Where is everybody?????

[Marina]

No problem, almost no one uses his or her full name - and the forum software does not capture it. But it's not always easy to figure out who is who on the forum when you have a real name from Paypal.

The Gemini is a decent boat. But it's not really that comparable to the trimaran. Totally different class. Other than the obvious missing hull, its's got much more room on board, more weight, can't fold, is slower, you need a boat yard for hauling or mast work, draws more water, etc. Like apples and oranges. It depends on what you want and how you will use it. If you're going cruising for a month or so the Telstar may not be the best choice. Several days in total and maybe 200+ miles per day no problem. I don't think trailerability is an issue for you, other than being able to get the boat out of the water yourself and moving it to a protected area if a storm is coming.

I've made it to the southern Bahama's a few times, but on much larger boats (monohulls). I don't think sailing there is an issue if you can pick your days.

I assume you are referring to trailering - right!?

[Ron]

Given a decent amount of wind from a reasonable direction, I'm sure I can make over 200 miles in a 24 hour day. That's averaging 10 knots which the boat is very capable of doing. I've gone 3 or 4 hours doing over 12 knots the whole time - from Punta Gorda 15 miles down Charlotee Harbor to about 25 miles offshore (Gulf of Mexico). Wind speed must have averaged 16 to 18 knots that day.

Hey, with the 50hp in back you can even do that motoring.

Gringo - The boat is easier to launch and rig than every other trimaran of comparable size, and MUCH easier than a Gemini. But it's something I would not want to do every day. If you don't have a dock at your house (or a place to moor it), I would look for a close by marina with a ramp so you can park the rigged boat in their lot and then do a fairly easy launch. But if theft is a major issue, then ??? $700 a month?? Are the docks gold plated?

[Gringo]

Ron, I don't think it would be the scenario where we would launch every day. I envision our typical scenario for the first few outings to be launch on a Friday morning, get somewhere we have picked beforehand on another island between the southern bahamas and here, between 40-70 miles away, however long that takes, and drop the hook for the night. Probably be in the water most of the next day, or fishing. Or both. (We conch dive a lot), then possibly hit another spot on the way home, arriving back Sunday afternoon, or mid day Monday kind of thing. Some of the trips we have planned will have us spending a lot of time anchored, with us on the bottom with underwater metal detectors. a few of those could run into a week. Who knows.

If I thought we would be spending a month at a time on the boat in the next year or two I would be leaning more toward the Gem. But I can't see us being gone for a month at a time in the next couple of years unless there is some breakthrough in internet access from a cruising sailboat. And yes, we've looked into it but it's not what we need. My wife develops medical software, and needs the equivalent of a good DSL full time in order to do it. Good money!! Buys boats and stuff! plus she likes it, so this is why I describe the extended weekend adventure cruise scenario for probably the next two to four years. Lots of places to go, though, between the Exumas to the north, and Dominican Republic to the south. Did you know a Haitian dictator supposedly hid a fortune in gold on the NE end of Great Inagua? thats a day's sail from here in a Telstar.