Thank you for this review. Most of what you said was spot on, especially the dated design. I disagree though on what Terysa said about the guest bathroom. One of the things I like about this boat, is that it doesn't suffer from the "hydra syndrome" - the sea monster with heads popping up everywhere. Placing the guest head in the bow does free up a lot of precious space that can be used much more effectively for liveaboards, and it will only be an issue if you have two couples who can't stand one another on visit at the same time. I think that the one thing that really separates this boat from most other cats of the same size, is that the guest hull isn't completely useless when you don't have guests on board. Watching the whole of your series, I'm starting to thing that the perfect catamaran doesn't exist. My idea of one would be to take the size, hull width and general layout of the Antares, and ask Outremer to build it, but that's probably not gonna happen.
lol... than you have a limited thinking... How about not waking up the people sleeping on the forward cabin, how about privacy issue because one has to cross the other cabin so what if you tend to sleep naked or with very little cloth (and no blanket) because it's hot? It has nothing to do with couple unable to stand each other but it does not mean that each couple know each other or feel like the other couple should have access to it while they sleep there... OR it could be kid... try letting a boy go trough the room where is older sister is sleeping... She might not like it...
Of course there are situations where this head placement is not ideal. It's a compromise, and one that I agree with. The boat is meant as a home for two people, not a hotel. Compare to just about any 45 - 50 ft cat. The guest hulls are all just beds and heads. This boat has an excellent galley as well, which IMHO is a better use of limited real estate than an extra head.
@@steink6021 i can understand that, but still see Terysa comment has valide one unless you plan to never have more than one guess or couple aboard the boat at the same time...
I recently watched a new video by Keith of Sailing Zatara about new boat warranties and support. Maybe you could include a category about warranty coverage and support. When people shell out a million plus dollars for a boat there should be exceptional support.
Great idea, and that's been echoed by a few other people commenting. We don't want to start introducing new categories mid-way through the series, and we had to prioritise information that we thought would be most pertinent to people starting out on their catamaran buying journey. But yes- warranty and support is hugely important to us- we'd like to address this somehow in our future episodes. Good on Keith for bringing up such an important issue!
@@sailingrubyrose Can I suggest when Nick does his overview at the end that a small portion be a quick summary on the warranty of the cat you are reviewing. I watched Zatara's vid on the warranty, and several good points were bought up. Thank you for continuing to bring us the honest reviews, and opinions. From a fellow Sth Aussie, but living in the States.
Antares seems to get little love..except by their owners. Agree with the rounded features adding to the 2000s vibe...little tweeks would make a big difference. Btw...have you heard what size( length) the new Outremer will be ? I quess between 51 and 60.
I could easily see you buying an Antares 44 were it not for the cockpit. Most cruisers spend quite a lot of time in the cockpit. Is there any way you could get Antares to make changes to the cockpit?
We have owned a 2003 Antares for 2 years now. While the design may be dated it is certainly tried and tested. When people ask me about what catamaran to purchase I always point out the build quality in the Antares. If you walk on a brand new Lagoon, FP or other production boats in this range you will notice "creaking". Our vessel is almost 20 years old and is still quieter than most brand new models we stepped on at boat shows. We do love the protected helm position. We don't have the hard dodger and that is an upgrade we would love to have added. We have zero worries about seeing any corner of the vessel, are well protected, and at the same level as everyone in the cockpit. While the cockpit seats are curved, they are straight enough that we routinely lounge on them. If you purchase an older model the cockpit also has rumble seats. These are hands down the best seats in the house underway or at anchor. I honestly can't think of any reason why GS moved away from this setup. I would add the arch and rumble seating back in a heartbeat if I purchased a newer Antares. If you guys ever want to take a trip aboard to test drive one, let us know. We have a tour of our boat on our channel. Thanks for another great review.
Enjoyed your review and concur with most of your comments. I own an older PDQ Antares and have just sailed her from Norfolk VA to Antigua. The helm position and cockpit felt very secure and were dry throughout despite some bouncy seas, strong winds and squally downpours - foul weather gear just wasn't needed. The boat generally sailed at 1/2 apparent wind speed and we were often bowling along at 9-10 knots which I think is quite good for a cruising cat. We used a full batten main, a130 genoa and the screacher to keep the boat moving. We have owned her for a year now and have sailed her from Florida to Rhode Island, back down to Virginia and now to Antigua. We have found her a practical and comfortable boat to live on and I was very grateful for the keels, skegged rudders and shaft drives when finding out just how shallow some parts of the intracoastal waterway are...:-)
Bit disappointed with some of your scoring and wanted to respond to some of your comments. Regarding the lounging areas , both the cockpit and the saloon are perfectly set up for horizontal lounging, just add a few small cushions and there’s ample space. Personally I don’t like the settee option in the saloon. I prefer having the washing machine there and the extra sink/ice maker instead of that extra settee. In the cockpit, It’s a shame the seats on the transom are no longer standard as they are fantastic space . Especially for dripping dry after a swim or when having a party. We often had 20-30 people gathering in our cockpit for sundowners. No issue. The design of the cockpit is what it is, you can’t have it all. If you want to have shaft drives (which we did) that will limit cockpit design options. Have you actually sailed an Antares? It’s by far the safest cat to take offshore. The helm position is unrivalled. I don’t understand why you mention doing watch inside. I would never do that. We always sit outside , close to the instruments and able to immediately throw the helm in standby in case there is an emergency. Your comments regarding the shower room are a bit unfair, have you actually stepped into the shower? It’s huge and I’ve had both my kids in the shower with me when they were younger. I agree the design is classic and it will appeal to people who are monohull sailors. The performance is much better than you describe. This is a lightweight boat and it sails very well.
Thanks Audrie & Seathan! Like the other Antares owner who commented, this feedback is very valuable because, as you rightly say, we've never had the opportunity to sail an Antares. Obviously it's not practical or possible for us to sail all the boats we're reviewing, and so there's naturally an element of guesswork involved when evaluating some of the liveaboard aspects. This is why your feedback is so important! I know how much you love your boat, and, like many Antares owners, you justifiably consider it to be an ideal vessel for your sailing adventures. Just to clarify- I didn't mean that the shower itself isn't spacious- I meant the entire shower room, which, with the toilet in the middle of it, is more cramped than many modern catamarans in the mid 40s. But that's far from a problem for us and I can't see it being a dealbreaker for many people! Interesting what you say about doing a watch outside overnight. I know other catamaran owners who often keep watch overnight from the nav station and only come out to the exterior helm if they need to. I don't know what habit we'd settle in to, but we'd like the option of being able to do watchkeeping from the internal nav station if need be. I'm particularly glad to hear you don't have any issues with the design of the cockpit or saloon! Fair winds and hope to meet you someday- 😊
Sailing Yacht Ruby Rose Fair enough. And yes, I am very fond of our Antares and I do get a bit defensive because some of the comments are unfair in my opinion. As you know, we were monohull sailors before and when we started looking for a cat, it became obvious that very few cats are actually built for proper offshore sailing. It’s like comparing apples and pears, some of them look fantastic with beautiful cockpits and lounging areas but I wouldn’t want to take them offshore in a big sea. It all depends on what you want to use it for. We have yet to step onto another cat that we prefer to ours (and we’ve been on many). There are so many things to add to what you’ve mentioned that are so clever about this design. I agree it’s not the most flashy boat out there but it all depends on whether you want a show pony for coastal cruising or something to take you around the world safely and comfortably.
@@sailingrehua4842 I guess our point is that the compromises we- and many others- have highlighted are points that could easily be changed by Antares (as they've so recently demonstrated with a custom cockpit for a new owner). So.... why don't they go ahead and make those changes?! I'm not saying those compromises aren't worth it for such a quality vessel. I'm saying they don't actually *have* to be compromises at all. Unfortunately if you have a budget of $1 million US, you have a LOT of options- not just production boats, but quality, offshore ready boats such as the South African manufacturers- and I'm not certain Antares are being competitive anymore. Our criticism really does come out love for this boat! A used Antares is definitely on our shortlist, as you know through our personal communications. We really do value the safety and build quality of this boat. I hope Antares consider this feedback to be constructive, which is our intention.
I sailed the Antares 44 for a couple of weeks and loved the boat. I am incorporating the dodger and hard Bimini design to my boat, 56' FP 1999. Motor access was simple and I found it easy to check fluids and access the drive shaft and gear box. The winch and line access was very simple, but read the manual on the self furling system it is not as it appears. Cockpit was amazing it was cold out and we closed the cockpit which made it quite comfortable. Deck access was very easy due to hand rail placement and steps to mainsail and boom. Helm is great only addition is a fan to combat condensation in the colder regions of the world as well as give the captain a little more of breeze in hot and rainy days. Ports are amazingly thick and robust. The systems worked very well and were simple to operate, I loved the boat. Changes I would make: The door latches to hold the doors open need to be through bolted, they use wood screws. Worth the money and is a true cruiser catamaran.
I've been looking forward to this review since you started reviewing, and it did not disappoint! I think your comments are very well balanced, and clearly you do enjoy the boat; your criticisms come across to me more as constructive criticism than anything else, as there is clearly much to love about this boat. I gave it 38/50, which may be my highest score yet, as it seems that almost all of the Antares design compromises are compromised in favor of safety at sea, and I don't think that is true for many of the other boats you have reviewed.
Speed is arbitrary. yes getting a few extra knots will over the course of a long voyage save a few days. But then to go to the extreme Flying there would mean you can go anywhere in the world within 49 hours. So back the the base reason of sailing. It is as much of the journey as the destination. comparing a three week blast across the Atlantic once every few years before you go back home and The boat being your home is pointless. As for the heads.. with two small narrow hulls there is always going to be a pass through situation no matter where the Head is
Agreed. Every published race result for Antares puts them at the front of the pack. Easy to fact check. It is not a flimsy racer but it is a decently fast boat. My short list is this boat and builder as soon as I can get the funds sorted. I would rather cross an ocean in a well tested design than be a guinea pig for the latest fad.
Another great review - I’m sure future Antares boats will benefit from the honest feedback.. I do find the ‘performance’ category somewhat of a dichotomy as it appears to be based largely on speed. For a live aboard with your otherwise strong focus on safety I would have thought performance might also be measured by how it handles across a range of conditions. Being fast does not necessarily translate to comfort. Perhaps width to length ratios, how well the weight is balanced and how much fuel and water can be carried should also be performance factors for a live aboard cruising scenario. That said I look forward to your next review.
Hey Murray- you're quite correct, the Performance category is a really tough one because we're- unfairly, probably- comparing non performance to performance cats. So, an Outremer or Seawind 1600 will score very highly here, since they're super light and fast with good pointing ability. Clearly, a cruising oriented catamaran will score lower here, because they're sacrificing performance for interior volume and liveability. So yes, the category isn't perfect, but it's hard to add other criteria to that category (ie, comfort underway) because there's so many factors that influence a comfortable sailing motion, not least how laden down the individual vessel is.We'd be heavily relying on the manufacturer or dealer giving us the information on how well the boat performs and its comfort underway and clearly that's not ideal either as they're always going to tell you how very fast and comfortable it is (we've already tried this!!). In a perfect world we'd test sail the boats in lively conditions and give a full analysis on every aspect of it's sailing performance, but that's totally impractical. We're doing our best to be fair, but that category is problematic and we accept that.
I'm a bit fixated on Outremers, but this is one cat I'd definitely want to see. I wouldn't say that about most cat models. I think the shaft drive and glass at the helm are real pluses. I only had to try to read a boat name (not that far away) through isinglass to immediately want glass; at least to fore.
Memo. escuchaste? 2020. What are you guys in Argentina doing to stay competitive? Thanks to Sailing Yacht Ruby Rose for the input. All these topics should be addressed so 40 grados can take it to the next level & to rise to the top. People are actually waiting to see a much better, new & improved model. Exito siempre!
My comment is,”that I for one particularly love the engine inside the boat”! It makes for a safe engine maintenance as oppose to working on an engine all the while practically dangling out of the sterns sugar scoop!!!!
Most folks are rather harsh here, and for no apparent reason other than personal preference when it comes to aspects that have nothing to do with safety and comfort. As a reminder the builder admits to one purpose: "and that is to take a cruising couple around the world safely and comfortably." Shaft drive and skegged rudder, are you kidding me? Add to that a solid steering drive system without the added weight, maintenance and $$$ of cables/hydraulics. What other boat (Ruby) "reviewed" had even one of these two vitally important safety and especially build quality items. Without these you only really and truly have a coastal cruiser, not true blue water safety. The others have cut corners to cut cost and in the process added bling to cut out true safety and quality. Peace of mind seems to be absent in the "Comfort" equation here. This boat seems to be built very much as advertised, for the cruising couple, not to impress and haul friends (stowaways) around. I'd take this boat in heartbeat and would not feel a single compromise in any part of it, especially the cockpit. The helm position and view are down-right sexy.
Uneven floor, from cockpit to cabin to step up cabin table. Looks like the cabin seating is too low for the windows, poor visibility when at anchor. Navigation seating too low.
Antares has an option for the cockpit. An it comes with optional furling main (not available in most production cats) And the skegged rudders are really a safety first item.
We went to the Annapolis Boat Show 2019 too and walked this Antares 44 three times. We agree with the review 100%. Spot on!! How about force ranking the boats you have reviewed so far. We force ranked all the catamarans we saw and had a lot of fun doing it.
I like the galley down in general so that's actually a plus for me, I could deal with the cockpit, and I'm not in a hurry so the performance doesn't bother me, but I nearly choked on my drink at the price. $600k I could grumble over but think is still acceptable, but holy cats! A MILLION DOLLARS. Nope. I'm out.
Don't know if you have included HH55 catamaran on your looking around list yet, but a competing RU-vid couple did have a peep and liked it a lot. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-10NuqloElmU.html Seeing it I thought "damn, that boat is complying to (nearly) all of Mr. Nick's high demands (except price wise maybe). :) The rigging concept is novel and the "red buttons" situated over the boat, to emergency halt all the winches and save a few fingers, is quite nice to. The boat is luxury and performance combined, light & airy(for Miss Terysa) and non-claustrophobic. I am personally not a big catamaran enthusiast but even I thought it quite appealing. Would want a 2 master (Nick & Terysa living apart together) cabin layout though, with a separate utility room to easily conceal the washing machine, tumble drier and other "in the way" stuff. Have a nice day.
Ha! We went onboard the HH but we're trying to limit our reviews (and workload!) to boats that we may realistically buy either now or in the future (perhaps used), or that there's been a lot of demand for by our viewers. The HH is in another price category entirely and, although we had fun looking at the boat, it's not within the realms of possibility for us or most of our viewers. It's an amazing craft though!
Great job again guys. Totally agree. The cockpit seems designed just for eating and not for lounging. We probably needed to be more critical than we were on that spot. I guess we never thought about, “where would we lie around and read or snooze out there?” We also said that it seems a bit expensive for the size. We’d also would probably go for the Knysna 50 for less money if we were planning to buy new. But, we will probably going to buy used so it will depend on what we can find a good price on in that market. Best wishes in your future purchase! Craig and Janice
I realize engine replacements are uncommon and infrequent but if needed how is it done? do you disassemble it in place and remove it from the boat part by part and then the reverse to install it?
Depends on how much grief you have arranging to slide the engine to the point you can get it out. Four strong men and a small boy. As the old saying goes. Some boats you have it easy. Unfortunately this one has green motors, I prefer the grey ones. Lots less chance of putting the owner in the poor house. Cheers 😁
Following these reviews, it is increasingly clear how difficult a final decision is likely to be. I think you have been very wise to invite comments from owners because as you have said in some of your replies to comments, a marina based review inevitably lacks the experience of living day to day in a variety of conditions with the boat. By being frank and honest in your reviews, you are opening up the discussion, which has to be a good thing!
I was a bit disappointed in that I never got a good look at Terysa's shirt, I noticed Nick's shirt said "Crew Member" I wanted to see if Terysa was sporting a "Captain's" shirt : )
I think your analysis is spot-on: cockpit, price, ventilation good and bad, dated inside-design, great mechanical/electrical set up..... well analyzed, thankyou
Hey everyone, thanks so much for watching this week's video! This one's really split the pack, as we suspected it would, so we encourage you to scroll down a bit and read the comments by Antares owners 'Unwritten Timeline' and 'Sailing Rehua' for their perspective, as they obviously have lived and sailed on the boat extensively, and both have provided some excellent information. We also encourage you to VOTE!! (Link in description) We'll be doing a summary episode which will showcase all the public votes, so if you like- or dislike- the Antares, please submit your votes to keep the system fair. If you'd like to delve deeper into our catamaran reviews and sailing lifestyle, then perhaps Patreon is for you: our Patrons get all sorts of sweet benefits, such as direct messaging with us via WhatsApp, access to an exclusive Facebook group, Patron-only meet ups and sailing experiences, early access to videos, and a ton more. www.patreon.com/yachtrubyrose Cheers! Nick & Terysa
Sailing Yacht Ruby Rose great video! I was watching another channel (Zatara) and they did a video on warranties and manufacturers willingness including brokers to honor them. This would be interesting segment especially since most boats are around 1 million dollars.
Large sections of the RU-vid community have requested me to become their patron and now I am totally broke. All I can do is "Like &"Subscribe" and pray that Diane Abbott, Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi will achieve peace, prosperity and a world where Greta Thunberg is worshiped and obeyed as "Ever-Victorious Iron-Willed Commander" like Kim Il-sung in North Korea.
@@paulfata7581 great idea! Perhaps when we start to narrow down we can talk about this, as customer service and support, including dealing with warranty issues, is really important to us too. It's hard to fit everything into one video without it becoming laden down with a lot of detail and getting a bit lengthy. But this is definitely something we'll be addressing!
@@sailingrubyrose Its quite different in a monohull. It's a well known fact and why so many are galley up. I own a Fountain Pajot Lavezzi 12metre (some video on my channel) and the only time I was seasick was when I had to use the head in a 4 metre swell on the nose with 40+ knots. It's the looking down without a horizon and out of balance and thats why I have a galley up. Anyway I hope you test it out and I'm rooting for the Seawind. Fair winds and kindly seas, love your channel. André
My understanding is they only build 3-4 boats a year, so I’m guessing modernizing their “look” and “layout” could possibly be very expensive on an already overly expensive boat.
I've been looking forward to this review for some time now. You crazy cats did not disappoint. I agree Antares is long due for an update (from bow to cockpit), but it does seem to work. Perhaps I'm off my nut, but I think of them as a good ol' reliable pickup truck (not the performance of a Porsche or well-appointed as an A8, but does the job required and does it well). They are pricey buggers new, but they do come ready to roll (from water markers to washing machines to 1200w of solar). Still, I think you guys are spot-on with your review (both positives and negatives). As far as used, I think the boats are priced artificially high due to the broker's near monopoly when it comes to the used market. For me, it is still #1 on my short list, but I also subscribe to the philosophy of buying the smallest boat you can afford. Thank you again for your thoughtful reviews!!
The main winch location is odd. There was a small amount of water in the bilge and the pass-thru from the galley to the saloon is strange. The head in the guest hull is awkward for anyone in the aft cabin and there must no be a day head on the main deck. So if you are on night watch in the cockpit and need to use the head you basically have to travel the whole length of the hull potentially disturbing everyone else on the boat. There are many other cats in the 44ft range that most definitely do a much better job at space management. Plus the less than stellar sail performance.. This is like the Harley Davidson of Catamarans. You buy it for the "prestige" not usability or performance. EDIT: The Knysna 500 is a better value
In My honest opinion the Winch placement cockpit seating layout and Galley Down , Are Negatives , I like the Engine placement , and the Helm , plus a forward Nav , but if you are up top on watch , and want a cup of coffee your going out of View to get it , , Plus carrying hot Dishes up stairs would Seem a bit odd, like swapping the living room / dining room with your bedroom , then carrying all your food upstairs to eat , Maybe a minor Niggle but It wouldn't be for Me. Plus ok Negative negative negative , but it has 5 opening hatches ( ok We get it ) , You can have as many hatches as you like if you have a jigsaw ;-)
Nick, I appreciate your well thought out commentary. Please don't contribute less than previously because people think you talk to much on your own channel.
Wood interior nice but if storing on hard in some exotic place next to a jungle must be on guard for 3rd world termite infestation what'll widdle core away before being discovered too late. Starboard (which I guess is really just pressure extruded recycle plastic) termite proof & better resilience to elements, with thin skin wrap of carbon fiber over starboard might even be made to look pretty.
Nick said something about everything looking 'dated', but he did not get specific. In our world of change for the sake of change, 'new innovations' may or may not be superior. I would appreciate details about what specifically in the Antares is dated, and why the new design is better; even if you believe it is self evident. Otherwise, I really enjoy your reviews. God Bless!
I crewed on a antarees, we also had lots of leopards and some seawinds and the antares was my favorite boat to crew one, loved the galley down, with shaft drive and mini skegs / skegged rudder you can just park it on the beach / sandbar. But you are right it just hasn't evolved on the design has not changed since 2000. Bucks per bang I would still buy a seawind
Much of the discussion around any kind of boat is subjective , you like the New York loft apartment style , buy a boat that looks like that . You want a boat that goes for a more traditional style buy that . What I really don’t get , cruisers say you spend 75 to 80 percent of your time at anchor but then talk about performance , we could have got across the Atlantic 3 days quicker on a performance catamaran . Or we weren’t racing but we beat our friends from A to B by a day ! Or we did X to Z in 5 days ! The real cruisers talk about what they’ve seen or learnt about themselves and their partner and their boat and the weather and the Oceans and the cultures they encounter . Otherwise just go 1st class by aeroplane .
Clearly an amazing boat in many ways. I could not live with a cockpit like this one though. Perhaps nice for a dinner for 8 or so around the table. But for everyday use for say two people very odd to have curved seating both sides. Looks bad to me. Me personally I like things a bit more square incl. the table. What is a round table good for? Or two seatings neither to lay down and chill. And yes boat is a bit dated with its overall looks
You can tell by your reviews you guys are kind of obsessed with safety. I don't understand a lot of your concerns when you talk about safety on some issues though. This is Especially when you're talking about the windscreen at night in the rain being able to see because of some wipers. I thought visibility at night was a mute point unless the moon was out. And I was surprised to find out not all the lines go back to the helm.
As a viewer I could not orientate the interior views. I really needed a slow 360º pan of the cabin. Is the down kitchen at the front of the cabin or down in a starboard hull? I’m sure if I had been in the boat all of the views would seem obvious. I wish boat reviewers would include plans to enable us to understand the arrangement, and keep them on screen long enough for us to pause and view them or screen save them. 4 or 5 seconds. Your comments are most valuable but I need to see for myself. That may mean at times you need a wider angle lens, and/or still photos to improve clarity. We like to see you smiling faces but do realise that the presenters head filling the frame frequently obscures our view on the boat. May I suggest sit at the table, languish on the bed or shower in the bathroom but realise we are looking at the boat.🙄😜
Hi... I intend to get a catamaran 40-45 ft in the next few years. Although I sail dive and fish, I have limited experience in a sailing cat. What's a besy way to start to decide which cat suits me?
I like what they did with all the storage in the owner's hull. Most catamarans have that "desk" or a small settee there. To me, that is just wasted space. I can't imagine spending any time down in the hull other than to sleep or use to bathroom. More storage seems like a much better use of that space.
These videos would be great if you had sailed a Catamaran for more than 1 nautical mile. Your scoring list misses so many things a Cat owner cares about. For example you don't investigate deck slap / bridge deck clearance. You spend much of your time on seating areas but ignore that many cats you prefer have wide and thus slow hulls. Again your boat show catamaran experience shows when you ignore that many of the "modern" catamaran cockpits do NOT have a sightline forward. During the boat show this is not a big deal but at sea it is not much fun to not see the horizon. BY the way antares does offer a cockpit with straight seating and a straight sun lounger to port. One feature double handers care about is how easy it is to summon the off watch crew to the helm. On the antares the hatch to the master is next to the helm. This is a great feature to double handers. I would propose that you sail a catamaran for a few years before becoming judges.
One thing you never speak of is Warrantees on these Cats! Only one I've seen honors everything on board! Xquisite has your back. You call them of an issue and they sort it out! No run Arounds!
Great review.I have to agree with the negatives on the cockpit and master head and shower space and layout. The guest ablutions also small but what are the chances Maverick or Knysna are going to give you a shift drive with engines mid ship.
I looked seriously at the Antares and I agree with you 100%. Cockpit dated, fantastic quality build, shaft a must, Volvo’s ??, glass screen, ventilation, it all adds up to a great boat but you pay for it. I can have a devilliers 52 aluminium cat built for slightly less than that in sth Africa, with a lot more gear on it, state of the art. But 2 year wait, which I’m ok with.
Thank you for another great review! Proof once again the how elusive the search for the perfect cat! Antares strong points are extremely strong, skegged rudders, shaft drives, rounded corners in the beautiful salon, proven record, safe cockpit, .... just seems dated and expensive. I've also noticed those used Antares being on the market for over a year. REALLY looking forward to that Seawind 1260 review. :-)
PS Sorry, the 440! Just watched the review again, and I have a 'gut feeling' that she's the one for you both! Feeling secure/ enclosed steering position; wonderful cabinet making; the engine accessibility; etc! Would there not be the possibility of getting one 2nd hand?
There's no doubt the Antares is, and always has been, on our shortlist. She's a solid boat- not perfect, but probably the right set of compromises for us. We'll see!
hey you little people! i dont understand any of these sailing channels when they do these evaluations, you talk big about comfort but never mention interior heights in all different living areas, not every body is short, you say your doing a crtical analysis, yet no one every mentions these height restrictions. come on people have compassion on us folks who are 6 feet tall and up! give us dimenions please!
Sorry mate- only so much information we can cram in and you're right- not being particularly tall, it's not something in the forefront of our minds when we're doing the walk throughs. We'll try to keep that in mind for the future. Thanks for the feedback.
Less maintenance and cheaper to fix if you have a big problem. Just had the both sail drives replaced due to mechanic not replacing oil when they drained it. Cost them A$20,000 plus freight from Volvo Sweden to Sydney, plus slipping. Shaft drives you generally only need to change bearings, seals etc but you still have to slip. André
Great review But if only 2 onboard and youre cooking you have no contact with skipper as the galley is down (Not a Fan) too much distance but handy if you have an argument lol But galley down for 2 people is very very lonely
Heh. Trust me when I say that when you're living as a couple on a boat full-time, a little bit of space between you and your partner is a good thing! But yeah, you either like the galley down, or you don't! Thanks for commenting, as always! 😊
Love your vids .... Just by chance .. The Brand .. Aventura is a new one and definitely on the cheaper side but looks nice for the cost .. Did you check one out just for giggles .. They have a 44ft and a 34ft ... Just thought I'd ask
Never had a problem with hatches that are not flush, actually flush hatches can get really slippery whereas hatches that are protruding can give you a foothold in bad weather. .
Actually flush hatches without the aluminum frame can crack more easily and are more troublesome to fix. Not sure I would want them for a trans oceanic passage.
Almost a million $ seems a little steep, are you guys going to look at the second hand market of same boaters, be interesting to see how much we would loose after a few years or how much we could save buying second hand. Great video and I love how natural both of you are on camera, very informative.
Realy looked foreward to this one its one of the few that has props/skegs also the safe engine position and in the middle of the centre of gravity , Safety is the byeword of this cat and as standard it comes with a very high spec which are extra s on others, Like the solid build ok its a little dated but do flash lines or windows improve the basics ? This cat is a plodder not super fast & will get you there safe & sound & in one piece as Nick says its overbuilt in many respects. Spec for spec its not that much more than others. Long term ownership will be like classic cars , real wood not Ikia substitute rubbish blonde woods do make it appealing on so many levals, kitchen down does give the chef more space & again storage with that layout puts the weight lower which again equals safety. From a personal view I would spec dark blue on all the sofas ect whites and creams look grubby after a while but overall nice review guys .
Hey Guy's, great review. Still like the Seawind 1260 the best just from your reviews so far. Never owned a sail boat but many years age my family owned a 44 ft Lazyday's house boat that at the time was one of the best but we couldn't afford a new one so we found a used one that had been well cared for. Saying that you would consider a used one if it matched your want's and needs have y'all had time to check out any and if so any video or pictures of them? That would be interesting.
Under your reviews could you also tell us if the Sail Mast has any lightning protection and on board protection of instruments due to the amount of damage that it could do to your Sail Boat or Catamaran ,also might be a good idea to get a feed back on the different hulls you are reviewing from owners to see if that company stands by there Products on the said hulls ???????????. if something goes wrong under there warranty.does it cover the on board appliances under the seller not the supplier of the goods. Just thinking lol.
A bit late, but which was it "Xanthe & Jackson - Finding Avalon", or "Nikki & Jason - Gone with the Wynns"? You mention "when we sailed with Xanthe & Jackson - Gone with the Wynns".
@@thompsonxander Not sure why you popped up here trying to correct or teach me. Someone, somewhere, sometime will ask for your advice. That ain't what's happening here bud. Have a lovely Christmas! Cheers ;)
The competition is growing, those who do not innovate will be gone. What I'd like personally is an office woth global internet access so one can work during passage. All the cats I've seen so far are holiday house boats, what a pity. Tip: Outremer is coming out with a new model next year.
Antares did not design this boat, PDQ did, early 2000. Not sure Antares has the skill to change anything on this design. I did sail for a week on one and it is nice and confortable but a bit slow. Single handling with that winch in the back is not easy as you don't see what you are doing to the sail. Too expensive.
For me, the Antares is kinda like a Perry 43. Nice enough boat, but I’d rather a more modern Seawind 1260. Compared to the Antares, the Seawind has a similar galley. It has a far more usable and better ventilated salon. It has a far more usable cockpit that feels twice as large. It’s lighter. It’s faster. It’s got a better head and shower arrangement. I much prefer the style. Shaft drives aside, Where the Seawind comes up short is in the side decks due to the stays and curves, and the cabins seem to have overall less storage. That might be expected with a 3’ shorter LOA though. The 1260 is also $400,000 cheaper (!!!). For less overall practicality, comfort, performance (not a major draw to me, but more is better than less), and in a dated style. It’s a mystery to me why anyone doing a side by side comparison would favor the Antares.
You two do an outstanding job of reviewing these catamaran's. I think this is a fine cruising boat....but its very high price tends to cloud its positive points and highlight its negative ones.
