At The Risk of Starting WWlll

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by gonesail

you don't really have a choice with a cat do you? with a mono it is going to heel .. and that also increases the waterline and the speed as well

Well, if you sail a boat that depends on increasing its waterline length to go a bit faster, then heeling your monohull will work. But if you sail a boat whose average and top speeds don’t care about waterline length (any hull with length to beam ratio 12:1 or above) then you don’t need to heel to go faster.

Though actually, both cats and tris will go faster heeled enough to get the second or main hull out of the water. Not recommended for cruising short handed though.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by atlroofman

I have heard a cat sailor say in those conditions he pointed almost directly in to the wind and rode it out at 1 knot in speed till wind died down a bit.

Well, it depends on the wind angle. If you’re already close hauled then feathering up into the wind will work to give you time to reef or drop the main sail, or to wait it out. But if you’re close reaching (AWA 60) or at a wider angle then the safest thing to do when hit by a gust is to bear away. You want the centrifugal force of the turn to counteract the heeling force - hence bearing away. If you turn towards the wind you’re adding to heeling force.

Bearing away in a gust will speed you up and that will drop the apparent wind (assuming a performance-oriented design). Now you have time to decide whether you need to reef or drop the main or just run with it.

Both of the above imply that the watch keeper is well aware of what’s going on at all times - not just on a 10 or 15 minute timer and watching a movie or reading a book otherwise.

This is why many cruising cats sail downwind with head sails only and no main sail - easier to quickly depower.

Also, remember the saying “monohulls reef for the lulls and multihulls reef for the gusts”. That gives most cruising catamaran designs an additional 25-30 knots of gust resistance.

Of course, if the squall is 40 knots higher than the average wind speed it’s going to be very exciting and possibly very wet.

[Razoo]

Originally Posted by fxykty

Also, remember the saying “monohulls reef for the lulls and multihulls reef for the gusts”. That gives most cruising catamaran designs an additional 25-30 knots of gust resistance.

Of course, if the squall is 40 knots higher than the average wind speed it’s going to be very exciting and possibly very wet.

No doubt.

[PatMc57]

Wow..WWXII
20 years..+ and I still see this Exact same post.
I guess that's why we have have wars,,,no one ever learns anything..and every new babe starts from scratch...Hey..about Cat vs. Monos...

[Razoo]

Originally Posted by PatMc57

Wow..WWXII
20 years..+ and I still see this Exact same post.
I guess that's why we have have wars,,,no one ever learns anything..and every new babe starts from scratch...Hey..about Cat vs. Monos...

Hummmm... that's funny, the thread hasn't been here for 20 years let alone the exact same post you speak of.

[sv Noodles]

I've had both. I prefer the catamaran. It's just easier on my old bones.