Spotted the Lio Kai at Diamond Cay but only later saw MrEZ's post, confirming it was you aboard. Wish we had stopped by to say hello - I just assumed it was another charter crew. I did manage to give you a wave from our dinghy while you were reading out front. Below is a drone shot I got later - hope it catches some of the beauty of the day. Enjoy the rest of your visit, and hopefully our paths will cross again!

Hi Matt! Thanks so much for the greeting and the photo! That will be a keeper as this is likely our last cruise on Lio Kai. We have one more trip on this contract, but that will be in Abacos on a sistership.

Lio Kai is phasing out, but we've already made a deal to trade on a new boat, so we will back in the BVI on a new contract in November.

Thanks again and hope to meet next time!

Looking closer at the photo, I sure wish I had tidied up the boat just a bit more. Had I known it was picture day!

It was pretty hazy that day, but here's one of the better shots I got of the mooring field. No sign of your untidiness 😎

The haze adds a lot of atmosphere, nice view!

I was joking about the untidy part. Although our boat is nearing phase-out, the stack pack was recently replaced, and with the velcro still in good shape I've been buttoning (velcroing) up and it makes the boat look so much better at anchor.

Hey! Long time TTOLer here… just browsing the forums as we just got to Tortola today to sleep aboard our bareboat for the next week: Lio Kai!

Last time we were here was way back in 2019, aboard Valentin, another M4000. Can’t wait to spend the week on Lio! Tell us stories! What’s the name from? Anything you want to know or see?? What’s your next one?

-dan

Welcome aboard, I hope you have a great trip! The name is from Hawaiian for "Sea Horse". We just finished our last trip on the Lio Kai contract (but on a 4500 in Abaco). We are awaiting a 42 for Tortola. I hope the boat takes good care of you!

Lio Kai, did you guys trade in for the 42 or sell on your own? We want to upgrade to the 42 when Ripple comes out next July.

We traded, or at least we have a deal... closing isn't until October.
Were are you going to be based?

We are currently based in Martinique. Don't know where the 42 would be based yet. We are hoping to possibly be able to extend our contract for a year and then trade up.

We just got back off our Lio Kai charter and were looking at ownership options on a new 42 as well. It looks like both the 40 and 42 are using the split (A-frame) mainsheeting system. The one dislike I've always had on the M4000 is this setup, and I'm sad to see the 42 uses it as well... though at least they add another dedicated winch. Running all lines including a split main on just two winches is nuts to me. The third winch would help for sure, but I'd still like to see this system go away, The 4500 is using a traveler. The *only* advantage to the casual cruiser that I can think of in a split main is that jibes are a bit safer (and the boom is still and quiet at night at anchor). Wondering what owners, who will have a lot more experience sailing these than my few weeks worth, think.

Hi Dan, I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise on Lio Kai!

I'm surprised you dislike the German mainsheet system... I've sailed pretty much all the Leopard cats and I much prefer the twin mainsheet system. Even on the 40 with just the one powered winch I don't find the adjustment to be awkward... You're really only adjusting more lines if you ignore the traveler, otherwise its 3 to 2.

Especially on a boat with the sky lounge, having the boom locked down is really nice... even if nobody is up there under sail (which I wouldn't recommend), the slight boom swing can catch someone in the head, or cause a stumble when someone leans against it to steady themselves.

YMMV, but I'd be quite disappointed if the 42 we have on order didn't have it.

The fact that it renders the mainsheet tackle fully redundant isn't a bad thing either.

Hi, Matt-
I'm sure the 3rd winch, as configured on the 42, will go a long way to making the system more usable. There's certainly advantages to each system, and I think if I had a cat with the German mainsheet running rigging that had a dedicated winch for each of the two sheets, I'd be happy. On a reach, if you need to quickly depower, you often can't do it effectively with just the windward or leeward sheet, and to trim the main properly in general you need to play with both, whereas with a traveler you can roughly set the amount of boom lift/twist with the sheet and then trim the sail for direction using the traveler. I think on the 4000, the winches are very much overly task-loaded and there's a lot of lines in a small space. I did like the 42's running rigging a lot better, those deep/generous line pockets are nice (but where are the winch handle pockets?? on the model we looked at, I couldn't find any place to stow the handles up there!). We're giving some consideration to finally becoming owners, having been "renting" with the Moorings for 35 years now! The 42 we looked at had a lot to like.