Considering a PDQ 36

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B Sardo
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Considering a PDQ 36

Post by B Sardo »

Hello all,

My name is Bob Sardo and I am new to this forum. My wife and I intend to purchase a live aboard catamaran within the next year. This will be our first multihull having perviously owned three monohulls, the last being a well equipped Perason 323. We have been sailing on the west coast of Florida and the keys. Our multihull experience amounts to some training on a Lagoon 41 followed by a 1 week charter of a Venezia 42 in the San Juan islands of Washington state.

My questions about the PDQ 36 are many but I will limit the first to the following.

Why should we purchase any model of the PDQ 36 instead of a well equipped used or new Gemini 105Mc?

We welcome any feed back and look forward to the opportunity to visit a PDQ 36 to help judge the size and space for ourselves.

Thanks,
Bob Sardo
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SecondWind
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WHY?

Post by SecondWind »

The best answer is Quality of Construction, better general layout and roominess, and twin engines.
B Sardo
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Consiering a PDQ 36

Post by B Sardo »

Secondwind,

Thanks for the feedback. I hope you did not suffer damage to your boat from Charley. I'm in the Tampa Bay area and we were suprised by the storms change in direction.

Bob
Dan White
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PDQ 36 vs Gemini 105

Post by Dan White »

The best way for you to appreciate the difference is to charter one of each for a few days. I chartered before I bought, and, in my opinion, they are in two different leagues -- apples and oranges.

The quality of the workmanship and materials, resale value, durability, strength, and reliability are all important to me, and far better in the PDQ.

The primary thing Gemini has going for it is initial price. If that's your prmary criteria, then maybe you can overlook all the other things. If that's the case, you may want to consider the new TomCat -- it's even cheaper. But, over time, quality makes a huge difference in your total enjoyment of your boat.
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SecondWind
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PDQ"S

Post by SecondWind »

Second Wind is in Punta Gorda. We took about $35K in damages from Charlie after a boat drifted down on us and broke the lines. She rode through 155 mph sustained winds with 180 mph gusts against the pilings of a neighbors dock. The surveyor commented that he had looked at 4 cats that day and our PDQ was the only one still floating. I think that the tough construction was key in her survivng that strom
Passage Back
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Post by Passage Back »

My wife & I just ordered a new PDQ 36. However, I second the suggestion that you charter both boats and make your own decision. Why would you make this choice based on advice from compete strangers?
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Post by Allezcat »

Bob,

Allezcat was the first 36 and premiered at the 91Annapolis show. After two years charter service in the BVI, we purchased her and still believe we have the best boat to meet our needs of coastal cruising to the Bahamas. Another plus has been the wonderful friends we've made through the PDQ Owner's Assoc.
The boat sits behind the house in Punta Gorda and survived Charley despite being thrown off the lift and crushed against the seawall, a tribute to her construction and strength. If you wish to see what a 14 yr old PDQ looks like come on down.

Chet White
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Page 83
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PDQ 36 vs Gemini 105

Post by Page 83 »

You really need to experience both boats over a few days, in a variety of conditions. That is the real test, but a few of us armchair theorists like to sagely evaluate the arcane trivia, so here's a few thoughts:

Shoal draft keels vs centerboards: simplicity trumps complexity, but the Gemini is closer winded in medium conditions, and faster dead downwind with the boards up, albeit with a loss of directional stability. Unless you have to tack up a river to get to dinner, closer winded only matters when you are trying to luff up another boat in a race.

Beam: After sailing on a PDQ, a Gemini feels tender, healing suddenly in a gust. I missed the feeling of security that I had on the PDQ. Conventional wisdom says that there are no slips for boats over 14 ft in beam. I've found a slip every time I've moved, period.

Trampoline vs solid fore deck: If you've ever sailed a hobie cat, you'll remember that sinking feeling that comes when a gust drives the lea bow down, and excitement follows. That obviously doesn't happen in a cruising cat, unless things turn very bad very quickly. For that rare moment, catamarans are designed with a lot of bouyancy forward, and skippers are very careful to keep the weight down up front. A trampoline weighs a lot less that a solid foredeck, but more importantly, a trampoline is able to unload a tank car load of water very quickly, so that the bows come back up if you turn "plow" in extremis. Multihull magazine had a story about a gemini that very nearly pitch-poled on the west coast of Florida. I was struck with the thought that such was NOT something to brag about!

Quality of construction and safety margin in standing rigging: Examine an older Gemini for spider cracking in stress areas. Compare the size of the standing rigging cables and turnbuckles. Compare the size and wall thickness of the masts. Then convince yourself that superior weather forecasting, route planning, and devine providence will absolutely safeguard you from ever being caught out in a storm.

Resale value: There are enough Gemini's changing hands often enough for you to know exactly what one is worth; There is virtually straight line depreciation based on year and condition. PDQ's, on the otherhand seem to sell for the base price of the boat, or more. The only bargains have damage or charter histories (not that either is necessarily a bad deal.) Not even Nautor Swans do that well.

Finally: you had a Pearson. You did not have a Catalina or a Hunter. You do care more about quality than price!
Sandy Daugherty "Page 83" PDQ 36026
B Sardo
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Responses to PDQ vs Gemini request

Post by B Sardo »

SecondWind, Dan, Mike, Chet & Sandy,

Thanks to all of you for your feedback. I expected the quality difference between the two manufacturers to be a major point. The punishment suffered by the two boats in Punta Gorda speaks well of the strength of construntion and design.

I have been reading past posts and trying to get up to speed on the subjects of this forum. An involved owners group is an important consideration in the decision on which boat to buy. The Gemini forum hosted on Yahoo Groups is interisting and revealing. They seem to spend alot of time talking about gelcoat cracks, voids and blisters. The steering systems need constant maintenance and frequent cable replacement. The quality of the hardware and rigging seems to be questionable because they often mention rust.

At this point the PDQ36 is very attractive. We will look for opportunities to charter and may try both vessels to make sure. One of the only draw backs to a PDQ is their availability on the used market. You owners must be in no hurry to trade up or move on to a motorized vessel. Is that because PDQ hit the target, with their design and exicution in the 36???

Thanks again and I will have more questions.

Bob
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