For the first five days we were on a Privilege Catamaran that was a 50’ long owners version.  Super high quality and comfortable.  For those unfamiliar with catamarans, I’ll give you the run down.  A catamaran is different from a normal (monohull) sailboat in that it uses to separate smaller hulls to sit in the water across the top of which is a deck.  (I am foregoing nautical jargon) In the picture below you can see the entry stairs at the back.

That whole area outside and under the awning is called the cockpit. Largely, it is a social area that includes a fridge and grill.  That half table folds out to be a full dining table. That is a beer and wine cooler in the center of the table.  And, up a few steps you can see the helm where you drive.  The controls for the two engines and all sails are right at that seat, along with all navigational aids.

The verdict- wow, pretty awesome and confirmed that we are on a solid path for a retirement plan provided we remain healthy and all goes well (fingers crossed). Everybody loved living on the boat. Plenty of room, fun, and nobody got bored or felt confined.  (Also unexpected with four teenagers!). As far as sailing, it wa nice.  Sailing in the Virgin Islands is always fun and pleasant, so that may skew this a bit.  But, overall, the boat was very manageable, sailed at reasonable speeds for tis size and weight, and felt like a quality product.  Teresa and the kids really appeciated the lack of heeling that we experience on monohulls.