the Caribbean.


Now for the………………BIG HURRICANE MYTH.!!!

Despite what you have heard or you think, it is actually possible to have your vessel covered during hurricane season in the central Caribbean and the Florida waters. I promise you that there are tens of thousands of boats in this area year round enjoying clear warm waters. I live in South Florida and travel to the Caribbean regularly. We don’t stop using our boats just because it is hurricane season!!! And I love sailing the Caribbean islands when the crowds have left for the summer.

There are, however, several considerations for cruisers in the tropics in this season. There is a premium for coverage in “the zone” and some insurance companies will want a written plan of action from you describing what you will due to reduce the possibility of damage to your boat and other property. The premium is not prohibitive if you have a reasonable budget (typically less than 1/2% of the hull value) and the action plan should be one of simple common sense. If your budget is tight then you may want a policy that does not include “named storm” damage. This doesn’t mean you have to leave the tropics either. You will still be covered for all the other events (fire, theft, etc…). You will just have to be well prepared to avoid damage that a named storm can inflict. A good “hurricane hole” or an agreement with a boat yard to haul you to a safe spot is a great alternative to giving up on the summertime tropic fun!!!

If you are still concerned with safety in the tropics you will want to leave but remember that some of the worst hurricane damage has happened outside the tropics. Granada, Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize long believed to be safe havens have been hit hard recently. In 2004 the vessels damaged in Granada caused by hurricane “Ivan” exceeded that of Andrew and Katrina combined. It was hurricane Bob in 1991 which devastated many fleets of boats in New England that summer and in the summer of 1938 the “Great New England Hurricane” killed an estimated 600-800 people!!! Wikipedia lists 57 named storms to effect damage in New England since 1900.

Don’t let hurricane season stop you from having fun where you are or where you want to go. You just have to be prudent and properly protected.


George Coggeshall - CPYB is a yacht broker at The Catamaran Company with over 15 years of experience sailing and selling catamaran in the Caribbean and elsewhere. He is a regular contributor to Multihull Magazine.