Why a Multihull?

[Jaywalker]

It appears possible to generalize on size equivalents between mono- and multi-hulls? For instance, I was looking at 32 - 36-foot monos - call it 34-feet overall length. What's that in catamaran terms?

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Lost Horizons

If the boat will be kept in a marina, I would suggest checking their availability to accomodate a cat. My marina only has slips that are 14' wide, which greatly simplifies a multi vs mono decision.

You may end up in a powerboat marina, where the ratio of beam-length and depth requirements are different. My beam is 16'.

[thinwater]

... and you need to sail both to decide.

In the end, the way you feel on a boat is what matters. Make sure it has good resale value (either can) and buy what charms you. Owning a boat is irrational, anyway.

[Jaywalker]

Okay, disregard my last question, please, regarding the cat equivalent accommodations for a 34-foot mono. Reviewing the threads here I found some good advice from multi-hullers: if I only want to spend $75k on a good cruiser, then I should do it with a less expensive mono platform. I'm interested in the cat concept, but I don't think the budget's there for anything for anything but a project boat, and I want to sail, not start a new career.

Thanks again, I appreciate the help.

[hummingway]

Where you are is going to make a big difference. I'm in the Pacific Northwest and don't see a lot of cats around here. The reasons, and I'm guessing here, you do spend more time at $500 month slips (*2 if you have two hulls) and when it gets shallow it does so with flair and rocks so the shallow draft might not be of value. You just don't want to go there. Lots of gales. It makes a difference where you are sailing and what you have planned. I love my pilothouse but might not like it when I go to Mexico (I hope I'm wrong about that) and I'm sure there's a reason I don't see any multihulls around me in these waters.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by hummingway

Lots of gales. It makes a difference where you are sailing and what you have planned. I love my pilothouse but might not like it when I go to Mexico (I hope I'm wrong about that) and I'm sure there's a reason I don't see any multihulls around me in these waters.

A couple of winters ago a cat tried to make it here from SF for the boat show and ended up-side-down on an Oregon beach w/ all hands lost. There seems to be a lot here but I rarely see them out on the water. I tried to buy one of the local cats here but someone else offered more $. It's hard to find one for sale here.

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Owning a boat is irrational, anyway.

Whew .. I'm glad someone said it!

[Factor]

No one has mentioned they wont go to windward yet.

And I love those - a cat flipped stories, A few months ago a mono hit a rock here and there were two deaths, your point??

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Factor

No one has mentioned they wont go to windward yet.

And I love those - a cat flipped stories, A few months ago a mono hit a rock here and there were two deaths, your point??

The point is; the weather and wave action up here is serious stuff!



PassageWeather - Sailing Weather - Marine Weather Forecasts for Sailors and Adventurers

[rocma]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

but at least a mono can turn itself back over

That is a bit hard on the bottom of the ocean...... because your lump of lead pulled you down there, while I am still sitting floating around on my upturned catamaran, just being helicoptered off by a SAR team.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

The point is; the weather and wave action up here is serious stuff!

Yes, and mono's have sunk with loss of life in perfectly benign weather. They even sink parked in marinas. A cat won't capsize with out at least SOME weather being involved.

You also pointed out that there are quite a lot of cats there, but very few for sale, and when one was for sale it recieved offers from multiple buyers (including yourself) - so it would seem the owners of those boats are quite happy with them.

[delmarrey]

OK, beat up on me! Did I say I didn't like Cats? As a matter of fact I do. I just could not find one in my area.....

I'm just stating facts.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

OK, beat up on me! Did I say I didn't like Cats? As a matter of fact I do. I just could not find one in my area.....

I'm just stating facts.

Sorry. The capsize vs sinking thing always seems to raise it's head in these discussions, as does the heavy weather argument.

IMO the argument that mono's are safer in heavy weather just doesn't hold water. Cats have sailed all over the place and survived all kinds of weather. Sometimes they don't survive, but that applies to every kind of boat, and even ships.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

The point is; the weather and wave action up here is serious stuff!



PassageWeather - Sailing Weather - Marine Weather Forecasts for Sailors and Adventurers

DANG!!!!

If you were sailing a mono in that 40 knot snot would you be "sailing" or just sort of "hunkering" till it went by?

Sometimes I am sure I am a for sure p---y when I make sure I stay completely away from that 40 knot stuff even though many of our local, every day thunderstorms have that or more but only for a short while.

Down here tropical storms and hurricanes are avoided if at all possible.

You guys just go out and play in them?

Some kinda tuff Mo Fo's I will say!

[cchesley]

It's always predictable to read a cat vs mono thread but I like it anyway. I will say that as a cat owner, my biggest concern is actually finding a slip not that it will cost more. In fact, it really doesn't. I don't think I've ever been charged more for being wide. I have been aced out of marinas though because I was too wide. I deal with it.

Windward ability? Well, here's the deal. I'm set up to point high like most boats. But what I CAN do, I don't do. It just 'feels' (and is) slower than dropping off 5-7 degrees and footing faster. I've got nice deep daggerboards with 7' board down draft so leeway isn't an issue. The deal here is that an extra tack doesn't bother me. My jib is (almost) self tacking and there's no real additional labor to tack a couple more times. I'm not uncomfortable, so if it takes more tacks, it's not big deal. Light airs? yeah, I'm a bit slower than the same size monohull, it's just a matter of more wetted surface. At least I maneuver and sail well in light airs but just not racer performance. Again, if I spend time sailing, I'm still not uncomfortable, cold or hungry.

I used to own an F-28 trimaran and marvel at being able to cover 30-35 miles in an afternoon sail. Hah! Take that you monohullers.... then I realized that we'd both spent a fun afternoon sailing for 3-4 hours. Mileage didn't matter. Mileage can matter when you're trying to cover distance but the reality is that if the winds are light, you'll motor anyway and if they're not, then you've got great sailing. The only time the speed difference can kick in is if you've got a large distance to travel AND a consistent wind. If it's light half the day, it won't matter which type of sailboat you're in. Besides, on a good day, I'm usually a bit sad that I got in so quick and ended up cutting my sailing time short. Que sera, sera!

Money is an issue for me. I don't like to spend it! That's why I didn't by a 50'er. We all buy within our price range. If a cat is in that range, then great. I sure wouldn't want the yard bill of a 60' monohull either. (but maaan, Joli, how I lusted after that C&C 61 when it first came out!) But I can handle (for now) the yard bill for my 40' cat.

For me, having the space and interior sight lines of up to 15' really gives my boat an advantage. I don't feel cramped. That's not true on all multihulls though. Some are everybit as cramped as a monohull down below.

Oh, there is one disadvantage of my multihull! Guilt! I often hesitate to show off the boat to a monohull couple. The look on the wife's face as she see's the galley (14 linear feet) and sits in a comfy chair on the bridgedeck while surveying the anchorage, is one that tells me maybe I just messed up a beautiful relationship when she discovered that there is another way to sail!

Your decision will be made based on your own preferences and wallet, may you enjoy whatever craft you sail in and I'll gladly lift a glass with you in a snug anchorage.