Multihull or Monohull

[44'cruisingcat]

4 feet of draught isn't deep IMO, but with rudders floating or raised we draw less than 2.

[Highland Fling]

Originally Posted by Dulcesuenos

Most Cat owners started with Mono's, Most would never switch back.
Nuff said

So perhaps you can explain / or give an opinion as to why the Dashew's started with a cat but when they wanted to do long distance cruising two up they designed a whole series of monohulls

[44'cruisingcat]

The word used was MOST, not all.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Highland Fling

So perhaps you can explain / or give an opinion as to why the Dashew's started with a cat but when they wanted to do long distance cruising two up they designed a whole series of monohulls

Irrelevant to the discussion. Certainly Steve Dashew has made his life building monohulls for the top end of the marketplace and he is without doubt one of the cruising authorities. Well worth owning his cruising encycopedia.

I do not hear him knocking or despariging those who choose for their own purposes on catamatans. There are also many couples out there on cats that would just not be there on monos.

All a matter of individual choice for your circunstance. You choose and sail a mono but talk of your experience on cats, follow the cat threads.

Maybe you just aspire to a cat but are still looking as clearly there are many others, as do I.

Cheers

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by Sea Yawl Later

It is great to see the Berlin Wall of Mono versus Cat crumble a bit on this thread....

If I was crossing the Atlantic I'd want a big honkin' monohull, not my 5 ton cat.... but where I go and what I do (hang out on the beaches of the Bahamas under my boat) the ship fits the duty...

I attribute the popularity of the catamaran to the fact that more women are going to sea. Either with a spouse or alone. I know I'd have NO chance of bringing mine unless it was on a cat.

I don't mean to slight those women out there that love their single point boat.... don't get me wrong, I'm just sayin'... guys like me (that could be happy enough on a comparably priced Monohull) do what they need to do to make mama happy.

What Dsanduril said............. the main thing is just find a way to go!

Personally i think you are nailing it as a very real reason for multi's to be chosen by families.

Of course many families cruise mono's however the multihull has allowed many more to enjoy the experience.

My wife cannot wait to move aboard our agreed choice, she would have stayed ashore if i had demanded our next boat be a mono. We built and cruised our Adams 35 for 7 years only moving off when the twins were born.

Cheers Frank

[D&D]

Originally Posted by mellowboat

What are you considering shallow draft?

Beauty (and shallow draft!) is in the eye of the beholder!

We'd say anything <4 feet (1.2m) is 'shallow'. Our general experience of OZ coastal bar crossings suggests they target ~2m (6.5 feet) as a minimum LWS depth...and then warn those crossing about shifting sands!

...and while on this aspect (shallow draft etc) of our thread, it's worth noting the huge advantage, if caught unexpectedly bumping the bottom, of the multi being able to sit upright as the tide goes out...and of course also being able to do so deliberately for maintenance/repair if needed...

BTW Sea Yawl Later, we crossed the Atlantic (and the Pacific) -- In fact, the worst weather by far was the Tasman Sea! -- in great comfort and safety on our cat...altho we happily agree with the suggestion in the remainder of your remarks...

"I attribute the popularity of the catamaran to the fact that more women are going to sea...I know I'd have NO chance of bringing mine unless it was on a cat...I'm just sayin'... guys...do what they need to do to make mama happy."

In our case, making the Admiral happy and comfortable made the captain happy too!

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by D&D

"I attribute the popularity of the catamaran to the fact that more women are going to sea...I know I'd have NO chance of bringing mine unless it was on a cat...I'm just sayin'... guys...do what they need to do to make mama happy."

In our case, making the Admiral happy and comfortable made the captain happy too!

So, they are girlie boats.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by markpierce

So, they are girlie boats.

Yes

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by markpierce

So, they are girlie boats.

Absolutely! Don't want no boy boats!!!!!
LMAO

[Factor]

Originally Posted by markpierce

So, they are girlie boats.

Yep multis are girlie boats no doubt, girlies like Ellen Macarthur.

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by markpierce

So, they are girlie boats.

Yes, I do agree that Cats are Girlie boats, But thats the way I like it.

[D&D]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Yes, I do agree that Cats are Girlie boats, But thats the way I like it.

What he/she (Cotemar) said!!!

[Highland Fling]

Originally Posted by downunder

Irrelevant to the discussion. Certainly Steve Dashew has made his life building monohulls for the top end of the marketplace and he is without doubt one of the cruising authorities. Well worth owning his cruising encycopedia.

I do not hear him knocking or despariging those who choose for their own purposes on catamatans. There are also many couples out there on cats that would just not be there on monos.

All a matter of individual choice for your circunstance. You choose and sail a mono but talk of your experience on cats, follow the cat threads.

Maybe you just aspire to a cat but are still looking as clearly there are many others, as do I.

Cheers

I do like cats for the sort of cruising i do Caribbean where i try hard not to have to beat to windward (not that i succeed all the time) i am NOT totally convinced they are the best for cross ocean stuff nor was SD and MORE IMPORTANTLY the Admiral is NOT a cat fan.

IF i had a cat it would need to have decent performance 12/18 knots easily obtainable - much faster than your average production (made for the charter market) cat AND be appealing to The Admiral. So far only one cat has made the grade a Chris White Atlantic 48 and it is way out of any sensible budget that we could/would consider. When i finish this years six month cruise in the Caribbean i will look into the DIX 48 and 55 foot cats they 'might' meet all the various and opposing requirements of myself and The Admiral. I would be happy with a L470 she might be happy with a R&C 46 M4600 but i am not sure if it would be fast enough for me.........rephrase that we sailed past one today and left it for dead...........but would it sail better with me at the helm probably but who knows - i have been left feeling underwhelmed and jaded will most of the run of the mill production cats i have sailed on. I like the look of the R&C 46 M4600 and the way they are well sorted for my sort of cruising area but if they cant go to windward then well the sensible logical answer is the R&C 47 PC M474 PC is probably what we need. Seems SD has decided the same and ditched the big white things.

My Admiral loves the way our monohull sails through the waves and is NOT a big cat fan

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by Highland Fling

I like the look of the R&C 46 M4600 and the way they are well sorted for my sort of cruising area but if they cant go to windward then well the sensible logical answer is the R&C 47 PC M474 PC is probably what we need. Seems SD has decided the same and ditched the big white things.

My Admiral loves the way our monohull sails through the waves and is NOT a big cat fan

I am with you on the Leopard 47 Power Cat. We had 8 people on one for ten days and just loved the three levels and space on this boat. Very sweet ride. Also very very good on fuel.

[bobconnie]

I have a hunch we all pretty much would Love a 40ft+ Cat !! I know we would love one ! BUT, and thats the big word, We wont be going cruiseing if we have to buy a Cat cus we just would not want any Cat we could afford ! In order to get the room we want and the features we want to have , and still afford it, we will buy a mono hull Motor Sailor in the 40 to 50 ft range we hope to find one soon LOL So I guess you can put us in the catagory of loving Cats but sailing Monos !!