The Future of Catamarans

[44'cruisingcat]

Below around 35 feet, tri's can have more useable space. It's very difficult to have headroom in a cat under 35 feet with it looking terrible.

Generally tri's probably perform a bit better.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

A tri will get you into skinnier water. Most tris will sail closer to the wind, and in lighter air. A 36 tri has less room than a 36ft mono. Once again it's a compromise.

44, why don't you think they won't get more simple? Cold molded will keep them lighter, and exotic materials too, but that ups the cost.......i2f

Just that boats don't seem to be getting simpler - these days it's rare not to have refrigeration, pressure hot & cold water, sophisticated electronics.... I don't see that trend reversing itself.

[DaveOnCudjoe]

Most production cats are very similar in overall layout because they must appeal to a large market but the one offs can be as individual as your imagination. There is a design for everyone. Unfortunately building costs and time not to mention expertise limits most of us. I prefer tris because a cat with standing headroom in the salon and enough clearance for the bridge deck will have a lot of windage, too much for me. The CSK cats were truely inovative and Machete was highly advanced in it's later incarnations, they had a load of windage but the bridgedeck didn't pound. It's also tough to see around the cabin but that also blocks the spray. In the end it's all about being on the water( and going fast ). Dave

[iamsosmrt]

Originally Posted by Canibul

I don't get the impression that there are a lot of people changing from multihulls to monohulls.

Maybe I was a little unclear. I really meant it the other way around. I see people switching from monohulls to multihulls.

[beau]

DaveOnCudjoe and 44 ft Cruising cat.

The sketch below shows the basic concept. The main advantage over the narrow catamaran hull (which is also fast displacement) is that the wedge shape offers higher load carry ability, particularly at the stern.
This wedge concept can be used in catamarans, in fact two of my earlier 15 ft prototypes were catamarans. However i found that the trimaran or stabilized monohull is MUCH cheaper to build and offers (to me) a better internal layout. while still having the multihull advantages of shallow draft(my boat has a draft of 9 inches.)

The basic principle is a wedge shape, flat bottomed, flat sides. Fine angle of entry,
Because friction (turbulance) is reduced no BOW wave is formed and this shape does NOT plane.

[beau]

This is my latest design.

45ftX 22ft

Power only, no sail. (it will fit into a catamaran marina berth)

Bridgedeck above water 2ft 6inches (800mm)
Draft of 600mm or 2ft
Weight 10 tonne
Motors 2 X 150 hp four stroke outboards
OR two Steyr 165 hp diesels
Cruising speed of 15 knots maximum of 20 knots
6mm aluminium underwater, 4mm elsewhere
Large open plan, above water living area
Two full headroom double bedrooms (4ft 6inches wide beds,walk around)
Upstairs galley Fridge/ freezer
Gas oven and 4 burners
Microwave
Wet bar
Pantry
Large shower
Separate toilet
Full width aft deck


The red line is the shape of the hull below the waterline

[Pipeline]

Originally Posted by Canibul

I don't get the impression that there are a lot of people changing from multihulls to monohulls.

Zero.

[Talbot]

I think there are some who change back - probably those whose sailing enjoyment is primarily to go out for a few hours and dip the toe rail under water.

However, I think the biggest migration of sailors in the last 2-3 years has been mobo to catamaran.

[craig boorman]

Market Overview: Catamaran Sales Phillip Berman of The Multihull Company Offers a Personal Analysis of the Current Cat Market

[Mark424]

Originally Posted by Pipeline

Zero.

Switching between similar sized boats maybe, but I think there are cat sailors choosing monos. Case in point, I'm looking for a live aboard and there are very few cats on the west coast, so a purchase may require another $20-40K to get the boat to California. The fact of the matter is, and especially in this market, you get much better bang for your buck on a mono than a cat. There are many more older monos than cats.

I love cats and have been exclusively chartering cats for 15 years. But I'm starting to add monos to my search/research. At some point you have to ask yourself if you are a fan of boat technology and if you can't get a certain boat, you don't want a boat. Or if a boat is a means to an end and you do the best you can with the budget you have.

[gosstyla]

Originally Posted by Pipeline

Zero.

The Dashews did.

[SailBamboo]

What a very interesting discussion! We've just had a catamaran built (St Francis 50) after living aboard our 47' Vagabond monohull for 7 years cruising the Caribbean. As I see trends toward not only more catamarans being built and used as livaboards, but also much more customization. I think as the economy adjusts and settles, the market for personalization of your own living space I think will only increase, possibly lowering the cost of basic cats, but increasing the cost of customized cats.
With so many of the catamarans now being built in South Africa, where labor costs are so cheap, I would like to see the standards used in 1st world economy's, ie warranties, and builder responsibilities brought up to those standards if they intend to compete in a world market.
I do believe there is a huge market still available for catamaran builders in customizing to owners spec's...within specific restrictions of the boats original safety and structural designs.
I've met many mono's who would love to own a cat, but not any cat owners who go back to a mono. Unless they go back to land life, and have a monohull for day sails.
Very interesting conversation!
Roxanne s/v Bamboo

[Canibul]

I been playing a lot of those games lately, myself. I even briefly considered a MacGregor 26, instead of the F 27 I have my heart set on, which replaced the Gemini 105 I have been researching for over a year, which I settled on when I realized that the Leopard 42 was out of my budget and too much boat for two of us.....

[SearenitySail]

If I want to race, I prefer on my friend Bill's Hobie 18 Magnum. But crewing on my friend Brendan's NYYC Swan 42 is fun, too, only different.

If I want to cruise, my other friend Bill has an Irwin 38 Mark II Center Cockpit (which is the ONLY way to cruise on a monohull IMHO) which we have had some great vacations on. But I prefer my boat and, besides, it is the ONLY way to get the wife to cruise--it's a catamaran, or no boat!

Tough choice!

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by SailBamboo

What a very interesting discussion! We've just had a catamaran built (St Francis 50) after living aboard our 47' Vagabond monohull for 7 years cruising the Caribbean. As I see trends toward not only more catamarans being built and used as livaboards, but also much more customization. I think as the economy adjusts and settles, the market for personalization of your own living space I think will only increase, possibly lowering the cost of basic cats, but increasing the cost of customized cats.
With so many of the catamarans now being built in South Africa, where labor costs are so cheap, I would like to see the standards used in 1st world economy's, ie warranties, and builder responsibilities brought up to those standards if they intend to compete in a world market.
I do believe there is a huge market still available for catamaran builders in customizing to owners spec's...within specific restrictions of the boats original safety and structural designs.
I've met many mono's who would love to own a cat, but not any cat owners who go back to a mono. Unless they go back to land life, and have a monohull for day sails.
Very interesting conversation!
Roxanne s/v Bamboo

Welcome CF.
A wonderful place.
Looking forward to your input.