Looking for good books on cat systems and cruising

[Kenton]

Without some guidance it's kind of a shot in the dark. I bought Catamarans, the Complete Guide for Cruising Sailors, and it was so bad that after an hour or so, I scanned ahead and it didn't look any better. Gave up on that one. Any suggestions?

[Sailmonkey]

When you say systems, what are you looking for specifically? The items bolted to the hulls like engines, water pumps, generators, etc are no different cat or mono.

Also, any generally cruising guide can tell you about an area. Again, cat mono the same.

If you’re looking specifically for info about sailing a cruising cat, then try specific topics like catamaran storm tactics, or catamaran light air trimming.....

[Delancey]

I highly recommend "The Cruising Multihull" by Chris White. Great book.

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by Delancey

I highly recommend "The Cruising Multihull" by Chris White. Great book.

+1

And maybe "Multihull Voyaging" by Thomas Firth Jones which focusses on the really essential needs, and small / very small cats.


Tarjan is in my view totally overrated and seems to have a rubrail fetish.

[Kenton]

Originally Posted by Delancey

I highly recommend "The Cruising Multihull" by Chris White. Great book.

His name has popped up several times in my recent reading life. A designer, unless I misremember? But now that I've looked, the book you recommend is 22 years old and White's newest book is around 8 years old. So that kind of reduces my interest in Chris White as far as learning what I need to know about buying a cat now.

Originally Posted by rabbi

+1

And maybe "Multihull Voyaging" by Thomas Firth Jones which focusses on the really essential needs, and small / very small cats.
Tarjan is in my view totally overrated and seems to have a rubrail fetish.

I don't see any boats on Amazon by Jones dedicated to dealing with the selection of a boat for, or the dangers to be dealt with, offshore sailing.

Tarjan may know a lot about cats, but he needs an editor. As a writer, you gotta pick a market. If you're writing for beginning sailors, there's no need to bombard them with formulas they will have no hope of understanding and populating your book with photos of 50'-125' cats 99% of your readers will never see under sail.

[mark_morwood]

I think Nigel Calder's book is still the most comprehensive for general boat mechanical and electrical systems Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Manual though I have not read the updated versions, from reviews it sounds like he has continued to update it with newer tech, e.g. Li-Ion batteries. All the basics are the same for mono-hulls and multi-hulls, though you may have more of them on a cat.

[Kenton]

Originally Posted by mark_morwood

I think Nigel Calder's book is still the most comprehensive for general boat mechanical and electrical systems Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Manual though I have not read the updated versions, from reviews it sounds like he has continued to update it with newer tech, e.g. Li-Ion batteries. All the basics are the same for mono-hulls and multi-hulls, though you may have more of them on a cat.

I'm suffering through the 2015 edition now. He appears to have a huge library of knowledge, but the big gaps in his assumptions of what someone new to boat electrical systems and mechanical systems already knows make reading it similar to slogging through a swamp full of ice-cream .

[rabbi]

I struggle to understand what exactly you are looking for.


The books listed help to understand what is important in a boat. Then you make up your mind and choose your criteria, and apply that to the market to see what fits your needs.

[Sos]

Originally Posted by rabbi

I struggle to understand what exactly you are looking for. .

Agree.
These books will teach you what to look for in a good boat. Don't dismiss them because they were not written recently.

If you want a handbook on buying a modern cat then they don't exist.
Or speak to a broker and he will tell you what you want to hear

[rabbi]

Nobody will give you a hand and lead you through the market. This is not the car market with millions of units sold each year, the number of cat buyers is maybe 1/100000 compared to the number of car buyers. So writing such a book doesn't make sense.

Originally Posted by Sos

If you want a handbook on buying a modern cat then they don't exist.
Or speak to a broker and he will tell you what you want to hear

There is "The Cruising Catamaran Communique" by Charles Kanter which comes close. Its mostly a list of boat models, the layout and Kanter's one page assessment as a surveyor.

The author is very opinionated or even religious about his views. If you don't follow his advice you will certainly drown because of the sloppy decks on all modern catamarans.

Best thing I can say about this book: It fits very well into the paper recycling bin

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Kenton

But now that I've looked, the book you recommend is 22 years old and White's newest book is around 8 years old. So that kind of reduces my interest in Chris White as far as learning what I need to know about buying a cat now.

The laws of physics surrounding boat design havent changed in a few millenia, so most of what chris white has to say is probably still relevant

[Lambretta]

I think the best book to use in this regard is a cheque book (or in the USA a check book) ........ that is write out a cheque or two and go and charter some cats to find out what you really and dislike and have to have and need to have on a yacht ...... Because this will be a from your perspective and no someone elses (and all that really counts at the end of the day) and gets some feel most of the systems on these cats.

Then do additional research at boat shows and on this forum as most of the cats you will charter will have salt water flushing heads (as an example) and you need to know whether and you want or dont want to go this route. (I will leave this research to you so you can form your own opinion )

Good luck