Mono vs. Multi - Sailing Ability

[Bash]

Originally Posted by ArtM

So why buy such a boat, knowing that it will have at least a 6' draft, when you can buy an equally capable, shallower draft, and more comfortable catamaran?

Good thing you're not one of my students; that type of circular logic usually earns the dreaded D-.

The problem here is clear: you haven't actually sailed the boats about which you are speculating.

6' is not shallow draft on most monos. It would be a fairly standard draft on a 40' boat.

The low-freeboard catamaran that you're envisioning would not be at all comfortable. By the time you want to get the level of comfort on a cat that you'd get with a standard cruising monohull, you'll need high freeboard.

Regardless, your original claim, that a low-freeboard cat with deep keels would match a monohull's performance to weather is completely specious. (My way of calling the OP a troll without actually having to do so.) Put some sailing time in on a beach cat and you'll suddenly understand the limitations of multihull sailing to weather.

Understand that I'm not in any way against catamarans. I don't find them particularly comfortable, nor do they satisfy my sailing aesthetic, but they seem to get people out on the water who would not otherwise sail. This is generally a good thing.

A friend of mine bought a cruising cat in order to accommodate his wife's irrational fear of heeling. This was a noble gesture, and I applauded it. The only problem is that his wife still won't sail. Now, instead of using her fear as an excuse, she tells him that sailing just doesn't interest her. It's too boring. So my friend is constantly urging us to crew for him on daysails. But the fact is that the boat performs so poorly that it's absolutely boring--his wife was indeed right. His boat was apparently designed to transform sailing into an indoor sport. As a lifelong sailor, I just don't get how it's supposed to be fun sailing like that.

If the OP wants to purchase a catamaran, more power to him. Please learn to sail it properly, starting with learning the rules of the road and then quickly progressing to anchoring etiquette. However, once the OP gets to the point of claiming that his new toy will out-perform monohulls when going to weather, all he's doing is convincing us that he hasn't yet been out on the water.

[malbert73]

Strongly agree with Bash. When I buy my yearly powerball ticket and dream of what boat I would have built if money were absolutely no object, I rarely dream of cats- mainly because I know I would be bored sailing one unless it was very breezy- or a Gunboat. I get so much pleasure out of sailing my boat in 6-8 knots, flat water, 10 deg heel, 5.5 knots upwind that I couldn't imagine the flat upright, lack of feel, sitting behind a dashboard like a bus, type sailing. But again, to each his/her own. And sunsets look the same regardless.

One other unrelated but interesting factoid about monos vs multis, according to yesterday's Boat US online magazine. I wonder what this will do the OP's "marina of the future" idea...

"One surprise: Multihull sailboats are struck more than twice as often as monohulls. Even accounting for the fact that a large percentage of multihulls are in lightning-prone Florida, the odds of multihulls being struck are still statistically much greater. Ewen Thomson, a well-known lightning researcher has a theory. Based on BoatU.S. supplied data, Ewen did an analysis of the “shielding effect” of nearby yachts. He theorizes that multihulls have a higher probability of being struck in a marina because their greater beam requires a wider berth. The result is less shielding from adjacent boats. Ewen cautions that his numbers contain a large uncertainty, though they appear to correlate with the BoatU.S. Marine Insurance claims history."

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by Bash

If the OP wants to purchase a catamaran, more power to him. Please learn to sail it properly, starting with learning the rules of the road and then quickly progressing to anchoring etiquette. However, once the OP gets to the point of claiming that his new toy will out-perform monohulls when going to weather, all he's doing is convincing us that he hasn't yet been out on the water.

BOOORINNNG!

Maybe you're friend should consider a dingy like this one:
http://morrellimelvin.files.wordpres...-200520089.jpg

Or a new wife.

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by malbert73

"One surprise: Multihull sailboats are struck more than twice as often as monohulls. Even accounting for the fact that a large percentage of multihulls are in lightning-prone Florida, the odds of multihulls being struck are still statistically much greater. Ewen Thomson, a well-known lightning researcher has a theory. Based on BoatU.S. supplied data, Ewen did an analysis of the “shielding effect” of nearby yachts. He theorizes that multihulls have a higher probability of being struck in a marina because their greater beam requires a wider berth. The result is less shielding from adjacent boats. Ewen cautions that his numbers contain a large uncertainty, though they appear to correlate with the BoatU.S. Marine Insurance claims history."

I love talking about the Marina of the Future! I had some more ideas last night. Here is my latest.

In the MoF, a "standard slip" will be 24' wide, and around 40' long. Some marina operators will make special occasional exceptions for so-called "Narrow Hulled" boats, aka "Half Boats" so long as they leave room for a second one side by side. These so-called "Half Slip" rentals will be available on a Space-Available basis, and may require a small premium to compensate for the fact that the operation cannot guarantee filling the second half of the slip.

This may result in a greater incidence of collision among these vessels, but it will be discounted to "owners risk". After all, these owners chose to own a boat which is not incorrectly proportioned for these marinas, and further chose to operate a boat with only a single screw, and worse with no directional control in the reverse gear!

Such boats arriving at marinas will be met with shaking heads and under-the-breath mutterings - "Whatever made him buy a boat like that."

For most mid-size monohullers, though, this will not be a problem because, without a variable keel arrangement, they will not even be able to approach most of these "Marinas of the Future".

<< insert dramatic music and deep-voice effect on the phrase "Marina of the Future" >>

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by Bash

Good thing you're not one of my students; that type of circular logic usually earns the dreaded D-.

The problem here is clear: you haven't actually sailed the boats about which you are speculating.

6' is not shallow draft on most monos. It would be a fairly standard draft on a 40' boat.

The low-freeboard catamaran that you're envisioning would not be at all comfortable. By the time you want to get the level of comfort on a cat that you'd get with a standard cruising monohull, you'll need high freeboard.

Regardless, your original claim, that a low-freeboard cat with deep keels would match a monohull's performance to weather is completely specious. (My way of calling the OP a troll without actually having to do so.) Put some sailing time in on a beach cat and you'll suddenly understand the limitations of multihull sailing to weather.

Understand that I'm not in any way against catamarans. I don't find them particularly comfortable, nor do they satisfy my sailing aesthetic, but they seem to get people out on the water who would not otherwise sail. This is generally a good thing.

A friend of mine bought a cruising cat in order to accommodate his wife's irrational fear of heeling. This was a noble gesture, and I applauded it. The only problem is that his wife still won't sail. Now, instead of using her fear as an excuse, she tells him that sailing just doesn't interest her. It's too boring. So my friend is constantly urging us to crew for him on daysails. But the fact is that the boat performs so poorly that it's absolutely boring--his wife was indeed right. His boat was apparently designed to transform sailing into an indoor sport. As a lifelong sailor, I just don't get how it's supposed to be fun sailing like that.

If the OP wants to purchase a catamaran, more power to him. Please learn to sail it properly, starting with learning the rules of the road and then quickly progressing to anchoring etiquette. However, once the OP gets to the point of claiming that his new toy will out-perform monohulls when going to weather, all he's doing is convincing us that he hasn't yet been out on the water.

\
The last time I was on a monohull sailboat, the captains (and instructors) were repeatedly insisting that we pinch to the wind. Even though it was very clear that my wife was very uncomfortable and though I repeatedly stated that I wanted to sail on beam reach and less, they were absolutely insistent that we turn the bow to the waves, tighten the sails, and pinch as close to 45' as we could, hoping for 7 knots of speed in 15 k true. This is the "high performance" one can expect from a monohull sailing vessel?

That was their idea of "fun" and "sport".

For me, and many cruisers, a boat is FIRST a home and SECONDLY a mode of transportation.

When you stand in your living room at home (in a house), is that fun? Is it sport? Do you install hydraulic rockers and waterjets on your back porch to make it more "exciting" to have a barbeque?

Finally, in exasperation, these instructors asked me "What do you find fun about sailing".

I told them that it was relaxing in the cockpit, and looking up at the big white sail, and knowing that it was taking me someplace new.

I definitely am not looking for a waterpark ride. I want a vessel (home!) onto which I can invite guests of any sort, and entertain them in comfort and style -even guests who have no interests in boating, or even who are afraid of sailing.

On the final day of that cruise, we turned the bow to the wind, put up the completely useless sails, and motored as quickly as we could back to the home marina in order to meet the tidal window that would allow their specially designed "T" keel to clear the bar into their own marina. This was, of course, after about 40 minutes of completely fruitless efforts at upwind sailing.

[Astrid]

Sounds like you were not into learning the lessons being offered. Anyone can sail with favorable winds, and whatever speeds one reaches can be satisfying, but one had better learn how to sail as close to the wind as possible because sure as the sun rises in the east, one will eventually have to do so to keep off a lee shore or avoid some other dangerous situation. Sailing close to the wind takes a bit of practice and that is what the instructors were trying to give you. You simply will not always have ideal sailing conditions and you need to learn how to handle the bad as well as the good.

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by Astrid

Sounds like you were not into learning the lessons being offered. Anyone can sail with favorable winds, and whatever speeds one reaches can be satisfying, but one had better learn how to sail as close to the wind as possible because sure as the sun rises in the east, one will eventually have to do so to keep off a lee shore. Sailing close to the wind takes a bit of practice and that is what the instructors were trying to give you. You simply will not always have ideal sailing conditions and you need to learn how to handle the bad as well as the good.

Actually, I think the point was to avoid accidental gibing, and to offer the maximum room for maneuvers. However, this was a 5 day trip, offering plenty of time for "pleasure cruising". I think they simply had a hard time catching onto the idea that someone wanted to sail for reasons other than a cheap thrill.

I do like cheap thrills, don't get me wrong! I'm looking forward to doing some sailboarding next time I'm at the ocean. I won't be reading any e-books or barbequing from the back deck on that day!

I might agree with you except that, never once did I ever hear the captain say "Let out the sheets". Never. It was always to haul them in closer. No effort whatsoever was made to teach any point of sail wider than 90d, except for the short periods where were practicing controlled jibes (my wife was present also, receiving introductory lessons)

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by colemj

Jeez, I hate to feed trolls, but ran across this article about Privilege restarting business. They had folded a while ago and their assets were bought with the intention of restarting the business.

They make Privilege catamarans and Feeling monohulls.

There is an interesting tidbit out of the announcement: "For the time being, only the Marc Lombard-designed Privilège catamarans between 44′ to 75′ will be relaunched with the reintroduction of the Feeling range of monohulls delayed until the market situation changes for the better."

Privilège Marine restarts catamaran production at Les Sables d’Olonne yard

Mark

I saw the privilege (a used one) and found it an excellent vessel, though I still prefer the Lagoon layout. The salesman told me that the maker was out of business, which surprised me because it really did seem an excellent boat with several stickers on it touting it's exploits.

I just found out that I'll be in Cannes for one day in September - alas, only one week AFTER the boat show has ended - a shame, I would have enjoyed seeing the Cannes boat show. I hear there will be a weeklong regatta that next week though, so I may just spend that day down by the water drinking fine wine and checking out the boats (and boaters). It'll be interesting to see the French take on that scene!

Maybe with luck there will be a dealer or two in the area and I'll be able to see a few boats from some of these "other" French makers.

[cpa]

OP:

"Half boats?" Now you are acting like a troll ... but, being entertained, I can't stop reading, so I'll join in.

I believe the problem with your original post is that in your second scenario you're not accurately converting each boat's unique design features equally across the two boats. It seems to me that you are picking them random to support your very naive ideas. You seem to be forgetting about the ballast on the monohull going into those deep keels of this hypothetical catamaran. The hypothetical catamaran, with the ballast added, would sail as poorly as the hypothetical monohull with the 20 foot beam, shoal keel, large cabin top, etc. We could also reduce the beam of this hypothetical catamaran as well and wonder where the amazing salon went. If you are wondering who in the heck would put 35%-50% of the boat's weight in ballast inside the keels of a catamaran with a 13 foot beam, I guess I would answer: who knows? Maybe it's the same person who would design a monohull with a 20' beam, high freeboard/flybridge, and a shallow keel.

The other problem I am having with your later comments is your idea that monohulls will become obsolete. I find it almost arrogant that you falsely assume that every sailor wants the same thing in a boat (i.e., what is important to you), such as shallow draft and a brightly lit salon as a result of a huge raised cabin top. I usually sail with the deepest keel I can get away with where I live, and prefer a deep and dark cabin that is tight enough for me not to fall over the place because I love to sail to weather in 30 knots with the rail buried for days at a time.

It's good that you know what you and your wife are comfortable with, and it was rude of your instructors to ignore your wife's discomfort on that trip. That story, though, bears almost no relevance to your initial argument. Like I have mentioned, I enjoy sailing to weather, and I enjoy pushing the limits of my boat, while I respect that you do not. I feel, though, that it's a little presumptuous to assume that your beliefs are the beliefs of all sailors. I like my living room and I like my main salon, but they are two separate things, and yes, in my world, one exists for sport.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by smj

Dockhead, why two life rafts? Is one a spare in case one doesn't inflate or do you need one for the people and one to safely transport all your household items ashore?

Two four-man rafts instead of one unmovable (and therefore undeployable) eight-man.

A wise choice which I inherited from my PO, bless his soul.

[neilpride]

Originally Posted by ArtM

I love talking about the Marina of the Future! I had some more ideas last night. Here is my latest.

In the MoF, a "standard slip" will be 24' wide, and around 40' long. Some marina operators will make special occasional exceptions for so-called "Narrow Hulled" boats, aka "Half Boats" so long as they leave room for a second one side by side. These so-called "Half Slip" rentals will be available on a Space-Available basis, and may require a small premium to compensate for the fact that the operation cannot guarantee filling the second half of the slip.

This may result in a greater incidence of collision among these vessels, but it will be discounted to "owners risk". After all, these owners chose to own a boat which is not incorrectly proportioned for these marinas, and further chose to operate a boat with only a single screw, and worse with no directional control in the reverse gear!

Such boats arriving at marinas will be met with shaking heads and under-the-breath mutterings - "Whatever made him buy a boat like that."

For most mid-size monohullers, though, this will not be a problem because, without a variable keel arrangement, they will not even be able to approach most of these "Marinas of the Future".

<< insert dramatic music and deep-voice effect on the phrase "Marina of the Future" >>

Hey Mr!! you know? THis is Bull Shitttt!!!

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by cpa

OP:

"Half boats?" Now you are acting like a troll ... but, being entertained, I can't stop reading, so I'll join in.

QUOTE=cpa;979687]

At this point, much of this thread is about having fun, and it is funny to imagine a sailing world where the monohull sailor is on the "outside" looking in, and having deal with always being the out-of-place oddball who never quite fits in.
But back to the theoretical discussion,
[/QUOTE]

Originally Posted by cpa

I believe the problem with your original post is that in your second scenario you're not accurately converting each boat's unique design features equally across the two boats. You seem to be forgetting about the ballast on the monohull going into those deep keels of this hypothetical catamaran.
The hypothetical catamaran, with the ballast added, would sail as poorly

I don't think such a boat would have the ballast you're mentioning. In cats, a more common arrangement is a daggerboard, which is not ballasted, instead of a fixed keel.
I'm not sure fixed keels would work. I understand that daggerboards on cats are only used on one side of the boat at a time, and in fact in at least model is installed only on the port hull. I would think that a fixed keel design, if created might only be installed on one of the hulls, but I would not expect it to be ballasted.

Originally Posted by cpa

The other problem I am having with your later comments is your idea that monohulls will become obsolete. I find it almost arrogant that you falsely assume that every sailor wants the same thing in a boat (i.e., what is important to you), such as shallow draft and a brightly lit salon as a result of a huge raised cabin top.

Only in certain classes. I don't expect the catamaran to replace the 34-40' solo cruiser, though I can imagine a half-cat design in which the second keel is a flotation device with storage, like the wings of a trimaran. Assuming a telescoping or folding feature on this, I'm not sure what features/benefits would be gained or lost.

Originally Posted by cpa

I usually sail with the deepest keel I can get away with where I live, and prefer a deep and dark cabin that is tight enough for me not to fall over the place because I love to sail to weather in 30 knots with the rail buried for days at a time.

"not to fall all over the place"? Did you really just state that you prefer to be in an enclosed, dark space because you enjoy being tossed around inside your boat for days at a time? I respect your interest and love for this kind of sailing, but if I were a manufacturer I would not want to bet my future on that market segment.
I, for example, would like to have a fully-enclosed two wheeled vehicle with a car-like interior and self-balancing feature because I love the high performance aspects of a motorcycle, but would appreciate a more all-weather higher comfort vehicle in which I can carry a passenger with comfort, even if she doesn't like riding motorcycles.
However, I don't expect Honda or GM to be coming out with this model soon - or ever!

Originally Posted by cpa

It's good that you know what you and your wife are comfortable with, and it was rude of your instructors to ignore your wife's discomfort on that trip. That story, though, bears almost no relevance to your initial argument.

It was worse than rude, because I made it clear that one of the main purposes of this very expensive trip was to persuade my wife that a "real" cruising sailboat would be so much more pleasant and enjoyable than the tiny daggerboard boats we sailed in a small lake in New Jersey.

The relevance to the argument was that this monohulled sailboat, outfitted primarily for comfort and shallow water, sailed like a dog, and a catamaran would have been far more suited to the purpose and would have sailed at least as well.

Originally Posted by cpa

Like I have mentioned, I enjoy sailing to weather, and I enjoy pushing the limits of my boat, while I respect that you do not. I feel, though, that it's a little presumptuous to assume that your beliefs are the beliefs of all sailors. I like my living room and I like my main salon, but they are two separate things, and yes, in my world, one exists for sport.

Yes, the original point of this thread was to have an impersonal, academic discussion as to whether a monohull design actually has an inherent performance benefit, or not.

Since then, much of the discussion has been personalized. The original discussion has been lost in conversations about personal preferences, experiences, who is being reasonable or not, and so on.

But it's also bringing out a lot of good conversation about the performance characteristics of boats in a certain class under real life situations, misunderstanding or assumptions about different designs, and possibly will even inspire some new ideas for people who are thinking of buying a boat, designing a boat, or just tweaking out their own boats to better suit their own needs.

Marina of the Future is for fun, but it has a practical aspect as we've seen from our Aussie members' comments - it does seem true that this class is becoming dominated by catamaran designs, and that it is likely that we'll see this reflected in future accommodations. These boats are designed for hook operation, though, so maybe extensive marina modifications for them will be unnecessary.

The three-foot draft monohull is an extreme example which illustrates the outer edges of the argument, just as the deep keeled coffin-cabin multhull is on the inner edge, illustrating an opposite feature of the same argument.

The vast majority of reality falls in between (for CRUISING class vessels), which includes super-beamy modified-keel boats like the Catalina 42 which sails like a slow catamaran, or the daggerboard-wielding cruising cats from Gunboat that sail like a racing monohull.

[twohapence]

Exactly right, Dockhead. Buy what works for you and the type of sailing you do.

There's no one size fits all solution.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Mark Johnson

If you look at the amount of gear we carry on our 34' trimaran, (our ONLY home for 12 of our 16 years cruising her...) I'd say that this is FAR more "in volume" than ANY "comparable" 34' monohull could carry, without a HUGE mound of view blocking, COG raising "stuff" lashed down on deck! Down below on this monohull would be utter Kayos too. Monohulls carry more "weight", but NOT necessarily more "stuff". We do omit tools that don't fit anything on the boat, unnecessary "crap", and even chapters in books that are in Japanese, but we do NOT omit things that we need.

Monohulls carry lots of weight that they DON'T need, and their occupants don't tend to think like backpackers. We have TWO entire extra hulls out there for the huge, smelly "seasteading" gear that we carry, out of the way, dry, and with a low COG. The Amas are mostly FULL, but we can still get to everything, and total weight added is less than 200 pounds to each hull. (Spearguns, fishing poles, spreader poles and awnings, inflatable kayaks, dinghy accessories, empty viewing buckets, fenders, and empty jugs, are LIGHT, but take up a LOT of space)! There is STILL a weight allowance for one heavy item in each ama. The OB motor in one side, and scuba tank in the other...

I'm talking trimarans here, NOT catamarans, who have fewer seasteading advantages, IMO...

The original question was comparing performance, apples to apples... Without a doubt, our Searunner 34 will outperform "in all respects", AND be more seaworthy "in all respects", than any SHOAL draft, 34', high performance monohull, that is a full time liveaboard for two, covering tens of thousands of miles while visiting dozens of countries, and hundreds of islands, over more than a decade, WHILE CARRYING THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT OF GEAR AND ACCOUTERMENTS... Apples to apples, its a no brainer.

(Previous post)... In high winds, we can sail off the wind at double digits all day, even in huge seas. Like when we left Cat & Gun in the Bahama,s at dawn, (in 15' waves , crossing the Gulf Stream with a somewhat northerly 38+ knots of wind)... and had the hook down in Biscayne Bay by mid day!

In the photos that I included, the mast head wind indicator was responding to a lurch. We are sheeted in as hard as possible. We actually had to pop an emergency tack when the reef was only 50' to leeward! We were going to windward @ around 9 knots, sailing tighter than 45% off of the apparent wind, and it was BITCHIN. With our centerboard drawing 7', we side slip way less than mini keel cats, or 34' shallow draft, "cruising" monohulls, while going faster.

To compare our Searunner 34 to a similar monohull, FAIRLY:

It would be compared to a 34' variable draft hull configuration, "cruising" boat with (3' to 7' draft) This means a centerboard boat.

It would have a reliable diesel, with CV joint/thrust bearing, a fuel polishing system, dual tanks, and essential spares.

This 34' monohull would be a FULL TIME liveaboard for two, (12 years of it), loaded with photo albums, tax records, the works... It would have 5 tool boxes, with spares... Autopilot, windlass, RADAR, water maker, SSB, refrigeration, dozens of fans and lights, 2 sinks, 2 plumbed in showers, etc... ALL would be run, 100% self sufficiently, by the mounted solar panels.

This boat would have a hard dodger, that TWO can stand on, a bimini top, and full cockpit enclosure, that works at a dock, out on the hook, or beating to windward in a gale.

This 34' monohull would have a 14' parachute sea anchor, drogue, 500' rode with float & retrieval gear, and FIVE anchors with separate rodes, sufficient to weather a hurricane, (on a dozen SEPARATE occasions, over 16 years) Oh yes... Don't forget the 4 fenders, two boat hooks, and dozen dock lines.

It would have one single bunk, and TWO that are 4' X 7'. with full fuel & water tankage, as well as 35 gallons of "holding" capacity.

Onboard would be 10 gallons of "extra" diesel fuel in jugs, 5 of gasoline, 20#s of propane, (with extra), a BBQ grill, and 8 large empty jugs for ferrying liquids out to the boat.

This 34' monohull would have half a dozen awning sections, with one having spreader poles and measuring 14' X 16", (that can stand in 40 knots of wind).

It would have a garden sprayer, (shower), 5 gal clothes washing bucket, similar "viewing" bucket, as well as wetsiuts & free dive gear for two, and full SCUBA (+ tank) for one.

There would be a 10' RIB, with numerous accessories, and an 8 HP motor, as well as an inflatable kayak with paddle and accessories.

Of coarse, it would include lots of fishing gear with spears, spear guns, rod n reel, etc... as well as multi season clothes, bedding, shoes, and all of the books & manuals to keep this full time "only" home running properly.

My point was... that THIS 34' monohull would "possibly" be as tight winded, but not more so. It would be MUCH slower under all points of sail, in all winds.
Most obviously, it would be so overcrowded and covered with "crap", that it would be a nightmare to sail. It would have stuff tied ALL OVER the decks, poor visibility, and it would be total kayos, from stem to stern. Now... sail it tens of thousands of miles, >20 countries, hundreds of islands, over 16 years.

Oh yes, you have to build and maintain it yourself too, sometimes while employed...

IMO... To make a comparison real, it has to be "cruising" boat to cruising boat, of similar seaworthiness, size, draft, load, intent, duration, and occupancy.
M.

In the photo at a dock below, that says: "Don't feed the birds", we had just made landfall, after a straight 8 day sail from Culebra PR to the Beaufort NC inlet. It was the last leg of three legs from Trinidad to Beaufort NC. (12 sea days, total)! Two days to Dominica, two more to Culebra, and 8 more to Beaufort. Not pressing hard, taking it REALLY easy, just a really decent, HEAVILY loaded passage, on a small, full time liveaboard trimaran...

The year before, we had sailed, mostly to windward, NON stop from Georgetown Bahamas, to PR. in 5 days. Three days east, out to sea, and two more days down, in high winds, and huge waves in the "Mona".

Living aboard a 34' boat for 12 years is serious commitment! That's a different deal altogether than living aboard a 45' cat or a 50-odd foot mono. Naturally, this creates a whole different set of constraints. I'm sure one gets used to it.

[malbert73]

If I ever decide to convert to cats, I expect a great deal of them on the used market in the next 10 years. Seems a lot of new cruisers see them and imagine the comforts of home. The problem is, they still are small compared to any apartment. Motion, humidity, rain showers, etc still lead to discomfort relative to living on land. Provisioning takes major effort, especially in boats that are tough to find marina space for. This new generation of new cats is not established for decades, so maintenance is likely to be higher than expected. Water and electricity is not limitless as on land, especially if diesel runs out, or generators fail, or watermakers stop working, as they all like to do.
The point is, if cruisers don't already love sailing and closeness to nature, I am not sure the "comfort and lack of heeling" of a cat is enough to keep them in the sport.
So I always am suspect of the staying power in cruising for those who didn't fall in love with the sport on smaller monohulls, as I did growing up, and my wife did when she met me, and our small kids are doing now. If new cruisers need the supposed comfort of a large cat to get into the sport, I think many are in for a surprise when the luster wears off.