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The decision to buy a power catamaran over a V hull is an easy one. The tough part can be deciding which power catamaran is the right one for you. There is a lot to consider – price, design, local dealer support, engine options, construction, etc. I struggled with this very decision when I made my most recent purchase. The most important thing you need to do at this point is "Face Reality"
This is the first step in the buying decision process as I try to use with most other purchases I make. The first thing I force myself to do is to clear my mind of all the dreams and fantasies associated with the new item. In this case, those dreams are about spending long trips in beautiful weather surrounded by adoring friends. I forced myself to face the reality that I will be mostly making short day trips when I can justify and beg my way to a day on the boat and that in many cases, those days will have less than perfect weather. I suggest you write down the things that will make your experience the most productive and enjoyable on those reality trips.
Hey, if your reality is my dream life, then great, but for most of us we spend far too few days on the water and need to make the most of the time we get. For me, things like trailer-ability, shallow draft, solid construction, and lots of fishing space were of utmost importance. Low on the list was seating, galley, and other such creature comforts. I would like to have that stuff, but realize that I just would not use them very often.
Next, use a simple three point scale for rating quality of the criteria on your list. Use three as the best and one as worst. Rate each of the boats you are interested in using this method, and the one with the highest score is the winner at this stage of the process. Truth is, you will actually narrow it to a short list of two or three. If you know how to use a spreadsheet program, you can assign weights to the more important criterion, but you will find it is probably not necessary. The best power catamaran for you will likely be within the short list of two or three rather quickly using this method..
Once you have defined the boat that makes sense for you in the real world, all the typical decision criteria related to engines, dealers, manufacturers, etc should be applied to the power catamarans that fit best into your boat criteria. There is more information within PowerCating.com on these typical decision criteria as well as a lot on the Internet and within boating magazines. Do your research on the technical stuff and on the dealer..
Starting with this “face reality” approach is critical to a long term enjoyable relationship with any boat. You may find that the boat that makes the most sense is not the boat you have been dreaming of – I did! However, you will find that it is the boat that gives you the best experience on a regular basis. If you don't "face reality" you may end up with a technically sound boat from a reputable dealer that would be great for that fantasy trip, but doesn't make a lot of sense for the reality of most days on the water. .
Also, don’t forget to ask the experts on the powercating.com forums about their opinions of the vessels you are considering.
"Two hulls are better than one"
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