Why Do Catamarans Motor Nearly 100%

[D&D]

Originally Posted by Palarran

this thread from the first post was only meant to cause negativity on the forum.

+2

...and in that objective it surely succeeded!

[Polux]

Originally Posted by DotDun

Can you provide a basis for your opinion? Compared to what? Have you ever been on a Lagoon 450?

Now, I have not been on a Lagoon 450. I have seem them (450, 420 and bigger) making remarkably fast passages on the ARC, almost as fast as performance cats. They are certainly not designed to go upwind but out of that they are not worse than many other condo cats.

I have sailed downwind with one on strong winds (for some time) with some other sailboats. I was faster but they were faster than many other bigger monohulls.

I have sailed side by side (for sometime) with other well known South African condo cat, a new model and my wife asked where they were going. She could not believe that they were pointing as much as they could upwind. Certainly the Lagoon is not worse than that.

There are several Lagoons circumnavigating and many that have circumnavigated. They cannot do that only using the engine can they?

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by Polux

Now, I have not been on a Lagoon 450. I have seem them (450, 420 and bigger) making remarkably fast passages on the ARC, almost as fast as performance cats. They are certainly not designed to go upwind but out of that they are not worse than many other condo cats.

I have sailed downwind with one on strong winds (for some time) with some other sailboats. I was faster but they were faster than many other bigger monohulls.

I have sailed side by side (for sometime) with other well known South African condo cat, a new model and my wife asked where they were going. She could not believe that they were pointing as much as they could upwind. Certainly the Lagoon is not worse than that.

There are several Lagoons circumnavigating and many that have circumnavigated. They cannot do that only using the engine can they?

Nor is your boat designed for 3 heads or redundant engines or a flybridge helm.

So, what's your point?

Why would you denigrate another cruisers boat based on your desires for a boat?

You may be surprised at the upwind capability of condomarans. Maybe you should actually sail on one instead just spread conjecture about them.

[Kenomac]

After another five months in the Med, I stand by our first post observation... most of the catamarans continue to be seen only motoring from place to place. I believe now that it's mainly due to charter guests wanting to get to locations as quickly as possible and not wishing to really spend any time moving at less than 6-8 knots or expending the energy to hoist the sails. Basically, most seem to be using the platform as a wandering floating condo.

My wife is still very drawn to the idea of cruising aboard a powercat... Maybe someday, we'll see. :-) She likes the idea of faster passage making at 12-15 knots that only a powerboat can provide. No immediate plans to make a change since the cost difference is substantial at this time.

[Polux]

Originally Posted by DotDun

Nor is your boat designed for 3 heads or redundant engines or a flybridge helm.

So, what's your point?

Why would you denigrate another cruisers boat based on your desires for a boat?

You may be surprised at the upwind capability of condomarans. Maybe you should actually sail on one instead just spread conjecture about them.

Denigrate? I thought that I was telling good things about the 450!!! I said that the boat sails well except upwind and that is true to all condo cats, I mean not having a good performance upwind. How do you infer that I am denigrating the Lagoon 450?

Regarding to know about the upwind performance of a Lagoon and other similar Condo cats I have sailed alongside several upwind, enough to be well award of its potential, or lack of it.

[Kenomac]

My only experience trying to sail upwind on a cat was on a Leopard 45 four years ago, which didn't go well. Can't comment on other makes or models, can only go by what the owners tell me.

Nothing wrong with being good at what they seem to be good at... acreage, ample seating, a great living room view and trade wind sailing.

If one is a full time cruiser and under no time constrains... A cruising cat seems like an excellent choice. Just wait for the wind to change, which is what we do most of the time.

[barrymac]

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..

When I think of Baltic sailing I think of beating up narrow Fjords against prevailing southwesterleys , and I think of a pointy fast tacking double headed rigged boat to do that job.

[SunnySky]

As a catamaran owner that rarely motors but sees way too many sailboats motoring (both monohull and multihull) I would have to say motoring is almost always one of three things or a combination of the below:
1) Impatience/desire to keep a certain schedule which is especially true with guests regardless of if they are friends or charter guests
2) Lack of skill as a sailor
3) Sheer laziness

Dave
sv Sunny Sky Hailing from Cold Bay AK

[Kenomac]

On several of my earliest posts I mentioned motor sailing. On relatively calm days, as soon as the wind is at the right angle, the sails go up and we are motor sailing, which can even be done in relatively light winds. Can't figure out why others don't do this more often. Monohulls or multihulls.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by SunnySky

As a catamaran owner that rarely motors but sees way too many sailboats motoring (both monohull and multihull) I would have to say motoring is almost always one of three things or a combination of the below:
1) Impatience/desire to keep a certain schedule which is especially true with guests regardless of if they are friends or charter guests
2) Lack of skill as a sailor
3) Sheer laziness

Dave
sv Sunny Sky Hailing from Cold Bay AK

Never because there is no wind?

Mark

[44'cruisingcat]

I can say that nearly 100% of our motoring is due to inaccurate weather forecasts.


Today, for instance, the forecast looked excellent for a fast 65 mile ESE passage, the forecast being for N/NE 10-15 knots, tending NE 15-20.


The reality? 3 - 5 knot WNW.


The next time the BOM gets one right, will be the first.

[Kenomac]

Usually in the Med, the weather forecasters seem to get the wind direction right, but the intensity is usually a few to ten knots more than predicted offshore.

[Seaslug Caravan]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

On several of my earliest posts I mentioned motor sailing. On relatively calm days, as soon as the wind is at the right angle, the sails go up and we are motor sailing, which can even be done in relatively light winds. Can't figure out why others don't do this more often. Monohulls or multihulls.

Motor sailing is not "sailing".

Having had my attention bought to this thread i've been doing a little research.

Having spent the past two months transiting from Darwin to Hervey Bay I have
noted very few sailboats boats actually sail.

Those that appear to be sailing very well, eventually catch up surrounded by a cloud of exhaust fumes.

I think the sweet spot for a modern "roomy" Catamaran is 15 knots on the beam. As this is quite rare, motoring is more practical for a number of reasons.

For those of us with small auxiliaries, who enjoy sailing then "sailing is the only options.

The funny thing is that I have beaten most motoring catamarans to windward during periods of strong trades in the beat down from Thursday Island. Says a lot about high windage ,roomy , designs.

44c, the weather forecast you refer to covers a fair chunk of coast. The marine weather 7 day with arrows or met eye have proved very accurate for me.

Judging by your forecast I must be 1 zone ahead of you.

Regards

[Polux]

Originally Posted by Seaslug Caravan

...

I think the sweet spot for a modern "roomy" Catamaran is 15 knots on the beam. As this is quite rare, motoring is more practical for a number of reasons.
...

That is greatly exaggerated. Most modern condo cats sail well with 10k Wind on the beam.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Seaslug Caravan

Motor sailing is not "sailing".

If the wind is only blowing 6-7 knots, motor sailing is the only sailing we're going to be doing... if we plan on getting anywhere in a timely manner.

Occasionally, we fly the spinnaker if the wind is coming from the right direction.