monohull vs multihull observation

[alansmith]

I puke my brains out on downhill runs when we are corkscrewing. I just hate that yucky feeling. Not wild about spinny oscillators rolling the boat.

Another thing to consider young grasshopper when it comes to buy a boat is the operational costs of each platform. Multihulls have more waterline to maintain and cost more to build. I have a trimaran that I keep on a trailer when not in use. In time you will
Understand what you can afford and what rings your bell. Wish you luck.

[AZUS]

I used to be a monohull snob. Thought I’d seduce my family into sailing by chartering a cat. Whoops - guess who got seduced? Now we are living on our Antares 44 in the Med and will never look back. BTW, when crossing the Atlantic in 14-foot following seas and 40kt winds - we got plenty of feeling of the elements - but were safe and comfortable the whole way. While a 60ft Danish steel sloop sailing near us was knocked down twice.

In the end, it’s trade offs and preference. Our boat sails fantastic - anywhere from 70 degrees to true wind down. She just will never point like a monohull. But she’s a fast, stable, comfortable sailing machine otherwise.

[Kenomac]

I get by easily on 15-20 euros per day living in our self-contained Oyster 53 in the Med. Not sure that I can do the same on a Sunreef 62, but I’m willing to give it a try.

Our monohulls do not roll, we have that figured out.

[Sojourner]

Well, along the lines of thinking of the OP..... I agree, but this also extends to the interior. I've seen a good number of cats, and some look very very impressive. Sleek, big windows, blah blah. But it doesn't feel like what my child's eye thought a sailboat 'should' be. One reason our Amel felt like home is because we all thought of it as what a sailboat should look like.... down below safe and sound, wood everywhere, cosy, handholds and places to brace and infinite storage under the floors. A cosy cocoon that stays cold even on blasting hot days because a few small windows are more than enough to light up the place, and after all, we and everyone else spends 95% of their time in the cockpit anyway. Which is also huge. But I digress. For my aesthetic, either look like a sailboat or look like a super yacht (I mean the glass and metal and floor to ceiling windows kinda boat). The mid-range IKEA look that so many have even in the 500k range is just a bit.... meh.

[CatNewBee]

Well, some people like living in cocoons and caves, some prefer living above the surface, they built houses on top, some even prefer skyscraper and flybridges.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by CatNewBee

Well, some people like living in cocoons and caves, some prefer living above the surface, they built houses on top, some even prefer skyscraper and flybridges.

This.

I recently acquired a 50' mono after a decade of cats. I'm finding I feel more cozy and safe and private down below and that I missed these feelings while on cats.

I also have a center cockpit model mono and it feels bigger inside than my 50' cat. The reason is the way the space is used. I have 2 entirely different huge seating areas in this mono and they are in different rooms. U shaped areas you can stretch out on with each of the sides of the U. That's half a dozen couches. The salon is raised up (deck saloon style) and it's enormous. Feels as big as the deckhouse on my 50' cat even though it's smaller. Then down some stairs to a galley larger than any one any cat. Galley plus separate u shape galley table located here. Nearly as roomy feeling as a home kitchen but my cat does have a bit more counter space (galley down cat).

Then we have the master stateroom. No cat can come close to this. A master in a 50' mono compared to anything in a cat hull isn't a comparison.

In short, while the 50' cat has more squre footage, the 50' mono feels a lot bigger. Just because there are a variety of places to sit and a huge aft stateroom.

I thought all monos rolled at anchor and underway badly. Now I see that isn't true. It depends on the individual boat.

My 50' mono is a Gulfstar sailmaster 50. 41,000lbs displacement. Its motion is amazing. It just sits here. Wakes, seas, chop. It barely moves. Super high freeboard plus center cockpit with hard enclosure gives you the feeling of being removed from the elements completely. Same as my cat with inside helm.

Truly, this boat has changed my mind regarding what monohulls are.

So, while we can talk generalities, I think it's down to the individual boat. Until I owned this mono, I was a rabid cat fan and vocal about all the reasons cats are superior.

I'm now finding the right mono can be superior to a cat in comfort at anchor and underway. Something I never thought possible.

However, you can always see more places on a cat because it's so much faster. I had some destinations this month I couldn't make it to and still have an enjoyable, restful vacation. That's because I go about 7-8 knots on this mono. I could have seen these destinations on my cat.

Still don't like being on a boat that can sink, but these other features are great.

[CatNewBee]

Yes, big monos are awesome, only the weight and the draft make it hard for shallow anchorages, except there is a retractable keel.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by CatNewBee

Yes, big monos are awesome, only the weight and the draft make it hard for shallow anchorages, except there is a retractable keel.

Yeah. It's a little more difficult getting into shallow water. I draw 3' with rudders down on the cat. 2' with rudders up. This mono draws 5'5". Hasn't been an issue yet here cruising Maine this summer, but in Florida for sure.

[44'cruisingcat]

Cat: ocean front apartment with a verandah, great views and ventilation everywhere.

Mono: a tent outside a cave.

[Island Time O25]

Mono or cat? Doesn't really matter as long as you've got that turkey fryer onboard.

[boatman61]

Owned both, cruised both, sail both for a living, like both for different reasons.

[barnakiel]

Guys, Girls:


But why are cats more expensive to build. They seem lighter and mostlu grp, while monos may be heavier and the heavy part is lead. Looking up lead prices online one discovers it is WAY MORE expensive than grp ...


So why are cats more expensive to build? The materials contained therein seem LESS expensive, pound for pound.


b.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Guys, Girls:


But why are cats more expensive to build. They seem lighter and mostlu grp, while monos may be heavier and the heavy part is lead. Looking up lead prices online one discovers it is WAY MORE expensive than grp ...


So why are cats more expensive to build? The materials contained therein seem LESS expensive, pound for pound.


b.

Very Few monos now have lead keels.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Cat: ocean front apartment with a verandah, great views and ventilation everywhere.

Mono: a tent outside a cave.

You need to get on some modern monos,far from being caves.

[smj]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Guys, Girls:


But why are cats more expensive to build. They seem lighter and mostlu grp, while monos may be heavier and the heavy part is lead. Looking up lead prices online one discovers it is WAY MORE expensive than grp ...


So why are cats more expensive to build? The materials contained therein seem LESS expensive, pound for pound.


b.

More expensive to build light and strong than heavy and strong?