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YOUR DESIRES, YOUR BUDGET
I put this site together because I need to sell Millennium Dragon before I commit to building the next boat. I also have a life long passion for sailing and boating and have a need to communicate some of the knowledge/experience I have acquired over the years. But this site is not really about my needs. The site is not really about your “needs”. After all, no one has a “need” for a large cruising catamaran. Some sailors simply “want” a large cruising catamaran.
You may be a fender kicker who has found this site while surfing the Internet. Enjoy the site and I hope you find some of the information useful. If you are one of the few people with the commitment to the major life style change and the resources necessary to live your dream, this site should be helpful. I have tried to provide some insight regarding issues that will impact your enjoyment of the life style you desire.
First, you do need to determine what you really want/desire. If you are interested in becoming a part time charter captain and use your boat/home to provide some income, this site will provide you with some useful information but Millennium Dragon is not the boat for you. You need to research the various four stateroom/head mother tubs that now are the backbone of the charter trade. If you are more interested in the destination e.g., short hop cruising between seashore tourist resorts, rather than the journey, think about driving there, flying in or chartering a sail or power boat to get there or cruise the area.
The journey I refer to is not simply passage making or voyaging. I am referring to the cruising life style and all the “activities of daily living” that go into full time live aboard cruising. The “journey” through life. For flatlanders it could be the concept of living on “Walden Pond” for a few years. For many true cruisers, it is about dealing with the necessities of life on the water. For some the addition of a few niceties elevates the experience to a much higher level of pleasure.
If you want to live the life but also want to live it with some comfort, Millennium Dragon, or a comparable vessel may be for you. You want a catamaran that sails well and is manageable both in open water and a protected anchorage. You want a light, fast, stable, safe boat with a good view of all four corners and the horizon from the helm. You do not want a heavy cattle-maran with four staterooms, four heads, small refrigerator, minimal counter space and an underpowered sail plan. My wife Kathy and I chartered one of these in Spring of 2008 with 3 other couples. The boat was a French built Nautitech 47 from TMM Charters in Placencia, Belize. A full description of the cruise on this “6 Knot Boat” may be found on my personal web site: www.wingsailor.com You should consider such a charter then comparison shop “Owner’s Versions” of various manufacturers to find comparable values. Remember, I think it was Newick that said, “Speed, Price, Comfort ... You may have any two out of the three”. I believe Millennium Dragon is the best balance achievable between all three.
Millennium Dragon is a two stateroom, two head fast cruising catamaran with a large salon containing lots of square feet of counter space, a large freezer, a large refrigerator, a real kitchen sink and a large comfortable settee. She is American built and launched in 2000. The closest hull designs are the Soubise 50 and Freydis 46. By looking for boats in the 43’ to 52’ length range built between 1999 and 2004, comparable vessels may be found. One of the best places on the Internet to find these boats is the Multihulls World magazine web site:
http://www.multihulls-world.com/us/index.php
I have reviewed this site. The following are a sample of similar vessels. All are “Owner’s Versions”. When viewing these catamarans keep in mind the Dragon’s asking price in EUROs.
Leopard 45’ 2001 315,000 EUROs
Soubise 50’ 2004 530,000 EUROs
Freydis 46’ 2001 350,000 EUROs
Catana 47’ 2001 405,000 EUROs
Catana 43’ 2000 304,000 EUROs
FP Bahia 46’ 2002 304,000 EUROs
The Soubise, Freydis and Catana catamarans might have similar sailing characteristics to the Dragon. The others, not so much.
Think about subscribing to “Multihulls Magazine” or just review the ads and possibly visit the boats that are posted for sale there. Many of the major brokerage houses that specialize in multihull sales also advertise there.
The Maine Cat news letter advertised several MC 41s:
MC 41 “Varekai” Hull # 12 2006 $430,000 USD
MC 41 “Crusader Rabbit” Hull # 2 2003 $399,000 USD
Cruising World Magazine published a special multihull issue in July of 2006 listing manufacturers models and prices for 40 to 52 feet. Most of these boats are available on the used or new market. Limited production boats and custom designs are not listed. I have added the Dragon to this list for comparison. In addition I have added columns for “Pounds/SqFtSail”, a “weight to horsepower metric, “Pounds/Length”, a rough measure of fineness (hull length to hull beam) ratio (should be over 12/1), “Dollars / Square Foot, a rough measure of volume living space your dollars will buy, and “Dollars / Pound”. Again, you should focus on your needs/desires and not get blinded by flash and bling. A spread sheet summarizing the specifications of these boats follows.
Good luck in reconciling your wants, desires and needs and balancing Speed, Comfort and Price.
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