The Year of the Cat?

[Franklin]

40+ foot waves

I read that a boat can't make it over a wave that is taller then the LOA of the boat if it has a 70+ degree slope. AKA...sounds like one will always pitch pole in those situations. Since pitch poling is so much more damaging then rolling, I think if I didn't have a sea anchor or a drogue, I'd just take the rolls.They say an experienced helmsman can avoid a breaking/steep wave but I just can't figure that one out. If the waves are 40+ feet and only 9 seconds apart, how is one supposed to see it coming soon enough to "Avoid" it?The missing crew from the cat has definately increased my desire to get a sea anchor. That way I will at least feel that I can survive just about anything out there.

 

[Ross]

Franklin. Read "Storm Tactics" BY

Larry Pardey.

 

[John Nantz]

Capsize in about 19-20 knots true

An interesting blow-by-blow description of a multihull capsizing. It's interesting because of the things that can go wrong.People tend to fixate on storms as the cause of problems but you don't need a storm to ruin your day.Granted, this is a racing boat so racers tend to be a little more on the endge but at the same time probably more attentive.Link to the "Event analysis and lessons learned": http://www.nwmultihull.org/racing/racingreports_2001/racingreports_2001_07.htmP.S. I like that term: "Event". I'll try and remember it for use around the home or boat. Sounds a lot better than, say, capsize, pitch-pole, etc.

 

[John Nantz]

Multihull Sailors Tend to be More Non-Conformist

Had a real interesting discussion with Steven Roberts of "Nomadness". Picture of his boat is in Reply #13 - the one with the tallest mast. He had just purchased it and was learning to sail her. This was, I believe, his first major trip.His web page: http://microship.com/Click on "Nomadness" on the right side of his page and look at the picture then look at the picture on Reply #13.

 

[Ameribritalia]

"Cats"

My first hardcore experience sailing was with a Catamaran we built. One major aspect of cats is that they don't sway back and forth like a monohull. If you have family members adverse to being sea sick, try a cat. They are absolutely faster than monos, they can close haul better, and are certainly more spacious. I sailed that boat for ten years, now I own a monohull. Major advantages of a mono are that they come-about much faster, have balast and supposedly can right themselves, and tend not to teeter back and forth like a cat however I could do without the extreme healing a bit, I would also like to go faster. I sailed on a large cat in Aruba recently, wow! What a seaworthy, fast and enjoyable vessel. Want to sail around the world, get a large cat. My recommendation is to rent one for a weekend, the traditionalist in you (I'm one myself) will certainly reconsider.

 

[Alchemist]

I only have two objections to Cats

1: They are so darned wide that I wouldn't be able to get a slip at my marina.2: The cost so darned much.Aside from that, as Alf once said: "I never met a cat I didn't like!"SteveAlchemist C-320