Who Has Rode Out A Big One On A CAT

[Alan Wheeler]

there's only one first-hand account by a monohuller (yours).

Wow up!! I am not suggesting my experience should be considered any measuring stick. I bet many others here have been through far worse than me. I was recounting my personal terrifying experience and mine alone. Someone like Midlandone or Seafox could most likely have sailed right through that reading the Sunday paper. Scott Nueman is probably the one here that has experienced a serious life threatening storm, but once again it was a Mono.
I asked that this topic could have been kept on track for no other reason than I wanted to hear of a first hand real experience.
Sadly this has now taken a turn for the worst with comments being made out of context. I am now bowing out of this thread. Yet another Multihull theme that has gone down the drain IMO.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

Heating is going to be difficult not because of the shring wrapping (I don't do that - I shovel), but because I don't want to rely on fans to move the air around. I also want to heat with wood still. What will make it difficult is trying to get a heat source in each hull and then getting some insulation up on the ports (I have a lot of them). I am already insulated from the manufacturer of the boat though.

Totally off topic, but why don't you want to use fans? Hella make some good ones that use very little power. (about 1/2 an amp) But for simply circulating some warm air you could even use some of the larger computer fans - they draw next to nothing. It would seem to me to make more sense than having to install more than one heater.

[Cattywompus]

We deployed our sea anchor off the bow last year on our 42' cat. We were off the east coast on the W edge of the gulf stream. The seas were over 30+ and the wind averaged 45 - 50 with some up as high as 60. The whole thing lasted well over 24 hours and another 6 hours before being able to recover the anchor. Not an easy task in 25 knot winds with 12' seas. We kicked the anchor off the stern going down wind and turned upwind to prevent getting the rode wrapped up in the drives. I had never deployed one before so it was a learn as you go experience, and honestly one I have no desire to become proficient at. I have since added lots of chafe gear to the bridle and a recovery line. I would have liked to side bridle a bit to keep from hitting the waves head on, I believe it would have prevented a bit of the hull slamming we experienced. So I believe an adjustable bridle might be something to consider.
The waves were not particularly steep but every 8 or so seemed to break at our bow. The boat rode out the whole thing with no real damage except for some rigging and chafe issues. I have no intention of doing it again though, in a mono bow or a cat.
YMMV

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Totally off topic, but why don't you want to use fans? Hella make some good ones that use very little power. (about 1/2 an amp) But for simply circulating some warm air you could even use some of the larger computer fans - they draw next to nothing. It would seem to me to make more sense than having to install more than one heater.

Well, my goal is to design a heating system, as I did on my last boat, that can be used at anchor indefinitely - without needing any energy.

The wood stove installation in the last boat did just that. If you fired it up, it would heat the place a bit unevenly, but comfortably. You could then be independent of docks, which is always a major goal of mine.

The fans you are talking about would work well. For now, I think we are looking at dual stoves (ouch! $$$). At least we already have one of them. My thinking is that with a stove in each hull, each hull will act something like the old mono, and the salon will be heated by natural airflow (heat rising) from the hulls.

If I have to suppliment with fans, I will do so.

[Palarran]

Finally a post thats on the topic. Thanks Cattywompus, that is the info I was interested in.

FYI to the extreamly sensitive cat sailors - I love cats and am not even considering buying anything else. But you guys have a real attitude. It's a big turn off for this forum.

[Evan]

I spent some time visiting aboard a 36' Kelsall design catamaran that survived a bad storm in the Gulf of Alaska. The boat's name is "Catherine Estelle". They wrote up their experience in the Drag Device Database.

They hung on a parachute sea anchor for 3 days. Winds > 85 knots and corresponding seas. Huge freaking storm. Boat and crew survived ok but they said it was a very scary time. Lots of big waves broke right over the entire boat. The husband used to fish commercially in the Bering Sea and he said that this particular storm was the worst he had ever seen. It was an interesting afternoon talking to him and his wife.

[mojo]

Originally Posted by Evan

I
They hung on a parachute sea anchor for 3 days. Winds > 85 knots and corresponding seas. Huge freaking storm. Boat and crew survived ok but they said it was a very scary time. Lots of big waves broke right over the entire boat. The husband used to fish commercially in the Bering Sea and he said that this particular storm was the worst he had ever seen. It was an interesting afternoon talking to him and his wife.

Sounds like a cat is the way to travel.

[Tropic Cat]

Originally Posted by rigamarole

.... But you guys have a real attitude. It's a big turn off for this forum.

You think so? Well, if I were a newbie posting here I would agree as well. There is a reason that this is the only forum with many multihull guys posting on it. Over the last few years we have refused to allow misinformation here. This is where we have made our stand in debates much like this one. We didn't bring that attitude here, it was created by clueless monohull guys who typed ridiculous falsehoods about multis without doing any research on boats which have been sailing for hundreds of years. A fact they don't seem to be aware of.

As a result of our 'attitude', awareness of the seaworthiness of catamarans is spreading to other forums. Real world knowledge and experience triumphs over old wives tales every time. Today there are at least as many guys who've completed circumnavigations on catamarans as monohulls posting here.

It will take years for this to end. Every day brings a newbie to this forum who begins the controversy all over again. If there was a decent search engine here they could see for themselves how often we have had to participate in the very same debate.

In short, you're right, we do have an attitude. rigamarole, but forgive me for being unconcerned by your observation.

[Factor]

Well spoken Rick, I just cant cope with people who come here to pick a fight - I ignore them till they start telling big fat porkies.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by rickm505

... If there was a decent search engine here they could see for themselves ...

Goto:
Google’s custom search - Search the Cruisers & Sailing Forums:
Cruisers & Sailing Forum

[Wotname]

Hey Gord, that's good - didn't know it existed until now - the internet truly does have a use after all. Just added it to my book marks - might help me to stop asking questions previously answered.

[ssullivan]

Rigamarole:

It's a good, helpful place actually. You're just stepping into some old wounds. There have been some very heated discussions over the years on here regarding the "seaworthiness of multis." Naturally, when a topic like this comes up, those same people end up getting into it all over again.

This topic isn't the first discussion that has gone like this. The attitudes you see are just a result of so many other threads that have gone (IMO) much worse than this one.

Originally Posted by rigamarole

Finally a post thats on the topic. Thanks Cattywompus, that is the info I was interested in.

FYI to the extreamly sensitive cat sailors - I love cats and am not even considering buying anything else. But you guys have a real attitude. It's a big turn off for this forum.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by rickm505

You think so? Well, if I were a newbie posting here I would agree as well. There is a reason that this is the only forum with many multihull guys posting on it. Over the last few years we have refused to allow misinformation here. This is where we have made our stand in debates much like this one. We didn't bring that attitude here, it was created by clueless monohull guys who typed ridiculous falsehoods about multis without doing any research on boats which have been sailing for hundreds of years. A fact they don't seem to be aware of.

As a result of our 'attitude', awareness of the seaworthiness of catamarans is spreading to other forums. Real world knowledge and experience triumphs over old wives tales every time. Today there are at least as many guys who've completed circumnavigations on catamarans as monohulls posting here.

It will take years for this to end. Every day brings a newbie to this forum who begins the controversy all over again. If there was a decent search engine here they could see for themselves how often we have had to participate in the very same debate.

In short, you're right, we do have an attitude. rigamarole, but forgive me for being unconcerned by your observation.

Well answered Rick, this explains some things I could not understand about CF (I am a newbie myself).

However in the short time I have been here, it would APPEAR to me that MOST mono posters here do understand multis and respect them as equals (in a boating sense), so I am surmising that the multi posters in CF have been very succesfull in changing attitudes (as you point out).

However there are differences between these vessels (which we all acknowledge), so perhaps it is time these differences can be discussed rationally and without attitude from either camp. Such meaningful dialogue will only forward the knowledge of other newcommers (from either camp) and promote better understanding of both vessels.

Perhaps time for some cbyer beers:

Test: pick the mono sailor and pick the multi sailor.

For the record, like many here I am not in a "mono" or a "multi" culture.

[Tropic Cat]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

This topic isn't the first discussion that has gone like this. The attitudes you see are just a result of so many other threads that have gone (IMO) much worse than this one.

Yes, much , much worse. Are you getting underway today?

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by rickm505

Yes, much , much worse. Are you getting underway today?

Yup. Launching this AM!

It's always a great thing to do a week long list of boat projects and a haul out on a 1800 mile, singlehanded delivery when you have to be back in June to catch charter season's open.

Ahhhh... the chartering life. Truly a dream job, no? ha ha

Seriously, I'm very excited to be able to try the boat out without the prop guards/cages off and a nice fresh coat of bottom paint. I think I should be able to wring another knot out of her easy.