Monohull converts to multihull sailing..........

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by Goosebumps

I really wonder whats up with CF posts about monohulls vs multi recently?

Why do some monohullers seem to need to be supported in their chouce?

I understand their insecurity however, wouldnt anyone given such a choice and

know what he/she talking about choose without any qualms whatsoever to choose multi?

In my case the only way I would ever go back to my soup spilling mono is when

my present multi breaks up in two monos! And this I state after many mono

experiences and multihull lveaboard on the hook of East African coast never in

marina since 2005.

Soup spilling monos eh, that's funny! Here's hoping that you don't split in 2.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by w32honu

SNIP

Although I would miss the "in the groove" feeling of sailing a monohull.

SNIP

This is one of the biggest misconceptions I see folks have. There are monohulls that are not able to get in the grove and multihulls that are able to sail a course with out anyone touching the helm. This ability is a function of design and sail trim. I have been on some cats friends own that require constant adjustments at the wheel. On the other hand I have sailed my cat for hours at a time with out the AP on or anyone touching the wheel.

One thing that did change when I switched from monohull to a cat was how important it is to correctly adjust the traveler. My impression is that traveler adjustment is more important that sheet adjustment. One thing I noticed about fboats is the traveler is often no larger than the traveler on a monohull, in fact it may be smaller since a similar size monohull would have more beam than a tri. But if you look at the traveler on a boat like Bank Pop the traveler not only runs from one ama to the other, but it is not straight, rather it has a huge curve.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

....I have to say that I've never heard of anyone getting sea sick in a marina, it's funny actually and I get the sense you are serious about this.

I have, years ago delivered a brand new shiny Beneteau with every possible toy on it, owner's wife comes aboard for her first time...starts turning green at the dock...oops...an expensive mistake I think.

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by Dulcesuenos

We converted went from a nice mono a Bombay 31, and now are on our 4th cat. We love the ease of boarding,dinghy handling, fishing, sailing. All points of sail are less motion and less heel. Downwind is a dream, pointing seems just as good. We love the space and storage and have suffered no major lack of performance filling these spaces with stuff.
Living aboard 3+ years we love the stability at anchor.
The transition to spending your awake time in a large cockpit or saloon with big Windows to us, was awesome compared to living in a "cave".
We did try to buy 2 different csy 44's prior to our last cat. Still think about them from time to time


Sent from my PLT1077G using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Nailed it, ''spending your awake time in a large cockpit or saloon with big windows''. And a breeze. And shade. And a cool drink. These perks are highly under rated and not stated enough.

[Toys_with_time]

Originally Posted by w32honu

This old monohull sailor wants to hear from you.....

How have you been rewarded with the conversion to multihull sailing?

Any regrets with the switch? Any bias' been left behind?

Has the switch impacted your pleasure of cruising?

Any converts gone back to monohull sailing?

What have been your pros and cons?

Thinking about taking the plunge.........

Tx.

I second much of what has been said here. I had 50 years of monos and dinghies before switching and still love monos but cats tick more boxes for me now. I miss going to windward in a mono, seeking that sweet spot, and I have to admit that on my cat my auto pilot can often steer better than I can which as an ex racing helms person I find annoying. One of the big pluses though has been that my body is considerably less tired at the end of the day - the constant need to brace oneself on a mono is tiring and with hip and knee problems I would find myself aching by the evening.

On our monos there was a constant cry of "while you're down there" whenever anybody went below and they would be asked to fulfill a whole lot of requests for those on deck, something that doesn't happen on our cat. My wife is not into sailing (as in fiddling with sails etc) but likes the lifestyle so she has plenty of sheltered space to relax, read etc regardless of the weather whilst I enjoy the sailing. She is also far less seasick than she was on monos.

Do I regret the change - absolutely not, although I miss some of the sailing aspects of monos. Are cats pretty, no, but I can sit very comfortably in an anchorage admiring the lines of monos around me but not envying their bouncing around if there is a swell. We once spent 3 days once in a bay with a mono during a howling gale and watched them being nearly knocked onto their beam ends in gusts while we just swung to our anchor.

All in all I think it comes down to long term comfort. Day sailing on a mono is fun but for pleasing ourselves and our guests, both sailors and non sailors, on a longer term basis there is no comparison in my mind. We often have guests for up to 3 weeks and do not get a feeling of being on top of each other as there are so many different spaces to be in. Cooking (galley up) is so much easier in any condition and having 2 full size tables, one inside, one outside but under cover gives us more choices.

All in all I have no regrets and consider that the extra cost has been worth every cent.

TwT

[robert sailor]

[QUOTE=belizesailor;2094206]I have, years ago delivered a brand new shiny Beneteau with every possible toy on it, owner's wife comes aboard for her first time...starts turning green at the dock...oops...an expensive mistake I think.[/QUOTE

Well better a passenger than the skipper

[markpierce]

Gee, I thought slight athletic effort appealed to sailboaters, who often put down powerboaters for the lack of such effort. Isn't going to windward with spray in the face and bracing one's legs in the cockpit part of sailing, as well as knockdowns going down wind? It was for me.

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by markpierce

Gee, I thought slight athletic effort appealed to sailboaters, who often put down powerboaters for the lack of such effort. Isn't going to windward with spray in the face and bracing one's legs in the cockpit part of sailing, as well as knockdowns going down wind? It was for me.

Doesn't sound like you are over 60. If not, you will find out.

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by captlloyd

Doesn't sound like you are over 60. If not, you will find out.

Sailed/raced in sailboats in the 1960s and 1980s (24- and 29-foot sloops/cutters). Presently using a motorboat (e.g. "trawler") in the 2010s, and I'm approaching 70 years of age.

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by markpierce

Sailed/raced in sailboats in the 1960s and 1980s (24- and 29-foot sloops/cutters). Presently using a motorboat (e.g. "trawler") in the 2010s, and I'm approaching 70 years of age.

Sounds like you did find out.

[Symphony]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

If that is all it takes to get sea sick your going to have issues on your cat. I have to say that I've never heard of anyone getting sea sick in a marina, it's funny actually and I get the sense you are serious about this.

one of my daughters could sail anywhere; ocean swells, going to windward, etc. but she got seasick in the marina with the very gentle motion at the dock. Also became seasick in a rowboat on a wind-less day on a lake.

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by Symphony

one of my daughters could sail anywhere; ocean swells, going to windward, etc. but she got seasick in the marina with the very gentle motion at the dock. Also became seasick in a rowboat on a wind-less day on a lake.

You learn something new every now and then, thanks

[Toys_with_time]

Originally Posted by markpierce

Gee, I thought slight athletic effort appealed to sailboaters, who often put down powerboaters for the lack of such effort. Isn't going to windward with spray in the face and bracing one's legs in the cockpit part of sailing, as well as knockdowns going down wind? It was for me.

Yes loved all that when I was younger, now have to pamper my body more to try and keep the aches and pains under control. I do admit that the thought of giving up mono offshore racing came to me when it was 2am, I was on deck and we had been driving hard on the wind for 3 days. I was cold, wet and having to brace myself and hold on. My thoughts turned to the alternative - being at home with my wife in a warm, dry bed and that was the last offshore mono race I did. Did the ARC+ in 2014 on a Catana, crossing the pond in 12 days - totally different ball game, 5 star all the way.

TwT

[senormechanico]

I'd been thinking about buying a multihull while we cruised Mexico in our Lord Nelson 35. It was a fantastic boat for offshore and liveaboard, but I got the bug when I asked an old guy on a homebuilt 40 foot tri a simple question.
"Pardon me for being direct, and I mean no offense, but why is it that most of the people I see sailing multihulls are old?"

He laughed and said, "That's EASY ! They're easier to sail, and they don't heel !"

Next thing we knew, (three years actually) we had sold our LN35 and purchased our Dragonfly 1000.
I'd never look back for all the benefits posted previously.
BTW, having free moorage at my own salt water dock at my house is a big plus.