Mono or Multi Hull for Cruising the Med

[ozskipper]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

You missed the point. A totally clueless person on a mono is just as dangerous as on a catamaran.

This is where CF needs a "like" button as in the FB "likes"

[markpierce]

In my part of the world, multi-hull pleasure boats are a very small minority (5 percent?). That suggests the "market" has decided mono-hulled boats are more cost effective/beneficial/desirable than multi-hulled boats, or as multi-hull fans might believe, most boaters are deceived.

[markpierce]

These are most representative of the "cruiser" boats entering/leaving my home waters:

[robert sailor]

To me its just about money! I will admit in the past I was not a Cat fan but now I like many of them. I'm not interested in getting an ex charter beds and heads layout so that leaves the owners versions which tend to be even more money.
I've been raised on mono hulls and I'm comfortable sailing them and happy with the space so there is where I'll stay but I'd not be telling the truth if I didn't say that it might be nice to try a Cat...

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by markpierce

In my part of the world, multi-hull pleasure boats are a very small minority (5 percent?). That suggests the "market" has decided mono-hulled boats are more cost effective/beneficial/desirable than multi-hulled boats, or as multi-hull fans might believe, most boaters are deceived.

What that has to do with the suitability of multihulls for the Mediterranean has got me well and truly stuffed. But hey, in the areas I cruise the ratio is close to 50:50, and cat numbers are increasing... again totally irrelevant to the Med......

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

What that has to do with the suitability of multihulls for the Mediterranean has got me well and truly stuffed. But hey, in the areas I cruise the ratio is close to 50:50, and cat numbers are increasing... again totally irrelevant to the Med......

You're "stuffed"? Why so defensive? Trust/hope your well-being isn't dependent upon everyone having multi-hulled boats.

[44'cruisingcat]

By "stuffed" I mean confused, or as a yank might say, beat. Defensive? Why the personal crap? Can't you just discuss the topic?

From the pics it would seem most people in your area have given up boat ownership altogether. Why so many empty berths?

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

From the pics it would seem most people in your area have given up boat ownership altogether. Why so many empty berths?

Boating has become less affordable here, and shoaling is a problem in our marina (common in the Bay Area). Not sure the recent half-hearted dredging will solve the lack of tenants.

[noelex 77]

It mostly depends on whether you like monos, or cats. Me I like them both.

As others have said when comparing the two you really need a longer monohull with a shorter cat to get similar buying and running costs. This will also even out accommodation areas and passage speeds. The correct ratio does depend on how much time you will spend at anchor verses how much time in marinas/on the hard stand.

The differences that remain once you ignore comparing identical lengths are surprisingly minor

[monte]

Also, to the OP, I think it would be a huge waste of $$ to buy a yacht to leave in the Med and just use a couple of weeks per year for the next few years as you describe. Much better to charter untill you are ready to spend at least 4 months aboard over the summers. Annual expenses on a boat that size would be around 10K euro/year for maintainance/storage/insurance etc, not to mention depreciation, so chartering you could easily save $$/find the area you like to cruise in the med best without long passages between/try different boats, mono's cats etc. In fact check out Franks add here asking for crew in the Med aboard his Cat this season, you can take a couple of weeks, explore the Med, see how you like sailing a cat and living aboard etc.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

You missed the point. A totally clueless person on a mono is just as dangerous as on a catamaran.

Not at all. I completely agree that a clueless person is just as dangerous on a mono or a cat and maybe more so on a power boat where it's possible to screw up faster. Every boat type has strengths and weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages, good points and bad. I was looking at just one very small point that I thought addressed the OP's question comparing monos and cats.

To me it appears that you have extrapolated from one simple, isolated point I made to add meanings to my statement that was not said, intended or even thought.

I only pointed out one isolated, specific issue with a cat that could be a problem for someone with no experience in cats where that same issue might be easier for that same person to deal with on a mono.

That says nor implies nothing at all about the myriad other issues, potential problems and such that could cause a problem on any boat, mono or a cat to a clueless person. Nor does it say that the issue is not something that is all that difficult to learn or deal with by most sailors with a modicum of sense or experience.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

It mostly depends on whether you like monos, or cats. Me I like them both.

Me too. If I won the lottery I would buy a 50-60' cat. Until then I'll stick with my 42' mono.

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by monte

Also, to the OP, I think it would be a huge waste of $$ to buy a yacht to leave in the Med and just use a couple of weeks per year for the next few years as you describe. Much better to charter untill you are ready to spend at least 4 months aboard over the summers. Annual expenses on a boat that size would be around 10K euro/year for maintainance/storage/insurance etc, not to mention depreciation, so chartering you could easily save $$/find the area you like to cruise in the med best without long passages between/try different boats, mono's cats etc. In fact check out Franks add here asking for crew in the Med aboard his Cat this season, you can take a couple of weeks, explore the Med, see how you like sailing a cat and living aboard etc.

Very good point Monte. Another is that the wind doesn't blow favorably in the Med much. They don't call it the "Motorterranean" for nothing.

If you are going to use Marina's, expect to pay 50% more each night for a cat. If your going to anchor, you will rock much more on a mono. If I was only going to have 5 or less people on board and wanted to use a marina quite often, I'd look more at a mono. The costs all around will be less.

We only use marinas about 25% of the time and always have 5 or more aboard so a cat was the best choice for us.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Palarran

the wind doesn't blow favorably in the Med much. They don't call it the "Motorterranean" for nothing.

I was wondering if that was the case. Planning to sail to the Med in a couple of years and have started studying the weather patterns. I have checked the GRIBs for the Med periodically for the last year and it looked like the winds alternated between calms and gales with not much in between.

Was not sure if the GRIBs were inaccurate or if I was seeing a realistic representation of the weather. From your comments sounds like maybe it was accurate. I guess a lot of motoring might be in my future if the trip comes together.

[salticrak]

Men will buy you beers, women will swoon, you will look more handsome with a cat is all.