Catamaran vs Monohull Crew Safety

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Is your washing machine one of those combo wash/dry units? Aren't they very small? We are thinking about those a bit but also I'm trying to keep the weight off.

Wash only. It is a 4kg Camec compact washing machine that just fits the compartment. https://www.rvsupercentre.co.nz/came...ashing-machine. It’s 47kg and uses around 20l water for the fastest wash cycle, which we use for rinsing. Best reasonable cleaning ability wash uses about 30l. Very little power for cold wash.

The previous owner bought the washer in NZ just before we bought then boat. There must have been a machine there before as the wiring and circuit are original.

Unless you’re sailing only in high latitudes I’m not sure that drying is necessary. And boy, a dryer will use a lot of power.

[jeff criswell]

As several people have commented, it depends allot on what kind of sailing you are doing. I've heard people say that up to 90% of their time on the water is at anchor. So during that passage time, people that are used to the boats movements, they are ok with a monohull, but for those that aren't used to it, it can become difficult for them to move around. A friend of mine just switched from a monohull to a cat and his guests are much more comfortable on the cat because of how flat it is.

[Juho]

Originally Posted by mglonnro

Yes, indeed, they are two very different boats.

However, both manufacturers do emphasize the comfort aspect (Outremer even goes as far as saying 'unequaled comfort'), so I do think they might have a somewhat overlapping target group of potential customers. The 5x I've seen videos of has a washing machine installed. Isn't that proof of something?

Youtube channel Sailing Yacht Ruby Rose had some quite informative videos of different catamaran models, both heavy and light/fast. Some even had a washing machine.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9r...mv6Jq6w/videos

[mglonnro]

Originally Posted by Juho

Youtube channel Sailing Yacht Ruby Rose had some quite informative videos of different catamaran models, both heavy and light/fast. Some even had a washing machine.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9r...mv6Jq6w/videos

Yes!

The Sailing Family has a performance catamaran bit also:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo0SYN6BCgU&t=24s

I will post another thread about the whole washing machine thing

[mglonnro]

Sailing La Vagabonde has posted all of their "wrong-way" Atlantic crossing videos now. There is quite a lot of footage giving a feel for what it was like on an Outremer 45 in different wind and sea conditions!

(no sailing in this one, just preparing for the trip )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frZI857axRs&t=5s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUte8inU_DA&t=398s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVS6EfrSA3I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sidMmaTmqUU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b6_3BL8jNA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y72ZRtiwppo

[chrisr]

i've only just noticed this thread...tried to skim all 11 pages but might have missed something so, my 2 bobs worth :

done more than a few off-shore miles on monos (albeit mainly light weight race boats) and recently converted to cats, so i've got some ideas. the motion on cats is much shorter and quicker, and in the wrong sea can be quite taxing...but is still much easier on the crew and safer than the movement on a mono

moving around on deck on a cat is safer by at least 10x.

ease of sail handling the same

benefits of staying flat cannot be overstated

overall if you want space, comfort and safety in most situations (the others are dealt with elsewhere), then cats have it hands down.

cheers,

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by chrisr

SNIP

the motion on cats is much shorter and quicker, and in the wrong sea can be quite taxing...but is still much easier on the crew and safer than the movement on a mono

SNIP

The key words being "in the wrong sea". I have sailed both monohulls and multihulls in a wide range of sea states. I currently sail a Seawind cat which is more comfortable than any monohull I have ever sailed on if, and this is a big if, I am able to alter the course a few degrees. In short period square waves going to weather the bridge deck will slam and the boat literally bounces and slows it's speed by half when it hits the face of a square wave. But truth be told the same thing happens in a monohull.

I crossed the Gulf Stream multiple times in my Dad's several monohulls over the years. He use to describe the conditions as a 'confused sea' and almost any boat under a certain size will not be comfortable. But if you are able to fall off your desired course a few degrees the level of comfort will increase greatly. One other thing I have noticed is going to weather falling off a little can often increase your VMG and true speed in my Seawind.

[mglonnro]

We have this amusement park here in Finland where you walk through a "tilted" room. It's surprisingly difficult since you're constantly fighting gravity from a strange angle. My oldest kid doesn't like the room at all, it makes him feel weird. (He's never been seasick, though.)

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by mglonnro

We have this amusement park here in Finland where you walk through a "tilted" room. It's surprisingly difficult since you're constantly fighting gravity from a strange angle. My oldest kid doesn't like the room at all, it makes him feel weird. (He's never been seasick, though.)

That looks like lots of fun! Does it change tilts as well?

[mglonnro]

Originally Posted by fxykty

That looks like lots of fun! Does it change tilts as well?

No, fixed, for 50+ years, but they actually dismantled it a couple of years ago :/