30 ft gemini catamaran

8 Best Catamarans That Are 30 Feet or Less

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Large-sized catamarans are appealing due to their ample spacing and comfort. Therefore, a cruising family or couple looking to buy a boat is more likely to go for one of these. But are there small cruising catamarans that provide the performance, comfort, and amenities found in larger boats?  

The best catamarans under 30 feet (9.14 m) include the TomCat 6.2, Cadillac 27and 30, Gemini 30, Endeavour 30, and Maine Cat. These time-tested cruising cats are easy to handle, premium built, and are great for daytime sailing, overnight trips, and some even suitable for long-range sea passages. 

In this article, you’ll find a list of the best cruising catamarans below 30 feet (9.14 m). Keep reading to discover which catamarans make this list, what they have to offer, their pros and cons, and how much they cost.

If you are unsure whether or not 30ft is too small for your needs, then I suggest you check out another article I wrote named Best Size Catamaran , it will discuss why length matters and how it affects safety.

Unlike most catamarans designed for racing purposes, the TomCat 6.2 is a medium-sized cat that’s well-suited to daytime cruising. It boasts high-quality construction, vacuum-bagged hulls, and a plywood-reinforced deck.

This 20 footer (6.09 m) comes with an 11-foot (3.35 m) beam and not only offers you safety and comfort but performance and versatility as well. 

This boat has a centrally placed outboard engine and two rudders that allow it to turn quickly and maneuver confidently into and out of marina slips. The 9.9 hp outboard propels it to speeds of around 8 knots (9.21 mph or 14.8 kph), though the boat has the potential to move faster if desired.

This simpler type of cat (just one engine as an example) also allows for cheaper and easier maintenance. Maintenance costs are something most people underestimate when getting a cat, if you want to get some real numbers from actual sailors then I suggest you read this article (How much does it cost to maintain a cat).

The boat sails with minimal heeling, comfortably accommodate 6-8 people, and you can sail it single-handed or take a crew. 

High and narrow hulls bearing arched bottoms allow for a low wetted surface. The hull design provides low resistance and a great deal of reserved buoyancy and also enables you to drive through closely spaced waves.

On most 20-footers (6.1 m), driving through waves generates a smooth but wet ride, but with the TomCat’s enclosed deck (link to parts names explained here ), you are safe and protected behind a windshield and the high bulwark.

The TomCat makes an excellent cruiser because it performs impressively well both under sail and power. It combines the performance of a modern sailing cat with the comfort, style, and convenience of a powerboat. It’s also trailerable since you can detach the hulls from the deck , winch up the deck on a trailer, and slide the hulls underneath.

But the best part is that it’s easy on the pocket, with the price ranging between $36,750 and $44,580 .

Catalac 30 (9M)

The Catalac brand consists of strongly built vessels that sport thick hulls, glass windows, narrow beams, and vertical transoms . Catalac 30 was the first vessel in this popular British cruising line designed by Tom Lack in the late 60s. The boat’s appeal was attributed to its safety, ample spacing, well-built interior, and load-carrying abilities.

These characteristics are extremely important on a safe catamaran, overloading your cat makes it sit lower in the water, increases drag, reduces handling and speed, there is stuff you should know about this (so that you can make an educated buy). I have created an article where I try to explain the basics of a safe cat ( link here )

Sporting 5 berths, a massive galley, plus a cockpit with a sheltered steering position, the 30-foot (9.1 m) Catalac makes an excellent floating home for a cruising family. It sails exceptionally well, doesn’t heel ( heeling explained here ), and delivers a reasonable motor-sailer level of performance.

Furthermore, the hulls provide adequate headroom, allowing those on board to move around comfortably, and there’s enough space on the deck for sunbathing. 

The Catalac’s structure features solid fiberglass, chined hulls, and a staggered sheerline that allows easy aft access. With a modest rig that’s easy to handle, the Catalac can deliver top speeds of up to 12-14 knots (13.81-16.11 mph / 22.22-25.9 kph) under sail.

Given that the boat’s design focuses more on comfort than speed, this is a spectacular performance.  

Catalac 9M requires a skilled hand when turning into the wind as it is prone to blowing sideways. This is because the boat lacks ballast (which helps in keeping momentum during a tack) but also centerboards ( explained here ).

Skills are always the most essential things to bring aboard and you can acquire them in many ways, my two favorite ways are through NauticEd courses (two free courses here ) or by reading books (my top 15 books here )

Back to the boat! This model came in two versions; the standard layout contained a 30-40hp outboard, while the second option had duo engines. The latter is easier to maneuver into a marina. 

These cats retain their value pretty well. However, they might not be easy to come by since most owners find it challenging to get their hands on a larger boat with similar qualities and performance.

A Catalac 30 (9M) goes for between $33,000 and $55,000.

Catalac 27 (8M)

The Catalac 27 8M is a pocket cruiser that boasts a strong reputation for high quality, durability, and strength. Besides, the boat’s design makes it somewhat suitable for bluewater sailing ( understand why the small size is an offshore problem).

Built like a battleship, the boat contains solid fiberglass hulls. Additionally, it comes with double engines, a large cockpit fitted with cushions all around, and features standing headroom in each hull.

Like the Catalac 9M, this boat comes with two different layouts; a twin inboard diesel engine or an outboard engine. The twin-engine models can motor up to 1000 km (621 miles, read more on cat fuel consumption here ) without needing to refuel, while the 70 amps of charge plus water tanks (70 gallons / 265 liters) make these vessels remarkable coastal cruisers. 

Catalacs equipped with outboard engines sail faster since you can raise the engine during sailing and are also lighter. This helps to minimize drag . Catalac 8M sports a short but thick mast that helps make the boat stable. 

Though small in size, this catamaran packs a lot of features in its small frame. It has a full-sized berth, a large galley that’s almost 8 feet (2.4 m) long, a quarter berth, head, and navigation station.

What’s more, the cockpit is as large as that of a 38 to 40-foot (11.5 to 12.1 m) cat.

Catalac 27 costs about $31,836.

The Endeavour 30 

The Endeavour 30 catamaran is a boat characterized by stability, ample deck space, and a spacious interior. It boasts fast cruising speeds under both sail and power.

The boat has mini keels and rudders plus symmetrical hulls separated by a hydra-cell. The latter is a center section with a characteristic V-shape. 

The boat’s vacuum-bagged construction helps enhance strength and stiffness while reducing weight. Furthermore, the interior has a fiberglass mold, providing extra strength and rigidity. With sufficient breeze, this vessel can deliver reasonable off-the-wind and doable upwind speeds.

As such, you can expect to attain speeds of about ~10 knots (11.51 mph or 18.5 kph) on power reaches. Below is a video showing a panoramic tour of the Endeavour 30:

This vessel has the internal capacity of a 40-foot (12.1 m) monohull. And you can tell this from the unique layout merging the cabin and cockpit with wide doors to the numerous features packed into this 30-foot (9.14 m) vessel.

It has a spacious salon, an enormous galley, two queen berth staterooms with plenty of storage space, a head with separate showers, and a sizable U-shaped dinette. 

You can get this boat for under $50,000 .

The Geminis by Tony Smith were the United States’s first production cruising cats. Today, these vessels remain the most appealing American-built cruising catamarans. Built between 1981 and 1990, the Gemini 30 does not have a contemporary design, but it works remarkably well for cruisers desiring generous living space in a small affordable sailboat.

At only 14 feet (4.2 m) across, Gemini cats are somewhat narrow. But this mean s they can easily fit into most of the regular marina berths.

Besides, the boats still contain enough interior space for a queen-size double berth and two smaller doubles housed in separate guest rooms.

There’s also a modest but serviceable saloon with duo settees and a collapsible table that can transform into an additional double berth.

For the Gemini 30, this translates to a cruising cat with standing headroom that can comfortably accommodate 3 couples in private cabins or a family with small children. A good-sized galley, a spacious head with a shower, nav desk, and a large comfy cockpit make up the Gemini 30’s cruising palace.

Catamaran layout is highly personal and if you want to learn more about different characteristics then I suggest you read my article Designing the perfect catamaran layout ( Link )

While not that fast, the Gemini 30 will easily outsail the Endeavor 30 discussed above. Its daggerboards (which are explained in detail here ) can point well, and if you keep it light, it can do 7-8 knots (12.9-14.8 km/hr) under sail.

Besides, raising the daggerboards reduces the wetted surface area, and increases the speed downwind.

The Gemini 30 tends to pound and hobbyhorse a little when sailing in choppy waters – particularly when overloaded (more on load carrying capabilities in this article ), but the deep pivoting daggerboards provide stability and lift underwater.

Furthermore, the Gemini’s retractable rudders enable it to venture into shallow waters.

This is a very popular cruising cat that’ll give you a lot of bang for your bucks.

You can find a Gemini for less than $65,000.

Maine Cat 30 

The Maine Cat 30 combines premium quality construction materials with the most advanced building techniques to create a lightweight vessel capable of handling most offshore conditions. What’s more, this boat can remain trouble-free for years on end with little effort.

If you are in the market for a simple liveaboard cruiser that you can use for a short weekend getaway or a cruising voyage, this is it.

The boat has a sizable primary stateroom berth with ample overhead space and a dresser fitted with a hanging storage cabinet. The enormous head includes a toilet, sink, 20-gallon (75.71 L) holding tank, vanity, and a pressurized shower.

Covering the open bridgedeck is a permanent hardtop. This spacious bridgedeck can hold quite a crowd and comes with a convertible dinette that turns into an extra berth. If need be, you can even enclose the entire space using acrylic windows or screens. Gabo

The 360-degree visibility from the cockpit allows the captain plus the crew a panoramic view, and all sail controls go back to the cockpit, which is very useful if wanting to sail single-handedly.

I believe that most boats should be set up in this way since sooner or later you might be in a situation where there is only one person to handle the controls, such as in an emergency. But more on that in another article ( Link ).

The Maine Cat 30 is a classic boat that delivers on high-performance multihull sailing. Designed to offer much better performance than catamarans bearing tall and heavy bridge decks, this cat weighs less and suffers less windage thanks to the acrylic windows.

The boat’s interior layout allows for easy cleaning as surfaces sport a smooth gel coat and satin-finished cherry trim. The solid but lightweight furniture bears the same Core-Cell foam core employed on the hull, deck, and hardtop. Plus, there’s ample storage for all your sailing equipment, cleaning supplies, and provisions.

A Maine Cat 30 can cost up to $110,000.

Heavenly Twins 27

The overall design of this well-equipped catamaran makes it a superb pocket cruiser.

Heavenly Twins 27 manages to fit not one but two coachroofs on hulls that are only 27 feet (8.20 m) long. Canoe sterns and a central cockpit separating the duo coachroofs form the boat’s other prominent features. 

Famous for their excellent build quality, medium-depth draft, and narrow beams, Heavenly Twins 27 appeals to a wide range of boating enthusiasts.

These include solo sailors, weekend sailors, cruising families, circumnavigators, beginner sailors, and experienced liveaboards such as this famous Youtube channel “Kittiwake”.

The vessels house double cabins in the hulls while the forward starboard contains the heads and, to port, the galley. You can easily access the bar from the well-protected cockpit while the Comfordesk accommodation converts into a double dock. 

A stoop through allows access from below-deck to the aft compartment without going through the cockpit. There’s ample storage space throughout the boat, plus you can section off the large stateroom into smaller double compartments if desired.

The price range for this boat is $ 20,098 to $24,193. (I believe that kittiwake is for sale too)

The last cruising catamaran on my list is the Aquilon 26 . This French-built cruising vessel is light in weight and trailerable, which means you can disassemble it in a few hours or transport it as-is.

Designing a boat that is possible to disassemble usually means that it is structurally less strong, which by no means is a problem during coastal sailing but the Aquilon 26 is mostly attractive to sailors who prefer inland lake sailing. It’s also suitable for beginner sailors.

Although there are no real “beginner cats” there are specs to consider if you are a beginner with catamarans, most of them I have listed in another article ( here ). Gabo

This 26-footer (7.92 m) has the potential for good speed though its layout is anything but conventional- which forms part of its appeal.

The cockpit works as the saloon, and a full bimini protects the crew from lousy weather. The starboard hull contains a dinette and galley, and the port has a double berth stateroom. The windows are quite unusual, but they provide lots of light, remarkably enhancing interior visibility.

Aquilon 26 can deliver an average cruising speed of 10knots (11.51 mph or 18.5 kph).

On a beam reach, you can expect around 25 knots (28.77 mph or 46.3 kph) with an adequate breeze ( I have never sailed at 25knots but researching this boat supposedly it is possible).

You can get this boat for under $50,000.

What Makes Small Cruising Cats Attractive?

Small cruising cats are ideal for sailing along the coast. But that’s not all. Under capable hands, properly fitted smaller cats can also deliver spectacular offshore passages similar to their larger counterpart (Heres a list of full-sized bluewater cats).

They can operate over long cruise ranges, cross oceans , and circumnavigate the globe . Smaller cats are also suitable for day sailing, overnight trips, and coastal or inland voyages. 

For most sailors, comfort on board is crucial, so they’ll look for a vessel that guarantees a comfortable cruising experience. The good thing is that smaller vessels provide almost the same qualities and amenities that bigger vessels offer. Plus, you can do quite a bit with the available space, especially if it’s well laid out.  

You’ll find that most 30-footer (9.14 m) or more miniature cruising cats comprise a galley, head, bunks, navigation and entertainment electronics, and refrigeration.

Sailors usually talk about these benefits of smaller cats:

• They’re less expensive. Large boats are costly to buy. They also cost more to hire, maintain, and dock. You can buy a small-sized boat at a much lower price, and parts tend to cost less too. Besides, you get to use smaller sails, winches, and lighter lines than those applicable on a larger boat. And since marine services such as moorings and haul-outs get billed via boat length, a smaller cat makes sailing more affordable.
• They boast superior builds. Most cruising boats under 30 feet (9.14 m) feature designs that are 30+ years old. In those days, weather forecasts were hard to come by and not as accurate, so boat builders used hulls with thicker fiberglass than the type found in today’s builds. Furthermore, everything in the boat, including rigs, rudders, hulls, keels and decks, was designed to withstand strong winds and high waves. 
• They have simpler systems. This means less time spent fixing and maintaining your boat. For instance, most small cruising cats often lack water-makers, hot water systems, or electric anchor windlasses. 
• They’re easier to handle. Smaller cats are simpler to sail than larger cats. It’s also easier to sail one single-handed or with a small crew.

What is the largest cat on person can sail?

The Disadvantages of Smaller Cruising Cats

Below are some of the most discussed downsides of small cats:

• They have limited living space, storage, and amenities.
• Though they don’t heel much, they are less comfortable than larger boats since they get tossed around much more easily in big ocean swells.
• It’s not easy to accommodate crew for extended periods; hence there are fewer hands to share work.
• They are slower and take longer to get to their destination.

Though fewer are on the cruising trails than their larger counterparts, small catamarans make ideal cruisers because they are simple, seaworthy, and pocket-friendly.

When choosing the best cat for your needs, focus on quality rather than size. A well-planned 30-footer (9.14 m) is reliable and provides ample space for your accommodation, dining, and relaxation, plus a storage room for provisions and any spare parts you might need. 

And if you want even more info than I have presented to you in this article I would recommend a book from Serj, he makes it easy to understand why size matters and how to find a cat suited for your needs (amazon link )

Owner of CatamaranFreedom.com. A minimalist that has lived in a caravan in Sweden, 35ft Monohull in the Bahamas, and right now in his self-built Van. He just started the next adventure, to circumnavigate the world on a Catamaran!

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GEMINI 3000: A Very Affordable Cruising Cat

The Gemini, the first production cruising catamaran ever built in the United States, was born from the ashes of a terrible fire that in 1981 destroyed the molds for the successful Telstar 26 folding trimaran that multihull enthusiast Tony Smith had just brought over from Great Britain. Eager to save his new Maryland-based business, Performance Cruising, Smith immediately started building catamarans instead, using molds for an old British cruiser, the Aristocat, designed by Ken Shaw back in 1970.

The original Gemini 31, appropriately named the Phoenix, was rebranded with minor changes as the Gemini 3000 after the first 28 hulls were launched. In all, 153 of these boats (including the first 28) were built from 1981 to 1990, when the 3000 was discontinued and replaced by the Gemini 3200. All subsequent Gemini models built by Performance Cruising, including the 3200, the 3400, and two 105 models, though they grew slightly, have the same basic hull and deck form and interior layout as the first. A total of nearly 1,000 Geminis have been launched over the past quarter century, making them the most popular American-built cruising cats to date.

Though the Gemini design concept is archaic by today’s standards, it still works well for contemporary cruisers who want a great deal of living space in a small inexpensive sailboat. As catamarans go, all Geminis are quite narrow, just 14 feet across, which means they can fit into most standard marina berths. In spite of the narrow beam, there is still enough room inside for a queen-size double berth forward in the master stateroom between the hulls, plus two small doubles in separate guest staterooms at the back of each hull, as well as a small but serviceable raised saloon with two settees and a table that can collapse to form yet another double berth.

A modest but useful main saloon

The galley is down in the starboard hull

One of two aft double berths

What this adds up to, in the case of the Gemini 3000, is a 30-foot boat with standing headroom that can honestly sleep four couples in a pinch, or three couples quite comfortably in private cabins, or a couple with several small children (or two older children who demand some space of their own). Throw in a good-sized galley, a roomy head with a shower, a nice long nav desk, plus a large comfortable cockpit, and you have a veritable poor man’s cruising palace.

When it comes to performance Geminis are a mixed bag. They have a solid bridgedeck stretching the entire length of the boat from the stern to the bow, plus the bridgedeck is fairly close to the water, and this inevitably hampers a catamaran’s performance to some degree. The boats will pound and hobbyhorse a bit sailing into a chop, especially when overloaded. On the other hand, Geminis do have relatively deep pivoting centerboards to provide directional stability and lift underwater, rather than the inefficient shoal keels found on most dedicated cruising cats. In flat water a Gemini with its lee centerboard down could be rather closewinded for a boat of its type. On the Gemini 3000s, unfortunately, the genoa track is outboard and the wide sheeting angle makes it hard to take advantage of this potential. On later models the track was moved inboard to the coachroof.

Example of a Gemini 105Mc, the last Gemini built by Performance Cruising

Because their centerboards can be raised and wetted surface area thus reduced when desired, all Geminis are reasonably fast off the wind compared to others of their ilk, particularly if you hoist a spinnaker. Unlike most modern cats, however, they have conventional rigs with backstays, and cannot fly a large main with a fat roach. Still, as long as they are not overloaded (an important proviso aboard any multihull), Geminis do surprisingly well in light air and can generally outsail most monohulls in their size range. They also have retractable rudders housed in stainless-steel cassettes, which allows them to take full advantage of their boards-up shoal draft when venturing into thin water.

Construction quality is mediocre at best, and though a few bold souls have taken Geminis offshore, the boats are best suited to coastal cruising. The entire hull (that is, both hulls plus the underside of the full-length bridgedeck) is formed in a single mold and is laid up as a solid fiberglass laminate of mat and woven roving. In the Gemini 3000 hulls polyester resin was used, and according to one consumer survey conducted back in the 1980s about 20 percent of owners reported some blistering. All subsequent models were built with an exterior layer of vinylester to prevent this.

The deck, also formed in a single mold, is cored with balsa in all horizontal areas and is through-bolted to the hull on a flange. To save weight neither the deck nor hull laminate are terribly thick and this, combined with the free-floating bulkheads inside the hull, makes for a somewhat flexible structure. Flexing in older Gemini 3000s often leads to some crazing and spider cracking in the exterior gelcoat. This problem is usually only cosmetic, but more severe stress cracking may indicate delamination in some areas and should be carefully checked. Older Gemini 3000s may also have problems with leaky Plexiglas windows. These were later changed to Lexan, which works better in windows of this size. Other problems to look for include corroding steering cables and undersized deck hardware.

Outboard installation on an older Gemini

Though optional inboard diesel engines were available, almost all Gemini 3000s are powered instead by a single long-shaft outboard engine mounted in the middle of the transom. The outboard turns with the rudder cassettes, which greatly improves close-quarters handling under power, and can be raised when sailing to reduce drag. When the boat was in production outboard-powered 3000s were delivered with either 35 or 40 hp motors, but many boats currently are driven by 25 hp motors. Reportedly even a 10 hp motor can drive the hull along at 5 knots or better.

Because alternators on outboard engines cannot generate much electricity, most Gemini 3000s have propane-fueled water heaters and refrigerators. The refrigerators can also run on 110-volt AC power when plugged in at a dock. All other DC electrical loads for lights, pumps, electronics, etc., must be kept at a minimum, or generation capacity must be augmented with solar panels and/or a wind generator. In most cases owners prefer to cope with the undersized DC system by keeping other systems as simple as possible.

The latest iteration, the Gemini Legacy 35, under sail

The cockpit on a Legacy 35. With no backstay and the main traveler on the targa roof, the cockpit is considerably more open

If you are attracted to Geminis but are keen on buying a new boat, you’ll be glad to hear that Marlow Hunter (formerly Hunter Marine) has taken over production and has significantly modernized the design. The Gemini Legacy 35 , as it is called, is more of a mainstream cruising cat, with twin diesel engines, a diamond-stayed rig with a square-top mainsail, and fixed keels instead of centerboards. Build quality and the cockpit layout have also been improved. With a base price of $175K, the Legacy is considerably more expensive than a used Gemini, but is still significantly less expensive than most other new cruising cats.

Specifications

LOA: 30’6″

LWL: 27’7″

Beam: 14’0″

-Boards down: 4’9″

-Boards up: 1’9″

Displacement: 7,000 lbs.

-100% foretriangle: 425 sq.ft.

-With spinnaker: 675 sq.ft.

Fuel: 20-40 gal.

Water: 60 gal.

D/L ratio: 149

-100% foretriangle: 18.55

-With spinnaker: 29.46

Nominal hull speed: 9.1 knots

Typical asking prices: $35-65K

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Dear All, thank you for the interesting report. Got an offer for a Cat Gemini 3000 30″, built in 1986. Need additionale the High, Length Dimension of the Mast and High from mast top until Waterline for for planning riding under bridges, as well as compl. technical data if possible Thank you so much. Best regards. Rolf Viehöver Satellite Beach, Fl . April, 8 th 2016.

80’0 Gemini wanted

Seriously? You want to find an 80-foot Gemini??? No such animal, I’m afraid.

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Gemini 105Mc

This is the third version of an already thoughtful design that tony smith has been tweaking for years. it's a spacious, stable platform for a fast-cruising couple..

Tony Smith’s most recent design is the third iteration of a 34-foot catamaran that his company, Performance Cruising, Inc., of Annapolis, first introduced to the American market in the 1990s. The result of Smith’s continued tinkering, the 105Mc, is, he says faster than the original. Since this is our first review of the Gemini cat in any version, we can’t compare. But we can report that this boat is fast for a cruising catamaran. It’s also evidence that when a builder is willing to incorporate new and sometimes expensive ideas in design development, the results can be worth the investment.

Company History Tony Smith is a British expatriate who, with wife Susan, formed Performance Cruising in 1980. Following graduation from the University of East Anglia with a degree in engineering, he studied the mechanics of boat performance while participating in singlehanded races, including the first 2,100-mile Round Britain race, in which he finished fourth.

He began his boatbuilding career by constructing a 24-foot Piver trimaran in a shed in England. Then, in 1969, he developed a method of integrating foam coring with fiberglass, and produced the Telstar, a 26-foot, folding trimaran. During a 10-year run, 300 of the boats were sold worldwide. Along the way, he also was involved in the construction of 30- to 70-foot custom yachts.

Eventually emigrating to the US, he introduced the Telstar to the US market. Following the loss of the molds in a fire in 1981, he re-emerged on the scene with the design for a new catamaran, appropriately called the Phoenix, the first Gemini.

In 1993, the company launched the Gemini 3400, the first catamaran with a lifting underhung rudder system. It was eventually modified and reintroduced as the 105M, and the 105Mc is the most recent upgrade.

With 800 boats on the water, the company claims to be the best-selling catamaran manufacturer in the US. In 2002 the company’s 20 employees built and sold 54 boats, valued at $8 million, in a 16,000-square-foot factory. An additional 25,000 square feet of production space are currently under construction.

Six dealers are located in Florida, Maryland, California and Washington. Though the company also sells directly to customers, there’s no price advantage, and a connection to a local dealer would be an advantage if warranty issues arise.

A prototype for a new Telstar trimaran is undergoing sea trials, and can be seen on the Performance Cruising website.

Appearance/Design Smith’s perspective on sailing and yacht design fits the definition of a multihull advocate. From his standpoint, sailing is about speed, comfort, and stability.

From an aesthetic standpoint, comparisons of a 35-foot catamaran to a cruising monohull are usually akin to comparing a coupe to a delivery van. Though both may be designed to accomplish the same purposes, the execution varies greatly. Many cruising multihulls present a slab-sided appearance, and boxlike profiles with cabins extending high above deck level.

The 105Mc does not. When viewed from the quarter, the Mc has a relatively sporty appearance, even with the addition of a cockpit canopy that raises the boat’s profile. Viewed on the centerline, there’s no question she’s a cat, though the unsightly strakes of the 3400 version have been eliminated.

Smith says Gemini catamarans are designed for “serious ocean cruising,” adding that “a 23-day passage with son Neil across the North Atlantic opened my eyes to her capabilities.”

During the passage, he says, the pair encountered 45-knot winds and 35-foot waves, but never felt they were in harm’s way, and were comfortably ensconced in the cockpit wearing layers of fleece.

As most readers know, voyaging in multihulls offshore demands some different sailing techniques and priorities than sailing ballasted monohulls. The high initial stability of a multihull works both ways: the boat will mightily resist capsizing, but if it does go over and invert, it will be virtually impossible to right again without the assistance of a large ship with a cargo crane. Assuming the essential integrity of the hulls, the platform will be stable, and the crew will live in an inverted world pending rescue. However, very few owners of cruising multihulls have the occasion to take their boats into conditions that seriously challenge their initial stability, and (North Atlantic deliveries by designers notwithstanding) this Mc will usually be sailed in coastal or near-coastal waters.

The Mc has the same basic dimensions as the 3400. Note that the weights published in the company’s sales literature and on its website are at odds with each other. Dimensions in this article are accurate, Smith says: “The 105M and the Mc are the same weight—9,600 pounds. We realized after our trans-Atlantic trip that the weights we had given for the 105M were too low. We finally bought a pair of scales!

“The mast on the Mc is a foot taller than the 105M, and has a 1′ crane.” The mainsail now carries a large roach and full battens, increasing mainsail area from 260 to 340 square feet, a hefty jump. The 150% genoa carries 350 square feet.

A new option is a flat-cut overlapping genoa known in the multihull world as a “screecher.” This 490-square-foot sail produces spinnaker performance without adding a pole and guys.

The furling drum for the screecher tack can move athwartships on a curved track that is mounted at the prows of both hulls and across the bowsprit/anchor platform, forward of where the anchor is dropped through. This movable tack allows more flexibility with sheeting angles, especially when attempting to work to weather.

The cut of the sail allows it to be sailed to within 50 degrees of the apparent wind, and the tack arrangement doesn’t get in the way of the ground tackle.

Smith describes the hull shapes, introduced in 1995 on the 105M model, as “revolutionary in the multihull industry.” They have a 9:1 length to width ratio.

“They closely resemble a racing monohull,” Smith says. “They are shallow and fat, with a teardrop shape to produce more speed and increase load-carrying capacity. Compared to the 3400, narrower shapes allow hulls to be moved outward to produce stability without increasing beam.”

The foredeck has 39″ of clearance at the bow. (Note that the builders refer to the deck area forward of the cabin as the “bridge deck,” but we’ll use “foredeck” as we don’t want to confuse it with the bit of decking often found between the cockpit and the companionway.)

Asymmetric centerboards were designed to reduce turbulent drag and increase lift. Constructed of a combination of fiberglass mat and Kevlar surrounding closed cell foam, they pivot upward to allow shallow-water anchoring. Located in cavities on the hulls, they are raised from inside the main saloon, a convenient arrangement that does not interfere with galley or navigational chores. Smith says the combination of hull and centerboard redesigns produced a boat requiring “25% less energy to push it the same speed.”

The cockpit sole has been lowered slightly to increase headroom to 6′ 7″. However, the modification does not impair the helmsman’s view forward through a large Lexan window that spans the deck. The wheel was moved outboard, allowing the helmsman to steer from the rail. Mainsail controls are now located on a thicker transom that provides more comfortable seating for crew, and the stern has been modified to allow access from swim ladders.

Smith’s personality is that of a consummate tinkerer. However, unlike industry giants, he enjoys the luxury of being able to continually focus his attention on one product with an eye toward evolutionary improvements.

Deck One early impression while sailing this boat is that the cockpit doesn’t resemble a spaghetti factory, though the boat is as well-equipped with name-brand equipment as a similar-sized monohull.

Halyards are led to winches on the mast rather than sheetstoppers on the cabintop because, Smith says, “you’re operating on a stable platform, even in a blow,” so moving forward is not as treacherous.

The mast carries straight double spreaders and is stepped on deck atop the main bulkhead. The headstay is opposed by a split backstay with tensioner. Halyards are internal. Shrouds are dead-ended on chainplates at the main bulkhead. The chainplates are bolted through steel strapping bonded into the foredeck area.

The mast is rigged with permanent checkstays angled 20 degrees aft. These are supported through the deck by a stainless steel rod married to a steel plate mounted horizontally in the hull. The powerful sailplan is well supported.

As is true on most catamarans, movement forward is relatively effortless. The combination of 14″ wide steps, a handhold on the canopy, a stainless steel handrail recessed in the cabintop, and 10″ wide decks, allowed us to move forward safely in blustery conditions we encountered on a test sail.

The large sundeck and plastic seats attached to the forward rail provide passengers comfortable lounging spaces forward of the mast when underway. Unlike a lightweight monohull, the cat’s performance is relatively unaffected by weight on the foredeck. Storage compartments are located in each hull.

The helmsman steers seated on a 27″ wide x 16″ deep seat that affords unrestricted views forward. We sailed with three passengers under the canopy without interfering with the skipper. Though the saloon may be enclosed in stinky weather, clear windows on the top half of the cockpit bulkhead slide open to allow the driver to commiserate with passengers.

The mainsheet is attached to the end of the boom and a section of track mounted on the stern rail that affords excellent sail control. However, the task becomes difficult when the cockpit is enclosed by a clear vinyl cover.

Lockers for storage of propane tanks and an optional generator are also located in the cockpit.

Belowdecks Step over an 11″ doorframe into the saloon and there’s no comparing the open spaces of the Mc’s 14-foot beam to the view along the saloon of a typical 34-foot monohull. That impression is augmented by a portlight array that provides 360-degree visibility, and four Bowmar hatches that allow light and air to flow in from overhead.

Fiberglass surfaces are light and shiny, and veneers nicely finished. The fit of most cabinetry is above average.

The centerpiece of the saloon is a C -shaped dining area surrounded by cushions that, with the table removed, serves as a conversation pit. When lowered, the table converts to a double berth.

The space to port, amidships along the hull, is dedicated to the navigator. The master stateroom is forward amidships and to starboard, with the bunk set at a slight angle. The head is forward to port. There’s an elongated galley on the starboard side, matched by a navigator’s station along the port side, and twin staterooms aft.

The boat has enough bunks for 6-8 adults, but Smith rightly calls it “a couple’s boat.” This is a refreshing contrast to builders who overstate the livability of their products.

In addition to its spaciousness, the minimum headroom, even in the head, is more than 6′, so most passengers will be able to stand upright.

Though the interior is not dramatically different than typical production boats, several touches contribute to a favorable impression. The dining table is solid teak. Leaves increase the surface of the table to feed 6-8 adults, and it rotates 90 degrees to fit the crowd.

Part of the navigator’s 89″ long work surface is elevated and shaped so a chart kit fits securely.

Aft staterooms have a 28″ x 28″ area in which to change clothes without banging the hull. Both have double berths and opening ports. Propane sensors and fume detectors are standard equipment in the staterooms, as are audible alarms.

The size of the galley on the Mc was increased by locating countertops on the inboard and outboard sides of the passageway, and the addition of drawers and cabinets. Similarly, room for a built-in microwave was added. The space is filled with a Voyager 2000 two-burner stove with oven and broiler, and two-section stainless steel sink. A solar vent is located overhead. The four-cubic-foot refrigerator is a Dometic American.

Skipper’s quarters are filled with light by a port spanning the hulls that presents views through black Lexan. The queen-sized berth sits on an island with nothing below it but water. Storage is forward in the hull, and in bins to starboard. The aft bulkhead of the compartment is enclosed by smoked glass that slides out of the way to provide a view corridor for the helmsman.

The head compartment on the Mc is big, bright, and well-ventilated. A good touch is a siphon arrangement that allows fresh water to be pumped through the toilet after every use, helping to eliminate odors.

Throughout the catamaran, spaces are well-organized and proportioned, so crews will rest, eat, and sleep in comfort. The skipper’s quarters are large enough to help compensate for the monthly mortgage payment and slip fees.

Construction The Gemini plant is a model of efficiency, with no wasted space, as we learned during an afternoon tour. Boats typically require 5-7 days to proceed past six stations to a forklift waiting to launch them into a creek behind the facility.

Hulls, decks, and interior liners that provide reinforcement of the structure and a base for furniture are solid fiberglass. Liners are glassed and tabbed into the hull prior to installation of the deck.

The lamination schedule calls for vinylester resins bonding a barrier coat of 1.5-oz mat followed by two layers of 18 x 15 Cofab mat. The only coring is 1/2″ end-grain balsa across the foredeck and cabintop, and in cockpit areas in which there are no deck fittings.

The hull-deck joint is a shoebox design bonded with something Smith calls “black poly putty,” produced by Cook’s. Most builders prefer 3M5200 but Smith has used the putty for 20 years because “it has an 8- hour setup time that allows workers to be more precise in the placement of the two sections. It makes a phenomenal bond that is not brittle because it is chemically cured, a better alternative than air-cured products.”

Once installed, the deck is secured with stainless steel fasteners on 5″ centers and the joint is covered by a gunwale guard.

Following his trans-Atlantic trip, Smith decided that the boat needed to undergo a weight loss program. When constructed, most boats are heavier than designed, and the Mc was no exception. Smith estimates the boat was 1,000 pounds too heavy.

“It was not a matter of speed, but of comfort,” he said. “I felt that by reducing the boat’s weight I could increase its buoyancy and produce a more comfortable ride.”

To that end, he replaced drawers in the forward stateroom with bins, substituted 1/2″ plywood for 3/4″ in some areas, and lightened the lamination in some nonload-bearing areas.

The boat’s Achilles heel could be the solving of wiring or plumbing problems, should they occur. Wiring looms are attached to the liner prior to the installation of the liner to the hull, and are virtually inaccessible. Of the arrangement, Smith says “our looms are foolproof. Remember, we’ve been doing this for 20 years and the process is evolutionary, not revolutionary.” Spare hoses are installed during construction to ease retrofitting appliances, and 12-volt wires are run through PVC to avoid heat and chafe. Wires exit the mast into the forward stateroom, and can be accessed in a panel between the deck and liner. Still, we wouldn’t want to perform subcutaneous surgery on this boat.

Performance We sailed the 105Mc on the day after the Annapolis Boat Show ended, when multihull manufacturers congregate to offer rides to interested sailors. A northeaster arrived that morning, bringing winds that built to 25-35 knots and produced a 3-4 foot chop. We were the only multi hull on the water.

With the wind abeam when we slipped dock lines, once we were underway she motored well despite her windage. On the bay, the boat sailed with little heel, and fast, under a reefed mainsail and a flat, 90% jib. Nearby, the three-person crew aboard a 30-foot monohull struggled to keep their boat on her feet.

Sailing closed-hauled, speed fluctuated between 6.5 and 7 knots. The short chop produced a bumpy ride and water over the bow, but we stayed on course with very little leeway. When we cracked off, speed fluctuated between 7 and 12 knots in wind speeds ranging from 17 to 25 knots. She was easy to steer, and responsive when we made sudden maneuvers to avoid crab pots.

The canopy protects crew from the elements, but may provide a false sense of security, as we learned when we moved forward from its protection and stepped into a chilly breeze and seaspray. Handrails are well located, and the nonskid was effective on the wet deck.

The boat is propelled under power by a single Westerbeke diesel, using an outdrive leg than can be lifted clear of the water. The current standard engine is 27-hp, up from the 20-hp engine previously installed.

Conclusions This third generation of Gemini cat is an improvement over her predecessors. She sails as well to windward as can be expected of a cruising catamaran (better than many) and shows good speed and stability off the wind. She’s easy to operate, and well-built. Spaces belowdecks are comfortable and larger than those on similar-sized monohulls, though the lack of a second head will be an inconvenience for skippers overnighting with large crews. With the 27-hp engine, a 150% genoa and furler, and electronics, the tab for the 105Mc is $129,500. Add a screecher for another $5,400.

Contact – Performance Cruising, Inc., 410/626-2720, www.geminicatamarans.com

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Where is the production site, and can a tour of the facility be arranged?

The boat is no longer in production. Tony retired and sold the company. I think during the 2005 market crash everything fell apart. The outdrive and engine aren’t made anymore. The new owners redesigned the boat and ruined the original idea. They tried to design a boat for the single handed rental market in the Caribbean with a deeper draft and fixed keels. It didn’t sell well.

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1985 Gemini 3000

• Description

Seller's Description

S/V Nauti Girl is a 1985 Gemini Catamaran 3000. Recent Refit. Well-equipped and ready to cruise! Gemini Cats with over 1000 boats built are America’s catamaran success story. These boats are reasonably fast off the wind, particularly if you hoist the spinnaker. S/V “Nauti Girl” will fly as long as she’s not overloaded (an important proviso aboard any multihull), The 30 foot Gemini will do surprisingly well in light air and can generally out sail most monohulls in her size range. She also has retractable rudders housed in fiberglass cassettes, which allows you to take full advantage of their boards-up shoal draft when venturing into thin water.

This catamaran for sale by owner has standing headroom that can honestly sleep four couples in a pinch (if they are very good friends), or three couples quite comfortably in private cabins (OK, a bit cozy), or a couple with several small children (or two older children who demand some space of their own). Throw in an Eight foot long galley, a decent sized head with a shower, a genuine nav desk, plus a cockpit large enough to hold half the marina, and voila, you have a veritable cruising palace at a bargain basement price.

Powered by a 2012 25 hp Yamaha High-thrust outboard with approximately 700 hours. She is an extremely efficient, low maintenance catamaran, ready to cruise the keys, Bahamas, ICW, and beyond. She needs nothing, turnkey & fully loaded! With an 18” draft (centerboards up), a 1 - gal per hour fuel burn at 5 knots, and her 14” beam she is among the most desirable models on the market! You won’t find a better more equipped boat at this price range.

Included are a recently installed 16,500 btu Mermaid air conditioner, touch screen Garmin GPS VHF W/ AIS, Raymarine auto pilot w/ remote, Nexus gauges, Air Head composting toilet, 5-cubic foot fridge (12 volt Grape Solar), 8-inch memory foam bed, 3 cabins, custom bimini, all new canvas, recently - inspected rigging, all sails in great condition including spare sails and asymmetrical spinnaker, new induction cooktop, two new point-of-use water heaters, all LED lighting included in sale. Recent insurance survey (2/2018) available. Just bring your clothes, mask, & snorkel and start your cruising lifestyle today! There are other Gems on the market, but none as clean, updated, affordable, or as well – equipped as the Nauti Girl!

She is currently cruising the Florida Keys. We sailed her down from the southern Chesapeake Bay this season and have decided to sell her in paradise rather than sail her back. Recent Upgrades

• Sacrificial / Jib sheet (1/2020)
• New Zinc (1/2020)
• New LED Anchor light (12/2019)
• Rear Stays replaced (12/2019)
• All rigging visually inspected & adjusted (12/2019)
• Updated GPS / Plotter software (12/2019)
• New Krieger 1100W Inverter (11/2019)
• New Canvas covers: Winches, windshield, dodger, hatches (11/2019)
• New lifelines, gates, & hardware (11/2019)
• New LG Flat screen TV (10/2019)
• New Solar system (10/2019)
• New Induction stove (10/2019)
• New Water heater (10/2019)
• New Safe (10/2019)
• New Water Pump (9/2019)
• Bottom Paint (11/2018)
• Bottom cleaned monthly by professional divers since purchased in February 2018
• New binnacle (7/2018)
• New AC thermostat (7/2018)
• Handheld VHF (7/2018)
• Cockpit light / fan (7/2018)

Specifications Builder: Performance Cruising Inc. Designer: Tony Smith Model: Gemini 3000 Flag: USA Year Built: 1985 Length Overall: 30’ 6” ( 9.3 m) LWL: 27’ 6” (8.4 m) Beam: 14’ 0” ( 4.27 m) Draft: Max Draft: 4’ 5” ( 1.35 m) / Min Draft: 1’ 6” ( .46 m) Displacement: 7000 lbs Mast height: 45’ 0” ( 13.7 m) Sails: Fully Battened mainsail Furling genoa Genoa Spinnaker Spare sail Stack Pack Engine: 2012 Yamaha 25hp (High Thrust) Engine Hours: 800 Cruising Speed: 6.5 Knts Max Speed: 7.5 Knts

Head room: 6 ft 1 in Cabins: 3 Heads: 1 Fresh Water 16 Gallons ( 60 l) Fuel Tankage 22 Gallons ( 83 l)

Boat Inventory

Accommodations:

• Salon on Bridge deck seats 6
• Galley in Starboard Hull
• Number of twin berths: 2
• Number of double berths: 1
• Number of cabins: 3
• Number of heads: 1
• Two burner built in induction stove
• Water heaters: 2.5 gal (galley
• Refrigerator (5-Cu. Ft. AC/DC Grape Solar)
• Microwave oven
• Cabinet lighting

Engines & Mechanical:

• 2012 Yamaha 25hp (High Thrust)
• Engine Hours: 800
• Fresh Water Tanks: (16 Gallons)
• Fuel Tanks: 2 (22 Gallons, 12 Gallon)
• Battened mainsail (1)
• Furling genoa (1 x 150%)
• Genoa (1 x 125%)
• Spinnaker (1)
• Spare sail (1)
• Sail bags (3)

Electronics :

• Autopilot w/ remote
• Compass GPS
• Bluetooth portable cockpit speakers
• Depth sounder
• Handheld VHF
• Log-speedometer
• Navigation center, wind vane
• Radar (not installed)

Inside Equipment :

• Air conditioning, 16,500 BTU
• Cruising guides, misc. charts (ICW, Bahamas, Southern, FL)
• Composting head
• Head ventilation fan
• Memory foam queen mattress 8-inch
• LED lighting throughout
• Water heaters: 4 gal (head)
• 12v fans (4)
• Magnetic strip spice rack & jars
• Manual bilge pumps (2)
• Municipal water inlet

Electrical Equipment:

• AGM Marine Deep Cycle Batteries (2)
• Battery Charger (20 AMP, 3-stage)
• Battery Monitor
• Electrical Circuit: 110V
• Shore power inlet Solar Panels 320W (2 x 160W)
• Solar MPPT 3-stage Charge Controller
• WIFI Extender
• 30 Amp cords (2)
• 50 Amp adapter (1)

Canvas & Covers:

• Hatch canvas covers (4)
• Hatch Screens, external (4)
• Hatch Screens, internal (4)
• Mainsail cover
• Rear cockpit sunshade (4 sections)
• Winch canvas covers (4)
• Windshield dodger (1 canvas, 1 sunshade)
• Windshield insulated canvas wrap

Outside Equipment/Extras:

• Automatic bilge pump, stbd
• Captain’s chair (removable)
• Cleaning brushes, cleaners
• Cockpit shower
• Cup Holders (4)
• Custom Bimini
• Custom cockpit Solar Screens
• Custom cockpit Cushions (6)
• Deck Chairs (2)
• Fillet Table
• Gated (new) lifelines
• Kiwi Grip Non-skid surface
• Magma grill
• Nautical flags for dressing the ship (2)
• Oil extraction tank
• Operating manuals, instructions, specifications, recent receipts
• Outboard engine cover
• Oversized bow / high-back chairs (2)
• Rod Holders (4)
• Sheet (rope) Bags
• Spare parts, paints, solvents
• Solar Shower
• Swim ladder
• Teak Side table
• Winch handles (5)
• Water / fuel separator
• Wash-down hose, spay nozzle
• Water hose, drinking water hose
• 2018 insurance survey available

Anchors & Docking:

• Anchors (2): one delta
• one danforth
• Chain, rode (2)
• Buoy fenders (2)
• Boat hooks (2)
• Dock lines (8)
• Fenders (6)
• Fender sleeves (6)
• Permanent railing fender holders (4)
• PVC Fender board (1)

Safety Equipment:

• Air horns (2)
• Emergency Marine Signal Kit (expiration 1/22)
• Fire Extinguishers (2)
• Bosun chair, harness
• Life vests (4)
• Offshore inflatable life vests (2)
• First aid kit
• Portable rechargeable spotlight
• Signal Air Horns (2)
• Smoke detectors (2)
• US Coast Guard Navigational Rules Handbook

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

The GEMINI 31 was the first of Gemini series of cruising catamarans that became the best selling boat of its type being built in the United States. Loosely Based on the earlier ARISTOCAT 30, designed by Musters and Shaw, the 31 was superseded by the very similar Gemini 3000, which remained in production until 1990, when it was in its turn replaced by the slightly longer Gemini 3200.

This listing is presented by CatamaranSite.com . Visit their website for more information or to contact the seller.

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Brand: Gemini

Jump to Gemini Catamarans For Sale

Gemini was founded by Tony Smith and his wife, Sue. Tony’s concept was for a cruising catamaran that would appeal to the masses both in price and function and he achieved exactly that. Between 1980 and 1996 Performance Cruising, the parent company of Gemini, produced over 500 Geminis with 4 different ‘models’. First came the 3100, followed by the 3000, the 3200 and finally the 3400. These boats were all from the same hull and deck molds but with various interior, engine and structural modifications. Construction is conventional with a solid lay-up of fiberglass mat, woven roving and polyester resin used for the hull. The decks are cored with end grain balsa for stiffness. Beginning with the Gemini 3200, a layer of vinylester resin was incorporated in the lay-up schedule of the hull in order to help prevent osmotic blistering.

In 1995, Tony designed a brand new Gemini, the 105M. Built from the ground up and designed using the latest computer modeling programs, the Gemini 105M was tremendously popular with a huge number of hulls built. Beautifully shaped hulls, a sleek deck with a full pilot-house extending all the way to the back of the cockpit.

The Great Recession pushed the company to insolvency and their primary dealer, the Catamaran Company purchased the Performance Cruising’s assets in 2009. They decided to move production to a contract basis with Hunter at their factory in Alachua, Florida producing a new version of the 105M called the Legacy 35. The Legacy 35 was redesigned by Marlow Hunter in consultation with Tony Smith. Changes include fixed keels and twin inboard diesels instead of the central Sillette drive leg. In 2014, they switched production again to Catalina Yachts in Largo, Florida. Current production is a variety of quirky power and sail models in the 35 to 40 foot range.

Gemini 105MC (Greece)

S/V Gem is a 2006 Gemini 105MC catamaran, for sale by owner. This is a one of a kind Gemini 105mc, perfectly rigged for single/short hand sailing with furling screecher sail (self tacking), furling genoa, AND furling inmast mainsail! Sparcraft mast, boom and standing rigging installed in 2015, along with a new Yanmar 30hp inboard engine with low running hours (+-1400h).

All systems have been maintained meticulously, and ongoing cosmetic maintenance is currently being carried out (interior teak, gelcoat polishing etc). We have not spared any expense since we’ve owned her. We had a survey carried out last year and no serious issues were found. Small finding have been sorted out since the survey (small sail repair, new genoa line, service of liferaft and fire fighting equipment). All up to date!

Included in the sale is a berth at the beautiful Preveza Marina, Greece. It is valid from date of listing until July 2024. Preveza is a wonderful town at the door of the Ionian Islands. Great staff and amazing facilities. A huge benefit to any prospective buyer who wishes to sail Western Greece and further into the Med! This is providing the marina is in agreement at the time of sale, but there should be no issue.

Gemini 105M (Florida)

S/V Aireze is a Florida based 1999 Gemini 105M catamaran for sale by owner.  The Gemini 105 was designed to be affordable, compact, relatively easy vessels for sailors new to catamarans.  It is one of the most popular catamaran designs ever built with over 1,200 hulls constructed.

I have owned her since 2016 and maintained her on a regular basis with lots of current updated equipment including new autopilot, electric winch, electric head, 12V refrigeration, standing rigging, and much more in the full equipment list. She has a 2005 Westerbeke engine and new saildrive 2017.

Aireze is an awesome boat, easy to sail with lots of room to enterain your friends.  Aireze has been in the following boat parades: Boca Raton, Pompano Beach and this year for the first time proud to be in the Winterfest in Ft. Lauderdale. Please click on the link for full information and photos.

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Total produced

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Portofino CAT 67

Sail performance, length (ft):, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.

HopYacht 30

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GEMINI LEGACY 35

• Specifications

Made in America since 1981, the Gemini Legacy has proven to be the most family-friendly performance cruising catamaran in the world, and the reasons are obvious;

• A 34 inch draft that allows the boat to be pulled up right next to a beach or anchored in small, protected coves.
• A 14 foot beam, which means the boat can be trucked anywhere in the country, hauled out of the water with a standard size travel lift and kept in a standard size slip.
• Costing no more than an average mid-size monohull, the Gemini Legacy 35 has more interior volume than most 40-foot monohulls.
• Fast, level sailing. Imagine moving along at wind speed with virtually no heeling. your drink stays  on the table and you stay comfortably reclined in your seat. Plus, with the upgraded engine  option, you can get home quicker after sailing too.
• Fast, family friendly, easy to maneuver, and affordable.

All the reasons this boat has been an American Legacy since 1981. The Gemini Legacy 35 is the most successful cruising catamaran ever built.

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Wilmington comes together to save an…

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News History

Wilmington unites to save ‘iconic’ piece of route 66 history — the 30-foot gemini giant statue. ‘it was pretty crazy.’.

Ryan Jandura was locked into a high-stakes, high-value online auction.

The item up for grabs — which eventually sold for $275,000 — wasn’t jewelry or a painting. It was a 30-foot statue of an astronaut wearing a helmet and carrying a rocket, a fixture of Route 66 tourism that — until recently — stood in Wilmington since the 1960s. For Jandura and others, theGemini Giant has personal and historic significance, and they didn’t want a private collector taking it out of the far southwest suburb. 

During the March 20 auction, Jandura huddled with Gregory Peerbolte, CEO of the Joliet Area Historical Museum, in Peerbolte’s office. Jandura, a Wilmington resident and supervisor at a 911 dispatch center, had helped raise nearly $60,000 through a now-disabled GoFundMe and other fundraisers to “save the statue,” preparing to chip in if the price tag climbed above the museum’s budget from a state grant. 

Jandura had a hunch that he should bring his own laptop and internet connection, which he said eventually came in handy. The museum was outbid at a quarter of a million dollars, and they had 20 seconds to submit a higher bid, Jandura said. As the seconds ticked away, Peerbolte’s computer malfunctioned.   

“There was like four seconds left on the clock and I was like ‘Do you want me to bid? Do you want me to bid?’ and I had my finger on the button ready to push it,” Jandura said. “I could hear him saying ‘It’s not letting me,’ so I hit it.” 

The message soon popped up on Jandura’s screen that he won the auction. He said his heart rate finally slowed and felt like he could take a normal breath. 

“It was pretty crazy,” he said. “It was a perfect way to end what had been a crazy few weeks.” 

Rise of the ‘Muffler Men’

Businesses along Route 66 needed a way to stand out among the competition, and many bought large, fiberglass statues for advertising. The statues, including lumberjacks and cowboys, eventually became roadside attractions in their own right. They later earned the nickname “Muffler Men” from the founders of the travel website RoadsideAmerica.com, who had seen some statues holding car mufflers. 

A former owner of the Wilmington restaurant The Dairy Delight, later renamed The Launching Pad, bought the Gemini Giant in 1965, where it remained, said Joel Baker, founder of American Giants , a company dedicated to finding the statues and sharing their stories. It’s become one of the most famous and photographed Muffler Men, he said, and is the last remaining spaceman statue.

In general, he said there’s been ebbs and flows with the statues’ popularity. Largely due to the “negative sentiment” toward the statues that popped up during Lady Bird Johnson’s Beautification Project, they fell out of favor by the 1980s, Baker said. But a decade later, their resurgence began, a trend that’s continued.

“Towns want the giants back, and they want neon back,” he said. “They want all that nostalgia from the ’60s back that people were working so hard to get rid of — now we all love it.”

At their peak in the 1960s and early ’70s, there were as many as 500 across the country, Baker said. Only about 200 are left today, including 10 or so in Illinois, making them a hot commodity for private collectors, he said.

So when Holly Barker, owner of the Giant and the now-closed restaurant, posted Feb. 24 on X, formerly known as Twitter, that she was auctioning off the Gemini Giant and its trademark rights, the community sprang into action. She said she wanted at least $100,000 for the statue .

“I want this junk trinket off my property,” said Barker, who still owns the restaurant. “ If this is sabotaged in any way and the Gemini Giant doesn’t sell, then it will be destroyed.” 

‘Best of small town America’

The day after Barker’s announcement, Jandura started the GoFundMe. Jandura remembers taking trips to Wilmington to fish or visit antique shops with his grandparents as a kid and seeing the “giant, enormous figure that towered over the road.” It felt “larger than life,” he said. When the 44-year-old moved to Wilmington as an adult, he frequently passed the Gemini Giant on drives with his wife and helped make jewelry to sell at the restaurant’s gift store. 

“He became part of my life,” he said. 

Donations from hundreds of people rolled in. One person said the Gemini Giant “brings so much charm to our little place in the universe,” and another said they’re planning to travel Route 66 in April for the 50th wedding anniversary trip and hope to see the astronaut. A local Veterans of Foreign Wars post also helped with fundraising. 

At the Joliet Area Historical Museum, Peerbolte said he’d been interested in helping preserve the statue and restaurant since summer 2022. Travel along Route 66 is a major tourism generator, he said, pumping dollars into the local economy. He worried about a “disastrous ripple effect” if the statue left the region. 

Despite being decommissioned as a federal highway in 1985, the vintage highway that stretches from Chicago to Los Angeles is evolving as an international tourist destination. Before the highway’s 100th anniversary in 2026, states, including Illinois, are pumping millions into communities to help upgrade and market Route 66 attractions.

“The Gemini Giant just encapsulates and personifies all the romance, all the imagination, all the quote-unquote ‘get your kicks for Route 66,’” he said. 

Before the auction, Jandura, Peerbolte, representatives from the VFW and Ben Dietz, mayor of Wilmington, met to figure out how to keep the statue in Wilmington. The museum was able to make the winning bid through a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. They then donated it to the city of Wilmington in a collaboration Peerbolte called the “best of small town America.” 

“Two years from now we’ll be celebrating 100 years of Route 66, and this is a great way to shine a light on how big a deal it is, not just locally or regionally, but even internationally,” Dietz said. “It’s one of the top destinations for international tourists, and every year we see tens of thousands that go through our town. We can’t wait to have the giant back on display for everyone to enjoy.”

Baker said the museum had stiff competition in winning the statue, calling it a once in a lifetime chance for private collectors in the U.S. and internationally to own “the most iconic Muffler Man.” Still, he said the $275,000 price tag was “crazy.” Typically, fully restored statues sell for $30,000 to $40,000, with damaged ones going for much less, he said. 

“Imagine being able to buy something that’s just a symbol of Route 66 and anyone can buy it if you have deep enough pockets,” he said. “That’s why it went so high.”

Statue to go in South Island Park

The Gemini Giant is now in temporary storage, awaiting some restoration work, including a new paint job. Dietz said the city plans to put the statue in South Island Park, on display alongside its Route 66 monument. He said they hope to have it in place by late spring. Jandura added that he’s refunding the money community members donated since it wasn’t needed to purchase the statue, and has started a new fundraising campaign for the restoration process. 

“We have a lot of natural space and green space in our town, and since it sits right on Route 66, it’s a natural correlation to put the giant there,” Dietz said. 

Some say they’re already missing the statue and are ready for its return. Blaine Lamb-Rosenfeldt, who said she frequently passes the statue on her way to Springfield from her home i near Monee, said she’s thrilled it’s staying in Wilmington.

“For years you’re used to it as you’re coming around the corner and seeing it, but as long as it’s still in town where everybody can go and hopefully stays on that route, so good,” she said. 

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