Is It Unwise To Sail a Composite Catamaran To Antarctica?

[YPSILANTI]

I own a 50 ft fiberglass Voyage catamaran. Is it considered unwise and unsafe to sail a fiberglass catamaran to Antarctica? I ask particularly because of the ice against a composite hull as compared to the strength and integrity of steel.
Also, would a cat be deemed less suitable for the extreme weather and associated sea conditions? Comments please ?

[Adelie]

Tough call. There are fiberglass monohulls I would be comfortable taking, but they are all very overbuilt, with extra thick solid glass hulls.

In general multi's try to stay light and the hulls are often thinner and/or cored. They are generally plenty strong for general off-shore use but the thinner/cored construction will likely not be as resistant to point loads like hitting rocks or ICE. If you go to Antarctica you need to expect to be bumping into ice periodically

I would suspect that ice work is a stretch for most cats, glass or aluminum.

Maybe somebody that has done it or knows of someone that did it could pipe up.

[Stumble]

Just an FYI I have zero experience with ice flows...

If you can stay out of the ice I think you would be fine, but fiberglass does not fare well against abrasion, and ice flows are incredibly abrasive. It in not unheard of to place metal banding at the waterline to guard against very thin ice, but it has real practical limits. For anything heavier than just a skim sheet of ice I think it's a bad idea.

I can't see any issues with a Catamaran hull form, or nothing where it would be worse than a monohull. Short of trying to act a silly an icebreaker.

[Multihull]

Originally Posted by YPSILANTI

I own a 50 ft fiberglass Voyage catamaran. Is it considered unwise and unsafe to sail a fiberglass catamaran to Antarctica? I ask particularly because of the ice against a composite hull as compared to the strength and integrity of steel.
Also, would a cat be deemed less suitable for the extreme weather and associated sea conditions? Comments please ?

The Magnificent adventure of a Fountaine Pajot Catamaran, Salina 48 “Libellule” | Fountaine Pajot


And on the Catana facebook page you can find pictures of a 50 in Alaska and a 582 (Milo One) in Antartica

Cheers Rob

[Freshly Hooked]

There is a 55 Outremer that has been there and is now back in San Blas Panama doing charters you could probably get a hold of them through Sailing life experience

hope that helps

www.sailinglifeexperience.com/home/

Sounds like an awesome adventure let us all know the details if you go!

[Factor]

Couple of Outremers have been there as well.

[yeloya]

Originally Posted by Multihull

The Magnificent adventure of a Fountaine Pajot Catamaran, Salina 48 “Libellule” | Fountaine Pajot


And on the Catana facebook page you can find pictures of a 50 in Alaska and a 582 (Milo One) in Antartica

Cheers Rob

Libellule hull's was covered with Kevlar and has done both Northern Passage and Cape Horn..
There are many other cats who has done it with standard GRP hulls. It seems that the cats's problem in high lattitudes are not this but heating the boat with exposed volumes compared to monos, higher windage and so on..

Cheers

Yeloya

[johnyhask]

Originally Posted by YPSILANTI

I own a 50 ft fiberglass Voyage catamaran. Is it considered unwise and unsafe to sail a fiberglass catamaran to Antarctica? I ask particularly because of the ice against a composite hull as compared to the strength and integrity of steel.

Also, would a cat be deemed less suitable for the extreme weather and associated sea conditions? Comments please ?

I'll come [emoji1303]. Looking to get to Antarctica for a sled haul to the South Pole in the next couple of years. Need crew lol?

[nematon785]

Yes. Unwise to go in anything actually

[dayshine]

Many cats have sailed in rough conditions and in hard climate, I would say it is all about your preparations, equipment, crew and the condition of your vessel.

Sounds like a exiting journey!
As nematon785 said, it isn´t safe to do anything

Fountaine Pajot Salina 48 in Antarctica | Catamaran Dealer

Good luck!

[mikereed100]

We have spent some time amongst the glaciers in Alaska with our cat and are planning a trip to Patagonia, but Antarctica is beyond our comfort zone. The reason is that there is just too much ice for us to be able to relax. Consider growlers. These are bits of clear ice that sit low in the water. They are hard to spot on a calm day, impossible when there is some chop on the water. Hitting one at speed could be problematic, especially for underwater appendages. Consider also that you may be anchored in a bay clear of ice, but the wind shifts and you find yourself surrounded by bergy bits knocking on your tender hull. Consider also that, should you have a problem you have a very short window of time to fix it and get out before winter sets in. Not saying it cannot or should not be done, just that it would require constant focus and a stress level that I don't find comfortable.

[barnakiel]

Is it unwise to sail a wooden boat into ice and winter there?

Well, some top explorers did.

b.

[nortonscove]

Anyone who has experience in ice will tell you to avoid in a cat. The issue isn't strength as much as pushing through floes. Once even slob ice jams between the hulls you are left attempting to push what couldo potentially be miles of ice. You are left at the mercy of wind and tides at that point and they will show zero concern for your million dollar investment.

A company here in Newfoundland made one I'll conceived attempt at marketing a power cat to fishermen but failed on account of its inability to carry weight and move through the ever present ice in spring.

[SVTwilight]

Originally Posted by nematon785

Yes. Unwise to go in anything actually

Yes, this should have been stated first. It is an unearthly place with challanges on land and sea like no other area on earth.

Been there in F10 on a 180 ft boat. Still scary....

That said, a uniquely amazimg experience if you can survive it.

Keep in mind that there are still all too frequent occurences of large ships coming to grief in that region...

[Just Another Sa]

Originally Posted by nematon785

Yes. Unwise to go in anything actually

Except in a nuclear submarine. Every part of the pressurehull is more than strong enough for action in ice, and it can avoid it any time it wants to by diving. And it will not run out of fuel.

The same does not apply to an icebreaker. They are reinforced only near the waterline.