Hurricane ate my Dragonfly tri. PDQ sounds fantastic. Wisdom needed
Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 2:06 pm
Hello folks.
First, I've been reading many posts over the last few years and I'm so impressed (and captivated) by the participation and honesty found in your community of owners. And I'm here because that's part of my equation in buying another boat.
Hurricane Matthew flipped my Dragonfly SW800 (26') over dockside, broker her mast and totaled her. Many lessons learned as I believed, as did the dock master, she was secure enough. Lessons from that amazing boat were: need more room, not likely to camp on her with whole family, interior finishes and a real head are important (to my wife), everyone LOVED the boat.
A quick aside, I'm a reasonably good sailer, very mechanical and solid waterman. No blue water experience on sailboats however. Family of 5 (9,5, and 3 year old). Moved to Savannah, GA to ensure our children would grow up waterside (beach and sailing are cornerstones to that idea). Now that my 3 year old is more stable and comfortable in the water (yes with a PFD but she might be close to swimming...chasing her brothers seems to shorten her learning curve for everything else). So we want to be out on the water a lot. Sail, swim, fish, beaching, etc..just out on the rivers and sounds here in coastal Georgia.
Ok, back to my narrative and need for input.
I've narrowed my two options to a Contour 34sc (folding trimaran, no longer made, solid boat but some known issues. Nothing close to online community like you have) and a PDQ32. I had been considering Gemini's (the outboard versions...3200 or 3400s I believe) but recognize build quality of PDQs trumps supply of used Gemini's.
Here's my problem....math. Well, financial equations specifically. The advantage of the Contour is it's fast (I've not sailed one but love the joy found in trimarans) and good interior for short cruises and weekends with family. And trailering for hurricane prep, storage and perhaps drive down to Florida and shoot across to the Bahamas one day. All that to say, with a boat I can pull out, I'm not bound to a marina (either dockage or storage on the hard).
My perception (here's where wise counsel is needed) is that a PDQ means I'm bound to the marina. That trailering the boat is not really an option.
I live 2 miles down a straight road from our marina so the distance is short. But if there is no easy way to put her in the backyard that's irrelevant.
Please weigh in as you see fit. Many of you have forgotten more about sailing than I know and I would truly appreciate a dialog about my assumptions and perhaps blind spots.
Many thanks in advance.
First, I've been reading many posts over the last few years and I'm so impressed (and captivated) by the participation and honesty found in your community of owners. And I'm here because that's part of my equation in buying another boat.
Hurricane Matthew flipped my Dragonfly SW800 (26') over dockside, broker her mast and totaled her. Many lessons learned as I believed, as did the dock master, she was secure enough. Lessons from that amazing boat were: need more room, not likely to camp on her with whole family, interior finishes and a real head are important (to my wife), everyone LOVED the boat.
A quick aside, I'm a reasonably good sailer, very mechanical and solid waterman. No blue water experience on sailboats however. Family of 5 (9,5, and 3 year old). Moved to Savannah, GA to ensure our children would grow up waterside (beach and sailing are cornerstones to that idea). Now that my 3 year old is more stable and comfortable in the water (yes with a PFD but she might be close to swimming...chasing her brothers seems to shorten her learning curve for everything else). So we want to be out on the water a lot. Sail, swim, fish, beaching, etc..just out on the rivers and sounds here in coastal Georgia.
Ok, back to my narrative and need for input.
I've narrowed my two options to a Contour 34sc (folding trimaran, no longer made, solid boat but some known issues. Nothing close to online community like you have) and a PDQ32. I had been considering Gemini's (the outboard versions...3200 or 3400s I believe) but recognize build quality of PDQs trumps supply of used Gemini's.
Here's my problem....math. Well, financial equations specifically. The advantage of the Contour is it's fast (I've not sailed one but love the joy found in trimarans) and good interior for short cruises and weekends with family. And trailering for hurricane prep, storage and perhaps drive down to Florida and shoot across to the Bahamas one day. All that to say, with a boat I can pull out, I'm not bound to a marina (either dockage or storage on the hard).
My perception (here's where wise counsel is needed) is that a PDQ means I'm bound to the marina. That trailering the boat is not really an option.
I live 2 miles down a straight road from our marina so the distance is short. But if there is no easy way to put her in the backyard that's irrelevant.
Please weigh in as you see fit. Many of you have forgotten more about sailing than I know and I would truly appreciate a dialog about my assumptions and perhaps blind spots.
Many thanks in advance.