Would I be crazy to cross oceans on a 32' LWL, 11' beam catamaran?

[dustman]

This would be an ultralight(<1000#), minimalist, powered catamaran. Slender hulls with semicircular cross section and fine entry/exit, hull draft 4" to 5", 30" bridgedeck clearance, comparatively low windage with very small aerodynamic cabin, relatively low center of gravity.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by dustman

This would be an ultralight(<1000#), minimalist, powered catamaran. Slender hulls with semicircular cross section and fine entry/exit, hull draft 4" to 5", 30" bridgedeck clearance, comparatively low windage with very small aerodynamic cabin, relatively low center of gravity.

It all depends on the weather you run into.

This guy did it on a Contessa 26...…………

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r3mno5oo7s

[rickwest]

Originally Posted by dustman

This would be an ultralight(<1000#), minimalist, powered catamaran. Slender hulls with semicircular cross section and fine entry/exit, hull draft 4" to 5", 30" bridgedeck clearance, comparatively low windage with very small aerodynamic cabin, relatively low center of gravity.

I crossed the Pacific ocean in a 38ft sailing cat...its all about weather and time of year
Never had an issuse never had seas over 12ft more or less did not go to New Zealand thats a rough ride..it more about the sailor and boat condition

[dustman]

Originally Posted by rickwest

I crossed the Pacific ocean in a 38ft sailing cat...its all about weather and time of year
Never had an issuse never had seas over 12ft more or less did not go to New Zealand thats a rough ride..it more about the sailor and boat condition

I figure a powered cat would be much safer without the wind trying to push it over. Honestly I've never sailed far out to sea or experienced a 12' wave in the open ocean. All my experience has been on relatively calm days pretty close to shore. How intense were the 12 footers on the 38'? I've been eying New Zealand as one potential destination, looks VERY dangerous to get to.

[gmakhs]

How you gonna get enouph fuel for the trip if it is a powered cat ???

I just crossed the Atlantic on my beneteau first 26 nothing special about it , this kind of crossings are easy.

With the right sailboat you can with motor.boqt I don't see the benefit.

[dustman]

Originally Posted by gmakhs

How you gonna get enouph fuel for the trip if it is a powered cat ???

I just crossed the Atlantic on my beneteau first 26 nothing special about it , this kind of crossings are easy.

With the right sailboat you can with motor.boqt I don't see the benefit.

According to calculations the boat should do about 6kn on 500 watts and about 8kn on 1000 watts. It would be powered by an electric Torqeedo outboard fed by both solar and generator power. Of course I would have several backup options that would allow me to limp along if my main systems failed.



The advantage in my mind is primarily safety. Not having sails seems like it would yield a much more stable ride without the possibility of being knocked down by high winds. Also, trying to deal with sails single handed during a storm seems quite dangerous. Setting up and balancing all the sails, rigging, and associated strong attachment points adds up to serious complications in construction and limits the simplicity of the layout options. I also imagine navigating in tight and/or shallow places would be much easier. Overall it seems like a much more enjoyable way of cruising.

[billknny]

Originally Posted by dustman

According to calculations the boat should do about 6kn on 500 watts and about 8kn on 1000 watts. It would be powered by an electric Torqeedo outboard fed by both solar and generator power. Of course I would have several backup options that would allow me to limp along if my main systems failed.



The advantage in my mind is primarily safety. Not having sails seems like it would yield a much more stable ride without the possibility of being knocked down by high winds. Also, trying to deal with sails single handed during a storm seems quite dangerous. Setting up and balancing all the sails, rigging, and associated strong attachment points adds up to serious complications in construction and limits the simplicity of the layout options. I also imagine navigating in tight and/or shallow places would be much easier. Overall it seems like a much more enjoyable way of cruising.

Dreams are nice things to have.

Solar will provide you with almost no useful power for propulsion. Your 1000 lb boat will need to carry 1500 lbs of fuel to actually cross an ocean safely.

You do know that 500 watts is much less than one horsepower? I'd love to see the calculations that get you 6+ knots with 0.75 horsepower.

[Don C L]

Sails are pretty simple. And there are simple strategies to deal with stormy weather. If you are really concerned about being more vulnerable because there is a mast up, there are rigs that can minimize the risk, but it is pretty hard to beat the horsepower and fuel supply afforded by a sail for propulsion. If you want an autonomous vehicle to cross an ocean, one that need not take care a human being, then I could see a solar cat. But you have to take a lot of stuff, and food and water (or water maker) for keeping you healthy and happy too. 500 watts is not much. Is your goal the simplest and safest way to cross an ocean? Which ocean by the way? I am guessing you settled on a cat because it seems the safest by design, and certainly people sail them safely all over the place and the polynesians certainly did too. But a well built and well ballasted monohull does pretty well too. As it heels the effect of the wind on mast and sail decrease while the effect of the ballast increases to right the boat. Moonohulls SEEM less safe because the lean over, but as the lean over they are becoming stable.

[gmakhs]

Sails will perform better and safer for the trip you want .
About managing the sails solo I just want to say that is simplier than you imagine , try to.learn sailing before you spend the money on any other propulsion .

[danielamartindm]

My concerns would be:
1. Avoiding the possibility of capsize by beam seas on a vessel who's length to beam ratio is closer to 3:1 than 2:1 and
2. Light weight facilitating acceleration down following seas to the point of breaking deep and
3. Carrying the necessary weight of fuel in jerry jugs on a light vessel to make blue water crossings feasible.

[rickwest]

crossing the Pacific the wind was always on my stern..sailing downwind so the boat was.going with the waves...so it just.rode with them a little like.surfing
The problem going to New.Zealand is it takes.two weeks to get there from where you jump off and you will run into a storm
a power cat never saw one on my two year crossing...if.you have engine problems you do not have sails as an option.
You.are often on your.own out there, other than other sailboats.

[Chotu]

Now you're talking crazy. You'll be stuck all the time in that boat with that propulsion system. No hope of avoiding weather. It won't be able to make good progress toward your destination.

With sails, you'll have a fighting chance. With a Torqueedo and panels/generator? Might as well make the hulls perfect cylinders and have watertight hatches on top and bottom. That way when you're stuck in a huge storm and capsize, you can just use it upside down.

Truly don't try this without sails. At least a kite.

[MartinR]

Torqeedo outboards? Bring many spares. These are not made for continuous service. If the seals fail, and they do, you are kind of stuck. I have not been lucky with mine.

[roland stockham]

Originally Posted by dustman

According to calculations the boat should do about 6kn on 500 watts and about 8kn on 1000 watts. It would be powered by an electric Torqeedo outboard fed by both solar and generator power. Of course I would have several backup options that would allow me to limp along if my main systems failed.



The advantage in my mind is primarily safety. Not having sails seems like it would yield a much more stable ride without the possibility of being knocked down by high winds. Also, trying to deal with sails single handed during a storm seems quite dangerous. Setting up and balancing all the sails, rigging, and associated strong attachment points adds up to serious complications in construction and limits the simplicity of the layout options. I also imagine navigating in tight and/or shallow places would be much easier. Overall it seems like a much more enjoyable way of cruising.

More research needed!!! It is waves not wind that will capsizes boats. Removing the mast and sails reduces roll moment and therefore INCREASES the capsize risk. Even a hurricane won't bow a sailboat over

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by dustman

According to calculations the boat should do about 6kn on 500 watts and about 8kn on 1000 watts. It would be powered by an electric Torqeedo outboard fed by both solar and generator power. Of course I would have several backup options that would allow me to limp along if my main systems failed.

Not sure what calculations you're doing but I doubt you could do 6 kts in dead calm with 500 Watts of power.

Also you might be able to build the boat at 1000 lbs dry weight but you will more than double that when you add enough food, water, tools and spares to cross an ocean. Finally to build a boat strong enough to handle the ocean at 1000 lbs would take some serious engineering and probably very expensive, exotic materials. Think carbon fiber.