catamaran or traditional hull for crusing

[scuba1]

Ok this should be goodI have been lookng at a million articles and have read both sides of this but what is better, what do you have and if you have tried one have you tried the other.Used for long term sailing around the work port by port..what would you do or have you done .

 

[Steve]

catamaran or monohull?

Too many differences to list! Definitely choose a cat if you are shoal sailing (Bahamas, western Caribbean). Most cat sailors started as monohull sailors and made the leap, therefore they must prefer cats. Many monohull sailors have never been on a cat, so how can they tell? I have been on both and say it depends on individual taste. In an ideal world I'd have a Swan for mono and a Robertson & Caine for multi, and the checkbook to match.

 

[Steve]

And another thing

If your version of "port to port" involves slip to slip, choose the mono. Multis are too beamy. But if you anchor, the cat's less susceptible to roll with every passing wake. Also, a twin-engined cat can spin on its own axis in tight marinas. So I must conclude there are very few absolutes besides shoals and slips.

 

[sv Makai]

Cat sailing

I sailed a leaner (cat joke) for 30 years before swiching to a Cat. Dock to Dock traveling can be a problem as most marinas are not setup for cats. Though traveling we always able to get dockage, we were usaually put on a T dock or bulk head. No problem.Cats sail and handle a bit different than momos. If you are unsure charter or bum a weekend ride on a couple. At first the size is intimadating but with twin engines it can be easy to handle.We love the Cat, it is comfortable offshore, great at anchor, and fast. It all comes sown to personel preference. We won't ever go back.

 

[Brian Hanna]

Sailed a cat, didn't like the wallowing effect.

My dad switched from a mono hull to a cat (PDQ 32) which he had for 3 years on Lake Erie. On the Great Lakes, the waves are shorter and unless the cat was pointed directly into the waves, it would wallow. That effect can cause sea sickness on even the most seasoned sailors. My kids are fine on my h336 but were always nauseous on the cat. I don't know if you will experience the same problem on the ocean, but it is something to consider