I just stumbled across this article written by the late, great Malcolm
Tennant. I thought it might be of interest to the membership...
http://www.catamarans.com/news/2006/04/CatComparison.asp

Thank you Noelle for the link to the article on Cat Comparisons.  I found it
interesting that, in the end, the comments only demonstrated how much more I
need to learn about catamaran design.  I think I'm tired of hearing that "all
boats are a compromise" even though I know darn from an engineering standpoint
or otherwise, it is quite true.  Knowing exactly what you want to do with a
boat, as he points out, is certainly a help, but no matter how specific the
application, one eventually finds that wall of compromise.
What initially triggered my interests in a power-cat future was the opulent
Pacific Expedition PE45 design.  For my Admiral and I, this boat would have
covered most any desire we had about cruising and/or living aboard with the
fewest number of compromises.  I would have my generous engineering spaces
while my Admiral would have her condo on water, and outside of needing a few
drawbridges raised and having to anchor out when no t-heads were available at
a marina, one could say "who cares" with a boat like that.  When the economic
turn-down hit, that initial excitement passed down through some of the larger
production cats like Endeavour 48, Fontaine Pajot 46, Africat 42, Prowler,
Manta, Venture,  PDQ 41, Endeavour 40 and a few custom build designs from R&C,
Shionning, etc, and most recently the Leopard 47 and 37 which are both being
delivered from So. Africa to Tortolla on their own bottoms (very impressive).
Now that we're going back to Miami, I've been thinking that a 34 PDQ may be
a very good Miami- Keys- Bahamas boat while giving us a taste of the cruising
life.  Retirement is still about 4 years away, and by that time, maybe I'd be
able to learn enough about power-cat design that I'd be even be more undecided
about it than I am right now.
One item I'd rather not compromise on is that ability to cruise economically
at trawler speeds while having a 15 knot or more capability if we ever needed
it.  When I add the stabilizer free stability, system redundancy and shallow
draft advantages, I just can't turn my head away from this design, even with a
plethora of real bargains out there in mono-hulls.  With the baby-boomers in
retirement mode, I think we could see a few of these designs reaching "cult
boat" status.  With all the associated costs of boat ownership these days,
such a designation could go a long way toward making your water craft of
choice a more palatable investment.

Oh, and Henry (Sno Dog).  Sorry about the error on my comment about not
understanding the higher speed from your new 4 blade props.  I meant to say
that I was wrong about the Russian "BEAR" bomber, not the Backfire (for God's
sake).  It counter-rotating props push the Bear 80 to 100 mph. more than I
ever thought possible.  Thanks to "John" for pointing out that ridiculous
mistake through a personal e-mail.  What must I have been thinking?