Mono vs Twin Hull?

[hoppy]

xsquid, I'm guessing you will probably get more confused by reading sensible replies, so maybe the jokes are more helpful.

Since time is on your side and you have no sailing experience, why don't you book two week long sailing courses. One on a monohull and one on a cat. After two weeks of training you'll hopefully know what you like and be better prepared for for when you do get a boat.

[c-kow]

I'm a newbie like you, and we've both got a lot to learn, but I suspect that we could both be more productive committing to the act of learning rather than to what boat we want in the future.

I found a racing club, and they've been taking turns taking me out on their boats, telling me exactly why their boat is the best thing on the waves since noah's ark. It seems to me that a lot of people are more than willing to show off their toys, especially if you're polite and willing to learn.

And while I thought I wanted a lagoon 380 to sail and liveaboard, the first time I rode a heeling 41' monohull I couldn't stop grinning.

In short, you probably don't know what you want yet, and you can learn sailing with those who are more experienced. Lessons and charters may be more open to you because it sounds like you've got some cash to spend, and I absolutely have loved the people I've met through clubs.

Though I do suspect from what I've seen, read, and researched that a 50' multihull is the boat equivalent of an eight bedroom house. Sure it might make some girls swoon, and you'll have a place for a lot of your stuff, but do you really want to be the maid and main maintainer of that much boat?

Keep searching, you've got something that most of us don't have; a huge budget to make your aspirations manifest!

[imagine2frolic]

Though I do suspect from what I've seen, read, and researched that a 50' multihull is the boat equivalent of an eight bedroom house. Sure it might make some girls swoon, and you'll have a place for a lot of your stuff, but do you really want to be the maid and main maintainer of that much boat?


I have close to 50', and trust me. A maid is not needed, and there's no 8 berths. Do I enjoy the boat....YOU BETTYA, but I enjoyed my 30ft. mono just as much. I appreciate my cat, but I loved my mono. Cruising the tradewinds, and being at anchor. Hands down a multi. Just about anything else a mono!......i2f

[nautical62]

Originally Posted by Fishman_Tx

Yes but one doesn't have to start with a 1/2 to 3/4 million dollar boat either. There are quite a few "reasonably" priced cats and from what I've seen "good" monos aren't THAT cheap either. "Good" monos are running 1500-2k per foot. I'm not going to express my opinion of a good reasonable starter cat cuz some of ya'll will probably flame me for MY choice. Trouble is, things ain't what they used to be, but those who nay-say aren't keeping up with it just going on old info. And I'm a mono owner!

Aww screw it....Gemini 105mc

.02c

The problem is I think both "good" and "reasonably priced" are relative or contextual terms.

To me a good boat is one that allows me to do what I desire on a budget I can afford.

I was very amused when I opened a cheap catamaran thread recently only to discover cheap was $175,000. To use some of your comparisons: The Gemini is at the cheaper end of catamarans, yet every monohull I've owned was much less expensive. My first cruising monohull took me all over the Great Lakes, Florida Keys and Bahamas and cost $385/foot. It was a good boat for my needs which granted were not the same as sailing to the South Pacific.

Having owned both small multis and monos, I think this is an issue with affordability: Multihulls are prone to under deck slamming and are much more weight sensitive than monohulls. What these two things translate into is that the entry level cruising multi-hulls must be larger than entry level cruising monohulls. It's difficult to build a 28-foot catamaran with good clearance, weight carrying capacity and standing head room. It's easy to do that in a similar volumed monohull (similar construction costs) which might be 33 feet or more. A larger minimum size correlates to a larger entry level cost. If your budget is such that you are focusing on 200K+ boats, this isn't as much of an issue, but if you are on a tighter budget it is.

[Palarran]

CAT'S RULE AND MONO'S DROOL!!!!!! JEZE, WHEN IS EVERYONE GOING TO GET IT?



Just wanted to add some spice to the convo

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by c-kow

Though I do suspect from what I've seen, read, and researched that a 50' multihull is the boat equivalent of an eight bedroom house.

LOL,
ours is going to be a 1 bedroom 1 bathroom waterfront apartment, with large undercover balcony, all plonked on big long 50ft hulls doing nothing but give efficiency and sea kindliness.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by nautical62

Multihulls are prone to under deck slamming <snip> It's difficult to build a 28-foot catamaran with good clearance, weight carrying capacity and standing head room.

Generalising much?

[ColdFusion]

Glad I pitched my tent earlier

[Fishman_Tx]

Multihulls are prone to under deck slamming <snip> It's difficult to build a 28-foot catamaran with good clearance, weight carrying capacity and standing head room

Like I said, old news. The bridge deck was raised some. The hull/bridgedeck joint is no longer a joint, is one piece mold lay-up. Oh, and it's a 34 footer..... Still solid hull and no tramps on the bow tho!

[c-kow]

in my defense, eight bedroom is meant metaphorically, not literally. My point being, I understand that you can be perfectly comfortable on a 38 footer

[barnakiel]

A cruising cat. 36 feet or above. Because of safety, speed, comfort, living space.

Spoken by a monohull sailor.

b.