Are monohulls safer in a gale?

[RichandHelen]

Is it a reality that monohulls are safer in big seas and wind?

[Jimbo485]

Here we go....

No, it is not reality. There are other more important parameters than the quantity of hulls.

[RichandHelen]

I'm earnestly hoping that the responses will shed favorable light on multi's weather ability. But is the reality that (typically) less windage, deeper keel and more agile steering make safely weathering a storm safer in a multi?

[goboatingnow]

to be serious, can you define "safer in a storm", are you talking about ultimate survivability, or just what is important to you

Dave

[valhalla360]

No my cruising catamaran is far safer in big seas and a gale than a sunfish.

Without a lot more detail regarding the specific boats, captains, conditions, etc... no way to say anything meaningful. Even then, it's mostly speculation as most people aren't willing to purposely test out thier theorys by seeking out survival conditions.

[Dockhead]

Oh, brother, here we go again.

According to statistics, there is no difference in the rate of accidents at sea in storms between monohulls and cats. This is not a reason to choose one over the other.

Of course those are averages -- different boats are different.

First of all, size and displacement are very important for seaworthiness. The bigger the boat, the better place it will be in a storm, all other things being equal. So for sure, I'd much rather be in a 50 foot cat than a 30 foot mono in a storm, or in a 50 foot mono than a 30 foot cat. That's pretty elementary.

Second, a high-strung light displacement racing monohull may be much worse than similar size monos in a storm; likewise, a light, high performance cat may be worse than its peers.

I suppose that the reason why this question gets asked so often is because people accustomed to sailing monos often feel unsafe in a cat in big waves. This is a subjective feeling which is not really based on reality, since a reasonably prudently sailed cat is very unlikely to be capsized in any conditions short of awful survival conditions which would also be survival conditions in a mono. Capsizing a cat is awful; but rolling a mono is hardly better. However, I have had this feeling myself, sailing a chartered 45 foot catamaran across the Bequia Channel in the Windward Islands in a strong wind -- it scared me to death, although the conditions would not have bothered me much in my own boat. But I think this feeling, however understandable it is, is irrational, because it does not correspond to any statistical propensity of cats to be capsized.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by RichandHelen

I'm earnestly hoping that the responses will shed favorable light on multi's weather ability. But is the reality that (typically) less windage, deeper keel and more agile steering make safely weathering a storm safer in a multi?

"Weather ability" usually refers to how well a boat goes to windward.

Multis do not have deeper keels (on the contrary, they are much shallower), nor do they have "more agile steering". They do not usually have less windage, although different boats are, of course, different.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by RichandHelen

Is it a reality that monohulls are safer in big seas and wind?

No, it is an opinion.

Is a 50' Catana less safe in a storm than a 26' McGregor?

Now you have your answer.

b.

[robert sailor]

Less experienced sailors "might" be better off in a monohull in a real blow with full sail up but then again who runs around with full sails in a real blow?

[mrohr]

Warning! uncharted reefs ahead!
Poster above claims that quality of hull(s) is not particularly important which most here would disagree with if he is addressing the quality of construction of any hull.
If he means quantity of hulls, I suspect that a weatherly monohull would prove to be a much handier craft than the best multihull in the same extreme conditions by virtue of the monos ability to work its way to weather .

I admit,however, that I have limited experience with multi hulls so maybe I can safely be ignored. In fact this thread my be safely ignored and these reefs avoided if ,as I suspect, these differences have been discussed elsewhere.

................love you all.........mike.................................. ..................................

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by mrohr

Warning! uncharted reefs ahead!
Poster above claims that quality of hull(s) is not particularly important which most here would disagree with if he is addressing the quality of construction of any hull.
If he means quantity of hulls, I suspect that a weatherly monohull would prove to be a much handier craft than the best multihull in the same extreme conditions by virtue of the monos ability to work its way to weather .

I admit,however, that I have limited experience with multi hulls so maybe I can safely be ignored. In fact this thread my be safely ignored and these reefs avoided if ,as I suspect, these differences have been discussed elsewhere.

................love you all.........mike.................................. ..................................

You have to like this poster , first give an opinion , then undermine that opinion, then express indifference , I'm impressed

Dave

[Autumns Wind]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

No, it is an opinion.

Is a 50' Catana less safe in a storm than a 26' McGregor?

Now you have your answer.

b.

I would say theres pro and cons to both the mono and muiti hull. Size for Size they both would be very safe. (IMHO) Its the captain of any vessel that will make the difference of a safe passage. NOT THE BOAT...Give me an experienced mono sailing captain and a 27' boat and he could sail the world give that same capt who never sailed a multi and he might not make it and visa versa. Monos sail differently then multis and once you learn the difference both would be safe.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Autumns Wind

I would say theres pro and cons to both the mono and muiti hull. Size for Size they both would be very safe. (IMHO) Its the captain of any vessel that will make the difference of a safe passage. NOT THE BOAT...Give me an experienced mono sailing captain and a 27' boat and he could sail the world give that same capt who never sailed a multi and he might not make it and visa versa. Monos sail differently then multis and once you learn the difference both would be safe.

Except JPD.

MOD 70 - VIRBAC-PAPREC 70 chavire au large de Belle Ile - YouTube

;-))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Love,
b.

[Autumns Wind]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Except JPD.

;-))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Love,
b.

Like I said experience.... You cant put racing/safety in the same sentence. Thats an oxymoron. sailboat racers both mono and mutlti push for every knot. They ride the edge of extreme, pushing the boat and crew to its limits.

[Autumns Wind]

Just look at the fastnet race or the syndey to bohart race, Americas cup, Volvo ocean race. when pushing a boat to the edge the odds say eventualy you will fall off and crap happens. Doesn't mean one is safer then the other.