40' Cat for ICW

[Michelhhhebert]

Hi Everyone,
I am a newbie, so "bear" with me,
I have a FP Mahe and finds it does not "like" short 4 plus feet waves on the nose, I intend to travel up and down the US east coast, I am thinking of upgrading to a 40 footer. Lipari or Leopard 40 (maybe not the L39 since it has a 36 ft LWL same has the Mahe), anybody has experience with these in short tall waves?

Thanks,

[jean1146]

Catamarans in general don't like this scenario,it means you are going in the wrong direction....
JC.

[Michelhhhebert]

Hi Jean,

Unfortunetly, if I want my boat south during the winter I have to "face" the music. How do you like your Mahe?

[Noname]

Have you considered the ICW for part of the way south?

[Michelhhhebert]

Yes,
That's the title of my posting, which restricts me in choices for the mast height, unfortunetly, New York to Cape May is on the open, the Delaware bay can be quite rough, so can the Chesapeake down to Norfolk, and I would rather be outside as much as I can, this is why I am contemplating a longer water line in the hopes it would make semi-rough weather more bearable.... your thoughts are appreciated... PS although i love IP's I will not go back to monos...

[jean1146]

We logged about 12000 nautical miles with our Mahe since we got it in spring of 2007.Never had any problems.I have learned to be patient and go with the wind instead of trying to have a schedule and get myself and the boat beat up.
JC.

[cchesley]

Are you certain that just 4 or 5 extra feet in length will solve your perceived problem? If it's the pitching that you are unhappy with, I suspect that it will be equally uncomfortable on a 40'er. You can minimize it by keeping your boat light and what weight you do have should not be forward (nor, technically, all the way aft).

The larger boat will be uncomfortable in a slightly different wave period and steepness as well. Wind against current makes waves steeper and closer together and more unpleasant. I don't think the issue is so much about size... unless you want something 45 plus feet in length and even then it's more relative than absolute.

[Michelhhhebert]

Good point,
My thinking was that in theory a longer water line combined with a heavier displacement would lessen the impact and provide a smoother ride.

And yes waiting for a better weather window is always the best philosophy... in theory or when you have plenty of time, unfortunetly in my scenario i have only a month a a time, being semi retired, and have to head as south as possible before it becomes too cold...

How's your 41 with waves on the nose?

[sandy daugherty]

Increased weight just makes the vertical excursions deeper then higher. Get the weight out of the ends. Move the anchor chain to a midships storage, run with less fuel in the aft tanks (buy some jerry cans to store in the middle) and slow down, stay in the deepest water or hug the windward shore.

Any improvement will be incremental as the boat gets longer. A 60 footer will pitch uncomfortably on the C-bay when conditions are cross-wise. a Two foot increase in LWL won't solve the problem.

[cchesley]

Originally Posted by Michelhhhebert

Good point,
My thinking was that in theory a longer water line combined with a heavier displacement would lessen the impact and provide a smoother ride.

And yes waiting for a better weather window is always the best philosophy... in theory or when you have plenty of time, unfortunetly in my scenario i have only a month a a time, being semi retired, and have to head as south as possible before it becomes too cold...

How's your 41 with waves on the nose?

Waves? Waves on the nose? Vat iss diss?
Seriously, it's been sometime since I was in serious head seas. For one, I live in the PNW where it's mostly just a big lake. For two, I avoid 'em. But like I indicated before, we all will pitch from time to time. Cats are more stable athwartships than fore and aft, hence the issue. The good news is that my cockpit, galley and bunks are essentially at the center of the pitching motion, which really reduces the magnitude. It's not been a problem for the most part although I do remember a bouncy day somewhere on the ICW a few years ago...

[Michelhhhebert]

Hi C and Sandy,

Have you guys been talking with my wife? It seems from your comments that I should not get a bigger cat.... My fuel tank, my anchor and even my solar panels are midship, only the dink is aft... your comments are very interesting... Thanks,

Anyone with experience upgrading from 36 footer to 40 footers?

[sandy daugherty]

Michel:
I don't talk to wives very often; I belong to a Singles Sailing Club on the Chesapeake where the ex-wives outnumber the ex-husbands. (That suggests something about blaming the wife for regrettable boat decisions!)

The smoothest way to cross the Chesapeake on a blustery day is in a Greyhound Bus. But the Chesapeake is known for light winds, so any boat you care to sail is fine if you can pick your days. That applies to the Delaware, the Gulf Stream, and even going to the Caribbean (providing you understand the weather and use a good forecaster like Chris Parker.)

The hardest lesson a newbee cruiser has to learn is to throw away the calendar. That and some non-refundable airline reservations are gare-on-teed to screw up a cruise, and maybe lead to grave consequences.

Slow down. You're doing 8, not 80.

I've got both a 36 footer and a 42 footer. What's the difference? about forty miles a day. The ride is the same! How can that be? Because I sail both to the same comfort level. Faster, and things break, people get tired and crabby, and its harder to cook, sleep, and just zone out under way. Cruising multi's spend as much effort slowing down as monohulls spend trying to go faster.

OK, that's not entirely true. I will shake out the reefs to blow past a monohull, then tuck it back in when they disappear behind. Who can blame me for that?

[ghostrider]

Interesting comments.

I moved down from a 50 to a 42 mainly because I didn't need all that wasted space, plus the weight from the extra 400 ltrs of fuel didn't make much sense. I also am aboard the last boat my Dad built in Panama before he died two years ago. It's a low rider in the cat world - semi displacement hulls, which ride easier - also b/c the galley is down below rather than sitting high in the saloon.

Taking the ICW in a 40 is not an easy job b/c of the mast height. As I understand, the max bridge heights are now 65-ft, which you would not be able to negotiate except on low tides.

[bobconnie]

Well the older Swedish Man who taught me to sail 60 yrs ago always said make the boat sail comfortable for your body, and the boat will be fine !! that saying has worked for me on muiltis, and monos and power boats. Just bear off a few points and be comfortable !! it mite take a day or two more time but you and your crew, and the boat will all be in better shape ! Strick must be somewhere on time has no place at sea its got a lot of sailors dead !! Just a 73 yr old sailor 2 cents Bob and Connie

[Jeannius]

Originally Posted by ghostrider

Interesting comments.


Taking the ICW in a 40 is not an easy job b/c of the mast height. As I understand, the max bridge heights are now 65-ft, which you would not be able to negotiate except on low tides.

Most cruising cats in the 40-45 ft range have mast heights less than 65ft. Mine is 61.