To start out ... and to learn ...

[Soulseer]

I posted a question a while back about first boats in the monohull forum and got a variety of answers. But I wanted to ask some opinions over here in the multihull forum but from a different perspective and crowd.

My wife and I (and family) have been interested in sailing for a few years now and are finally at a place where purchasing our first sailboat is possible. We are still very new to sailing but are fortunate to live in a great community of sailors here in the Chesapeake Bay, where we can learn a lot.

She and I both appreciate monohulls, but have definitely fallen for the ease and comfort possible on a catamaran. She especially likes the space and stability under sail. So we are now faced with a small quandary. We can afford an nicer, semi-newer (think early 2000s) production monohull or a semi-new (same time frame) pocket sized multihull - like a Gemini 105MC.

Having never chartered more than a day on cat, we just have to take it on the information presented by others that cats sail differently, especially as it relates to heeling and wind pointing ability. Given that ... here’s the question:

If you had it to do all over again - would you have started out just sailing a catamaran, or would you rather have started with a monohull first and then moved on to a catamaran - and why?

[Jeannius]

I started out sailing monohulls but the first, and probably last, boat I bought was a 44 ft cat. I don't see any reason to buy a mono when you already know your wife likes a cat. Very important to keep your wife onboard with the project.

There are only two important points that are significantly different when sailing a cat compared to a mono... on a cat, reef your sails to cope with the gusts and don't try and point to high. On a mono you have the sails set for the steady wind and allow the boat to heel more in the gusts. Of course you can get more sophisticated as you get more experience but when starting out that's the most important points to remember.

[chrisr]

i have owned and raced monohulls for 50 years and now on my second cat

definitely start sailing on a mono (and the smaller the better). they do sail much better than a cat does, and you can learn so much more

cats are rather specialised and limited in their sailing, but eventually you will very much appreciate the other advantages !

good luck !

cheers,

[LittleWing77]

I grew up sailing dinghies (lasers) and hobies. Ultimately, moved to sailing and racing big keelboats (and even a Lock Crowther 40' racing cat in Austrailia for one season). I've sailed charter cats in the BVIs and the Chesapeake.

If you like sailing, you'll own a monohull. If you want a house on the water that can move around under a (type of) sail, you'll own a cat. From reasons regularly expressed on this Forum - the choice of mono vs. cat is largely dictated by the wife.

Monohulls forever!
LittleWing77

[tkeithlu]

I favored monohulls for their ultimate stability, but have changed my mind in recent years, given much better weather prediction nowdays and gradually understanding that there is no longer any reason to believe that I would ever need that level of storm protection. If I were starting out today I'd buy a 30 ft cat with more internal space and comfort than a 40 ft monohull, and enjoy the lighter rig every day.

[skipmac]

Have the most experience in monohulls but have chartered and sailed cats enough to see some differences.

You hit the main points, cats sail level, they are open and roomy (a later comment on that point), but don't point as well.

But here's my experience on the downside of cats sailing level. Yes they don't heel and heeling can get old on a long passage but also, due to the lighter displacement and lack of a lead keel the motion of a cat in certain conditions can be quick and jerky, especially upwind where a monohull has a slower pitch and roll due to the inertial damping of that big lead keel.

Sailing on a reach IE with the waves more or less coming from the side, I have experienced conditions where a cat had to me an uncomfortable lurch and yaw.

Not saying that cats are bouncy horrors but they do have a motion at sea: a motion that some don't even notice but some might find it uncomfortable in certain conditions.

In cats I love the room, the open living space, I love the stability an anchor when the monohulls are rolling like mad but for sailing at sea my personal preference is a monohull. Maybe if I could afford a really big cat I would have a different opinion.

Which brings me back to the space issue. Of course for the same length a cat has more room but, assuming the same quality boat, if you compare a similarly priced cats and monos the difference in living space is less since you can buy a much longer mono for the same money.

My recommendation, do some sailing on both, including the wife, and see how you like them once you're away from the dock.

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by Soulseer

I posted a question a while back about first boats in the monohull forum and got a variety of answers. But I wanted to ask some opinions over here in the multihull forum but from a different perspective and crowd.

My wife and I (and family) have been interested in sailing for a few years now and are finally at a place where purchasing our first sailboat is possible. We are still very new to sailing but are fortunate to live in a great community of sailors here in the Chesapeake Bay, where we can learn a lot.

She and I both appreciate monohulls, but have definitely fallen for the ease and comfort possible on a catamaran. She especially likes the space and stability under sail. So we are now faced with a small quandary. We can afford an nicer, semi-newer (think early 2000s) production monohull or a semi-new (same time frame) pocket sized multihull - like a Gemini 105MC.

Having never chartered more than a day on cat, we just have to take it on the information presented by others that cats sail differently, especially as it relates to heeling and wind pointing ability. Given that ... here’s the question:

If you had it to do all over again - would you have started out just sailing a catamaran, or would you rather have started with a monohull first and then moved on to a catamaran - and why?

Most people here will have started on a monohull as cats were few and far between - say thirty years ago (not many choices). But since you already know your wife would prefer a cat, there's no rational reason not to start with a cat as long as you understand their limitations (reduced upwind ability and reef early). You should consider other brands of cats in your search. The Geminis are apparently fine for coastal cruising but you could find something with more range at roughly the same price point. It amazing the number of good offshore catamarans you can find in the twenty year old range for a very reasonable price. Cats are a great choice for a family of four as everyone gets their own cabin (plus an extra one for you when you find yourself "in the dog house") Be sure to get the kids involved - I'm not advocating child labor, but you know how they can get when "there's nothing to do".

[Cpt Mark]

I used to own a really nice 40' mono that was designed for cruising extremely well. In a mono you can put as much stuff in it as you want and it won't make a lot of difference in the sailing ability of the boat.

I now own a 35' cat. Island Packet Yachts, Packet Cat 35 which is far superior to the Gemini. Anyway, cats are way more sensitive to weight and performance degradation. The movement is quite a bit different then a mono as described above. It can take a bit of time getting used to it. It doesn't roll as much as sometimes it just moves rapidly, jerkily from one position to the next.

I was a mono guy, used to race etc.. until I started Captaining a 55' Catamaran tour boat. I fell in love with cats and really don't ever see going back to a mono.

As you look at any boat, carefully look at how it's laid out. Imagine all the stuff you and your family will bring aboard. Going out for a weekend? Food, cooking etc. Where is that stuff going to go. Walk the decks and imagine the boat is pitching and moving around, does it have good handholds everywhere? Does it have room to walk around? 1 of the things I disliked the most about the Gemini's was trying to go from the cockpit to the foredeck. The rigging comes down and you very little room to get around it compared to my boat where you barely notice the rigging because the side decks are wide enough. I've seen other cats where the side decks slope down (rounded) and it looks cool but if you're in bad weather you just lost 6" off deck space to walk on and now have a slipping hazard.

All boats have their pluses and minuses. A cat "may" cost you more money in the boatyard as well. I've had boat yards try to charge me more because it's a cat, 2 hulls etc. Mine at 15' wide like a Gemini, fits in a standard slip and is lighter and has less wetted surface then a 40' powerboat or sailboat.

Personally though, I can't see ever going back to a mono.

[keyway]

I sail sunfish as a boy the bought a 30ft cat many years later. Although there is much to learn the basic of seamanship and sailing are not that hard to learn. Just get to know your boat and start out doing nice weather day sails in your local waters. Get that boat you’re looking at and get out and sail.

[Davy J]

Originally Posted by Cpt Mark

I now own a 35' cat. Island Packet Yachts, Packet Cat 35 which is far superior to the Gemini.

So superior that they only built about 40 boats............ Must have been a great design...........

[smj]

Originally Posted by Davy J

So superior that they only built about 40 boats............ Must have been a great design...........

Yeah, the Packet Cats didn’t quite catch on........

[Bean Counter]

The boat that taught me most about Catamaran sailing was the Hobie Tiger (F18) an 18ft off the beach cat with spinnaker. I had sailed mono hull dinghies as a kid, and then Hobie 16 s for 10 years prior to this. The things you learn early on an off the beach cat is the art of the pitchpole, how maximise downwind angles, the sensitivities of weight position, effect of dagger boards etc. All this is really good back ground for sailing a bigger catamaran that you are not supposed to capsize. If you can sail a Hobie 16 in 20 knots at all wind angles and stay upright, sailing a cruising cat is a piece of cake. I also had a number of power boats over the years and this really taught me the other requirements for owning a cruising sailboat boat, engine and electrical maintenance. Of course it is possible to learn straight up on a cruising boat, but the expense of learning from mistakes is quite high on a valuable asset. Eg, uncontrolled gybes, running aground, not recognizing a prop wrap, failing to reef early etc etc.

[sailingchiro]

My wife sails with me. That is the point isn't it.

[chrisr]

Originally Posted by sailingchiro

My wife sails with me. That is the point isn't it.

hahaha...for most of us maybe...

cheers,

[smj]

My wife would sail with me, even if we were on a monohull, but she wouldn’t enjoy the sailing as much as on our catamaran!