Multihull versus Monohull

[bigben]

Half a hundred arguments for the catamaran (its translatet from app)

The catamaran offers more security

1) A cat can not sink.

2) Even if the ship has to be left, there is enough time to take necessary utensils that can not be accommodated in the liferaft for reasons of space. monos can sink within a few minutes.

3) A cat sails upright, the ship movements are more comfortable. This reduces the risk of injury and the possibility to fall overboard.

4) At sea, working in the mast is safer.

5) Similarly, work on the foredeck is less risky and more comfortable.

6) The service in the pantry is less tiring and less dangerous on a cat. The Smut does not need to fight against slipping dishes and overflowing boiling soup.

7) Our cat has two engines, which brings double safety.

8) A cat has two rudders, if necessary can also be controlled with one.

9) Due to the stable situation, the mental burden for the sailor is lower, on a cat there is less seasickness.

10) When stranded on level sand or mud, the cat will stay upright and will have little problems with rising water.

11) The enormous width of the mast makes it easier to lock.

12) Spi or Genakker are driven without a tree. The sails are easier and safer to set, rifle and retrieve.

13) A cat is faster, which shortens the journey time.



The catamaran is a space wonder

14) Our cat has four self-contained cabins, providing plenty of privacy, especially if relatives, friends or children are on board. (A cabin may be set up as an office or workshop.)

15) For larger Kats there are in the foredeck of the hulls additionally each a room with shelves for spare parts, tools and tools.

16) The large cockpit (2.70 m by 4 m in our case), which I refer to as an "outdoor salon", is an additional habitat, especially in the Mediterranean and in the tropics, where life mainly takes place outdoors.

17) Our cat offers enough headroom in the cabins, in the salon and under the bimini.

18) There is enough space on the Bimini, the deckhouse and the foreship for solar cells. A generator is not necessary)

19) The dinghy can be driven on deck.

20) There is enough space on deck for additional diesel and water in canisters.

21) To realize the size of salon at this ship length with no mono.

22) There is enough space to take paying guests on board.

23) A cat is child friendly. the large cockpit is a safe playground for children.

24) An appropriate foredeck invites you to sunbathe and nap.

25) On a Kat is plenty of storage space.



Comfort as in the luxury hotel

26) Due to the lower draft, it is possible to anchor closer to the shore so that you can row the few meters to land and save the outboard.

27) An anchorage in shallower water in bays is often better protected against wind and swells.

28) At anchorages avoided by Monos because of the swell, catfish are often still relatively calm.

29) Cleaning and lashing of objects is not necessary before departure.

30) Plastic dishes can be dispensed with. Also at sea is eaten by the porcelain.

31) No problem arises when storing dishes and bottles. On the way there is no rattling and no shards.

32) Bottles and dishes stay on the table even in harsher weather, you can eat at sea as well as in the noble restaurant.

33) In light winds, a cat drives against the engine as if on rails, a support sail can be dispensed with, no rolling, no pushing in, no sail beating.

34) The cat rolls relatively little on the downwind course. Even before the wind, there are hardly any sailing hits and impressions. due to the width, the headsail can be better fixed.

35) A cardan stove or table is superfluous on a cat.

36) A cat has no bunks but beds. Sleep at sea is more relaxing, leeches are not necessary, there is no risk of falling out of the berth.

37) If only one engine is used on the way, you can sleep soundly in the other bow without noise pollution.

38) Under the Bimini wet clothes or clothing can be hung to dry, the wetness remains outside the cabin.

39) The cockpit of the cat is relatively high and is not covered by other ships during the stay in Marinas, so it is airy and often offers a nice view.

40) When the heat is high, the space between the hulls is suitable for swimming in the shade.

41) Our cat turns on the plate by simply maneuvering with two machines. A bow thruster is superfluous.

42) For a converted room, a cat is much cheaper to buy than a mono.

43) At the rear there is enough space to mount brackets for stern anchor and outboard motor.

44) Drying is less complicated than mono and above all safer.

45) Kats have a comfortable entrance instead of a narrow decline.

46) The salon looks bright and friendly through large windows.

47) Drains go directly into the water, the risk of clogging is low.

48) TV, video and microwave do not need to be installed. They stay in place even in tougher weather.

49) Through the exit hatch can be fished directly from the salon.

50) If mud and dirt are caught while anchoring, the anchor cleans itself if you drag it between the hulls for a short time through the water. The mono would hit the anchor against the bow.

[danielamartindm]

Regarding #1, cats most definitely CAN and do sink. It's rare, but it happens, let's be honest.

[44'cruisingcat]

Some cats can sink. Cats built of metal certainly could, unless a genuine effort to install bouyancy has been made.

Most fibreglass cats have foam or lightweight timber coring. That, combined with the absence of ballast means most will displace a volume of water that weighs more than the boat.

[BigBeakie]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Some cats can sink. Cats built of metal certainly could, unless a genuine effort to install bouyancy has been made.

Most fibreglass cats have foam or lightweight timber coring. That, combined with the absence of ballast means most will displace a volume of water that weighs more than the boat.

The end result buoyancy of any design comes down to how much mass vs how much buoyancy the design & materials deliver. And then what volume of air tight compartments it has and where they are.

Certainly no question your Oram is positively buoyant, but we know that at least some charter designs sink, as we have seen off Brisbane by a well known French charter design that had a big leak.

[barnakiel]

If you are into serious diving, get a cat. It is so much easier.


If you have enough and to spare, also use a cat. It is so much easier.


If you plan to make a lot and lot of upwind miles, use a fine entry tall rig mono sloop. It is so much easier.



In any case, get a boat that sustains the dream. Mono or multi.


Cheers,

b.

[DumnMad]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

In any case, get a boat that sustains the dream. Mono or multi.

Cheers,

b.

As long as its the dream that fits the budget.

So...... find out what your budget is ........ then decide whether the dream is best served by Mono or Multi.

[owly]

I've never seen the "hot topic" warning before.



I agree with virtually everything said about the benefits of cats, with some qualifications. In my particular size range, there is an issue of standing headroom versus windage & bridge deck clearance. As I need a boat that sails well in all conditions, windage is an issue. In order to achieve standing headroom, one has to sacrifice somewhere. That means reduced bridge deck clearance, or increased windage, both of which are serious liabilities. Pounding is a well known and common issue when sailing in rough conditions or close to the wind, and high windage is also a liability in some conditions, to the extent of being potentially dangerous and making you dependent on engines


That said, my personal criteria can only be fully met by a catamaran. I'm looking at fairly small live aboard cats, and there are no commercial cats that fulfill my requirements. All that I have encountered have these liabilities, and in addition are invariably too narrow for my comfort. I can't afford the new stuff, and in any case the new stuff is absurd IMHO..... Huge condo cats.


To meet my criteria, I have discovered that I will have to build my own boat.... something I didn't want to do. There is the additional issue of displacement / payload. The loaded versus empty displacement info is often difficult to find on older cats.... Mumm's the word. The payload (the difference between the two), may sound like an impressive number, until you start adding up what you must or want to carry.

For me this means using the lightest possible (economical) construction...... building with infused foam sandwich... A new technique I must learn. It also means diverging from a stock set of plans (with designer support) to achieve greater displacement.



I demand high bridge deck clearance..... enough to run your dingy under the bridge deck is considered adequate.... The result is that I cannot have full standing height in the saloon..... I'm personally willing to make that compromise.


To be fair, my criteria are NOT typical by any stretch of the imagination. I'm looking at a permanent live aboard voyaging home to sail mostly single handed and explore the world. A cat is necessary for comfort, reduced fatigue, safety, and living space. I don't need or want all the comforts of home, but I do need independence, and the ability to maintain my own boat. The ability to beach safely is important, both for maintenance, and safety. Shallow draft means I can get into places others cannot go, and find shelter where for others there is none. Small size complicates everything..... In a 40'+ cat you have far more options.....


H.W.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by owly

I've never seen the "hot topic" warning before.



I agree with virtually everything said about the benefits of cats, with some qualifications. In my particular size range, there is an issue of standing headroom versus windage & bridge deck clearance. As I need a boat that sails well in all conditions, windage is an issue. In order to achieve standing headroom, one has to sacrifice somewhere. That means reduced bridge deck clearance, or increased windage, both of which are serious liabilities. Pounding is a well known and common issue when sailing in rough conditions or close to the wind, and high windage is also a liability in some conditions, to the extent of being potentially dangerous and making you dependent on engines


That said, my personal criteria can only be fully met by a catamaran. I'm looking at fairly small live aboard cats, and there are no commercial cats that fulfill my requirements. All that I have encountered have these liabilities, and in addition are invariably too narrow for my comfort. I can't afford the new stuff, and in any case the new stuff is absurd IMHO..... Huge condo cats.


To meet my criteria, I have discovered that I will have to build my own boat.... something I didn't want to do. There is the additional issue of displacement / payload. The loaded versus empty displacement info is often difficult to find on older cats.... Mumm's the word. The payload (the difference between the two), may sound like an impressive number, until you start adding up what you must or want to carry.

For me this means using the lightest possible (economical) construction...... building with infused foam sandwich... A new technique I must learn. It also means diverging from a stock set of plans (with designer support) to achieve greater displacement.



I demand high bridge deck clearance..... enough to run your dingy under the bridge deck is considered adequate.... The result is that I cannot have full standing height in the saloon..... I'm personally willing to make that compromise.


To be fair, my criteria are NOT typical by any stretch of the imagination. I'm looking at a permanent live aboard voyaging home to sail mostly single handed and explore the world. A cat is necessary for comfort, reduced fatigue, safety, and living space. I don't need or want all the comforts of home, but I do need independence, and the ability to maintain my own boat. The ability to beach safely is important, both for maintenance, and safety. Shallow draft means I can get into places others cannot go, and find shelter where for others there is none. Small size complicates everything..... In a 40'+ cat you have far more options.....


H.W.

I thought I wanted a 40 foot or less cat too. Until I started talking to Bob Oram.

In reality, making the hulls longer costs very little and offer big benefits in seakeeping, load carrying and performance.

You don't have to scale everything else up, just simply make the hulls longer. Keep it light and it will be easily driven, won't require a big rig or engines.

It's only if you spend a lot of time in marinas that longer hulls become a liability.