Problems with Catamarans

[capn_billl]

Here it is folks, the thread all mono owners have been waiting for.

Pull up your armchairs, and prepare the popcorn.

Here is a list of observations on a LEOPARD cruising cat from 3 months cruising the Caribbean including 4 storms of force 7 to 8.

1. The Bridgedeck pounding I keep hearing about wasn't a big problem.
Sometimes when going directly up or down wind it would pound in
heavy Seas, but once I turned to the quarter it mostly stopped.

2. 40ft is the smallest boat I would go out in, 44 was barely adequate in the
worse storms. Next time I'm definitely skipping March.


4. Escape hatch leaked, fortunately in Leopard it is well above waterline. SO
SO it was an inconvenience instead of life threatening.


4. Got pooped several times by following breaking waves. rear cockpit
flooded, no water in salon.

The first thing on the other side of the
doorway is the leaking egress hatch, so it would've just drained back
out anyway.

5. The little portholes cut into the side windows all developed leaks after
several days of heavy seas requiring an emergency caulking with 3M.
Fixed the leaks, but looks like crap, need to redo when back in port.

6. The trampoline... Far superior to a narrow bowsprit when a furling
Emergency requires someone to go forward. But I did find a significant
downside.

I was able to make my way forward in 40 knot winds without
much difficulty, sat down, and locked my legs around the seagull striker
to do the steering wheel thing on the furler drum, to free a crossed loop
tangled in the drum. The jib, due to cut to clear forward cockpit, was well
above my head.

When a large wave broke right under the trampoline. Immediately the
trampoline turned into 400 high pressure waterjets about 14 inches high
of which several provided an intense cleaning of my posterior in a manner
I was totally not prepared for. This is a "joy" a mono sailor with a solid
bow will never experience.

7. Taking a large wave sideways. Not recommended, but when sailing a beam
reach, how to avoid?

The first time a wave hit that was substantially larger than the beam was
a 10+ on the pucker factor scale. The boat tipped almost 45 degrees then
shot skyward up the side of the wave about halfway, then slid back down
still upright. Tipped 45 degrees the other direction on the next wave, then
repeat. The boat didn't flip, and sink like I was told it would. A mono
would have rolled. Seems like form stability works.

8. Forward cockpit flooding. Several waves came over bow, drained by the
next wave set. Only downside was the salt stalagmites everywhere when
we got to the next anchorage. Really limits usefulness until we got to a
dock with fresh water.

9. Heave to. Harder than it looks. With the wheel hard over, and the main
double reefed, and released until it was pressed against the swept back
shrouds, still making 2.5 knots so sailed out of slick. Good news, I was
making 10 degrees to windward over ground. Even better news, even with
forward motion, it was pretty stable even in 25 knot winds, and 8 ft seas.
dead quiet, and still for 30 seconds, followed by 30 seconds of rocking.

SO I made lunch by working for 30 seconds, then hanging on for 30
seconds.

Even if I played with the helm, it stayed put, just not stayed still.

Bad news, if I'm a second late moving the jib during a tack, I'm instantly
Hove to, and need to start an engine to drive out of it.

[dougweibel]

Mostly sounds like Problems with LEOPARD Catamarans, not Catamarans.

[Anders]

F7 and F8 are not storm. F7 is not even a gale.

[capn_billl]

Originally Posted by Anders

F7 and F8 are not storm. F7 is not even a gale.

The wind is gusting, the sky is black, and pouring rain, and lightning.

It may not fit the technical definition of a hurricane, but it sure looked like a storm to me.

[dannc]

Originally Posted by capn_billl

....

When a large wave broke right under the trampoline. Immediately the
trampoline turned into 400 high pressure waterjets about 14 inches high
of which several provided an intense cleaning of my posterior in a manner
I was totally not prepared for. This is a "joy" a mono sailor with a solid
bow will never experience...

This is a feature!

That is called a bidet and people pay extra for that function. Since there were 400 of these water jets, there is enough for the entire crew! Given the trampoline is up forward, thus ahead, it could be considered a head with a bidet feature. Win Win for everyone.
Later,
Dan

[hpeer]

We need a “LIKE” button.

[chris mac]

Sounds like you have done a decent shake down. And seem to have enjoyed it.
Many things you listed are as much boat specific as they are cat vs mono.
Escape hatches, and all hatches(as you found) can and will leak at some point, usually shortly after purchase.
Bridge deck pounding is rarely as big an issue as its made out to be. Ours will when bashing in heavy seas, but never to a point that it's a concern.
The water thru the tramp is always interesting to experience. The rush of air preceeding it is what always gets me. Going forward in big seas can be a wet experience.
Heaving to is also a boat specific, much like monos. Ours, so far, has hove to quite well, and can tack out pretty easily as well. But it can sail upwind too, which definately helps.
Glad you are enjoying your leopard! Keep at it and have fun.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by hpeer

We need a “LIKE” button.

“like”
“Chotu” likes this

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by Anders

F7 and F8 are not storm. F7 is not even a gale.

That was dismissive, Anders.

In fact, according to Beaufort, F7 is "near gale" and F8 is "gale" force...

Glad you made it through okay, Bill! What did the interior look like afterwards, I wonder?

[Anders]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

That was dismissive, Anders.

In fact, according to Beaufort, F7 is "near gale" and F8 is "gale" force...

Glad you made it through okay, Bill! What did the interior look like afterwards, I wonder?

Exactly. F7 is near gale but not a gale. F7 and F8 are not a storm.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Anders

Exactly. F7 is near gale but not a gale. F7 and F8 are not a storm.

A thunderstorm is a ”storm.”

The English language does not use an exact scale to define what a storm is. There is no need to bog everything down with exact specifications from the Beaufort scale.

If we are splitting hairs, maybe he had 33 kn of wind. If it was 34 you would approve of his storm comment? What’s the point of all this?

[GordMay]

Force 7 & 8 winds may not be categorized as “storms”, but they do bring out the “gale” warning flags.

[capn_billl]

Thanks Gord, A gale doesn't get a name, but 20ft seas in a 40ft boat is rather exciting.

[team karst]

Was the dink happy thru all this? Hanging or stowed or non-existent?

[capn_billl]

The dink was hanging.

I had it all the way up, extra lines on bow & stern wrapped around cockpit supports, and lashed.

And I run a couple lines around the bottom over the outward gunnel to the top of the bar tipping the keel outward.

This keeps it from flooding in a following wave.

I usually move the outboard to a rail mount for a crossing, but this time it was still on the dinghy.

I wrapped a line around the handle, and tied to transom eye hook to keep it from swinging.