Catamaran Sailing techniques?

[FSJunky]

The question is actually How much of catamaran sailing is unique to cats? My Wife and I are looking at buying our first boat soon and I just found a Tiki 26 in our area, the catch is that it is about twice our budget and 4 times some of the Mono hulls i am looking at. our goal is to eventually move up to a blue water cat and go cruising with our two kids. So at this stage how important is it to learn "cat sailing" vs just sailing?

[valhalla360]

There are a few things (like reefing to the gusts rather than the continuous wind speed) but generally, if you can sail a mono, you can sail a cat.

[chris mac]

We have been sailing monos for about 3 years now. In may we chartered a 38 foot cat. There were of course differences, but really no more than any new to you boat.
Sail whatever and whenever you can. The diversity will teach you a lot. And the practise will help make it second nature.

[belizesailor]

Some key differences:


Feedback: you get a lot of feedback (visual & physical) when sailing a mono...very little from cats...more sailing by the numbers than feel.

Tacking: different technique (no not backing the jib!) for tacking cats. Wharrams can be a challenge to tack depending on conditions.

Power: twin engine handling (most mid sized to larger cats anyway)

Anchoring: nornally rig a bridle on cats.

...

[Redreuben]

Because of a multi's speed off the wind hardening up can catch you by surprise as the apparent wind goes up rapidly.

[Snore]

You do not state your sailing experience.

Soooo if you have marginal experience, find a GOOD ASA school and do 101-104. This will give you a solid foundation in sailing. Then take 114 (cat sailing), this will provide a great education on the physics of sailing in monohulls and let you then move to a cat. Spending the money on classes st s good school is more cost-efficient than DIY teaching and chartering.

If you have sailing experience, as others have said cats are sailed by the numbers. They provide much less feedback. Larger ones are unsailable under main alone. Tacking in light winds often requires turning on the leeward engine to pushed her through.

Regularly running cats to 44' and monohulls to 53', I find the 44' cats easier to dock. One important difference is that FP and other cats place the rudder forward of the engines. This means that under about 1.5 knots the rudders have marginal affect. Because they are in front of the prop wash, they cannot direct this stream of water. At slower speeds, the vessel is controlled almost exclusively by the engines. All that said, I can put a 44' cat 8" off a dock laying to starboard in almost any condition, not so with a monohull- and I am a monohull sailor!

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Snore

One important difference is that FP and other cats place the rudder forward of the engines.

Not on the FP Belize.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Snore

. Larger ones are unsailable under main alone.

Huh? How large?

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Huh? How large?

Rotflmao!

[arsenelupiga]

Originally Posted by Snore

You do not state your sailing experience.



If you have sailing experience, as others have said cats are sailed by the numbers. They provide much less feedback. Larger ones are unsailable under main alone. Tacking in light winds often requires turning on the leeward engine to pushed her through.

Regularly running cats to 44' and monohulls to 53', I find the 44' cats easier to dock. One important difference is that FP and other cats place the rudder forward of the engines. This means that under about 1.5 knots the rudders have marginal affect. Because they are in front of the prop wash, they cannot direct this stream of water. At slower speeds, the vessel is controlled almost exclusively by the engines. All that said, I can put a 44' cat 8" off a dock laying to starboard in almost any condition, not so with a monohull- and I am a monohull sailor!

tacking newer cruising cats is childs play even in sub 5 kn winds. Architects did great job using wind tunnels.

rudder after propeller is calling for problems. Sliding back from the wave will bend the rudder that will also incapacitate propellers. Just ask cat guru Gregor Tarjan.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by arsenelupiga

rudder after propeller is calling for problems. Sliding back from the wave will bend the rudder that will also incapacitate propellers. Just ask cat guru Gregor Tarjan.

Did you forget the <sarc> tag ?

[Snore]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Huh? How large?

44- ran one yesterday. Raised the main under power into the wind, fell off, hit the AP and thinking like a monohull guy killed the engines. As soon as I went to neutral, she wanted to turn up, as I eased the jib out I peaked at the AP display and the rudder was at the limit for trying to keep her off the wind. Got the jib trimmed and she balanced nicely.

Winds were about 8 kts.

[Snore]

Originally Posted by arsenelupiga

tacking newer cruising cats is childs play even in sub 5 kn winds. Architects did great job using wind tunnels.



rudder after propeller is calling for problems. Sliding back from the wave will bend the rudder that will also incapacitate propellers. Just ask cat guru Gregor Tarjan.

I have a little experience sailing, so what is the trick? Around 5 kts AWS, is when FPs seem to stall on me. Even if I trim the jib in while turning up to keep the sail powered up, the FPs seem to stall. Sometimes I can just back wind the jib to get the AWA up enough so she will sail, other times I need the "iron jib".

Regarding the rudder, please help me understand the physics. Why would a prop behind a cat be different than a prop behind a monohull? The bigger issue I saw was it would move engine further forward and reduce the size of the cabins.

Not being sarcastic- genuinely curious.

[thinwater]

The best learning comes from small boats, and for cats, that wound be something like a Hobie 16. Sail that for a couple years, in all weather, and you will know all you need. Plus it is really fun.

Sail Delmarva: The Merits of Learning to Sail on a Small Boat

(Lots more catamaran stuff on this blog).

Once you can sail a beach cat, the rest of what you need to know can be learned on any sort of larger boat. They are very similar in most ways.

[arsenelupiga]

Originally Posted by Snore

I have a little experience sailing, so what is the trick? Around 5 kts AWS, is when FPs seem to stall on me. Even if I trim the jib in while turning up to keep the sail powered up, the FPs seem to stall. Sometimes I can just back wind the jib to get the AWA up enough so she will sail, other times I need the "iron jib".

Regarding the rudder, please help me understand the physics. Why would a prop behind a cat be different than a prop behind a monohull? The bigger issue I saw was it would move engine further forward and reduce the size of the cabins.

Not being sarcastic- genuinely curious.

re tacking, I do nothing special, no backwinding. Just goes around. I do not have much experience on monos so cant compare. Seas should not be too lumpy for this to work.

You are correct about mainsail only jybing, cant be done on mine.

Gregor and his crew had to be rescued because their new cat was immobilised because slid back on large wave, bent rudders which prohibit propellers from turning. Both hulls. I believe there is discussion on CF about it.