Hurricane ate my Dragonfly tri. PDQ sounds fantastic. Wisdom needed

PDQ issues applicable across all PDQ Yachts (or if you can't find a place for something, it probably belongs here for now)
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cogniz
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Hurricane ate my Dragonfly tri. PDQ sounds fantastic. Wisdom needed

Post by cogniz »

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.
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thinwater
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Re: Hurricane ate my Dragonfly tri. PDQ sounds fantastic. Wisdom needed

Post by thinwater »

sounds like you understand the basics. I owned a Stiletto 27 for a decade, not too dissimilar from the Dragonfly.

1. A marina 2 miles away is nothing. You quickly learn how to pack a few tools. Even when I had the Stiletto I didn't take her out of the water for years at a time.

2. The PDQ 32 is slower, no question, but not that slow. She will reach at 8-10 knots pretty comfortably and do 7-8 to the weather, depending on the rig (a genoa really helps). On the other hand, she is so much easier on the body, you can cover the same distances in a longer day. Two days ago I was blasting across the Chesapeake in 15-20 knots, averaging over 9 knots. No foul weather gear, no spray, and glasses didn't even fall off the table.

3. Huge difference in comfort. The PDQ will feel like a cabin rather than a trench. Additionally, since 2 of the kids can go in the same cabin, there is only one bunk that needs made in the morning. Much better for longer trips.

It just depends on what you want. Mature sports car vs. relatively quick RV. Although I would enjoy the Dragonfly or Conture, the wife and family much prefer the PDQ.

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Last edited by thinwater on Wed Nov 09, 2016 11:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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cogniz
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Re: Hurricane ate my Dragonfly tri. PDQ sounds fantastic. Wisdom needed

Post by cogniz »

So well stated Thinwater. Thank you.
As of this morning, a PDQ 32 with outboards is first on the list....

While comforting to hear of others that have been down similar paths of considering performance and comfort, its hard to let go of the desire for efficiency and some speed. But perhaps it's just a season.

Thanks again.

rad
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thinwater
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Re: Hurricane ate my Dragonfly tri. PDQ sounds fantastic. Wisdom needed

Post by thinwater »

All that said, I've been considering down-sizing to something sportier again. I will, just not yet.
Writing full time since 2014.
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cogniz
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Re: Hurricane ate my Dragonfly tri. PDQ sounds fantastic. Wisdom needed

Post by cogniz »

Hey folks....
I'm still in the hunt for a PDQ owner within 4-6 hour drive of Savannah that would let us visit their boat!
We have a couple of boats for sale (32s with outboards) on the radar...but we've never set foot on a PDQ. So doing so would be helpful prior to starting the purchase process, to say the least.

Thanks everyone. This forum has been valuable as we move toward our next boat...
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