Dene wrote:
I've owned a boat for 20+ years and yet this was the first time I've attend
the Portland Boat Show.

Impressions.....

1. We own a 25 foot pocket cruiser ('96 Starcraft 2531). After walking
through various 25 footers, we were relieved to find none as suitable as the
one we have. Our aft sleeping berth is the best design and size.

Whew!

2. The two boats that impressed us most were the 34 foot Glacier Bay
Catamarin and the 25' C-Dory Tom Cat.

Regarding the former, it had beautiful workmanship and design. My wife was
so impressed that ended up going through it three times. However, the new
30 footer they have coming will be even better (for us) at 150k less. One
reason is the placement of the galley....up on the main deck instead of
stuffed below. This allows my wife to be up at all times. The only reason
to go below is to use the head or sleep in the roomy queen size berth.

The sales guy mentioned that Glacier Bay is putting 190 hp Volvo diesels in
it, with COMPOSITE outdrive. Supposedly far superior than metal.

Discussion???

As I mentioned, the other boat that impressed us was the C-dory Tom Cat, a
25 foot trailerable cruiser. Very roomy design. Built like a tank. Well
suited for all weather boating and fishing. In a few years, when we do the
Alaska inland passage, that will be the boat of choice for us.

The Glacier Bay 30 footer will work fine for the Great Loop.

Fun to dream!!!

-Greg

I've written about both of those boats in the last few months. That Tom
Cat has a remarkable amount of space for a 25-foot trailer boat, and
putting the standard C-Dory house on the cat hull made a huge
improvement over the same firm's previous catamaran.
And how many 25-foot boats can offer a 70-sq ft berth and an enclosed,
stand-up head and shower? (Not all, not by a long shot).

If you get serious about the Glacier Bay, there's a new dealer in
Portland- Aman Marine.
See if you can get out for a sea trial, preferably on a day when it's
at least a little snarly and choppy. You'll be impressed, or not- but
there's no chance you'll confuse it with a typical monohull experience
in the same conditions. If I ever switch boats it would be to another
trawler, but it is easy to see why the number of people who are excited
about catamarans continues to slowly, (but steadily), increase.