In this blog, we had the opportunity to sit down with Bert Christmann and Elena Samulyova, two avid boating enthusiasts who recently took the plunge into the catamaran world.
Did you know that catamarans are incredibly stable vessels, often referred to as the "floating condos" of the sea? This stability is a common characteristic of catamarans, making them an ideal choice for those who prefer a smoother and more comfortable ride on the water. However, it's essential to recognize that not all catamarans are created equal, and their features can vary widely.
In this blog, we had the opportunity to sit down with Bert Christmann and Elena Samulyova, two avid boating enthusiasts who recently took the plunge into the catamaran world.
They've not only acquired their first sailing catamaran but have also made it their home, living aboard it full-time. Bert and Elena's captivating journey, documented on their social media channel, Sail Lilliput, showcases their adventures and offers invaluable insights into how they discovered and purchased their dream boat, how they maintain it, and the exciting voyages they embark upon as they sail around the world.
In this exclusive interview, we delve into the key tips for buying a catamaran, learning from their firsthand experience and passion for the sea.
Dione: Could you share the backstory of how you've arrived at your current point in life and the steps you took to make it all come to fruition?
Bert: The journey we're on today was born from a fusion of Elena's idea and my lifelong dream. After years of traveling together on land, we were both drawn to explore the vast expanses of water, which make up 73% of our beautiful planet.
About a year and a half ago, I put together a plan, and we embarked on the quest to find the perfect boat. After successfully locating the right vessel, we set to work, conducting an extensive refit in just under two months. Almost precisely one year ago, on the 1st of September, we returned to the water, marking the beginning of our incredible voyage.
Dione: Is a monohull better or is a catamaran better? What do you think?
Bert: Ambitious sailors would prefer a monohull because of its sailing performance. Cruises and live aboard usually prefer catamarans because of its huge space availability.
I guess the most important question is with what expectation on your future boat do you want to buy a boat? To answer that question, it's beneficial to have an experienced partner by your side who can guide you by posing the right questions. They can help you pinpoint the boat that suits your needs, assist you in locating it, and navigate the often intricate and challenging process of transferring ownership and handling registration. This guidance will continue until you're fully prepared to set sail on your new adventure.
Elena: Aesthetically, I love monohulls. I see this beautiful wooden boat, it's like a piece of art, but for a comfortable life, I would go with a catamaran.
Bert: As I'm a sailor, I would never buy a powerboat. For me it needs to have a mast, it needs to have a sail. The magic of sailing starts when you turn off the engine and when the wind carries you away. This is how I fell in love with sailing many, many years ago.
Dione: What are the 3 biggest things that you wish you were able to avoid when you are buying your catamaran or the three common mistakes that people might fall into traps that may become mistakes?
Elena: First, you should take your time. It's a really big decision in your life and you don't want to make an expensive mistake.
Second, ask everyone. Don't be shy to involve other experienced sailors you know because the more information you have the better you are prepared.
The last one is to balance your leisure and your emotions because the final decision must go not just from only one. You got to have a cool head.
Bert: You would understand when you found your boat.
Dione: Any other mistakes to avoid?
Bert: It's important to involve as many people you know and people you trust. They can help you. They can give you interesting hints you need to think about because everything is new.
I think if you buy your second or your third boat you have much more experience, but first time buyers should take all the help they can get. They will understand it later and they will not make many mistakes that would cost time, nerves, money and maybe you even risk your whole project. Take all the help that you can get and everything will be fine.
Dione: How much does it cost to buy a catamaran? Are they more expensive than other boats?
Elena: It's definitely more than you expect. You have to plan your budget not too tight because buying a boat is like buying a house... We really have to borrow a five-digit sum in euros to finish the boat and to put it back in the water.
Dione: Were there some unexpected costs that you didn't foresee or was it the renovation budget that went out of hand or what happened there with the budget?
Elena: There were many things on the plan we wanted to have like having a water maker independent completely with solar energy power. There were a lot of projects, another hatch to build in the other hull and I had to coordinate everything. First of all, who can do it? Find the right companies, asking a good price, so to figure that first out and to see what is a good offer to do it.
We had to coordinate many projects within two months and yeah, we learned and of course we paid too much, but this was also part of the learning process. We just didn’t have the time to compare everything... We learned it the hard way. About the budget, in the end we went out with four times the planned budget.
I would love to have someone who could help me and give me a better imagination of what can come, how much it costs and how difficult it is here in Southeast Asia and the work mentality is completely different than in Europe, for instance. All the things we learned and we had no idea of what's coming.
Dione: Do catamarans cost more than monohull sailboats? What does a sailboat cost compared to a monohull?
Bert: We only looked at buying a catamaran. Of course, a catamaran is bigger; it's more boat, its two engines, more space, another sailing setup. Catamarans, I would say, are half the price more expensive than a monohull but, yeah, we were only focused on catamarans from the beginning because we plan to live on it. It became our future home.
Dione: What about berthing costs in a marina? Does it cost more for a catamaran every month compared to a monohull?
Bert: Yeah, of course, it does. Usually we anchor somewhere outside far away from other people. We don't like having noise. We want to have privacy on the boat, so most of the time we stay on anchor or we have moorings which you can get here on many places by the government, quite good quality and well-maintained, also for free.
Dione: When it comes to first-time catamaran buyers, there's often a balancing act between size and budget, isn't there?
Bert: Indeed, in the world of sailing, the mantra "the bigger, the better" is frequently heard. While it may sound reasonable, it's not always the most suitable approach, and newer doesn't necessarily mean better. To answer this question definitively with specific numbers is quite challenging, in my opinion. Instead, prospective boat owners should be prepared to address a multitude of questions before embarking on their boat search. It's crucial to determine the right boat that aligns with their unique needs. I'm confident that the Basco team is well-equipped to guide future buyers and prospective liveaboard sailors through the process by asking all the essential questions.
Dione: How big would be too big for a catamaran just in your opinion for a first-timer with little experience? Would 50 ft be too big?
Bert: For me it makes no big difference if I sail from the handling of a boat if I have a 40 ft or if I have a 50 ft boat because the sailing is the same thing. If you have an autopilot you can sail it with one person.
A smaller boat, it will be completely different if you have a strong swell. It will move differently and it will sail differently, but I think for first time buyers maybe not that experienced sailors, try to stick in the range with what most people buy.
In catamaran, I would say between 40 or 38 ft, between 45 ft. It's a good boat size to start with and it's plenty of space. You don't need a 60 or 70 foot catamaran if you don't run a business or maybe an expedition boat with many tools and toys and stuff.
Dione: What are the three top tips for buying a catamaran to live aboard?
Elena: You should watch as many boats as you can even if they are out of your searching range. If it's going to be your future home, it should have a good and positive feeling from the very first sight.
Also, we live in a modern world so watch sailing vlogs and read blogs of experienced liveaboard sailors. You have plenty of them, including ours, and as a beginner, you will only learn something new from everything and everyone.
You should go and rent a cat for a week but not just with each other. You should join a liveaboard sailor and just to have a first impression of your future planned lifestyle. Many sailors offer these kinds of trips because it helps them with their circumnavigation. You just go to the sailing groups and social media, directly call them or even better, to meet with them to have a good feeling. Try because you will learn a lot.
Dione: Can you Share Three things that you wish you had known before you started?
Bert: Looking back, I'd say there are a few crucial lessons I wish I had known from the start.
First, I wish I had possessed more knowledge and received more support in the initial stages of our adventure. Do not rely on others. At the end you will be alone and you need to learn to handle your things on your own. If you are not able to manage things and if you always hope for help from third parties or from other people, you will just be disappointed. Learn to do your things on your own then you know what needs to be done. It will work out and it will give you more confidence about everything and you will grow a lot.
Also, one thing that is very important, we also learned the hard way, the very expensive way, don't trust the specialist especially if they call themselves like this. Again, ask everyone you know. Get the opinion of other people especially if you don't know the people well or you don't trust them already. After a while you will build up your trustworthy sailing network of other sailors.
You need to be able to run your things on your own especially when you're far away from your home port. All the time you start at zero and the more you can do, the more you are able to organize and to get things done, the better it is.
Dione: What would be your number 1 tip that you would say to a first-timer that was thinking of buying a boat or a catamaran to live aboard?
Bert: If this is what you really want, DO it. But let me tell you, life on a boat is not always sunny. At the end it's a life full of daily hard work, much responsibility, but this is the price for all the impressions you can get at the end--unique magic moments that only a few brave people will be able to experience.
It's absolutely worth it. Do it. Try it out. You have nothing to lose. You can only win. And if it's really not your thing, just go on and do something else, but as I already said, I never met anyone who said I regret what I did, I regret buying a boat.
It's a completely different lifestyle and Elena all the time says, "I know that I lived. I can feel that I've lived with all the ups and downs." If you want to experience this, try it out if it's in your head. You will regret it if you don't do it. Give it a shot and you will SEE, and you will UNDERSTAND much more of what we just spoke.
About Bert and Elena:
Bert and Elena are a couple of adventurous souls who recently became proud owners of their first sailing catamaran. What makes their story even more fascinating is that they've chosen to call this catamaran their home. But the excitement doesn't stop there. They've also launched their own social media channel, "Sail Lilliput," where they generously share training videos and chronicle their incredible journey. You're in for a treat as they reveal their insights on finding and purchasing the perfect boat,how they maintain their boat and their adventures as they're sailing around the world!
Note: This interview is being run for the Boat Buyer Expo (www.boatbuyerexpo.com). You can also watch the interview on YouTube HERE.
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