New, Ketch Mono vs Ketch Catamaran

[bvstarmaiden]

hi. I'm new. no, I'm not wanting to start any arguments.
after doing tons of research (and reading LOTS of books and lurking in this forum), on offshore cruisers, I'm definitely looking at a ketch-rigged boat.
One is an Oceanic 30, and the other is a monohull (one's a Shannon 38, and the other is a cat-rigged freedom).

I would like one that's a joy to sail (short/single-handed), but not slow (it's for this reason why I'm avoiding the solaris 42).

I would also be living aboard this vessel (doing the pacific rim), and at some point, with a wife.

here's to beaufort 3 days...

[markpierce]

People responding will suggest the kind of boat they have. It works for them! Ketches have disadvantages as well as advantages. Same for mono-hulled and multi-hulled vessels. They all work. Why are you excluding schooners, sloops, cutters, and such?

[smj]

I believe the Oceanic 30 will be much slower than the Solaris 42. Both those cats aren't known for sailing performance.

[bvstarmaiden]

Originally Posted by markpierce

People responding will suggest the kind of boat they have. It works for them! Ketches have disadvantages as well as advantages. Same for mono-hulled and multi-hulled vessels. They all work. Why are you excluding schooners, sloops, cutters, and such?

personal taste and preference. after all, this would be my first cruising boat.

[markpierce]

Ketch heading for southwest Pacific, from central California:

[ArtM]

I haven't seen these particular models, but in general catamarans of this size come in two categories:

1) Small cabined but racy day sailors

2) Deep hulled, but slow moving liveaboards, better suited to dock living than cruising

As previously mentioned, the combination of low bridge deck (or none at all) with short length means that these are not in the same category as a Lagoon or similar cruising catamaran. They kind of have their own category. A "Packet Cat" kind of represents the extreme in this category, having no actually space between the "hulls", and in fact the "multiple hulls" are really fused together into a single hull with multiple bows and a single wide interior cabin.

For a smaller cruising type boat that combines reasonable performance with liveable comfort, you're better off with a mid-sized monohull design and all the ins-and-outs that come with that - 32' and up if you hope to be traveling with a friend!

[maxingout]

I don't care if it is a catamaran or a monohull as long as it is a real ocean cruiser that is designed for offshore sailing. I sailed around the world in a catamaran, and I would not mind doing it in a heavy displacement monohull like a Westsail 42/43. I did like the fact that my catamaran was unsinkable, but I like the motion of a heavy displacement monohull except when rolling downwind.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
I don't know either of the boats you mentioned but my last one was designed like the ketch that Markpierce sent the photo of.
Rolling downwind is not a pleasant point of sail for a heavy monohull.

[Block Island]

Try a Shannon 43 a great single-handed sailboat that is fast.


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