Do Multihullers Ever go Back?

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Factor

Bruce also won the solo Trans Tasman race a few years ago. Apparently though his vessel was entirely unsuited to the Tasman Sea and the Southern Ocean, according to some here.

Originally Posted by captain58sailin

No one boat is going to fit every instance or sea state best all of the time. I think that a cat would be a really good answer to the Caribbean, not so much in Alaska, unless you are just day tripping in nice weather. I know my vessel is ill suited for shallow water cruising, so I won't do that with her.

You do know where the southern ocean is? And the Tasman sea?

[Mr B]

If you really want to see what Cats sail like in bad weather,

Google, Sailing Catamarans in Rough Seas, You just might be surprised,

Take note how steady and level the Dinghy is, hanging off the Transom, In those really bad sea video's,

Occasionally you get a bit of a thud and a sideways roll as you go over the top of a wave, Its not severe in any way, At About 30 degrees to the wave line,

This is me on my Hammock, I spent most of my time either sitting or laying or sleeping on it the whole time I was at sea after leaving Fiji, About a Month solid sailing all up,

Even in very bad weather, It never got wet from the sea, Sleeping, I just used a full chest harness connected so I would not go over the side if I fell off it or got washed off it,

Single handing on my 34 foot Cat is Boring as Batshit, It drives itself, Its Plug and Play,
Any thing over about 20 knots, I dropped the Mainsail and tied it down,

Then its all Genoa, All done from the Cockpit, I dont have to go on deck for anything after that,, In any kind of weather,

The inside front half of my Cat in really bad weather was out of the question,
It went thru the water with a corkscrew motion of about 18 inches in diameter,

Main Bedroom, Queensize, I would levetate of the bed by about 6 inches, It was a nice comfy and soft mattress for the thump down, So I gave up trying to sleep in there,

The Bathroom, (Toilet and Shower), was just suicidal and I stayed out of there,

So the Dunny was off the side at the back of the Transom, It was always level and steady,

And really. Who sails directly into the wind, Racers, Yes, But no one else,

Cruisers certainly dont, In any thing, They dont want broken rigging, or a battered Boat, Its very expensive to repair,

If your heading into a specific spot, Like an Inlet or Marina, Yes, you might go head on, But no where else,

[Mr B]

Cruise control on a Catamaran means exactly that, Set it, and forget it,

Then go off and get a cup of Coffee or Sunbake on the deck,

Look Mum, No Hands, Who's driving the Boat, Itself, Hahahahaha,

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Factor

You do know where the southern ocean is? And the Tasman sea?

I do, Their both attached to Bass Straight, Which I must sail thru to get to either, Hahahahaha,

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Polux

This is the cat that James Baldwin (two times circumnavigator) refers in what regards bad slamming, a Dean 44. I think they are great bluewater cats and certainly you think the same:

I don't think that, and I doubt 44CC does either. The Dean 44 is an extremely heavy boat with a very low bridgedeck. If there was such a thing as a weight/bridgedeck ratio, that boat would be the highest among all catamarans.

They are well-known as pounding machines and not upwind sailors, as Mr. Baldwin discovered.

To compare the Dean 44 to 44CC's design is like comparing a Morgan OI 46 with a Swan 45.

If the only monohull that I ever sailed on, on one single passage, was a Morgan OI where I wallowed and rolled and was so seasick I couldn't sleep, and had to constantly get up and check outside to see if we were caught in a fishing net because the speed was so slow - would that be a valid assessment of all monohulls in general? Even if I was "famous", a two-time circumnavigator and known in this small circle?

I wonder just how much experience you, Minaret and some others actually have sailing catamarans offshore? Do any of you have the balls to tell us? If considerable experience, maybe it would be easier to accept your strong opinions and blanket generalizations on this issue.

Mark

[boatman61]

A Morgan OI was a bad choice mate..

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Factor

You like monos, fine - I don't care, good on you. Why do you have to justify your choice by criticising others?

This line is the height of hypocrisy. As usual, this entire thread, including the title, is just a mono bash. Seems to be what most of you multi guys spend the majority if your time here doing. And then you get upset when we arrive to defend our choices. You guys can choose to think a cat is the be all end all for all conditions, with no drawbacks whatsoever to consider, and I know you will. But for the undecided out there, the truth should be known...

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by minaret

This line is the height of hypocrisy. As usual, this entire thread, including the title, is just a mono bash. Seems to be what most of you multi guys spend the majority if your time here doing. And then you get upset when we arrive to defend our choices. You guys can choose to think a cat is the be all end all for all conditions, with no drawbacks whatsoever to consider, and I know you will. But for the undecided out there, the truth should be known...

If the truth about cats was out.. no one would buy em... or values would plummet..
And they'd be stuck with the boat for life...

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Interesting. For us it's sometimes actually more comfortable to pinch up a bit and go slower. Sometimes not. If we bear away even a couple of degrees the speed can really run away.

Sorry about my sloppy wording. I was not trying to say I was falling off, or heading up; just changing the course a little. Also thought I said about five degrees, not five degrees only.

The sea state is a combination of many things, wind direction, current, and often times waves from weather far away. On a well balanced boat it is often possible to trim the sails so the boat holds a course with no auto pilot. But sometimes you are continually getting headed and lifted so frequently that even an AP set at ten degrees play will not hold a course, especially if the waves are from a bad direction.

I am what some folks call a gentleman sailor. But my take is I am very careful about picking my weather window. I always try and have fair winds and following seas. Of course this is not always possible. I also think it is important to take out your boat for day sails where you try things like heaving to, reefing, and sailing with uncommon sail combinations like a reef and a screecher. I also often sail with only the head sails up.

Bottom line is there is no rule on the best, fastest, most comfortable course. Every time you go out you have to assess the sea state and set your course accordingly be it two degrees or five degrees or even more different from your ideal course.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by downunder

SNIP

Tomfl I have found the little Seawind 1000 an very seaworthy vessel that I would not hesitate to take offshore.

Cheers

Agree the Seawind is a seaworthy vessel. Probably a lot more seaworthy than I am.

My point was not so much the boat was not capable of offshore sailing, rather there are other boats that I would choose over a Seawind for something like an ocean crossing, especially in higher latitudes. I also would be concerned about only having two 9.9 HP Yamahas not only for lack of power combined with the limited tankage on the boat.

I picked the Seawind for sailing in the Florida Keys and Bahamas single handed and am convinced it is the right boat for me in that area.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by boatman61

If the truth about cats was out.. no one would buy em... or values would plummet..
And they'd be stuck with the boat for life...

Let me fix that for you.

If the truth about boats was out no one would buy one.

They are holes in the water you throw money in.

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by boatman61

If the truth about cats was out.. no one would buy em... or values would plummet..
And they'd be stuck with the boat for life...

Corrections are marginalizing.


Boaty is right! Hence they never DO go back because they CANT! And they pontificate in DENIAL! My theory proves correct!

[weavis]

Originally Posted by tomfl

Let me fix that for you.

If the truth about boats was out no one would buy one.

They are holes in the water you throw money in.

And the sad thing is that it need not be this way.
The greed in the boat industry, governments and marina owners is almost as bad as the aircraft industry.

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by Mr B

If you really want to see what Cats sail like in bad weather,

Google, Sailing Catamarans in Rough Seas, You just might be surprised,

,

I looked 8 vids and was surpriced.. None of those had a bad weather, but maybe they feeled like it having a bit spray. If you have a link to a vid cat sailing BAD weather please, I'd like to see.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by TeddyDiver

I looked 8 vids and was surpriced.. None of those had a bad weather, but maybe they feeled like it having a bit spray. If you have a link to a vid cat sailing BAD weather please, I'd like to see.

Ahhh.. but you gotta remember..
There's Catamaran Rough..
Then there's Monohull Rough..
As a previous poster said.. they pick their windows and sail with following wind and sea..