Cat vs. Monohull in Mid-Altantic Area

[bnort3]

Bought a nice Beneteau 361 last Spring as my first large sailboat... had a ball with it this summer sailing every weekend in the Chesapeake til July, then in Delaware Bay/Altantic Ocean til now. Usually had 4 - 8 people on board. Now thinkin about a Catamaran instead between 36 and 40 feet. I like the room, comfort, draft, speed, resale value, two engines. But I don't see many around these parts. I'd be sailing the Mid-Atlantic coast, very little offshoring other than trip to Block Island or around Delmarva. Mostly weekend overnights and a week or two of liveaboard. I think I could find a suitable slip or mooring. Are there many marinas that can handle pulling Cats out of the water?

Looking for insights on pros/cons of Cat vs. Mono-hull. Any insights welcome.

Thanks

 

[Dan Johnson]

Bnort...

check out your marinas in Rock Hall to see how many have slips wide enough to accomodate the beam of a cat or tri. I think that will give you an answer you can live with, unless you don't mind a mooring...

 

[seadaddler]

Love Them

I did a charter in Grenadines in a 46 and yes lot's of room,I usually see at least
one every time we go out sailing and at least a half dozen on end docks in my marina.
Higher cost,every thing is more $$$$.
Nick

 

[richk]

hmmm

Looking for insights on pros/cons of Cat vs. Mono-hull. Any insights welcome.

Thanks[/quote]

A friend (dedicated monohull guy) sailed a gemini up to baltimore. said it was way too "jerky" in 1 - 3 foot chop.

 

[bnort3]

Re: Love Them

Thanks Seadaddler.

I did hear that they are not good in rough weather.

 

[catsailor]

I have an 18' wide slip in Deale for which I pay $100/month.

check out your marinas in Rock Hall to see how many have slips wide enough to accommodate the beam of a cat or tri. I think that will give you an answer you can live with, unless you don't mind a mooring...

The trick? Shallow draft. No monohulls in the marina.

Herrington Harbor North can haul to 22 feet, I believe.

Try the PDQ and multihulls forums for user info.
http://www.pdqforum.com/index.php?sid=221da89b50da1ecb0c3a1eb2122407e3
http://www.multihulls4us.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=7

 

[catsailor]

"Not to good in rough weather" deserves explaination.

Thanks Seadaddler.

I did hear that they are not good in rough weather.

The motion is quicker. But they do not heel. I spent a good many hours beating from Solomons to Tangier in 20-knot winds, making 8 knots. Sure, it was a little bumpy. How many 32-foot boats would be smooth at 8 knots beating? I could have reefed... Nah!

Yes, I have visited Rock Hall numerous times. I use a bulkhead. With twin engines I can worm in anywhere. Nice town.

I sailed around the Delmarva (see my blog) just a few days after Bill passed. No sweat.

Went up the Delaware in 20-knot wind-against-tide conditions a few days later. Passed a few monohulls. Yes, it was uncomfortable for the first hour, but still level. Had to take down a jib on the foredeck due to a bearing failure in my furler... and I was able to fold it on-deck by myself in those conditions. Try that on a monohull.

 

[catsailor]

Geminis are very close to the water under the deck...

Looking for insights on pros/cons of Cat vs. Mono-hull. Any insights welcome.

Thanks

A friend (dedicated monohull guy) sailed a gemini up to baltimore. said it was way too "jerky" in 1 - 3 foot chop.[/quote]

and can slap a good bit. But they have also sold over 1000 of them with many repeat customers. 18" draft will introduce you to a different Bay! Not my choice, but popular.

 

[dserrell]

1

1

 

[Franklin]

You need a good sized Cat before you get any kind of birth with it and once you get to that size, a mono-hull has just as much room inside. Personally, I think "the room" is the biggest mith of them all. I looked at Cats very seriously this spring and came to the conclusion that they aren't for me....not bad for holding parties on in protected water through.

 

[bubba]

I am wondering about the Gemini that is talked about, was it the newer 105MC or the older design ? We are looking at a newer 2008 105MC and would like some feed back about these boats. We are also looking at a Seawind 1160 , does anyone now about these ?

 

[catsailor]

There is no substitue, at all, for sailing the boats of interest interest in a blow.

I am wondering about the Gemini that is talked about, was it the newer 105MC or the older design ? We are looking at a newer 2008 105MC and would like some feed back about these boats. We are also looking at a Seawind 1160 , does anyone now about these ?

Or even lighter winds, if it must be (some won't give rides when it is nasty - might scare someone). I know that I liked a certain boat on paper, sailed it, and changed my mind in minutes. But my reasons were my own and the owners of that brand like them very much.

 

[sailingdog]

The motion of a multihull is going to be faster than and shorter than that of a monohull. I've written a basic primer on multihulls and the differences between them that you might want to read here.

Some catamarans, like the Gemini 105Mc and the older Iroquois designs, are narrow enough that they can be fit into a standard slip fairly easily.... others are far too wide and require either an end slip or a mooring.

I would highly recommend you sail on a few multihulls, especially since Multihull Demo Days is right around the corner... and down in Annapolis...

BTW, you don't need a 36' catamaran to accommodate the same number of people as you would on your 36' monohull. Catamarans have far more accommodation than the same length monohulls. For instance, a Gemini 105 Mc has room to sleep six people in relative ease, and can day sail or socialize with up to a dozen pretty easily.

If you have specific questions regarding multihulls in general, let me know.

 

[Hermit Scott]

That's a great little primer Saildog.

 

[sailingdog]

Glad you like it HS... I get asked the difference between the different types of multihulls a lot and thought I'd write a decent answer for all the people asking.