Gemini 105 MC Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The 105 MC shares the earlier Gemini 3400’s basic dimensions, including a 14-foot beam. It also retains the 9:1 hull length-to-width ratio of the 105M, introduced in 1995.

The hulls, decks, and interior liners are solid fiberglass. Before the deck goes on, the liners are glassed and tabbed into the hull. The lamination schedule uses vinylester resins over a barrier coat of 1.5-ounce mat and two layers of 18 x 15 Cofab mat. The only coring is half-inch end-grain balsa across the foredeck, cabintop, and cockpit areas free of fittings.

The shoebox-style hull-deck joint is bonded with a polyurethane-style putty from Cook’s, then secured with stainless fasteners on 5-inch centers and capped by a gunwale guard.

Asymmetric centerboards, built of fiberglass mat and Kevlar around closed-cell foam, pivot upward for shallow anchoring. They’re raised from the main saloon. A hard deck runs fore and aft, while the bows extend about a foot beyond the stepped foredeck, which clears 39 inches at the bow.

Rig, Performance, and Handling

The MC’s mast is a foot taller than the 105M’s and carries a one-foot crane. Straight double spreaders support the deck-stepped mast, which sits atop the main bulkhead. A split backstay with a tensioner opposes the headstay.

The mainsail grew from 260 to 340 square feet and has a large roach and full battens. The 150% genoa adds 350 square feet. An optional, flat-cut overlapping screecher measures 490 square feet and sails to within 50 degrees of apparent wind. Its tack carriage travels athwartships on a curved track across the bowsprit, avoiding the complexity of a pole-and-guy arrangement.

Halyards run internally and lead to winches at the mast. The mainsheet runs to a track on the stern rail.

Testers found the boat fast for a cruising catamaran. She made 6.5 to 7 knots close-hauled and 7 to 12 knots when cracked off. In 25 to 35 knots, she showed little heel under a reefed main and 90% jib. Steering was easy and responsive while avoiding crab pots.

A single Vire diesel drives a liftable outdrive leg. The standard rating is now 27 hp, compared with 20 previously.

Accommodations

The stepped foredeck creates volume above the bridge-deck master berth and saloon. Lowering the cockpit sole increased headroom to 6 feet 7 inches, with more than 6 feet of headroom throughout.

The saloon spans the boat’s 14-foot beam and is entered through an 11-inch doorframe. Its C-shaped teak dining area drops to a double berth and rotates to seat six to eight people. An array of portlights provides 360-degree sightlines, supplemented by four overhead hatches.

An elongated galley runs along the starboard side of the layout. It includes a Voyager 2000 two-burner stove, twin sinks, a Dometic American refrigerator, and a built-in microwave. Opposite, the port-side navigator’s station has an 89-inch work surface.

Forward amidships to starboard, the master stateroom has a queen island berth. The head lies forward to port and has a fresh-water toilet flush. Two double staterooms aft include opening ports. The boat can berth six to eight adults, though Smith describes her as a couple’s boat.

Construction Changes and Refit Considerations

Smith judged the 105 MC to be roughly 1,000 pounds heavy. To reduce weight, he replaced drawers in the forward staterooms with bins, used half-inch plywood where three-quarter-inch material had been used, and lightened nonload-bearing laminate.

The build anticipates some later appliance work, with spare hoses already run and 12-volt wiring carried through PVC. However, the wiring looms are tied to the liner before it’s bonded to the hull, leaving them all but inaccessible. Mast wiring can be reached through a panel in the forward stateroom.

Propane and fume detectors with audible alarms are standard in the staterooms.

The Verdict

The Gemini 105 MC is a thoughtfully evolved owner-cruiser catamaran that trades bareboat volume for sensible sailing performance and a light, open interior. Its raised centerboards and liftable drive suit skinny water, while the enlarged mainsail and optional screecher provide real speed without the complexity of poles and guys.

The bonded shoebox hull-deck joint and solid-fiberglass structure appear durable. The buried wiring, however, calls for careful planning before any major refit.

Pros