Okay, so you've decided to buy a big catamaran. You have seen the specific make and model you want at a boat show, from a viewing of a used boat by a broker, or from being on a luxury crewed charter. You have decided what size you want and whether it will be a production boat or custom. Now what? What do you need to do next and what considerations should you think about?

Probably the first thing to consider is when do you want to have the boat? Whether it's a production boat or a custom one, there will be a lead-time required before your boat will come off the build line. With a production boat it is most likely easier to get an better approximation of when that will be as builders know the time it takes to build a boat, how many they have already on order and what hull number yours will be. A custom builder on the other hand can also tell you an approximation of when your boat will be finished, but since you have more say over the features and equipment of the custom build, it may not be completed exactly on a specified time. So, that being said, when do really need it? It may be that you are happy with whatever date is quoted by the builder and just go with the next hull available or the specified build time. Or, you may have a particular date in mind because, for instance, it's going into charter and you want it ready for the next charter season whether it be for the Mediterranean or Caribbean. Perhaps you have never sailed the Mediterranean, so want it ready for the beginning of the summer sailing season there. Bear in mind in that case, that the Med season is a much shorter sailing season than the Caribbean.

Once you have figured out when you would get your boat and have signed a build contract, what is next? Obviously it is the deposit and then figuring out payment schedules. Different builders will have different requirements depending on the size of boat ordered and the time to build. Some production builders may want a minimal deposit (10% or so) to lock the hull, then a larger payment (perhaps 15% to 25% ) a certain time before the boat is completed with the balance being required shortly before launch and handover. Larger boats may need payments at stages of the build such as when the hull and deck are laminated, when the interior is started, when the hull and deck are put together and final balance. Custom boats will have more payment stages so it is always something to think about, especially if you are financing the build and so need to make sure that any lender is okay with progress payments.

Specifying the boat will be the next step and perhaps you already know exactly what you plan to do and where the boat will be used primarily. Choosing primary options such as interior layout, engines, wood color and major systems will be the fist stage required by any builder with additional time given to figure out the other options wanted and secondary systems. For important options like the electrical system, you will need to know where the boat will be used so that you can have the vessel fitted for 220V and 50 Hz or 110V and 60 Hz. However, most larger boats will always be primarily 220V but configured for 50Hz or 60 Hz. Of course, the best solution would be to have a primary vessel electrical system but by using transformers and converters be able to plug into any dock anywhere. Recently I had a situation where a client had ordered a Lagoon 560 and initially thought he would use the boat in Europe, only to change his mind and decide to bring the boat to the US and use it mostly in US, Bahamas and Caribbean waters. This meant a complete reversal on the electrical system at almost the last minute which required an upgrade cost to the client by the builder as well as the re-organization of several systems. On a boat there are not many items or equipment that cannot be added later but it is vital to decide what you want as early as possible especially for equipment such as engines, power winches, sail control systems, air conditioning, generator(s), inverters, chargers, bow sprites, wood color, wood finishes, upholstery materials and colors and of course the layout. Knowing what you want for the final launched version and if you plan to do any after market upgrades will make life a lot easier. Most production builders will give you their factory options and you either choose from them or you don't while custom builders will have a set of standard equipment options, but will also allow you to request individual features that they will provide quotes to you for installation. Therefore, a custom boat is open to your imagination as far as what you will want included and how the boat will be built. A suggestion on configuring a custom boat to suit your individual needs would be that unless you plan to own this particular boat until the day you die, don't make it too "off the wall" or "special" as that will make it much harder to sell later on. What you consider as a must have and really cool feature may not be seen the same way by another potential owner and mean that you either have to give it away at a lower price than expected so that the new owner can later change that feature, or you will have to refit the boat in order to make it appeal to other buyers, in which case you will be spending money that will never come back in the selling price.

Electronics are often something an individual owner may have their own thoughts about, but with many production builders they have their own offered electronic options and will not consider any others during the build process. It is either take what they offer or don't as their technicians are so practiced in the installation of that particular makes that they can do it quickly and hence save time and money in the construction. Also, wire harnesses and all the parts needed are pre-ordered and easily installed. Custom builders will allow you to tell them to install whatever you think are the best for you.

When the boat is finished and the time comes to accept the boat at the hand over, what are the steps that you should be considering? Well, firstly you should make sure that before you travel to the builder for the handover that they have confirmed that the boat is, in their opinion, completed and that there is nothing left to do. This may seem an obvious thing to say, but believe me in more than a few instances I have travelled with my client to the factory for the handover only to arrive and find out that the boat is still swarming with workers and that it will be finished in a few days (or worse, weeks). A completion date that was specified in the contract is not always accurate and can be taken by some builders as more as a 'guide line' or approximation. There is no way to properly accept a boat if it's still being finished. Once the boat is finished and the builder has provided a list of items that they are not happy about and need to be corrected, then you can do your own inspection of the boat and its systems to come up with your own list of issues and deficiencies. At that point, you and the builder can agree on what needs to be done now or what can wait until the boat arrives at its final destination. You will want them to fix as many items as possible while still at their factory, but in many instances there could be a delivery schedule that must be adhered to or certain parts are not immediately available from a manufacturer that will need to be shipped to you later. Making sure that it is all agreed to (in writing) before the boat leaves the builder will make the whole process that mush more pleasant and avoid any pointing of fingers to delivery crew scratching or breaking anything and having the builder refuse the warranty.

I have always been present for the handover of every new build for a large catamaran and arrive some days before the client does so that I can perform my own inspection and give the builder a list of deficiencies found, in addition to their own quality control deficiencies list so that the owner can see what is already discovered and therefore use his time to inspection the boat looking for things that everyone else may have missed.

If you have any questions, I am always available to help. Michael@catamarans.com and 954-449-4647.

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