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Old 05-08-2008, 03:18   #1
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What are the characteristics of a cruising cat?

Hello!

I took a friend sailing a week. He's thinking about buying a cruising cat some time. Cats haven't been really popular in europe, but they seem to be growing in numbers lately. I have no experience with cats and neither does he. We speculated on the differencies between multi and monohulls. How much worse is a cat when beating into the wind and what's the limiting factor? I usually calculate on an avarage speed of 5 knots (120 miles / 24 hours) when cruising with my 31 ft monohull. How much faster would a 31 ft cruising cat be? Riding a cat is a lot smoother. True? Am I asking the right questions here? What can you tell me?

Thanks in Advance!!
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Old 05-08-2008, 03:40   #2
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If you will do a quick search of previous threads you will find a ton of discussion and advice on this very subject.

George

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Old 05-08-2008, 06:38   #3
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There is no easy answer for your question, in the same way that it is impossible to say what is the best cruising mono and how does it perform.

It really depends on so many factors, basically a catamaran sails fast due to light weight, a cruising catamaran sacrifices some of this in order to be able to carry liveaboard weight. The exact degree of speed/weight carrying will depend on the design.

Old designs are not very good to windward, new ones are much better, but dont expect them to equal a racing monohull.

most modern catamarans are in the 40-50ft - very few designs are less than 35ft except for much older ones.

Notwithstanding the above, a Prout will manage about 1 kt faster than an equivalent length mono. Newer designs are either faster or more luxurious (or both if you pay enough!!!)
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Old 06-08-2008, 10:27   #4
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The motion of a catamaran is different from a monohull, whose heavy keel serves to stabilize and dampen the boats motion. Multihulls tend to follow the surface of the water more closely, so they have a sharper, quicker motion. Since the heel very little, flat surfaces stay level, drinks don't spill, and plates don't slide as much.

Catamarans cost much more than half-a-marans that have the same amount of room. There may be several good reasons for that, but it still comes as a surprise to many first time shoppers.

Finding a place to keep a catamaran or trimaran can be very difficult or expensive. There are NOT many good reasons for that, though.

Multihulls are more expensive to maintain, starting with the trouble of finding a place to haulout, and then buying two or three of things like bottom paint, engine maintenance, props and drives, etc. Since the rig doesn't heel to relieve the load of the wind on the sails, the standing and running rigging have to be two or three times stronger than a monohull.

And there are always twice as many women wanting to go for a ride. Somebody check me on that.
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Old 06-08-2008, 10:37   #5
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over the many years of owning my last cat, by far the highest percentage of visitors wanting to look at her were wives who were dragging their reluctant husbands, rather than husbands trying to persuade wives!!!
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Old 06-08-2008, 11:39   #6
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Hello!

Cats haven't been really popular in europe
Maybe not popular in Scandinavia, but from the sheer number of English and French marques (Prout/Broadblue, Catalac, Solaris, F-P, Catana, Lagoon etc) and designers (Wharram, Woods, Shuttleworth etc) I don't see how you say they're not popular in Europe. IMO, Europe is the birthplace of the modern catamaran.


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Old 06-08-2008, 12:07   #7
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Maybe not popular in Scandinavia, but from the sheer number of English and French marques (Prout/Broadblue, Catalac, Solaris, F-P, Catana, Lagoon etc) and designers (Wharram, Woods, Shuttleworth etc) I don't see how you say they're not popular in Europe. IMO, Europe is the birthplace of the modern catamaran.


Kevin
True. Sweden, Finland and Norway atleast. First cruisingcatamaran at a boatshow in Sweden was for 2 years agoe. With Lagoon 380 and 440 and after that you can buy F-P and Nautitech in Sweden.

Today i can find ONE used cruisingcatamaran and it is a lagoon 380!
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Old 06-08-2008, 12:35   #8
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You need to check out the local multihull organisations up here in Scandinavia. We have several world class designers, and have had for many years.

Sweden: SCTS - Startsidan

Norway: Nyheter — Norsk Flerskrog Seilklubb - Norwegian Multihull Association

Finland: SCTL - Suomen Catamaran ja Trimaran liitto ry. - Finnish Catamaran and Trimaran Association

Denmark: Multihulls.dk

Latvia also has an active multihull scene with some very innovative designs using foils.

Lars Oudrup has been designing cruising cats for many years and his Havkat series is popular. See LOYD.DK

Ib Pors Nielsen designed a few nice tris back in the 80's.

There was also a Danish contingent at the Weymouth Speed week back in the 60's or 70's using a multihull platform..

The Quornings (Dragonfly) are Danish trimaran designers with a large number of boats.

Some really nice Swedish designed tris recently launched..

Reidar Uthaug (Norwegian) is one of my favorite cat designers with his Norcats: N o r C a t - Info

The TRT series by Ulf Tollsen and Marius Rosvold are also really nice and fast boats. TRT Racing & Cruising catamarans The Racer's Cruiser

There is a long history of innovative multihull designs and builds up here, not quite as well known internationally, probably due to poor communication skills back in the early days of multihulls.


Have a look around and get to know some of the people in your local multihull fraternity, I'm sure that they wil welcome you aboard and help you in your selection process.

Cheers

Alan
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Old 07-08-2008, 02:29   #9
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There are also a couple of Harryproas being built in Scandinavia. 60 footers if I recall correctly
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Old 07-08-2008, 03:40   #10
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There are also a couple of Harryproas being built in Scandinavia. 60 footers if I recall correctly
I saw a link from finland with a harryproa...

And we have marstrom...with tornado, seacart etc.
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Old 07-08-2008, 05:38   #11
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I saw a link from finland with a harryproa...

And we have marstrom...with tornado, seacart etc.
G'day,

The Finnish 15m harry has just been launched, is waiting for it's rig. Looks very nice, set up for cold weather crusing.

In Norway there is a 9m Elementarry and an 18m. The 18 is a work of art. The largest amateur infusion in the world, as far as I know. And when they started, they did not know what epoxy was.

regards,

Rob
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Old 07-08-2008, 07:54   #12
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G'day,

The Finnish 15m harry has just been launched, is waiting for it's rig. Looks very nice, set up for cold weather crusing.

In Norway there is a 9m Elementarry and an 18m. The 18 is a work of art. The largest amateur infusion in the world, as far as I know. And when they started, they did not know what epoxy was.

regards,

Rob
Do you have the link to the finnish harry! I can´t find it....

And to the norweigan harrys...?
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Old 07-08-2008, 12:10   #13
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It's interesting to see the turns some threads take. That's part of the fun. Thank you for your inputs! I for one will stick with my keel boat
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Old 07-08-2008, 12:15   #14
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from what I can see .. marina and dock facilities are limited for cats since the width is usually for a monohull. so it will probably cost you more to buy it .. more to dock it .. more to maintain it .. but hey they go a little faster i hear
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Old 07-08-2008, 12:16   #15
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It's interesting to see the turns some threads take. That's part of the fun. Thank you for your inputs! I for one will stick with my keel boat
All my threads 2. You have the steeringwheel.
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