Is World Cruising Safe on a Cat?

[Tropic Cat]

Originally Posted by sneuman

Every monohull caught in the storm center was rolled and dismasted.

This is not correct. The report clearly states that the author(s) have no way of knowing how many boats were caught in the core of the storm. The report only deals with boats that issued a mayday.

I stand corrected, yet my point remains.

[Scott730]

Look, who cares if every mono was rolled or dismasted, one is too many and this whole thread is out of control. If you want to, once again for the umptenth time, debate this mono vs multi ("mine is better than yours") discussion, please, PLEASE, start another thread so I can avoid it!!!!!!

[Tropic Cat]

Originally Posted by Scott730

Why do we alway digress to a mono vs multi debate.

Scott,

Invariably these multihull questions posted in a multihull area are reduced to a cat fight (pun definately intended) . Apparently moderation is curtailed in these cases as moderators join in the 'fun'. So, it's simply not possible to return to the base question as there are too many posts explaining how none of us are sailing seaworthy boats!

I refrained from joining this time until post 41. I just couldn't help myself as the momo guys 'T'd' off on us as of post #6.

[Scott730]

Rick
You and I know this is not true, and all the evidence supports the FACTS that both styles of boat are VERY seaworthy, some more so than others. I truely would like to know how many monohull threads have Multihullers interjecting how unseaworth the mono's really are, I'll beat none. So why to the monohullers have to come to a multihull thread to just start up the endless debate that ends up being a personnal chose.
I've owned at least 6 mono's and now a multi. I've made my chose and I'm very happy. But you will never hear me making negative comments about a mono, ever, out of respect for those who choose otherwise.
So please let's stop this "mine is better than yours" debate and accept that we all have different wants, needs and requirements to suit our personnal lifestyle.

[Joli]

I'll take a stab at this!

Yes , no, maybe.... Any boat, any sailor, anywhere can get into trouble. Pick a boat you like and go sailing. Our friends enjoy there mono's, cat's, and tri's. I have preference but my prefernce may not be your preference and vice a versa.

It's summer, go sailing.

[Tropic Cat]

Originally Posted by Scott730

Rick
You and I know this is not true, and all the evidence supports the FACTS that both styles of boat are VERY seaworthy, some more so than others. I truely would like to know how many monohull threads have Multihullers interjecting how unseaworth the mono's really are, I'll beat none. So why to the monohullers have to come to a multihull thread to just start up the endless debate that ends up being a personnal chose...

Good question.... any moderator care to answer???

[Tropic Cat]

Originally Posted by Joli

I'll take a stab at this!

Yes , no, maybe.... Any boat, any sailor, anywhere can get into trouble. Pick a boat you like and go sailing. Our friends enjoy there mono's, cat's, and tri's. I have preference but my prefernce may not be your preference and vice a versa.

It's summer, go sailing.

I agree completely.. But as Scott pointed out, you won't find us in mono threads dissing your boat.

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by Tropic Cat

Scott,

Invariably these multihull questions posted in a multihull area are reduced to a cat fight (pun definately intended) . Apparently moderation is curtailed in these cases as moderators join in the 'fun'. So, it's simply not possible to return to the base question as there are too many posts explaining how none of us are sailing seaworthy boats!

I refrained from joining this time until post 41. I just couldn't help myself as the momo guys 'T'd' off on us as of post #6.

Rick, I took a look back through the posts and see only one moderator that has joined in: David M, who said this:

In my opinion, the "danger" of sailing cats is completely blown out of proportion.

Frankly, I don't see any reason why monohullers can't comment in any thread they like. I have done offshore passages on two catamarans and may someday own one.

Rick, it's also odd that you'd suggest you don't get your say here. Our profiles show that we joined the same month and year and yet you have posted almost exactly twice as often as I have.

[Southern Star]

It strikes me that the question posed in the title of the thread has been answered: yes, multihulls are safe for world cruisiing. Of course that does not mean that all mulithulls are suited for that purpose (any more than than all sailors are), but the question is answered. Which cats are best suited has already been discussed in several other threads on this site.

If I am wrong and there is someone who believes that they can establish (on something other than theory and in the face of statistical analysis of risk) that multihulls are inherently unsafe, then let them come forward, regardless of whether they are currently mono or multi-hullers. But otherwise, lets forget this debate; really, it is more than somewhat akin to a debate of 'which religion is best'. Tempers will flare and still we will get nowhere.

Brad

[Joli]

Oh?

From the mono 200 mile thread. But it's ok, just a fun comment from 44CC, nothing mean spirited.

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

A couple of weeks ago I crewed on a boat from Cape York to Gove, a trip of 350 miles. Did it in a shade under 44 hours, taking it very easy, using headsails only, slowing down to a part furled jib at night.

Winds were consistently around 150' apparent ranging from 10-20 knots (true) with a 24 knot peak.
An average of just a whisker under 8 knots, which is 192 miles per 24 hrs. peak boatspeed was around 16 knots on a surf.

Boat was an Oram 39C. Oops thats a cat.

Best we did in our 40 foot mono was around 120nm a day. In a near gale.

Originally Posted by Tropic Cat

I agree completely.. But as Scott pointed out, you won't find us in mono threads dissing your boat.

[Hud3]

Originally Posted by Tropic Cat

Good question.... any moderator care to answer???

Rick,

Any member is free to post in any of the CF forums. As long as the debate stays civil, and no other rules are broken, there's no cause for moderator action.

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by Southern Star

It strikes me that the question posed in the title of the thread has been answered: yes, multihulls are safe for world cruisiing. Of course that does not mean that all mulithulls are suited for that purpose (any more than than all sailors are), but the question is answered. Which cats are best suited has already been discussed in several other threads on this site.

If I am wrong and there is someone who believes that they can establish (on something other than theory and in the face of statistical analysis of risk) that multihulls are inherently unsafe, then let them come forward, regardless of whether they are currently mono or multi-hullers. But otherwise, lets forget this debate; really, it is more than somewhat akin to a debate of 'which religion is best'. Tempers will flare and still we will get nowhere.

Brad

Yep. I'm not sure it was ever in dispute.

[Southern Star]

Sneuman I was not suggesting that you had ever disagreed with that proposition; in fact, you immdiately endorsed it. On the other hand, SV Quest wrote that he "wouldn't conisder extensive ocean passages in a cat without being in an armada of boats to rescue me'. What does that say to you?

Brad

[Strygaldwir]

We have a smallish Privilege (34 feet at water line) catamaran. We have been in some fairly rough seas Wind about 30 kts sustained gusting to about 45. It was most unpleasant trying to beat into it. We reversed course and it was literally like night and day. Such a difference! In any case, that was atypical for us and we never felt the boat was in any way subject to compromise. We were far more aware of our own limitations than that of the boat. In more pleasant weather, with wind about 25, gusting to 30, there is a difference in the sensation between us and the Mono's we have sailed in. On our cat, we "jitter" or hobby horse more. It is a rocking to and forth sensation. I don't notice, my wife does. Occassionally, this will cause a wave to break under the bridge deck with a startling banging noise. This happens so infrequently that it typically scares the heck out of me. I then remember what it was (No, I did not run into some whale) and I am okay again until it happens again, several days latter.

The mono hulls we have sailed in, we found the healing to be exciting for about the first 2 hours, then tedious for the next 4 hours, then somewhat torturous after that. I have only been sick once on a boat. This was in a mono hull going to weather in a race between San Pedro and Catalina. After 6 hours of beating into it, we turned around and came back to port. I can't really say what the results would have been in my cat. Maybe I'd have had more sense and turned back earlier, maybe it would not have been as unpleasant. Hard to say considering my state.

I believe the reason we don't see more sailing of catamarans on the Chesapeake (And yes, I was sailing on it this last weekend!) Is one of psychology. I really don't get much sensation I am sailing in a catamaran. I just put up the sails, turn on the autopilot, turn on the music and go lay up front. I turn the autopilot so it is sailing relative to the wind. When it shifts, we turn with it. This is to say, we are not trying to get anyplace just enjoying being on the water. If I were in a mono, I'd be trying to see if I could get the rail into the water or see how closely I could sail to weather, or how fast I could go. That racer reflex would tend to trigger. If I want to get someplace fast, I ask one of my friends with the BIG engines if I can go with them. (They regularly pull 25-30 knots going over to St. Michaels'. Trust me, I hope I never go that fast in my cat). If I need to get my cat someplace, I'll and the weather is not with me, I'll turn on the engine. It is a noisier, but I have a boat drink after I drop the hook to make up for all that stress.

So, when I am in the cat, I am not worried about getting there too fast. I do my 6.5 kts and relax. When I am in the mono, I do my 6.5 kts an squeeze every bit of speed I can get out of those sails.

[44'cruisingcat]

For those asking why this has become the usual mon/multi debate, here's your answer:

Originally Posted by svquest2

Well you have heard from some catamaran people and they justly believe in their boats. The problem is I believe in monohulls and wouldn't consider extensive ocean passages in a cat without being in an armada of boats to rescue me. The truth is that in a bad enough storm any boat; cat, tri, or mono-hull can capsize. Perhaps the mono-hull will do it the easiest, but the normal mono-hull will right itself. The tri may be right-able after the storm, but the cat is just as stable upside down as it is right side up.

No one ever wants to sail in storms that can capsize or pitch-pole you (something multi hulls do easier than mono's), and everyone watches weather to minimize the possibilities. Since cats and tri's are faster they do have a better chance of beating weather than the mono-hull. Nevertheless should you get caught in such a bad storm, your chance of survival is much higher in a mono-hull. I believe that's the bottom line and of course thats only my opinion.

Good luck

Joe S

It's just the usual dogma, unsupported by any factual evidence.

Nobody disputes that monohulls can cross oceans without the support of an "armada" of rescue boats.

The FACT is, multihulls can too, they have done thousands of times, they have done for thousands of years, and yet we still have to put up with this kind of uninformed rubbish.