Upgrade from a Catamaran to a monohull?

[sy_gilana]

Firstly, I think Catana cats are the "Rolls Royce" of catamarans. I have worked on, and sailed several.

The first friend sold his 52ft Catana and bought an Oyster 571, ok no argument there.

The second friend, has a Hallberg Rassey 53 as well as the Catana 521, but this Catana is kitted out like no other I have seen. 2 watermakers, dive compressor, mega solar, 2 x D400 wind gens, huge battery bank, enclosed cockpit etc etc..

He is just completing a circumnavigation and tells me that he is leaving the boat in St Martin and selling the Catana but keeping the HR.

Am I missing something? How many other monohull sailors have owned cats now own monos?

[jongleur]

Well, I owned a couple of Prindle
catamarans and now own a Catalina 30.
On second thought, I went from
a cat to a cat. Never mind...

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by sy_gilana

Firstly, I think Catana cats are the "Rolls Royce" of catamarans. I have worked on, and sailed several.

The first friend sold his 52ft Catana and bought an Oyster 571, ok no argument there.

The second friend, has a Hallberg Rassey 53 as well as the Catana 521, but this Catana is kitted out like no other I have seen. 2 watermakers, dive compressor, mega solar, 2 x D400 wind gens, huge battery bank, enclosed cockpit etc etc..

He is just completing a circumnavigation and tells me that he is leaving the boat in St Martin and selling the Catana but keeping the HR.

Am I missing something? How many other monohull sailors have owned cats now own monos?

It's not a one way street but I only know one sailor that switched back to a mono..cat guys seem pretty happy with their choice.

[Olorin]

I have only met one couple who went back to a mono from a cat. While they preferred to live on their catamaran, they did so to free up funds to continue their circumnavigation.


What ever gets you or keeps you on the water is alright.

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by sy_gilana

Firstly, I think Catana cats are the "Rolls Royce" of catamarans. I have worked on, and sailed several.

The first friend sold his 52ft Catana and bought an Oyster 571, ok no argument there.

The second friend, has a Hallberg Rassey 53 as well as the Catana 521, but this Catana is kitted out like no other I have seen. 2 watermakers, dive compressor, mega solar, 2 x D400 wind gens, huge battery bank, enclosed cockpit etc etc..

He is just completing a circumnavigation and tells me that he is leaving the boat in St Martin and selling the Catana but keeping the HR.

Am I missing something? How many other monohull sailors have owned cats now own monos?

Interesting question. Obviously $$$$$ doesn't seem to be the issue.

I'd be very interested to hear what your friends have to say should you decide to ask. I was under the impression that in most cases, once you go cat, you never go back.

[Stumble]

Our purchase order...

Mono
Mono
Mono
Mono
Trimaran
Mono
Cat

With a few mono's up top going back years. Personally I see each design as having benefits, and the real trick is to define what you are going to do with it. For some things I would rather have a mono, for others a cat, for others a tri.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by sy_gilana

How many other monohull sailors have owned cats now own monos?

I'm one. But you won't find me bad-mouthing catamarans. Different strokes for different folks. My wife and I have simply come to the conclusion that we like monos better.

I would say that anyone who insists that monos are inherently better, or cats are inherently better, is telling you a great deal about their personal prejudices and nothing at all about boats.

[Captndave1]

As a retired delivery captain, I have made several ocean passages on both cats and monos, and I found cats to be not as friendly in rougher waters. The motion, to me, is very uncomfortable and jerky as well as the lack of ability to point well. Also I am disturbed by the fact that there is a need for an escape hatch in the underside of the vessel. At least, in the case of a knockdown, the mono will return to an upright position and be able to continue to sail.

[LeeV]

We moved from two trimarans to a mono; we kept it one year, sold it and went back to a tri. Will never go back; our next move would be a performance cat cruiser.

[Lizzy Belle]

I'm not sure it's an upgrade, nor a downgrade.
But maybe I look at things too simply.

You buy the boat that fits best with your budget / use / plans / life at that time.
I've always had mono's but seriously considered a small cat for cruising.
After looking at a few and talking to local cat owners, I decided against it.

That doesn't mean I don't like cats or feel mono's are "better" - I just think a mono fits better with my wants, needs & budget. Nothing more to it.

And later in life, I can see myself on a spacious powerboat - nothing flashy, just a simple motorboat suitable for the Dutch canals etc.
No more endless waiting for bridges, forced to sail the standing mast route en no more 'darn, can't go there either, too deep a draft'

Some people make such a huge deal of what type of boat someone has .. mono or cat, power or sail or even steel or plastic ...
I'll never understand why it even matters, let alone why emotions can run so high.

Buy the boat that fits YOU best, and be happy. Simple as that, at least to me.

[peter57]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

I'm one. But you won't find me bad-mouthing catamarans. Different strokes for different folks. My wife and I have simply come to the conclusion that we like monos better.

I would say that anyone who insists that monos are inherently better, or cats are inherently better, is telling you a great deal about their personal prejudices and nothing at all about boats.

Yes my personal experiences:

Cat's are great for parking. The feeling when sailing is like moving the Condo (a saying that my friend says when he moves his beautifull "Alu "45"cat.

Mono's just give me that great feeling of sailing which involves heeling. Not so comfortable when parking as they heel in the parking lot.

[Southern Star]

Welcome to CF Peter 57, you'll find plenty of like-minded people here. And SV Gilana, please post some contact information re: your friends Catana 521 as I am sure there will be some people on this site interested in such a well-equipped example!

Brad

Brad

[Steve_C]

Originally Posted by sy_gilana

Firstly, I think Catana cats are the "Rolls Royce" of catamarans. I have worked on, and sailed several.

The first friend sold his 52ft Catana and bought an Oyster 571, ok no argument there.

The second friend, has a Hallberg Rassey 53 as well as the Catana 521, but this Catana is kitted out like no other I have seen. 2 watermakers, dive compressor, mega solar, 2 x D400 wind gens, huge battery bank, enclosed cockpit etc etc..

He is just completing a circumnavigation and tells me that he is leaving the boat in St Martin and selling the Catana but keeping the HR.

Am I missing something? How many other monohull sailors have owned cats now own monos?

Since both of these examples are your friends, why not just ask them about and share the results with us?

As many have stated, no such thing as a perfect boat. Neither is absolutely "Better" just better for your situation. I would love to have several of each! or at least be able to afford several of each

[akprb]

Well I own a mono now and had a 50' cat. That being said will be back on a big cat when out on the big blue :-)

[Sandero]

It seems to me... a mono hull guy... that there are very obvious differences... cats have lots of real estate... and of course don't heel... and hard to find at least in my corner of the world a slip to fit them in assuming they can't fit into a double slip. And that would make it 2x the cost to slip the boat.

Monos sail differently... point higher and are more sea kindly in their motion. I find a mono has enough space and more than enough to clean and maintain... more??????? Hell no! hahahaha