I am interested to read your generally enthusiastic review of the new
Moorings/Leopard 372 power catamaran. I had a look at one at last year's
Annapolis Powerboat Show and came away unimpressed.
First, as you mentioned there is no inside helm station, although for most
people the use of strataglass enclosures will make the fly bridge usable in
most conditions.
I disliked the narrow walkways to the foredeck along the cabin - having
traversed a bunch of locks on the Erie Canal this year I feel reasonably
wide side decks are a major asset.
I also noticed a ledge or shelf near the head of the bunks that seemingly
constricted usable width there to the point that you had better pray your
bedmate skipped the onions and garlic at dinner. Perhaps that has been
changed on later boats, but it looked like an awkward situation to me on the
one I saw in Annapolis. I even envisioned knocking the noggin on it in the
dark.
Finally, I wonder about uncomfortable heat in the main cabin in the settee.
The settee is right under the forward windshield and I wonder if heat would
become uncomfortable there on a hot, sunny day. There are horizontal slats
on the exterior of the windshield to deflect sunshine, but an afternoon
slanting sun could blast through the slats. I'm not sure if there is a way
to open the forward windows to encourage a flow-through breeze either. Yes,
on a sunny day you would probably want to be on the fly bridge anyway, but I
still feel the settee in the main cabin could become uncomfortably hot at
times.
John Schieffelin
Jamestown, RI
Albin 35 CB OTTER
I am interested to read your generally enthusiastic review of the new
Moorings/Leopard 372 power catamaran. I had a look at one at last year's
Annapolis Powerboat Show and came away unimpressed.
First, as you mentioned there is no inside helm station, although for most
people the use of strataglass enclosures will make the fly bridge usable in
most conditions.
I disliked the narrow walkways to the foredeck along the cabin - having
traversed a bunch of locks on the Erie Canal this year I feel reasonably
wide side decks are a major asset.
I also noticed a ledge or shelf near the head of the bunks that seemingly
constricted usable width there to the point that you had better pray your
bedmate skipped the onions and garlic at dinner. Perhaps that has been
changed on later boats, but it looked like an awkward situation to me on the
one I saw in Annapolis. I even envisioned knocking the noggin on it in the
dark.
Finally, I wonder about uncomfortable heat in the main cabin in the settee.
The settee is right under the forward windshield and I wonder if heat would
become uncomfortable there on a hot, sunny day. There are horizontal slats
on the exterior of the windshield to deflect sunshine, but an afternoon
slanting sun could blast through the slats. I'm not sure if there is a way
to open the forward windows to encourage a flow-through breeze either. Yes,
on a sunny day you would probably want to be on the fly bridge anyway, but I
still feel the settee in the main cabin could become uncomfortably hot at
times.
John Schieffelin
Jamestown, RI
Albin 35 CB OTTER
