Size of The Largest Cruising Multihull That You Would Singlehand?

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Therapy

Dave,

Right now it is 33'6" for me.

I am practicing doing things without other things helping, like raising and lowering the sails and reefing etc. without the use of the engine and autopilot.

Sometimes the wife wonders just why I am "doing it the hard way, sometimes having to run from mast to wheel and back again.

But I am just practicing.

I practiced ungrounding the other day.

But I had a son with me and he just stepped off the scoop, pushed for three or four steps and got back on. Man that fog can disorient you quick when you can't see more than 20-30 yards.

Just learning.

I've had an autopilot fail, and knowing how to do without was very handy.

Most of sail 2-handed, and that can rapidly become one-handed if seasickness or any of a hundred injuries occurs.

Primarily, I single-hand in the morning until about 1oam, when the "crew" wakes up. I like it that way. Very quiet, and I'm happy to see them when they arrive. I have had my private time.

[cat man do]

We wanted Big solid no compromise dinghy
Reasonable load carrying ability without affecting performance
Fantastic light air ability.

This meant long hulls and big sail and what we were wanting had 120 m2 of working sail.

That was too much for mostly one to control IMHO, especially as we get older.

[Geminidawn]

Before I set out on the building the Warram Pahi 63 I test sailed an existing 42. Well when I say test sailed I mean I was just on-board. It was a force 5 gusting 7 and it was the owner that did all the work and at ease I might add.
I think the key to your answer is not in the size of the boat but the size and style of the rig. Most Wharrams are undersailed so you'll not break any records in them but they are safe.
The Pahi 42 had a single mast wingsail rig which is very easy to handle and reef in if need be. We overtook every monohull struggling to stay upright in the gusts with three cups of cocoa on the helm, yeah in all the jumping up and down trimming sails and pulling ropes the owner still managed to find the time to make cocoa. I was watching the cocoa like it was a spirit level and with the cocoa not needing gimbals the vessel never felt so solid and I was completely sold.
The Wharram Catamarans are given the nickname "The Landrovers of the Sea" and for good reason. The Pahi 42's are one of the more popular builds so there's plenty of them out there on the second hand market, quiet reasonable too for a 42ft cat.

[imagine2frolic]

Although Melanie is with me. I like Dave am single-handing. Imagine is 46ft., and I have fantsized a larger boat, but my empty pockets bring me back to reality........i2f