catamaran prices Caribbean/Uk
Discussion
So just in the process of doing my courses and looking to purchase a cat but from what I'm told the prices are going through the roof after year's in the doldrums, having no idea of the historical prices and whilst the Caribbean looks favourite where's the place to buy (low 6 figure budget) or should I rent. (retired)
Edited by tescorank on Thursday 23 September 22:47
We sell quite a few catamarans (we are agents for Ocean Explorer), ranging from circa 40ft production stuff to 100ft+ custom stuff.
It's been a good year (for us at least) for cat sales but I wouldn't say prices are crazy (unless you are looking for UK-based boats in which case it's utter madness right now). Still plenty who think their boars are worth 10x more than the rest because they are 'the best on the market', but buyers are now pretty savvy and see through that quickly.
As for where to buy... This will be rather dependent on where you want to use the boat. Shipping is pretty easy, but an unecessary cost if you can find what you want in your preferred cruising grounds. There can also be some pretty marked differences in pricing between European-based options and those on the other side of the pond.
Just remember that in the Caribbean, the sun shines and the rose-tinted spectacles are firmly on the moment you step off the plane, so if you head over there to go shopping, put your head above your heart (same also to a degree in the E.Med).
It's been a good year (for us at least) for cat sales but I wouldn't say prices are crazy (unless you are looking for UK-based boats in which case it's utter madness right now). Still plenty who think their boars are worth 10x more than the rest because they are 'the best on the market', but buyers are now pretty savvy and see through that quickly.
As for where to buy... This will be rather dependent on where you want to use the boat. Shipping is pretty easy, but an unecessary cost if you can find what you want in your preferred cruising grounds. There can also be some pretty marked differences in pricing between European-based options and those on the other side of the pond.
Just remember that in the Caribbean, the sun shines and the rose-tinted spectacles are firmly on the moment you step off the plane, so if you head over there to go shopping, put your head above your heart (same also to a degree in the E.Med).
Yacht Broker said:
Just remember that in the Caribbean, the sun shines and the rose-tinted spectacles are firmly on the moment you step off the plane, so if you head over there to go shopping, put your head above your heart (same also to a degree in the E.Med).
I imagine it's very easy indeed to get carried away!I used Sell a lot of boats in the U.K on average 120 a year and I find much more impulse crazy buying there when the sun comes out.
I have been living on and off in the Carib for 20years its different mind set and hugely different to the med and so are the requirements for a boat.
In the carib you are living on the hook mainly.
Most boats are set up properly for the conditions like proper RIB proper size engine good power generation. Marina basing in the U.K and Med is very different.
People also spend massive amounts before there trip to the Caribbean such as on the ARC. We already have many listing enquires for arrival. We have even more ARC events this year over subscribed into Grenada and St.Lucia where we have our offices.
Also cat wise you want really 40+ft mainly at least 45ft.
Less than 40 and you get a pitching Cat in general. The LWL does not tend to fit into the average Ocean wave length and because Cat have no dampening effect of ballast they pitch and racking as it know is bad for bulkhead when 1 Hull has air and the other being pushed up.
Some older Cats Leopard 45 and 47 from 1998 to 2007 had there engines more central in the Hull and on shafts...but raise beds in cabin. but not issue intact works well as the hatch and port hole ventilation is more at bed height. Modern cats have the engines hanging right out the back to create more cabin space however that induces more pitching moment and often salt covered rust engines with badly sealed covers with bit of bog standard hatch tape preventing ingress.
I am not saying buy a old boat however they are stronger if you can find a good one. No alloy framed doors which twist and little crapy plastic runners which die and drop after sandy feet has destroyed them.
But spending on old boats it pointless they are not classic Ferrari or houses. It's like putting a new engine seat and wheel on 1998 1.6 Vuaxhall Astra . However most owner think that all there spending make the price twice as much. As broker we have to manage that a tell them is basically worth no more but easier to sell why they sit there with there head in there hands nearly in tears. So don't fall into spending trap.
So my advice is buy the biggest and best you can, pretty much ready to go and at good price. Nothing will annoy woman more than a boat stuck in hot sticky dusty yard being worked on costing money ...your sailing life will be over quickly.
Watch on FP's for osmosis and had lot of Lagoons with bulkhead and mast foot compression cracks and some that are even 6months old and done nothing.
If you can find a mint Leopard older 4700 or 4500 if will take you round the world. X Crewed version is better.
200kUSD - 300 will get decent one.
When these boat were new they delivered them around the globe from South Africa on there own bottoms 2 guys no life rafts and no Epribs and no Sat comes I use to watch them come in at The moorings bases in the BVi.
If you can find a really good one of those which is hard after Imra and time buy one. With 3 blade folding props they also sail well and motor well. I have been in some big blows and big sea in those and I mean the H word we don't like talking about over hear...
I have been living on and off in the Carib for 20years its different mind set and hugely different to the med and so are the requirements for a boat.
In the carib you are living on the hook mainly.
Most boats are set up properly for the conditions like proper RIB proper size engine good power generation. Marina basing in the U.K and Med is very different.
People also spend massive amounts before there trip to the Caribbean such as on the ARC. We already have many listing enquires for arrival. We have even more ARC events this year over subscribed into Grenada and St.Lucia where we have our offices.
Also cat wise you want really 40+ft mainly at least 45ft.
Less than 40 and you get a pitching Cat in general. The LWL does not tend to fit into the average Ocean wave length and because Cat have no dampening effect of ballast they pitch and racking as it know is bad for bulkhead when 1 Hull has air and the other being pushed up.
Some older Cats Leopard 45 and 47 from 1998 to 2007 had there engines more central in the Hull and on shafts...but raise beds in cabin. but not issue intact works well as the hatch and port hole ventilation is more at bed height. Modern cats have the engines hanging right out the back to create more cabin space however that induces more pitching moment and often salt covered rust engines with badly sealed covers with bit of bog standard hatch tape preventing ingress.
I am not saying buy a old boat however they are stronger if you can find a good one. No alloy framed doors which twist and little crapy plastic runners which die and drop after sandy feet has destroyed them.
But spending on old boats it pointless they are not classic Ferrari or houses. It's like putting a new engine seat and wheel on 1998 1.6 Vuaxhall Astra . However most owner think that all there spending make the price twice as much. As broker we have to manage that a tell them is basically worth no more but easier to sell why they sit there with there head in there hands nearly in tears. So don't fall into spending trap.
So my advice is buy the biggest and best you can, pretty much ready to go and at good price. Nothing will annoy woman more than a boat stuck in hot sticky dusty yard being worked on costing money ...your sailing life will be over quickly.
Watch on FP's for osmosis and had lot of Lagoons with bulkhead and mast foot compression cracks and some that are even 6months old and done nothing.
If you can find a mint Leopard older 4700 or 4500 if will take you round the world. X Crewed version is better.
200kUSD - 300 will get decent one.
When these boat were new they delivered them around the globe from South Africa on there own bottoms 2 guys no life rafts and no Epribs and no Sat comes I use to watch them come in at The moorings bases in the BVi.
If you can find a really good one of those which is hard after Imra and time buy one. With 3 blade folding props they also sail well and motor well. I have been in some big blows and big sea in those and I mean the H word we don't like talking about over hear...
Rum Runner said:
I used Sell a lot of boats in the U.K on average 120 a year and I find much more impulse crazy buying there when the sun comes out.
I have been living on and off in the Carib for 20years its different mind set and hugely different to the med and so are the requirements for a boat.
In the carib you are living on the hook mainly.
Most boats are set up properly for the conditions like proper RIB proper size engine good power generation. Marina basing in the U.K and Med is very different.
People also spend massive amounts before there trip to the Caribbean such as on the ARC. We already have many listing enquires for arrival. We have even more ARC events this year over subscribed into Grenada and St.Lucia where we have our offices.
Also cat wise you want really 40+ft mainly at least 45ft.
Less than 40 and you get a pitching Cat in general. The LWL does not tend to fit into the average Ocean wave length and because Cat have no dampening effect of ballast they pitch and racking as it know is bad for bulkhead when 1 Hull has air and the other being pushed up.
Some older Cats Leopard 45 and 47 from 1998 to 2007 had there engines more central in the Hull and on shafts...but raise beds in cabin. but not issue intact works well as the hatch and port hole ventilation is more at bed height. Modern cats have the engines hanging right out the back to create more cabin space however that induces more pitching moment and often salt covered rust engines with badly sealed covers with bit of bog standard hatch tape preventing ingress.
I am not saying buy a old boat however they are stronger if you can find a good one. No alloy framed doors which twist and little crapy plastic runners which die and drop after sandy feet has destroyed them.
But spending on old boats it pointless they are not classic Ferrari or houses. It's like putting a new engine seat and wheel on 1998 1.6 Vuaxhall Astra . However most owner think that all there spending make the price twice as much. As broker we have to manage that a tell them is basically worth no more but easier to sell why they sit there with there head in there hands nearly in tears. So don't fall into spending trap.
So my advice is buy the biggest and best you can, pretty much ready to go and at good price. Nothing will annoy woman more than a boat stuck in hot sticky dusty yard being worked on costing money ...your sailing life will be over quickly.
Watch on FP's for osmosis and had lot of Lagoons with bulkhead and mast foot compression cracks and some that are even 6months old and done nothing.
If you can find a mint Leopard older 4700 or 4500 if will take you round the world. X Crewed version is better.
200kUSD - 300 will get decent one.
When these boat were new they delivered them around the globe from South Africa on there own bottoms 2 guys no life rafts and no Epribs and no Sat comes I use to watch them come in at The moorings bases in the BVi.
If you can find a really good one of those which is hard after Imra and time buy one. With 3 blade folding props they also sail well and motor well. I have been in some big blows and big sea in those and I mean the H word we don't like talking about over hear...
Great advice there...I have been living on and off in the Carib for 20years its different mind set and hugely different to the med and so are the requirements for a boat.
In the carib you are living on the hook mainly.
Most boats are set up properly for the conditions like proper RIB proper size engine good power generation. Marina basing in the U.K and Med is very different.
People also spend massive amounts before there trip to the Caribbean such as on the ARC. We already have many listing enquires for arrival. We have even more ARC events this year over subscribed into Grenada and St.Lucia where we have our offices.
Also cat wise you want really 40+ft mainly at least 45ft.
Less than 40 and you get a pitching Cat in general. The LWL does not tend to fit into the average Ocean wave length and because Cat have no dampening effect of ballast they pitch and racking as it know is bad for bulkhead when 1 Hull has air and the other being pushed up.
Some older Cats Leopard 45 and 47 from 1998 to 2007 had there engines more central in the Hull and on shafts...but raise beds in cabin. but not issue intact works well as the hatch and port hole ventilation is more at bed height. Modern cats have the engines hanging right out the back to create more cabin space however that induces more pitching moment and often salt covered rust engines with badly sealed covers with bit of bog standard hatch tape preventing ingress.
I am not saying buy a old boat however they are stronger if you can find a good one. No alloy framed doors which twist and little crapy plastic runners which die and drop after sandy feet has destroyed them.
But spending on old boats it pointless they are not classic Ferrari or houses. It's like putting a new engine seat and wheel on 1998 1.6 Vuaxhall Astra . However most owner think that all there spending make the price twice as much. As broker we have to manage that a tell them is basically worth no more but easier to sell why they sit there with there head in there hands nearly in tears. So don't fall into spending trap.
So my advice is buy the biggest and best you can, pretty much ready to go and at good price. Nothing will annoy woman more than a boat stuck in hot sticky dusty yard being worked on costing money ...your sailing life will be over quickly.
Watch on FP's for osmosis and had lot of Lagoons with bulkhead and mast foot compression cracks and some that are even 6months old and done nothing.
If you can find a mint Leopard older 4700 or 4500 if will take you round the world. X Crewed version is better.
200kUSD - 300 will get decent one.
When these boat were new they delivered them around the globe from South Africa on there own bottoms 2 guys no life rafts and no Epribs and no Sat comes I use to watch them come in at The moorings bases in the BVi.
If you can find a really good one of those which is hard after Imra and time buy one. With 3 blade folding props they also sail well and motor well. I have been in some big blows and big sea in those and I mean the H word we don't like talking about over hear...
Rum Runner said:
Remember also if you buy outside the EU even if the VAT was paid original it will loose its VAT status. Not such a issue in the Carib as 80% of buyers are U.S or Canadian for resale concerns
And that includes the French caribbean territories, even though they will argue that they are departments of France... the reality is that they fall outside of the EU's VAT area (just like the Canary Islands and mainland Spain). I am just dealing with a potential new listing where the boat was bought out there and the French customs (there) stated that the boat was EU VAT paid. I have suggested to the owner that he might like to get the mainland French customs to back up that statement and if they can't, they might wish to have a chat with their Caribbean-based colleagues.Yes French Island come under different VAT directive than main land France.
Though we have aot of clients worry about VAT they often never take the boats back to Europe and we tend Sell most to U.S or Canada anyway so Euro buyers get very excited about something thatjis more often totally insignificant when you cone to sell.
You can also go to Europe and not import our 6momths as per all the superyachts
Though we have aot of clients worry about VAT they often never take the boats back to Europe and we tend Sell most to U.S or Canada anyway so Euro buyers get very excited about something thatjis more often totally insignificant when you cone to sell.
You can also go to Europe and not import our 6momths as per all the superyachts
tescorank said:
Thank you all some fantastic information, I shall be in touch and hopefully share a rum or two !
next quick question I know the crickets on in feb/March anyone have a clue on the dates !
These were the dates being banded about.....next quick question I know the crickets on in feb/March anyone have a clue on the dates !
Friday, January 28: 1st T20 International
Sunday, January 30: 2nd T20 International
Wednesday, February 2: 3rd T20 International
Friday, February 4: 4th T20 International
Saturday, February 5: 5th T20 International
Tuesday, March 1 to Friday, March 4: warm-up match
Tuesday, Mar 8 to Saturday, March 12: 1st Test Match
Wednesday, March 16 to Saturday, March 20: 2nd Test Match
Thursday, March 24 to Monday, March 28: 3rd Test Match
No locations announced yet as far as I know. I'm interested as I'm in Antigua when the T20s are on so would be great to get along.
Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff


