Health and learning

[Sailorripley]

Hi all, first post on forums. Some quite personal questions that I'd love to hear your views on. I've done a lot of dinghy sailing and some yacht crewing (monohull) but not for years and now I have the opportunity to have frequent use of a lagoon 380 for me and my family (3 small kids). Day trips at first building to overnighters and then cruising over next 3-5yrs
Questions:
1. I have knee problems. Slopes, angles and carrying heavy loads hurt as I'm missing some cartilage. One advantage I perceive in Cats is that i expect not to be standing on a slope all day. But will it also be bumpier than a monohull meaning that knees become shock absorbers? I had to give up windsurfing for this reason
2. I have alarming middle aged spread (weight gain) not helped by having to give up sports that use knees heavily. Does sailing a cat like a lagoon feel like exercise? The kind that helps stay in shape?
3. Training. I'd like to do the RYA day skipper and build from there to yachtmaster. I could pay more to have an instructor come to my boat, or do it much cheaper on a monohull, if my knees could take it. Is it better to be trained on the cat from a 'relevance of training' perspective, or is everything I'd learn on the monohull instantly tranferrable and also comprehensive for cats?
Many thanks in advance!!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Ripley.

[BilgeRat]

Some Cats will pound going to weather, especially if the undercarriage is flat. But you will not get that rolling motion like on a mono unless you’re in really big seas.
But should be OK on your knees.

Cats are great for families. You can get away from each other if you like. And they are great for the shallows BUT stay away from the reefs.

Enjoy! And welcome aboard!

[Tupaia]

What country are you or the boat in ?

[Sailorripley]

Thanks for the answers so far. Any views on whether sailing a lagoon provides any kind of workout and/or onthe training questions? Thanks so much!

[chris mac]

We live on our lagoon 42 tpi. I also have a triple fusion of my right ankle, so kinda similar to your knee issue.
I feel much more stable on the cat than I ever did on monos. The motion is different but there isn't really any jarring, knee stressing movements.(excluding horrible weather that you shouldn't be out in of course) although walking on the trampolines could be an issue
In terms of exercise, some core/balance of being on a moving surface, and strength for hauling lines, stuff like that. Not a lot though so actual exercise is important still. The nice thing is you have more room to be able to work out.
Most of the sailing knowledge from monos still applies to cats. The science is the same, but you have have to get used to the different feel of it. Things like reefing, the boat doesn't heel over to indicate time to reef.
I would recommend hiring an instructor to teach you on your boat. It just makes more sense to me, others may feel differently.

[Sailorripley]

Thanks very much

[Sos]

Can't help on the knees but I would also suggest getting an instructor (that is familiar with cats) to teach on your own boat. Will give you confidence in the boat and your own abilities to dock etc which is different to a mono
You can also try out your knees etc...

[Sailorripley]

Thanks SOS for your reply