Monohull or Multihull Sailboat?

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by Jmolan

....but I also believe it is like motorcycles/boats. So much of it is an emotional decision.

Another good comparison. Very much like motorcycles.

Do you like Harleys or Ninja/Katanas/CBR900RR, etc...?

Judging by the way I list the rice burners, I like going fast.


But... others may argue how great a Harley is.

In the end, each rides their own bike and enjoys it.

[Jmolan]

When I saw your photo I could not help but know it was a full on race boat. Like a race car, or race horse...these are highly specialized, highly driven...and often crash while at the edge of the performance loop. The boat you pictured has done over 600 miles a day! This particular boat developed cross member breakage......just a race boat.

You can also find the same race boats in one hull with the keel dropped off...upsidedown and in serious need......so what?....they are a certain "class" of vessel.

[Robertcateran]

OK, I am admitting that I have stuffed up in navigation, but shoal draft made it an embarrassment , not a disaster.
Going back to the steel boat in high latitudes, my experience of working as a fisherman on steel boats compared with wooden, is that the wooded boats are easier on the ears and legs, and very cold to the touch on sleety mornings. When you brace yourself against them the cold goes right through you,
Robert
Robert

[Canibul]

All my offshore time in high latitudes both North and South was on working boats, mostly seismic survey, oceanographic instrumentation, under-ice ROV work, and NATO military stuff. All steel.

I just can't see myself ever voluntarily taking a sailboat someplace where you can't sleep outside on a hammock if you want.

[GMac]

Originally Posted by Jmolan

You can also find the same race boats in one hull with the keel dropped off...upsidedown and in serious need......so what?....they are a certain "class" of vessel.

So what, you ask?
I was trying to point out - anything can go wrong in anything. The number of hulls and whatever 'class' has nothing to do with it.

Use a multi wrong and Mr Cock-up will come a calling. Use a mono wrong and the same gentleman will appear there as well. He'll even visit errant Tri drivers if they cock-up

Posting a photo of a sunken mono as a good argument for a multi seems, to me at least, grasping at straws and maybe add a splash of self-justification. I can assure you a coral bommie isn't picky as to how many hulls it'll take out.

Actually when you think about it that multi in the photo and most others do have an issue, not large but there and not completely un-heard off, monos don't as you pointed out. How many monos can break cross beams?

I'm not taking sides, I'm a slut and will sail just about anything with a mast and have done over the years. I've never sailed a boat that didn't have some, all be it minor sometimes, thing going for it. Just seems to me that the which is best argument will never be resolved as there is not a correct answer.

It is interesting to note though that over my years sailing 75% of the people who go the hardest to convince you their boat is best have multis. Trendsetters? maybe, enthusiastic? no question, trying to convince themselves? sometimes I do think they are.

[beau]

I will jump in again with my point of view.

If you live or sail in tropical waters a mono just does not make sense.
The shallow draft of a multihull and being able to beach is a MUST.

Multihulls also have much less roll at anchor.
The interior of a mono in the tropics becomes unbearblaly hot during the day and not much better at night.

Sailing a multihull in heavy weather reguires a different set of rules. as said earlier I have NEVER seen a multhull sailer go back to a mono (in the tropics)

[GMac]

Would you like me to introduce you to one? Just so happens we supplied a pile of gear to a new mono cruiser today. He recently sold his 45ft Cat to build the 50ft mono. I don't know why and are keen to ask but that did seem rather unusual, I must admit.

On the downside of cats in the tropics just for balance. On those real hot nights it is bloody awful trying to sleep inside an oversized toilet paper roll tube. Not as easy to sneek a 'sly one' with the missus as on a mono. But damn handy when trying to cook and that real hot mates girlfriend has to squeeze past you all the time, he's right they are firm and perky which brings up cooking down in the pit, not always pleasant.

Not to sure why having to be able to beach your boat is a MUST though.

[Tropic Cat]

Originally Posted by GMac

Posting a photo of a sunken mono as a good argument for a multi seems,

Gmac

I think you might be misinterpreting Canibul's post. No multi ower has ever tried to argue a monohull guy into switching to a multihull. Post like his are always in response to an attack on multis. IMHO, there are simply too many attacks on multis around here.

I haven't seen anyone try and convince you that you need to switch to 2 or 3 hulls just as I don't see any reason for you to attempt to convince any of us that we should switch to a single hull.

Multis are becoming more popular these days and with good reason, what's more important is that we've all already made our decisions, and own our boats. Let it go at that.

[Canibul]

Originally Posted by GMac

So what, you ask?

Posting a photo of a sunken mono as a good argument for a multi seems, to me at least, grasping at straws and maybe add a splash of self-justification. I can assure you a coral bommie isn't picky as to how many hulls it'll take out.

That's about as biased a statement as I have seen here yet.

Grasping at straws? No. The basic fact is that there are many places where a multihull can go that a deep draft monohull cannot go. On the other hand, name someplace where a monhull can go that is denied to a multihull. Only place I can think of is a narrow creek, and it would have to be deep enough for the mono's draft. Who cares?

And a coral "bommie" isn't picky as to haow many hulls it'll take out, true.

But it has to be able to reach the hulls, now doesnt it.

[Canibul]

I got really ramped up after my second espresso this morning, and edited that post, but the 30 minutes expired. So this is that:

Originally Posted by GMac

So what, you ask?

Posting a photo of a sunken mono as a good argument for a multi seems, to me at least, grasping at straws and maybe add a splash of self-justification. I can assure you a coral bommie isn't picky as to how many hulls it'll take out.

That's about as biased a statement as I have seen here yet.

Grasping at straws? No. The basic fact is that there are many places where a multihull can go that a deep draft monohull cannot go. On the other hand, name someplace where a monhull can go that is denied to a multihull. Only place I can think of is a narrow creek, and it would have to be deep enough for the mono's draft. Sailed a mono up any ten foot wide but six foot deep creeks lately? Nah, I didn't think so.

And a coral "bommie" isn't picky as to how many hulls it'll take out, true.
But it has to be able to reach the hulls, now doesn't it. And on a real shallow one, a cat will sit on top of it. A monhull is going to fall over like a spastic on a unicycle. Every time. Ditto for beaching.

There are a lot of sane reasons for wanting to be able to beach a boat. Lets say you have a mono and a cat both knock a crack in the bow right below the waterline. By definition, you are probably close to land, or somewhere shallow. The mono has it's limited options, drop the hook with the crack still below the waterline. Or hope you are somewhere with enough tide to beach it and then watch it fall over. This might save the boat, but there's a strong liklihood that it's going to cause even more damage.

The multi can put the bows safely onto just about any shallows or beach, and the boat stays upright and won't require any assistance to re-launch after repairs.

If you want to cook up topside, with a multihull you do have that option. It's called a "galley up" configuration. You do not even have that option in a monohull. Everything you do is in the basement. Your bunk is going to smell like pork chops. Get used to it.

Want privacy? An "owner's version" catamaran dedicates one entire hull to whatever you and the missus wanna sneak off and do, with no through traffic. Try that in a monohull.

For that matter, put four decent sized staterooms on a monohull, and then let's take a look at the layout, size, and cost of the boat.

From what I have seen, multihull sailors tend to talk about the logic, utility, and comfort of their boats. Monohull sailors tend to talk about how much prettier their boats are. Reminds me of a girlfriend who would buy a crummy automobile over a sensible one because the junker was painted her favorite color.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Canibul

A monhull is going to fall over like a spastic on a unicycle. Every time.

Not very PC, but.......ROTFLMAO

[dcstrng]

Originally Posted by Jmolan

I also believe it is like motorcycles/boats. So much of it is an emotional decision. You can justify your reasons til the cows go home...but...still, it is how it "grabs" you... I mean, the boat has got to "grab" you. If you get something just because of what everyone else says.......well.

Yep, I think you nailed it… I join similarly fervent discussions over on the bike forums… Having both a Harley and a metric I am enthusiastically ambivalent – both are good, neither is quite so unique (or uniquely superior) as their more parochial riders allege… my guess (given a tad less breadth of knowledge in sailing vessels) is vessels are similar… good is good, whatever fits the needs, wishes, penchants or passion of the skipper is the one that will resonate… and for many, attempts at proselytizing to another point of view via reasoning or logic will be unsuccessful… albeit perhaps entertaining to observe…

[Joli]

Originally Posted by Canibul

On the other hand, name someplace where a monhull can go that is denied to a multihull.

Upwind LOL

[Canibul]

Originally Posted by Joli

Upwind LOL

ha ha, good one.

So...That's why the windward shores of all these islands are layered three deep with stable, beached catamarans with coral dings in the bow?

And it would explain all the monohulls sunk in Europe, as well.

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by Canibul

Anyone ever hear of a cruiser deciding to give up multihulls and go to monos?

There are certainly plenty of examples of people going the other way, changing to catamarans after years of monohulls.

Yes. There is a fellow at my yard that bought a cat because his wife wanted it. She didn't like sailing on that either, I suspect she is just one of those weird people that doesn't like to sail. He sold it and is in the market for a mono.