Why Do Catamarans Motor Nearly 100%

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Jon Eisberg

But of course, multihull sailors are still free to infer I have been singling them out, and dissing their choice of boat, in any event...

:-)

Huh? My post wasn't even related to yours!


But, regarding cockpit shelter - that' one of the things I really dislike about a lot of mono's. They have what are basically tents over their cockpits. And small tents at that. Which can be very hot in the tropics. And getting in and out of them is often awkward.


I much prefer the big fixed roof over our cockpit, which keeps rain and sun out, but is big and airy enough to stay quite cool, and I can still walk fully upright into and out of the cockpit.

[weavis]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Huh? My post wasn't even related to yours!

ITs all related 44.............




(and yes I know this was not directed at me.....)

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

When we were in Dockhead's cruising grounds a few years ago, I don't remember seeing many cruising type catamarans in Finland, Sweden, Russia, or Denmark. To say the boats up there were rugged and purpose built would be an understatement.

I don't mean to imply a catamaran can't sail up there, it just seems that buying and using one doesn't seem to be what's on the minds of the locals, unless they're headed to warmer climates.

Indeed, you hardly ever see a multihull up here. I don't really know why. In UK waters, I've only seen three multihulls ever not tied up to a mooring -- two of those were capsized, and one was motoring -- swear to God. That means I've never seen a single one under sail in six years of cruising UK waters. One of the capsized was participating in the Round the Island Race; another was trying to get upwind in a F9 when I was going downwind, and the crew was being rescued by the RNLI. The one motoring was a big Lagoon with a flybridge, motoring down the Solent. That was four or five years ago.

I do not actually think that cats are only suited for warm climates, but that is certainly where you will mostly find them. In the Caribbean, they seem to be more than half the fleet.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Dockhead,

The Discovery 55 does all that you've described as your ideal boat. Oyster can also custom build an inside raised helm station for you.

You can probable trade up to the Discovery.

The Discovery is a nice boat, but it is almost exactly the same boat which I already have, so hardly worth changing boats just for the raised nav table. It would be much simpler just to modify the boat I already have.

If I ever change boats, it will be for something quite a bit different, and certainly not a production boat like a Discovery or Oyster or Moody. It will have a real pilothouse, not just a raised nav table. It will look like a workboat and might even be made out of metal. It will have a tender garage and lots of water tight compartments. It will have a walk-in engine room with workbench and ample tool and parts storage. But it will be light and fast.

The closest plastic production boat I've seen to my ideal is the HR 64, but I've pretty much decided that even this is not really suitable.

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I In UK waters, I've only seen three multihulls ever not tied up to a mooring -- two of those were capsized, and one was motoring -- swear to God.

Multis are always sailing on the edge of desaster. Whenever the sails are up they capsize. Thats why all those that haven't sunk yet always motor 100% - at least!

[weavis]

Originally Posted by rabbi

Multis are always sailing on the edge of desaster. Whenever the sails are up they capsize. Thats why all those that haven't sunk yet always motor 100% - at least!

Oh yes.

Im so frightened when I get in mine, that I have decided to add more hulls, remove the sails and have 4 engines......

[Palarran]

What I'd really like to know is why do nearly 100% of monohullers drop their chain over mine when med mooring? Obviously there is something lacking with the boat design because they simply can't moor - all of them. I'd also like to know why nearly 100% of the monohullers topsides look like an episode of Hoarders.

But really what I'd like to know is why 2% of this forum continuously ask questions that are only meant to be divisive to the forum as a whole? Was this really a valid question? Does ANYONE believe it was asked to actually gain an answer?

[weavis]

Originally Posted by Palarran

What I'd really like to know is why do nearly 100% of monohullers drop their chain over mine when med mooring?

They love you. Cant bear to think of you leaving.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Palarran

But really what I'd like to know is why 2% of this forum continuously ask questions that are only meant to be divisive to the forum as a whole? Was this really a valid question? Does ANYONE believe it was asked to actually gain an answer?

The question was not meant to be divisive, and yes... I did intend to get some reasonable answers. Which we have received such as.... [Many of the multihulls in my area must be charter boats which is possibly why they are in a hurry to get from place to place.] seems to be the largest consensus.

My wife is not a member of this forum.... It was actually her question based on an observation made locally in Sardinia. We'd been thinking of buying a large catamaran, so we wanted to ask catamaran owners why so many of them motor on perfectly nice sailing days?

If you have a constructive answer, we sure would like to hear it?

Thanks

Ken

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Indeed, you hardly ever see a multihull up here. I don't really know why.

What comes to Baltic there's one major reason, winter.. Not many places to get a cat on the hard and what it might cost..

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by weavis

Oh yes.

Im so frightened when I get in mine, that I have decided to add more hulls, remove the sails and have 4 engines......

Looks like the designer was influenced by Mad Max movies.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by TeddyDiver

What comes to Baltic there's one major reason, winter.. Not many places to get a cat on the hard and what it might cost..

I have enjoyed the good natured humor of this thread (when it is good humored) and found this (and some other posts) informative and helpful considering some of the issues of cats (or monos) and how they may be used or not seen in some areas outside of the Caribbean.

It does seem understandable that charter boats (mono or multi) may be seen motoring a lot due to the various reasons presented in this thread.

The earlier post by someone (Juho, IIRCC) mentioned the difficulty in heating a big cat. I had not considered that before, so found it good it was mentioned.

Thanks to ALL those members posting good info/responses to the thread.

[Factor]

These folk

Katie Kat

Took their cat to alaska, had no trouble heating it.

[Kenomac]

I just read in Cruising World magazine, that The Moorings Charter company is busy adding Powercats to their inventory world wide. I guess we'll soon be seeing more powercats.

I think they're a great platform for zipping from one place to another, and then enjoying the day at anchor. Relatively fast getting there, then stable at anchor.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I just read in Cruising World magazine, that The Moorings Charter company is busy adding Powercats to their inventory world wide. I guess we'll soon be seeing more powercats.

I think they're a great platform for zipping from one place to another, and then enjoying the day at anchor. Relatively fast getting there, then stable at anchor.

I think power cats are a great idea from a practical perspective (all kidding aside, many chartered boats never raise sails anyway), but the market demand is mostly for sail. May vary by venue, but there have been a few power vessels in the fleet in Belize and demand just has not been as good.